The death of Congressman Crispin Beltran, one of the poorest legislators in the House of Representatives, was deeply mourned by his colleagues who even went out of their way to pass the hat around for some sort of voluntary contributions to the fallen labor leader’s family. The P5,000 that each congressman will shell out will not be used for anything else other than to defray the costs of the late congressman’s unpaid hospital bills, after he fell from the roof when he tried to repair a leak.
As Congresswoman Darlene Custodio, the collection would also be used to pay his funeral expenses wihch the family could not afford because the late labor leader died a poor man. Used to be a taxi cab driver from Bicol, before he became a labor leader, Beltran was an example of a man who poured his time and efforts for the welfare of the labor sector, which eventually put him where he was until his death.
Instead of stealing money from his countrywide development fund, as other congressmen and senators are doing, Beltran had been contented with what he had in life. He could have stolen a large sum of money through commissions from contractors, out of the projects that he would approve. But he didn’t have the luxury to do this. For him, it’s against his conscience. While so many people are suffering from poverty, others simply spend lavishly on material things at the expense of the taxpayers’ money.
Otherwise, he could have hired or called a carpenter to repair his leaking roof, rather than attend to the problem by himself? He didn’t do this probably because he didn’t have the means. Worse is even at his death bed, the mortgage payments for his house in San Franscisco del Monte keeps piling up, especially now that he was gone. While other congressmen and senators live in posh subdivisions, Beltran lives in a poor village to be with his poor constituents.
Once arrested by the police and locked in Camp Crame for a long time, Beltran was finally released after the proper court ordered for his
release. He lived poor and died poor. But the Lord said: "Those who have less in life, will have more in heaven." Perhaps, it is only fitting that a man such as Crispin Beltran shall be accorded a grandeous welcome when he enters the kingdom of God.
My salute to the man who made the labor sector’s dreams and aspirations come true now and in the future.
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