40 Facts About Antonio Zumel

Antonio De Leon Zumel II, known by his nicknames Tony, Manong, Ching and Antumel, was a Filipino journalist, activist, and leftist revolutionary.

Antonio Zumel was two-time President of the National Press Club of the Philippines before going underground in 1972 at the start of the Marcos dictatorship.

In 2016, Zumel was honored by having his name inscribed on the wall of remembrance at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which, after an extensive vetting process, posthumously recognizes the individuals who fought against the authoritarian regime of Ferdinand Marcos.

Antonio Zumel described his father as having a "relatively good law practice," which allowed him to send his children to a private school, the Holy Ghost Academy, for elementary education.

Antonio Zumel's parents taught him the virtues of "honesty and integrity," and were against extravagance of any kind.

Antonio Zumel's father died in 1945 when he was 13 years old.

In 1947, Antonio Zumel moved to Manila to study high-school in the Far Eastern University, while living with "a spinster aunt" who ran a boarding house.

Antonio Zumel described his experience working in the pier as hard, having to work 24 hour shifts before resting the next day.

At one point, Antonio Zumel worked at a construction job where he performed physical labor such as running errands, mixing cement, and assisting carpenters and masons.

Antonio Zumel was not paid for this job, leaving an impression on him that will last his entire life.

Antonio Zumel thought of dropping out of school when his uncle, Salvador Pena, got him a job as a copyboy at The Philippine Herald.

Antonio Zumel was barely 17 at the time and lied about his age to be able to work.

Antonio Zumel had to hide his union involvement from Pena, who was personnel manager at the time.

Antonio Zumel dropped out of college, believing it unnecessary since he already had a good job.

Antonio Zumel worked in the Mechanical Department of the Herald and became close with the workers there.

Two years later, in 1953, Antonio Zumel became a reporter and covered mostly crime and political stories.

Antonio Zumel took it up to himself to try and re-organize the union, alongside a "small core of close friends" from the Mabuhay and El Debate, two other publications owned by Vicente Madrigal alongside Herald.

Management caught wind of the idea and talked to Antonio Zumel, talking him out of pursuing a collective bargaining agreement for salary increases.

Antonio Zumel's union registered with the Philippine Association of Free Labor Unions, headed by Cipriano Cid at the time.

Antonio Zumel took an active role in leading the strike, and one point, laying down on the road with fellow journalist Rey Veloso to block delivery vehicles from going out.

Antonio Zumel managed to serve in its board of directors at least 12 times, before deciding to run as President in 1969.

Antonio Zumel campaigned for the release of arrested staffers of Dumaguete Times, a publication in Negros Occidental.

Antonio Zumel became a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines under the National Press Bureau of the Party's General Secretariat, after Carolina Malay of Taliba and Satur Ocampo of Manila Times approached him in his NPC office.

Antonio Zumel opened the NPC to the growing mass movement, eventually allowing it to become some sort of a headquarters of the Movement for a Democratic Philippines.

Antonio Zumel passed a resolution "aligning the NPC with our people's movement for fundamental change in our society" in the NPC's 1970 national assembly, shortly before he was re-elected for a second term.

When President Ferdinand Marcos suspended the writ of habeas corpus in 1971, Zumel helped form the Movement of Concerned Citizens for Civil Liberties alongside personalities such as Senators Jose W Diokno and Lorenzo Tanada in protest.

On September 22,1972, Antonio Zumel received a call from Joe de Vera that Minister of Defense Juan Ponce Enrile had been ambushed.

Antonio Zumel said that "the whole thing sounded like a lot of bullshit," and told de Vera to get more details.

Antonio Zumel was part of the preparatory committee which established the NDFP on April 23,1973.

Antonio Zumel implemented multiple changes to Ang Bayan, drawing from his years of journalistic experience.

In 1989, following threats to his family, Antonio Zumel was assigned to the Netherlands to undertake international relations work on behalf of the NDFP, as well as to seek medical assistance.

Antonio Zumel brought along his wife, Mela Castillo and their daughter, Malaya, with him to Europe, where he kept a semi-underground profile.

Antonio Zumel was living in exile during the events of the Second Great Rectification Movement, where he worked tirelessly to explain and clarify the re-affirmist position.

In 1998, Antonio Zumel suffered a severe stroke that caused partial paralysis.

Antonio Zumel underwent rehabilitation for a few months before he could move again.

Antonio Zumel's health continued to fail in the next years, before he died from kidney failure and complications due to diabetes on August 13,2001.

Antonio Zumel was survived by his wife Mela Castillo, and two of his children, Veronica and Malaya.

However, Antonio Zumel opted to allow a bedridden colleague live in the house.

In 1975, while part of the revolutionary underground, Antonio Zumel married Mela Castillo.

Antonio Zumel forced himself to learn Filipino during his time underground, eventually becoming a fluent speaker and a competent writer in it.