MANILA, Philippines—Wilson Fronda Baldonaza, general secretary of labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno, passed away at 2:15 a.m. Wednesday at the Manila Christian Hospital in Caloocan City.

He was 57.

Baldonaza is survived by his wife, Lily.

“Ka Wilson,” as Baldonaza was known, suffered a stroke on June 5 due to complications from multiple organ ailments, said KMU chair Elmer Labog in a media statement given at 3:15 a.m.

Labog said Baldonaza was immediately hospitalized but his health condition continued to worsen. At the time of his death, he was being sustained by a respirator.

Before the declaration of Martial Law in 1972, Baldonaza became a member of the Samahan ng Demokratikong Kabataan, the militant youth organization, at the University of the East. After the declaration of Martial Law, he worked at various jobs in his hometown Victoria, Tarlac and in Metro Manila.

Baldonaza became vice-president and subsequently president of the workers union at Mabuhay Textile Mills in 1985. He then served as secretary-general of the Valenzuela chapter of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, the umbrella organization of nationalist organizations, from 1987 to 1990.

For the next nine years, Baldonaza worked as a researcher and educator at the Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research, a church-supported pro-worker institution. In 2000, he decided to work full-time in organizing workers’ unions under the Alliance of Nationalist and Genuine Labor Organizations, a KMU federation. He was elected federation president in 2002.

"Because of his untiring commitment to the cause of genuine, militant and nationalist unionism," Labog said Baldonaza was elected secretary-general of KMU in 2007.

"Ka Wilson is known as a hardworking labor leader and trade union educator, a militant but gentle warrior of the Filipino working-class and people," the KMU chair added.

He said details on Baldonaza's burial will be posted on KMU’s website (www.kilusangmayouno.org).