Eisa Batallones (born Rene Saturno Batallones: November 12, 1962) is a converted Filipino Muslim during 1990 at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He was known as the Father of Filipino workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An active community leader, a caring, compassionate and he harboured the oppressed Filipino Migrants within the Kingdom.

His first love was writing, but he was also active in extra-curricular like singing, theatre, public speaking, and dancing where he became Disco King in 1980. In high school he was a volleyball varsity player and a champion in declamation. Batallones dreamt to be in the performing arts, but he believed his "calling had always been in the field of politics, public speaking and communication".

After graduation in 1986, he worked for a year in ADMA OPCO in Abu Dhabi. UAE.  A year later he resigned and put up his own business in Abu Dhabi: Blue Eagle Cargo that last for eight years. His personal advocacy in helping Overseas Filipino Workers espoused Migrant Workers protection, underscoring the right of every Filipino in combating racial discrimination in the UAE. He was elected Auditor for United Filipino Association in the Emirates and held his seat for four years. Shortly after the closure of his business in Abu Dhabi, UAE he decided to live a peaceful life with his family in Malolos City. Bulacan where he put up a travel agency business: Shams International Travel Services. Due to economic recession in 1999 he accepted the offer to work in Saudi Arabia. He joined Al Bayroni Company one of the affiliates of SABIC the biggest company in Saudi Arabia and he served eight years as an Accountant. He has given the chance to be part of Islamic Studies in Jubail Da’awah and Guidance Centre where he shared his ability in public speaking and educating new Muslim reverts as a part time job. When Saudization came his position hit, hence, he was forced to join full time teaching Islamic studies at Jubail Dawah and Guidance Center, Jubail KSA where he served six years.

In 2007, He joined Al Malha Cooperative for Call and Guidance in Jizan KSA, from there he founded the defunct newsletter The Expat to denounce the negligence of Philippine Consulate in serving his fellow Overseas Filipino Workers. Because of its seditious content the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah made a petition to stop printing the newsletter.

He has published his own autobiography, Islamic books, essays both in English and Tagalog languages, poetry, and is credited with several stage plays during his college days.

Personal Life

Batallones was born on November 12, 1962, in Niugan, Cabuyao, Laguna. 43 KM South of Manila. He is the son of Police Officer Angeles Batallones y de Jesus and Gavina Saturno y Punongbayan a peasant. He is the fifth among the ninth siblings: Arceli Batallones – Lumbang, Teodoro Batallones (died by gunshot during political campaign in 2010), Angeles Batallones Jr, Gina Batallones – Guy ( a Dentist by profession), Geraldine Batallones (a Midwife by profession), Herman Batallones and Liezle Batallones – Batacan.

Married Life

Batallones is married to a businesswoman: Herminia (Aisha: her Muslim name) Lapuz y Millara daughter of Rodolfo Lapuz a native of Arayat Pampanga and Uldarica Millara y Sanchez of Tacloban City. Herminia born in Instrucion Sampaloc Manila but moved to Malolos City Bulacan in 1982 because of family disputes.

They have two children: Maria Isselah Melina and Eissa Ishmael. Herminia is the second among the six siblings of Rodolfo Lapuz: Evelyn Lapuz – Soriano/Marcelo, Fima Lapuz, Mila Lapuz – Carranceja. After the death of Uldarica, Rodolfo married his sister in law: Lydia Sanchez Millara where they have two children: Evangeline Lapuz and Jeorge Lapuz.

EARLY YEARS

The Batallones is one of the richest clan in Cabuyao.  His father is feared by many because of its inherent potency. When Eisa Batallones was five years of age and his family still living a good life, a calamitous event happened when his police father while on leave was accidentally gunned down a drunken army officer change the course of their lives. His father was a fugitive for three years; in 1969 his father surrendered and was imprisoned in Muntinlupa Penitentiary.

The family has gone through severe trials of life. He helped the family selling Kakanin (Native Delicacy), helped carrying crates of chico fruits in Manila receiving 50 centavos as payment in helping Aling Ester Macasinag their widow neighbour.

He did odd jobs including planting rice; cleaning chicken cage; sorting bottles by size; herded carabaw and in his free time he regularly scribble poems and essays about of dreaming of a happy and a good life.

Education

Batallones completed his elementary education at Niugan, Cabuyao, Laguna in 1975. According to one of his biographies his teachers often told him that he is an intelligent student, witty but a lazy doing his tasks and homework, he always come to class unprepared.

Because of poverty his mother could not send him to secondary school anymore he feared of not pursuing his dream to be a lawyer or a priest someday.  When he visited his father he begged him to find a way to study high school.

In 1975, his father’s auntie: Elisea Herce Batallones brought Eisa in Dinalupihan Bataan where he took the entrance examination in Saint John Academy to pursue his secondary school. A year later at  tender age of  thirteen, because of homesickness to his family he escaped and travelled alone to return in his hometown and there he completed his education at the defunct Instituto de Cabuyao (Cabuyao Institute) where he graduated in 1979 his maternal aunt Apolonia Saturno who was a spinster supported his education.

Eisa Batallones as a student at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

Because of the difficulty of life Batallones education to College was temporarily stopped for a year in 1979. At the age of 17 he worked as a factory worker in a weaving factory in nearby village of Banaybanay Cabuyao. Due to his constant entreats and supplication to his father to send him in College his father asked his uncle’s wife widow to support Batallones education in lieu of his domestic service.In 1980, he took the entrance examination at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. He passed and earned with the degree of Bachelor of Commerce – Major in Accounting.

Because he wants to be a priest someday, later year he applied to enter seminary in St Andrew but the Dominican friars rejected him due to his radical and bold questions against the divinity of Jesus Christ in his Theology classes.

While studying in Letran, Batallones participated to the various school activities. He was a Cadet Officer for CMT (Citizen Military Training) with the Designation of Corp Adjutant (S1) with the rank of Lt. Colonel. He participated in various Summer Camp Trainings at Port Bonifacio Taguig City where he received medal for Efficiency. Batallones was an Army Reserved 2^nd Lieutenant graduated MS 46 in 1985 at the age of 21.

Because of his journalistic feats, on his 2^nd year at Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Batallones grant full scholarship for his contribution to the school as a member and a writer in the Newspaper named The Knight Publication.

He was active in the nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights movement, and became the Vice Chairman of LFS - The League of the Filipino Students – Southern Tagalog District for four consecutive years: 1980-1984.

He was also an artist who dabbled in painting, sketching, stage acting where he won Best Actor in 1984 in an inter College Theatre Arts Stage Acting Competition held at Colegio de San Juan de Letran Manila for the play Mga Magulang, Mga Kapatid (The Parents and The Siblings).

Later that year, Eisa wrote and directed Panaginip (Dream) for another Inter College Competition, which told the story of a peasant young man, the story based on the experienced of his family who live in a small village amid its petty and gross injustices from the land grabbers.  It won Best Story, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Actor.

In 1986, he wrote May Bukas Pa Bang Darating (Will there be another Day to Come) which told the story of a blind teenage girl named Maria who live a miserable life from a broken family; it is a tragedy that his addict and drunken father raped her and her subsequent revenge. It also won the Best Story and Best Actress.

Batallones began his public service at the age of 21 as SK Chairman in his hometown Cabuyao.

He is also known by his pen name Ka Basyo, was a prolific poet and an essayist both in Tagalog and English poetry to express the Filipinos' desire for independence from the hands of Corrupt Politicians