2
Sinulog 2011 Gallery 14
FREE
Cebu -- top travel draw in RP: Google
29 Cebu mayors sign for disaster risk reduction 6
sugbonews Usa ka Panaw, Usa ka Panlantaw
vol. 5, no. 2 | JANUARY 30, 2011
www.cebu.gov.ph
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PROVINCE OF CEBU
changing of the guard Archbishop Palma succeeds Cardinal Vidal, Cebu’s shepherd for the last 29 years
about the cover
Recognition Google Zeitgeist: Cebu, RP’s fastest rising local travel destination 1. Cebu
Google Zeitgeist, the yearend trendspotter based on the aggregation of billions of search queries people typed into Google each year, confirmed the recognition Travel + Leisure Magazine and other travel award-giving bodies have given Cebu throughout the year 2010. In its Philippines page, Google lists Cebu as the fastest rising local travel destination, followed by Boracay and Bohol.
Princes of the Church (Vidal and Palma) converse with ‘princesses’ of the State (Legarda and Garcia).
Fastest Rising Local Travel Destinations
2. Boracay
Cebu Boracay Bohol Puerto Galera Camarines Sur Davao Anawangin Cove Puerto Princesa Batangas Villa Escudero
staff box
8.Puerto Princesa
Editor Rogelio R. Murcia, Jr. Associate Editors Jude A. Bacalso Roger P. Serna
9. Batangas
Editorial Consultant Elizabeth C. Francia News Editor Louela R. Pegarido Assistant Editor Jaclyn Cecille Velasco
3. Bohol
5. Camarines Sur
Writers Albe Victoria Alimurung Xerxes Alkuino Ramon Gallardo Manita Sanoria-Ramos
10. Villa Escudero
Graphic Artists Aren Nayve Jun Velez Editorial Assistant Carla O. Capa
6. Davao
Photographers Donald Moga Roland Canaya Circulation Supervisors Rey Steve Norwin Resma Rodolfo Alibo Publisher Cebu Provincial Government
4. Puerto Galera 2 Sugbo
7. Anawangin Cove
contents 4
main story
Changing of the Guard Archbishop Jose Palma succeeds Ricardo Cardinal J. Vidal as Cebu’s chief shepherd.
6
Cebu sets record for disaster risk reduction campaign 29 mayors sign at the Capitol for the disaster risk reduction campaign. Governor Garcia, Senator Legarda, and vice-mayors likewise joined the record signing.
26
sense of place Midwest of the island of Cebu lies the town of Pinamungajan. Jaclyn Velasco reveals the natural treasures with which the town is blessed.
12 special feature
Sinulog 2011
This year’s edition of Cebu’s ‘mother of all festivals’ lived up to the hype, and joined Cebuanos and visitors in celebrating the feast of the Christ Child.
28
historical personage Simeon Dumdum, Jr. rings a bell to most Cebuanos as an excellent judge. He also happens to be an excellent man of letters, with five notable books of prose and verse.
SUGBO 3
Main story
Changing of the guard Cebu welcomes Palma as new archbishop
T
HE presence of many of the Cebuano faithful at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral supports Governor Gwen Garcia’s statement that the new head of the Cebu Archdiocese is “very welcome among Cebuanos.” Archbishop Jose S. Palma of the Archdiocese of Palo was named as the new archbishop of Cebu in a papal appointment dated October 15, 2010. He was officially installed last January 13. Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales escorted Palma to the archbishop’s seat. Vidal then handed the pastoral staff to Palma amid applause.
4 Sugbo
Palma replaced Vidal who is to retire when he turns 80 years old this February 6. The diocesan, the clergy of Cebu, religious men and women, the laity and ministries were presented to Palma by Msgr. Cris Garcia before the Holy Mass was celebrated. Rosales said in his homily that “a bishop is a shepherd, and a shepherd is a servant leader and protector of the flock.” He also asked that the people “cooperate,
accompany, and follow” Palma. Palma in turn thanked the Lord for the trust and love He has given him. He also thanked the people around him for teaching him how to love. Palma likened himself to Simon Peter who answers God’s call “to love Him, to love His church, and love his flock.” A reception lunch for Palma was held by the Province of Cebu at the Plenary Hall of the Cebu
International Convention Center (CICC). It was Garcia’s “way of welcoming the new head of the Archdiocese.” Garcia also extended her gratitude to Vidal. “He has served his flock in the most amiable manner. We are eternally grateful for his selfless and tireless service,” she said. A short program of audio visual presentations for both Vidal and Palma followed.
The governor “hopes to work effectively” with Palma in the conservation of heritage sites made up mostly of churches, convents, and bell towers. Heritage preservation is one of the priorities under Garcia’s administration. In Vidal’s last few months of leadership, talks were made on this endeavor. Garcia said the program is driven to preserve relics,
icons, and artifacts inside the churches as these represent Cebu’s heritage. Palma arrived in Cebu a day prior to his installation amid waves and cheers from students, employees, and parishioners en route from the airport to the Archbishop’s Palace; there, he was greeted by Vidal, Chancellor Msgr. Adelito Abella, and Archdiocesan Media Liaison Officer Msgr. Achilles Dakay. The Rites of Reception began with Vidal symbolically handing Archbishop Palma a crucifix and a vessel filled with holy water. A gospel reading was followed by the invoking of the Holy Spirit through the singing of “Veni Creator Spiritus.” The profession of faith and the Oath of Fidelity in Latin completed the solemn ritual. A reception dinner was given in Palma’s honor at the Sacred Heart Center that same night. It opened with a parade of the renowned Cebu lechon and other delicacies, giving Archbishop Palma an introduction to the rich Cebuano culture. A highlight of the evening was the unveiling of Archbishop Palma’s official portrait painted by Cebuano artist Jun Impas. It was a gathering of both Church and State, with members of government and the religious sector in Cebu, Palo, Leyte, and Iloilo in attendance.
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo and Papal Nuncio Archbishop Edward Adams were among those from the clergy that attended the reception for the canonical installation. Mayor Michael Rama of Cebu City was also at hand to welcome Palma. Garcia, on behalf of the Cebu Provincial Government, expressed the “profound gratitude all Cebuanos have in their hearts” to Vidal. At the same time, she assured Palma of loyalty and obedience. “We will follow you and obey when you say so,” she added. “Cebu may be a dynamo of progress in the Philippines but it is also a dynamo of faith,” Vidal in his turn told Palma. Palma admitted “it’s difficult to be Cardinal Vidal’s successor.” He however committed to give his “best because this is God’s will for me.” Cebu is the biggest archdiocese in the Philippines. Palma, 60, is a noted human rights advocate. He also supports programs on environment preservation. Born in Dingle, Iloilo on March 19, 1950, Palma studied Philosophy at St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary. He had his theology at St. Joseph Regional Seminary. Palma was ordained priest for the archdiocese of Jaro on August 21, 1976.
A PRINCE’S WELCOME. (clockwise, from above left) Artist Jun Impas (extreme left) unveils Archbishop Palma’s official portrait; with philantropist Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung smiling in the background, Archbishop Palma is welcomed by Governor Garcia and Senator Loren Legarda (in black suit); Gov. Garcia shares a moment of levity with Cardinal Vidal; the new Archbishop poses for posterity with select members of the largest archdiocese in the country; Gov. Garcia pledges her loyalty to Archbishop Palma and expresses her gratitude for Vidal’s 29 years of guidance.
SUGBO 5
News province
Cebu sets record for disaster risk reduction campaign TWENTY-NINE Cebu mayors commit to be more prepared in times of disaster. The mayors recently came together to ink the certificate of commitment to disaster resilience, the biggest signing so far in the campaign worldwide. Jerry Velasquez, senior regional coordinator for United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), said Governor Gwen Garcia, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Senator Loren Legarda, and other local officials from Central Visayas also signed the certificate. UNISDR led the Disaster Risk Reduction Campaign launch for Region VII last January 13 at the Capitol. “Today’s signing is a world record for having so many mayors and vice mayors signing up in one event,” Velasquez said. He further said the commitment of the Filipinos is laudable, adding that in some countries only one mayor signs and that’s it. A vice mayor was also awarded as AsiaPacific regional champion by UNISDR for implementing his own disaster risk reduction and preparedness program in his municipality. Vice Mayor Alfredo Arquillano of San Francisco said the UNISDR recognized the disaster risk reduction initiatives he implemented when he was still mayor. Arquillano said one of these measures is the “purok” system, which empowers the people themselves to assess and act for their own
6 Sugbo
safety when there is a natural hazard. Senator Legarda, keynote speaker, stressed the importance of local government units being prepared for disaster to minimize damages brought about by natural calamity. Legarda said, based on the World Bank assessment, the country needs $4 billion to rehabilitate the damage in infrastructure and agriculture wrought by typhoons Ondoy and Peping in Luzon these last couple of years. She pointed out that though Cebu may be safe from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the island is susceptible to floods, landslides, and droughts brought about by El Niño. Garcia for her part said over 17,000 barangay tanods will be trained by the army reserve command to further buttress the disaster preparedness of the province. The governor, who was appointed commander of the First (Cebu) Ready Reserved Battalion, said the training runs from six to eight months. Colonel Raymundo Bañares, Jr. will oversee their training as new commander of the 7th Regional Community Defense Group (7RCDG), Army Reserve Command (ARESCOM). Undersecretary Benito T. Ramos, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council executive director, said the governor’s plan will have a big impact on the disaster risk reduction campaign. He considers the initiative as a model in the whole country.
New chief reforms LTFRB 7 NEW Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 Director Ahmed Cuizon said he would implement measures that would bring about needed reforms at his office. These include fighting graft, touching base with stakeholders such as drivers of taxis, buses, and jeepneys, and improving efficiency in the issuance of franchises through close coordination with national agencies and local government units. Cuizon, who assumed office last December 16, declined to comment on revelations of his predecessor Benjamin Go that certain LTFRB 7 officials are allegedly involved in the illicit issuance of taxi franchises despite an existing moratorium. Go, who had been active in fighting graft and corruption during his tenure, said more than 2,000 taxi franchises were illegally issued by his predecessors. He even named LTFRB 7 Chief Legal Officer Evelyn Misal as one that could be held liable for the anomalous transactions. Cuizon said these issues were already forwarded for
investigation to the national office and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) before Go left for Cotabato. “This happened before my time. Let’s just wait for the result of the investigation,” he said. Cuizon recently paid a courtesy call on Governor Gwen Garcia at the Capitol to convey his support for activities of the provincial government. He said the governor was pleased with his appointment to the LTFRB, him being another Cebuano. Governor Garcia expected Cuizon to attend various meetings at the Capitol, especially if these involve the transport sector. Cuizon visited the province-managed Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) and said he was amazed by its development. He issued special permits allowing buses to go beyond their normal travel line to cater to the surging number of passengers during the holidays. Cuizon is a former public affairs manager of the Mactan Cebu International Airport which is, like LTFRB, an attached agency of DOTC.
GUV Cup sets age bracket, goes grassroots
JICA-DOT BOOST. Gov. Garcia signs a MOA to implement a 300-million-yen program for local tourism officers. The JICA-DOT project trains them in gathering tourism statistics, among other things. Garcia makes her support official after learning of dwindling participation.
Cebu tourism thrust benefits from JICA project CEBU Province’s tourism efforts will get a needed boost from a joint project of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Department of Tourism (DOT) that entails the development of a tourism tool for local government units. Governor Gwen Garcia signed a memorandum of agreement recently with DOT and JICA for the implementation of the Technical Cooperation Project on the Development of Tourism Statistics System for Local Government Units in Cebu. The 300-million-yen project seeks to develop a manual that will improve the collection and analysis of data pertaining to the tourism sector, such as hotel occupancy and tourist arrivals. The project also involves training local tourism officers in planning, monitoring, and evaluating tourism schemes against international standards. The project started in April 2009 and will run until March 2012. Areas included in the training are Regions 4, 6, and 7, identified as among those with the biggest tourist arrivals. Governor Garcia adopted the project by signing the agreement after she was informed of its dwindling number of participants.
From 32 local government units that enrolled in Basic Training, only 23 proceeded to Part 1 of Advance Training. Part 2 of Advance Training even had fewer participants at 19. DOT 7 Director Rowena Montecillo sought the governor’s assistance to ensure that the 19 remaining tourism and planning officers go on to the last phase of the training. She also said the team has continued to mentor those who did not proceed with the second phase of the project since they are still required to submit a statistics report. Garcia finds the project “very timely and very appropriate” to the Cebu Provincial Government’s tourism thrust. She added that it will help the towns and cities align with Capitol’s campaign to make them salable. The training is important, added Garcia, because it will “enable the towns to come up with a tourism package.” Under the agreement, the Cebu Provincial Government is tasked to coordinate and monitor the municipalities as well as collate data from local tourism officers and submit such them to DOT. JICA provides the training modules, while DOT facilitates the training of participants.
IN THEIR search for a world-class athlete, organizers of the Governor Gwen Garcia Unity Volleyball Cup (GUV Cup) decided to limit the age of volleyball players who can join next season to 20 years old and below. They also agreed to bring the tournament this year down to the grassroots level through the Extended GUV or EGUV program. Winnona Catipay, Sports Development Program head of Cebu Province, said they are in search of this player among the youths in and out of schools in the plains and hinterlands of Cebu. In a meeting with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Cebu Volleyball Association (Ceva), the group decided as well that participating teams will not be allowed to field a men’s volleyball team without a women’s team counterpart. The rule is “non-negotiable,” said Governor Gwen Garcia. With schools tasked to engage in the sport during athletic meets, DepEd teachers will undergo a coaching skills training before the school year starts. Ceva will field two 15-member teams to handle the training. Local government units (LGUs) will also adopt the program and stage volleyball tournaments in the towns. Organizers might also include the GUV Cup in the Expanded-Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (E-GWEN) program to ensure the holding of the tournament in the towns. “The world-class-caliber player might be residing in the mountain,” says Sangguniang Kabataan President Aladin Caminero, who was a varsity player of the Cebu Institute of Technology volleyball team in his elementary years. The SK will also organize volleyball tournaments. GUV Cup Vice Chair Glen Anthony Soco said SK’s active presence ensures the administration of the program. Governor Garcia recently asked Caminero to allocate funds from his office for volleyball programs. The GUV Cup was a unifying force in the province when it was threatened by Sugbuak, a move meant to split Cebu into four provinces. Volleyball in Cebu peaked in the 1970s and ’80s when it produced legendary players. It saw a decline in the ’90s. Gener Dungo, president of the Philippine Volleyball Federation, said the GUV Cup could make Cebu a potential “volleyball capital of the country.”
SUGBO 7
Editorial
Legacy and promise
T
hree days before the celebration of the Feast of the Sto. Niño, Cebu witnessed the changing of the guard in the country’s largest archdiocese. When Cardinal Ricardo J. Vidal handed the crozier to Archbishop Jose S. Palma at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral last January 13, 2011, the former officially ceased as the archdiocese’s leading shepherd, while the latter officially started a role he has already played, this time, on a much larger stage. That very moment – when the pastoral staff was passed – the Cebuano faithful collectively felt, on the one hand, a profound sadness over the leaving of a leader that had stayed long enough and served hard enough to eventually share with them deep kinship; on the other hand, the faithful felt a great joy over the coming of a shepherd whose flock he left, felt at his farewell what we did at our Cardinal’s parting. Vidal came to the scene in 1981, when Pope John Paul II appointed him as Coadjutor Archbishop of Cebu. Like the Pope, he would lead close to three decades; while John Paul II’s papacy lasted 26 years, Vidal’s leadership spanned 29 years. His legacy is multi-layered; besides shepherding the souls of the local flock, providing a model for personal sanctity, and showing zeal for the Father’s house, Vidal also attended to and handled well the temporal circumstances that affected the millions under his wing. As archbishop, Vidal lived the Beatitudes, most remarkably the seventh; he was the ultimate peacemaker, the proverbial cooler head that prevailed, the mediator to whom political leaders often went for conflict resolution. Vidal was a singular social troubleshooter, encouraging moderation, dialogue, and
8 Sugbo
respect while societal issues were being weighed. And he was larger than life, regarded so highly that, having the moral high ground, his opinion on vital issues would often be sought. Fittingly, the Cardinal received honors before passing the baton; the Senate gave him recognition in a resolution, the cities of Cebu and Talisay made him their adopted son, and the Province of Cebu granted him its highest honor, the Order of Lapu-Lapu. Indeed, the Cardinal, now 79, has fought the good fight, run the good race, and kept the faith. The shoes the Cardinal leaves are big, but the man chosen to fill them, providentially, has the same size. Archbishop Palma, 60, knows the lay of the land, his new assignment being not entirely new; he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu on November 28, 1997. In a nutshell, Palma is a “humane, compassionate, and charismatic” shepherd who is known to be as effective as he is prudent in facing issues. He is also humble, and heeding Thomas à Kempis, considers himself – as a matter of course – less than his peers. The truth is, Palma has formidable credentials and a solid track record. On March 9, 1999, he was installed Bishop of Calbayog; on May 2, 2006, he was installed Archbishop of Palo; and in 2009, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) elected him as its vice-president. Moreover, Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, CBCP Media Director, believes that sooner than later, Palma could become the country’s next cardinal. It is the humble that God raises. When that happens, Cebu will be doubly blessed, having two cardinals in its midst, two of the greatest this province will have seen, going from strength to strength.
Views
Balitaw for our times
I Promdi-wise ni Erlinda K. Alburo
The skills involved in balitaw performance would remain as strong as the language and idiom that is its medium.
’ll soon get the last entries in a balitaw contest sponsored by the USC Cebuano Studies Center that, according to a recent Sun.Star Cebu editorial, makes relevant an entertainment form popular in the early 20th century. Theme of the contest is Reproductive Health, one of the controversial topics today. The winning piece will be performed from memory and without the most remarkable element of the form: extemporaneity. Traditionally, the dancing couple have to think “on their feet” as they answer each other in rhymed verses. In time, as urbanized Cebuanos get used to the revived form, the best performers are expected to recite their lines spontaneously. But for now, we make do with the composed version. The balitaw was part of oral literature that had impressed the Spanish missionaries as well-developed and sophisticated, generally chanted or sung rather than recited, so that one 17th-century observer said (exaggeratedly) that unless he was sick or asleep, the Visayan was always singing.
Asked to plow the mangrove forest he says no, kay kombento kana sa tambasakan. Asked to cover the floor of her house with needles, he asks: Kon duna na kitay mga bata/ Dili ba sila mahatuyom? Asked to replace their roof with tiles, he says:
Usually on love and courtship, domestic and social life, it was performed during wakes or wedding feasts. It made for a performer his mark in the community. Even today, leaders of our Cebuano community earn respect through their oral skills. Often, they act as spokesmen (called dakung tawo) in the pamalaye or marriage negotiation in remote areas.
Take a look at our bisdak poets, whose typical poem may not be in the form of dialogue, but replies to an imagined partner’s claim. The skills involved in balitaw performance would remain as strong as the language and idiom that is its medium. If the verse debate is dying as art form today, it must be because the contemporary audience has developed a taste for alternative media. However, in view of the reputed love of the Cebuano for controversy and debate, there must be a place undiscovered or as yet unappreciated in the modern entertainment repertoire for such a form.
It was not the accompanying dance or song, but the witty repartees that entertained. Here are examples from recorded verses of the man’s replies to the woman’s impossible demands.
Unsaon mo, inday, ang tisa/ Halayo kadtong Manila/ Maayo na lamang ang nipa/ Kay ania ra sa atong yuta. Such reply points to the colonial mentality of the folk, and their impracticality, for a nipa hut cannot support a tile roof. I imagine today’s balitaw full of images from contemporary technology and popular culture. These would replace the allusions to the Bible, proverbs, riddles and legends that used to pepper the traditional text.
Any traditional form may be re-invented or recycled. In the 1960s the balitaw was aired on radio in an information campaign about birth control. The current issue on reproductive health will only continue that theme.
Teasing the Sto. Niño
I Kabilin
Jojo Bersales
Does not, for example, the candle seller at the Basilica dance as if to tease – or to be more apt, cajole – the Sto. Niño into granting her wish?
n Manuel Enriquez dela Calzada’s “Legends of the Sto. Niño” (translated in English by Martin Abellana and published in 1965), we encounter this oral tradition of the Sto. Niño and Baladhay, the so-called court jester of Humabon. Baladhay is gravely ill from an unnamed disease or ailment. He is soon brought on a bamboo “stretcher” to the “palace” where the recently christened wife of Humabon, Queen Juana, asks that she be brought to her room. There are no further details from this point on, no explanation why Humabon’s wife brought him there. What we read next is that Baladhay is heard shouting angrily at the image of the Sto. Niño displayed in an “altar” of Juana’s room, accusing the boy-Jesus of teasing him by using a coconut midrib to tickle him on the face as he lay there asleep ready to meet his mortal end. Up and about, with no signs of the destiny with death he was about to make. “In my anger for disturbing my sound sleep,” he explained to Humabon, Juana, and other members of the household who had run to the room to see what was going on, “I stood up at once and grabbed this bolo which hung on the walls. As I faced him, he danced and danced as he took hold of the mid-rib as if to tease me. I held the bolo tight in my hand and followed him dancing. I could not help but dance with him here and there and hither yon.” This then is the purported legend of the first dance of
the Sinulog. In the same Baladhay story, dela Calazada traces the word sinulog to the Cebuano word “sulog”, which means the current of a river. The dance, accordingly then, is like the current of a river. I find this difficult to imagine given that the Sinulog dance involves forward and backward motions and I have never seen the current of a river to move to and fro, not even when going through a tight bend. Would it not be stretching the imagination therefore to posit that perhaps sinulog is taken from “sungog”, “sulog” or “sunglog”, the various Bisaya words for teasing? (Thus, “sinungog”, “sinulog”, and “sinunglog”.) Does not, for example, the candle seller at the Basilica dance as if to tease – or to be more apt, cajole – the Sto. Niño into granting her wish? After all, if we go by this oral tradition of Baladhay, the innocence of the Child Jesus in healing him, burst forth through playful teasing. These are points to ponder, aware of course that sinulog is a tradition that, at least by the late 1800s, was not only found in Cebu but had by then been equated across the Visayas with the “moro-moro”, local adaptations of the Spanish metrical romance plays called “comedia”. By then, whatever riverine movements may have been palpable in the dance at the time of Humabon and Baladhay, had been utterly eroded. But teasing and cajoling the Sto. Niño has apparently survived. SUGBO 9
Provincial legislation VM is new disaster reduction campaign champ VICE Mayor Alfredo Arquillano, Jr. of San Francisco was recently named “Campaign Champion” in the Asia Pacific Region by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). The Cebu Provincial Board, through a resolution sponsored by PB member Agnes Magpale, congratulated Arquillano on his award and lauded him for the honor he brought to the province. PB Member Agnes Magpale said the appointment of Arquillano validated also their judgment of San Francisco as the two-
time grand champion of the Expanded-Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (E-GWEN) program. “Nakaingon ko nga kami di ay sa E-GWEN team wala masayop nga gipili ang San Francisco as consistent winner for two years kay nakita ang iyang programa,” said Magpale, who works as program manager of E-GWEN. Magpale said Arquillano deserves the province’s gratitude for giving “pride to Cebu” by bringing international attention to his town. Magpale further said Arquillano’s disaster
management programs improved the socio-economic status of his municipality. The purok system approach or the establishment of a materials recovery facility, installation of solar energy in remote barangays, setting up of water impounding dams, rehabilitation of mangrove areas, establishment of marine sanctuaries, and promotion of biking activities are some of his programs. Arquillano’s programs fall within the 10-point checklist by the UNISDR. The checklist helps make a town resilient to disasters.
(At right) Vice-mayor Alfredo Arquillano, Jr.
PB applauds Carcar winners FOR being at par with the best performers in the Sinulog Grand Parade competition, the Department of Education (DepEd) Carcar City Division received praise from the Cebu Provincial Board (PB). The PB congratulated the Carcar contingent, which won third place, upon the motion of one of its members, Julian Daan.
The more than a hundred Carcar dancers and props men awed the judges with their graceful and defined movements. They danced through a banquet showcasing how the Holy Jesus could provide for His people. Women dancers donned gowns in red and gold and men wore striped polos, and they romped away with the
Best in Costume award. Daan, in his resolution, said the awards proved Carcaranons are right there with the best in the Sinulog competition. Cebu celebrates the Sinulog festival every third Sunday of January in honor of the child Jesus or the Sto. Niño de Cebu. Contingents from the Visayas and Mindanao participate in the annual event.
SK prexy is new youth and sports dev. chair THE Cebu Provincial Board (PB) elected PB member Aladin Wilyamie Caminero as chair of the committee on youth and sports development. He was also designated member of the committees on information and communications technology; women, family and minors; dangerous drug abuse prevention; and differently-abled persons. These positions were vacated by ex-officio PB member Bea Mercede Calderon after her term as president of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation-Cebu Province ended. Caminero, the son of PB member Wilfredo Caminero, was elected SK president in the last elections. He assumed office in December 2010. 10 Sugbo
YOUTHQUAKE. Sports gets a youthful face with newly-elected SK president Aladin Caminero (left of Gov. Garcia).
Rerouting to ease traffic in bridges THE Mactan-Cebu Bridge Management Board (MCBMB) wants to spare the two spans linking the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu from traffic jams and is implementing new routes for motorists. The board, chaired by Governor Gwen Garcia, wants to minimize traffic problems, particularly at UN Avenue going to or coming from Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge. Mandaue City’s Traffic System Intervention last January 17 limited traffic lighting phases from four to two along UN Avenue. Architect Florentino Nimor, officer-in-charge of the Mandaue City Planning and Development Office, said the twophase traffic lighting system prohibits motorists coming from Plaridel St. to cross UN Avenue. Motorists from Cebu City heading for Cansaga Bay Bridge are directed to take Ouano Avenue, detour to Cebu North Road, turn right at Metro Mandaue area, and then take a left for Cansaga. Former Cebu City councilor Jack Sylvan Jakosalem said this is a “longer yet faster” route for motorists to take to get to their destination. Jakosalem is the current chief of City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM). Traffic signals were placed on critical intersections in Plaridel, AC Cortez and Plaridel, Plaridel Soriano bend, and Ouano Avenue and EO Perez.
Germany to help Cebu thru iTax TO STRENGHTEN the fiscal governance of Cebu’s cities and municipalities, the Provincial Board authorized Governor Gwen Garcia to enter into an agreement with Germany over a taxation system. German government owned Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is to provide the province an Integrated Taxation Management System (iTAX) software. PB Winefredo Caminero said the software aims to improve tax assessment and collection as well as increase the revenues of local government units. (Acer Alkuino)
Provincial Board member Julian Daan
Serious service
D
espite his public mien as a radio and stage comic, Provincial Board Member Julian B. Daan (more popularly known as Esteban Escudero for his character in a radio soap from the ‘80s), is a serious and dedicated public servant away from the scrutinizing eyes of the public, his followers included. Among a slew of politicians who claimed to have been a reluctant public servant, he has come to love the job the longer he went at it. But he is quick to credit his popularity as a radio talent for over four decades for paving the way for his entry to public service, and eventually his installment as to his becoming a member of the august Cebu Provincial Board. He counts his success in affording his constituents enjoyment of the basic necessities in life like water, street lighting, communication gadgets, aid to senior citizens, accident insuranc e, financial assistance for various purposes and others as his way of making his constituents remember him as an effective public servant. But true to his background, the man still dips into his vast supply of comic flair, even in serious topics. He jokes about a feigned reluctance at attending Barangay sessions as councilor because there was no honorarium, only to show more interest only much later as municipal councilor, as there were financial remunerations at this stage. He can now poke fun as he recalls the ‘odd’ jobs he used to handle during his younger years including his infatuation with the microphone during village dances, being one who tallies cargo arrivals and deliveries in the sea port area, making boxes for packing noodles and plucking kapok fibers for pillows in their neighborhood, among others. He flitted from one to the other until he was able to penetrate the airwaves via the soap opera ‘Manok ni San
by Roger Serna Pedro’ that tickled the imaginations of radio listeners in the Visayas-Mindanao areas. His popularity further rose with the phenomenal patronage of televiewers for the comedy-fantasy series ‘Si Goot da Wanderpol,’ which he put to good use in his political journey. However, that proved insufficient as an attempt to land in the second highest slot in the province proved futile. This political setback did not stop him from serving the Barangay, as he was hired as consultant on barangay affairs. In hindsight, he regarded that defeat as a blessing in disguise as it made him realize how his educational deficiency might have become a stumbling block in the performance of the job. He also admitted to feelings of insecurity and an inferiority complex because of this in his early years on the board. Still he sometimes gets the chance to take the reigns when the presiding officer and the pro-tempore are unavailable. Looking back, he has so much to thank the Almighty for having reached this far, his being just a high school undergraduate notwithstanding, something which his detractors often strike at. ‘It’s my destiny,’ he quipped. As for running for a different post, PB Daan says he plans to retire after his stint with the board expires, that is, after a third term, if still allowed by the public. As to his possible successor, he counts his wife Yolly, who serves as his Chief of Staff and who PB Daan considers is more in touch with the Barangay officials of his district than he, is the most likely candidate as none of his two sons—a seaman and a government consultant—have shown any interest in politics.
SUGBO 11
Special feature
by Albe Victoria Alimurung with Rufo Carzano
H
eavy rains and crowded roads failed to hamper the spirits of the devotees, contingents, and spectators in celebrating the mother of all Philippine festivals, Cebu’s Sinulog.
The celebration started with the Holy Mass officiated by newly-installed Archbishop of Cebu, Jose Palma, at the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC). In his homily, Palma explained that singing and dancing are ways of glorifying God, and that participating in the Sinulog “pleases the Sto. Niño.” He also reminded the contingents that it is not important whether they win or lose because “at the end of the day, in the eyes of God, we are all winners when we welcome the Sto. Niño in our hearts.” Archbishop Palma likewise called for unity, saying that as “we need God, we also need each other.” Added Palma: “The City needs the Province; the Province needs the City.” As part of the opening acts, Governor Gwen Garcia led the Bonga Festival dancers in honoring the Sto. Niño. Depicting bountiful harvest, they danced their thanksgiving to the ‘goddess’
12 Sugbo
who came out inside a pineapple. The spectators at the CCSC roared with applause as Gov. Garcia emerged from the giant pineapple carrying the Sto. Niño. Donning her exquisite ‘goddess of bountiful harvest’ gown by Cary Santiago, Gov. Garcia gracefully danced to the Sinulog beat, her seventh time. As she danced together with the Capitol department heads, President Benigno Aquino III looked on, along with the cheering crowd. After her performance, Gov. Garcia then went to the bleachers and greeted President Aquino and leaders of the City Government. Seeing the governor make her way up in her heavy costume, Rep. Tomas Osmeña offered his hand to lift Gov. Garcia, and the governor graciously welcomed the gesture. “I was pleasantly surprised that going up – pagtikang lang
ug usa ka ang-ang – dako na kaayo na nga effort kay bug-at kaayo akong costume
2011 (taking just one step is already a big effort due to the weight of my costume) but he was there, he stood up, he offered his hand, and so I took it and he pulled me up. I think it was a very nice gesture,” shared Gov. Garcia in an interview.
“Kinahanglang maghiusa kitang tanang mga Sugbuanon kay (Cebuanos need to be
united because) there’s so much in store for us; let us not throw that all away because of division. There’s so much we can accomplish joining hands and working together for the good of Cebu,” Gov Garcia
added. The governor likewise graced the street dancing, still with the Bonga dancers. Her guests, Senator Bongbong Marcos and Governor Boy Umali, president of the Governor’s League of the Philippines, relished the Sinulog and danced with her. Garcia shared that her dance this year is the best performance yet of her life, and that this year is the best Sinulog that she has attended to because of “the coming together of the political leaders of Cebu” and
the “attendance of national leaders.” The 31st Sinulog Grand Parade, with its Chinese theme, was well-participated in by 143 contingents, 18 of which took part in the Sinulog-based category, and 31 for the Free Interpretation category. The number of participating out-of-town contingents increased from 5 in 2010 to 11 this year, most of which brought home the bacon. Tribu Sinanduloy of Tangub City, Misamis Occidental won as Grand Champion for the Sinulogbased category for the 9th time. They also won first place in the Streetdancing Competition and Best in Musicality for the Sinulogbased category. While Tribu Himug-ulaw of Placer, Masbate won the grand prize for the Free Interpretation category and Best in Musicality. DepEd Carcar City made a good account of itself too. It did not just win the grand prize for the Sinulog sa
Kabataan sa Panlalawigan
but also the third prize in the Sinulog-based Category, and Best in Costume award.
Sinulog gallery Fluvial Procession
ON WATERY WAY. At the dawn of January 15, the image of the Sto. Niño is brought to the Ouano wharf from the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue where it has “slept” overnight. A festively-decked boat brings it back to its home, the Basilica del Sto. Niño, where it will be paraded down the streets of Cebu City in the Grand Procession.
SUGBO 13
Sinulog gallery
14 Sugbo
SINULOG 2011 SNAPSHOTS Who needs words when the Mother of Philippine Festivals is best told in photographs? Even in the rain that pelted the streets, the revelry continued unabated. The highlights? P-Noy speaks after the Mass at the Grandstand; Mayor Rama and Gov. Garcia exchange pleasantries; the Governor and Sen. Bongbong Marcos join the crowd; Capitol department heads dance in full costume; GMA’s Jiggy Manicad interviews the Governor, decked in a colorful Cary Santiago gown.
Sinulog Winners Sinulog-Based Category
2nd place Tribu Hanazen of Abellana 3rd place National School
4th place Tawo-Tawo Festival of Negros Oriental
1st place Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe of Tangub City
Free Interpretation Category
2nd place Tribu Buyoganon of Abuyog, Leyte
DepEd Carcar City
5th place
Cebu City Central School
STREET DANCING Category
4th place Tribu Kandaya of Daanbantayan 1st place Tangub City Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe
1st place
Tribu Himug-ulaw of Placer, Masbate
3rd place Tribu Mabolokon of Mabolo Elementary School
5th place Talamban Elementary School
Sinulog sa Kabataan
2nd place Province of Lanao 3rd place del Norte
Lumad Basakanon
HIGH SCHOOL Category
2nd place Sabang National High School, Danao City
2nd place Pajo Elem. School, Lapu- lapu City
1st place San Roque ,Elem. School, Talisay City
GRADE SCHOOL Category
3rd place Cambanay Elem. School, Danao City
1st place
DepED Carcar City Division
3rd place Pooc National High School, Talisay City
SUGBO 15
classifieds Why advertise with Sugbo News? It is widely and strategically circulated, with
60,000 copies every issue.It is printed on first-rate paper and rendered in full color. It is distributed free, so your ad gets maximum mileage. Best of all, the ads are priced incredibly low. Make a beeline for the Sugbo News marketing office now. And spread the word around.
Sugbo News. In a class by itself.
16 Sugbo
Pick your private paradise. CORPORATE OFFICE Suite 501, Cebu Holdings Center Cebu Business Park Cebu City 6000, Philippines T: (6332) 2310961 | 4158090 F: 2315561 SITE OFFICE Agus Road, Marigondon Lapu-lapu City 6015 Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines T: (6332) 5163113 | F: 2361480 SATELLITE OFFICE Unit (M) 2nd Floor, R & R Building A.C Cortes Ave., Mandaue City 6014 Cebu Philippines T: (6332) 4206006; 2687926 | F: 4206080 E: webinquiry@msyholdings.com
SUGBO 17
18 Sugbo
A Decade of Triumph and Revelry
A
PLDT’s Cebu Pasasalamat 2010
lways fun, always brilliant. This year’s Cebu Pasasalamat will also be this decade’s last until a new one rolls around next year. And so it was with a special reminiscing that PLDT and its most valued Cebu corporate clients got together once more to celebrate, but more importantly to usher in a new period of partnership and innovation. Over the years, this annual party has been a welcome occasion for everybody to let their hair down, hang loose, and celebrate hard-won triumphs. The Cebu Pasasalamat 2010 celebrated a whole decade’s worth of these triumphs. This time the event was kicked off at the Marco Polo Cebu, overlooking the city’s hilly suburbs. The main ballroom was encircled by a grand buffet, with the city’s trademark mouth-watering lechon at the head of every table. Soon, as beverages and appetizers were served, the program kicked off with the brand of revelry Cebuanos are renowned for. Local Cebu band Serendipity got the ball rolling and loosened up the crowd just as traveling Manila band Hyperbeat took the stage to continue rolling out the best of the 80s and 90s, as well as famous later pop hits. This was all in preparation for what most guests were waiting for—a chance to win great raffle prizes. As Cebu becomes a true industrial hub of its
own, particularly in new economy industries such as BPOs, PLDT has always lent the infrastructure and consultative support to this burgeoning center of Visayan business. PLDT and SMART President Napoleon L. Nazareno, himself a son of Cebu, fortified this continuing commitment. “We have had elections and now a new government is in place. The economy is growing. But we continue to have big problems,” he said. “However, the mood is more upbeat than before. In good times or bad, let me assure you that PLDT and SMART will be working with you to make the most of whatever business opportunities you are pursuing.” This was the same year that PLDT re-launched an even more technologically enhanced Innolab, now a famous test-bed and demonstration theater for its most cutting-edge ICT business solutions. Companies in Cebu are getting up-close and personal with the latest tech solutions for their businesses to be more efficiently networked, and more profitably operated.
SUGBO 19
From the drawing board to the final touches, our operative word is quality.
Count on WTG for all your construction needs.
WTG 20 Sugbo
CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT CORP. PL ANS | DESIGN | ESTIMATES | CONSTRUCTION 4163992 TO 94; Fax No.: 416-399188 N. Bacalso Ext., Cogon, Pardo, Cebu City
SUGBO 21
22 Sugbo
SUGBO 23
Our cebu Deepening bonds in Barili
Barili Mayor Mariñas presides an eGWEN Our Cebu Program Technical Working Group meeting.
by Jinky M. Panares Heritage Action Officer, Municipality of Barili As part of the advocacy of the expanded Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (eGWEN) Our Cebu Program to empower the local government units, the Our Cebu section of Sugbo News will start to feature stories written by city or municipal officials, highlighting best practices of the program in their respective localities.
T
he implementation of the expanded Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (eGWEN) Our Cebu Program in the Municipality of Barili since 2008 has significantly changed the landscape of the second-class municipality.
The major changes brought by eGWEN Our Cebu Program, a five-year joint development program of the Province of Cebu and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., were particularly seen in the remote barangays after the municipal government of Barili embarked on a sustained campaign on cleanliness and hygiene. In Barangay Bolocboloc, where the famous sulphuric springs can be found, the LGU initiated an organic vegetable garden showcase that compose of a herbal garden, orchidarium, composting and vermi-composting nursery for endemic species of trees, and mini-material recovery facility. Barangay Campanga, which was named one
of the Ten Exemplary Barangays in the eGWEN Our Cebu Program Awards 2009, an active group of volunteers keeps the path to its main attraction, the Mantayupan Falls, clean and safe by regularly sweeping off fallen leaves. Also, makeshift tents selling sodas at the foot of the falls have been removed, providing an unobstructed view of nature. At the heart of the municipality, a cleaner slaughterhouse and public market are now available; large garbage bins are placed in public areas; the municipal dump truck makes daily rounds to pick up garbage; and residents help together to clean channels and canals clogged with plastic bottles and bags. At the same time, the annual coastal clean-up of the LGU has been largely responsible for the elimination of garbage in the sea and the coasts. All these changes have helped the Municipality of Barili earn the position as third placer in the eGWEN Our Cebu Program Awards 2010. But the municipal government of Barili considered the positive change in the attitude of the residents as the most dramatic change that the eGWEN Our Cebu Program has brought to the area. “The eGWEN Our Cebu Program has impacted most on the people’s way of thinking. The general indifference of individuals toward any project that went beyond their yards has been replaced by a spirit of kinship with the neighbors and the community. The shared sentiment is now: let us beautify our patch of earth together,” the town mayor said. Barili has also taken great strides in the area of culture and heritage.
Barili Mayor Teresito Mariñas inducts the members of the Barangay Sayaw Heritage Council.
24 Sugbo
Apart from incorporating Barili’s history in the curriculum of the schools, the LGU published four book series on the heritage of Barili, which is written by Azucena L. Pace of the Barili Historical Society Inc. Seven barangays have come up with their own festivals; and in July 2010, Barili had a Festival of Festivals, which was patterned after the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo. Signs have been placed on important historic structures, such as the Casa Pañares that was built in the 1870s. There are now three museums in the town and nine barangay museums. The establishment of these storehouses of culture and history has encouraged individuals to exhibit their family memorabilia for public viewing. This thrust on heritage has sparked interest on new historical sites, such as the 400-year old cross atop Santa Cruz hills. “The eGWEN Our Cebu Program has been very helpful and useful in enhancing our capability as a local government in managing our resources as well as integrating and consolidating all our efforts in program implementation encompassing the whole spectrum of programs,” Mayor Mariñas said.
Local color
WINNER 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place 4th Place
Ritual Showdown Pundok Iraid Pundok Cassava Cake Pundok Inday Inday Pundok Cassava Cookies
Street Dance Competition Pundok Inday Inday Pundok Iraid Pundok Cassava Cookies Pundok Cassava Cake
tudela
Balanghoy Festival
TUDELA AND THE CASSAVA. The streets of the municipality of Tudela burst with color for the annual Balanghoy Festival, named after the abundant crop balanghoy (cassava).
From the historical and religious view to the economic driven theme, the municipality of Tudela finally settled for the name of their festival, the Balanghoy Festival. Balanghoy is the local name for cassava, a crop so abundantly present in Tudela. It also has a short story to how the certain crop was named as such. It was after a woman named Balang was called by her neighbors, “Balang, Hoy!” but unfortunately, Balang was a deaf. Formerly, Tudela’s festival was called TagAnito culled from the original name of Tudela until a resolution was passed by the municipal council. Tudela then had two festivals, the Cassava Festival, a festival showcasing their products of which the festivity was celebrated during June and the Tag-Anito Festival, the festival of the town which is geared towards reminiscing the towns’ history which was celebrated during December. But this year and the next years to come, Tudela celebrates two occasions on the 8th of December, the Feast of the Immaculate
by Albe Alimurung
Concepcion and the Balanghoy Festival. Even with the drizzle that poured, the contingents continued to show off their interpretations of a celebration of a bountiful cassava harvest. Of the four contingents, Pundok Iraid took the grand prize for the Ritual Showdown. They also won the first search for the Festival Princess 2010 which was held two nights earlier before the festival date. What was new in this year’s festival was the mascot contest where the contingent’s mascot danced to the festival song beat. The said contest was won by Pundok Cassava Cake. Pundok Inday Inday also won the best audio van. Other activities that were made to hype up the festivity mode were the coronation night of the Miss Tudela 2010, a military band performance night, the Bisaya singing and cultural dance competition and a Food Bazaar displaying the different delicacies made out from balanghoy. SUGBO 25
Sense of place
The living caves of
PINAMUNGAJAN
by Jaclyn Velasco
TOWN SECRETS. Pinamungajan’s new harvest of adventure-seekers are attracted to the town’s network of “living” caves, scenic beaches, and the crystal freshness of its waterfalls.
N
estled along the mid-west part of the island, folded amongst its picturesque mountains and beautiful coastline is the town of Pinamungajan.
Pinamungajan is located in between the town of Aloguinsan and the city of Toledo and Tañon Strait in the west. It is approximately two hours drive away from Cebu City and can be reached via the Naga-Uling Road and CarcarBarili route. The town was established in 1815 under the Spanish colonial government. The town’s name originated from “pinamuhuan”, which means a worker’s share of the harvest, evolving into Pinamungajan through the years. As its name 26 Sugbo
suggests, it is a place of bountiful harvest where one can see people working together, enriching the term bayanihan to this day. It is primarily an agricultural town and is one of Cebu’s largest coconut producers. In celebration of this bountiful harvest, the Pamuhuan Festival is celebrated every first week of May in time for the town’s fiesta celebration honoring patroness St. Monica. The festival highlights not only its rich history as a farming community but its natural wonders.
These natural wonders are the reasons why adventurers keep on coming back to Pinamungajan, an open traveler’s secret. In the mountains of Lamac, one of the populous and highly urbanized barangays in the town, is concealed riches waiting for valiant souls to uncover, to plunge into the dark crevices of its more than one hundred caves. Kublai Espina of Cebu Speleological Association (CSA) says that Lamac has massive karst formation and has lush vegetation. Put the two together, one is bound to find caves that are literally alive and growing. “Growing means its speleothem-crystal formation is still forming, and I think this is one reason why one visits
its (Lamac) caves, particularly Kamangon to see (and record) its unique speleothem formation and its growth. As a frequent visitor to that cave I have noticed how fast its crystal forms – it has become [even more] beautiful as years pass by,” Espina added. Kamangon cave, one of the most visited, is called so after the Cebuano term kamang (crawl), because one has to touch the belly to the ground, wiggle and squeeze for at least a few feet to get inside. For a local tour guide fee of P200, one can marvel on huge stalactite and stalagmite formations. And with a little imagination, some stone formation takes the form of a rooster and a tooth. The sparkling ceiling and walls is very enticing to touch,
A cave exploration, a festival scene, and the Santa Monica Parish Church.
but you just have to settle with admiring it from afar. The fingers, one is warned, has oil and dirt that could damage the formations. The caves of Pangi, Limod, Udlom, Kabyaw, SInungkulan, Nagkawa and Naglapus are among the other popular ones to visit, too. Just a piece of advice, for ordinary tourists who are no experts in caving, it is discouraged to enter the cave without an experienced guide and the required safety equipment like helmets and head lamps. Coordinate with Lamac’s barangay officials, and a local guide will be provided.
The local government also sets a limit to the number of people that can go inside at any one time to protect the caves. After a sweaty exploration, a trek to Udlom and Sinungkulan Falls is just a walk away from Kamangon Cave, and offers a refreshing treat. Sinungkulan Falls was the barangay’s public bath in the olden times, apart as the source of water for the irrigation system of their rice fields. Today, the falls still holds its beauty and locals still enjoy bathing in it its clear, cold water. For those who want to just unwind and take a rest,
Lamac has the Hidden Valley Resort, owned and managed by the acclaimed Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative. In 2003, it started its operation as a training center for members until it became a fully-operational resort. It has facilities for trainings and conferences, four swimming pools, a covered court, a fishing area, four function rooms and sixty guest rooms. For local repast, especially for first timers, never miss the welcome reception of Lamac’s special budbod and biko, native sweetmeats made from rice. A view from the resort also lets one enjoy the magnificent Udlom Falls and the mountain walls of Lamac. Aside from its terrestial wonders, Pinamungajan also boast of its rich marine resources. A 20-minute boat ride from Tajao Wharf will take you to the one-hectare pearlescent Camapalabo Islet, a sand bar, resting amidst hectares of diverse marine flora and fauna. During low tide, this white sand strip is visible from the shores of Pinamungajan. Arrange a visit through the local government or with the Bantay Dagat team. The government charges a boat parking fee for the averagesized motorized bancas. To end your sojourn on a perfect note, sundown in this side of the island is also a must-see when you are in Pinamungajan. SUGBO 27
History and heritage historical personage
SIMEON DUMDUM, JR. Judge and Author
From pulpit to the bench of justice. Instead of preaching “do not judge and you will not be judged”, Simeon Dumdum, Jr. went literally against his earlier chosen profession’s tenets and became, quite literally, a judge. Simeon Dumdum, Jr. saw his first ray of light on March 7, 1948 in the municipality of Balamban, Cebu, some 63 kilometers northwest of Cebu City, where he also started his early schooling. He completed secondary education at the St. Francis Academy and proceeded for tertiary level to Iloilo City for one year. He once studied priesthood in Galway, Ireland in 1969, but decided to return to the Philippines where he studied Theology at the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City in 1970. He changed his mind, left the seminary, and took up law at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City in 1976. After passing the board examinations, he worked at the Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp., where he was hired as Senior Attorney. He later practiced his profession until he
Heritage Site
was appointed as Executive Judge at the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City. A gifted writer, he married both passions when he received a medallion for writing the best decision in a criminal case, second level courts, in the Judicial Excellence Awards sponsored by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He has also garnered accolades for his poetry, which he has published abroad. He has written five books – The Gift of Sleep (poems), Third World Opera (poems), Love in the Time of the Camera (essays), Selected Poems and News (poems), and My Pledge of Love Cannot be Broken (essays). In a notable literary feat, Judge Dumdum has won the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for English poetry four times, and the Manila Critics Circle’s National Book Award three times. He still serves in the judiciary, while maintaining a well-read space as the Sunday essayist of the opinion section of Cebu Daily News to serve his other, more elegant muse.
archbishop’s PALACE D. Jakosalem street., CEBU CITY
In a more homey, and yet quite apt, sense the grandiose-sounding Archbishop’s Palace of Cebu is also known simply as the Archbishop’s Residence, which it truly is, in every sense of the word. The Palace has been hosting the highest officials of the land since years back of its restoration. The edifice was built in 1953 to replace the former residence destroyed during World War II, then and now the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cebu’s official residence. Just like the Cebu Cathedral, which was also restored after being destroyed by bombs with only its façade, thick walls and belfry remaining intact. The original location of the official residence of the Archbishop was across the Cathedral: a large abode made of cut coral stones at the lower half and wood in the upper part of the building, atypical of the time. The roof was originally of clay tiles, which was later changed to galvanized-iron sheets in the early 20th-century. Although there is no recorded exact date as to when it was built, speculation has it that a certain Bishop Santos Gomes Marañon, a church builder, had a hand in the construction. The old structure was brought to the ground—with the exception of the rectory—during the American air raids, along with the Cathedral and other edifices in the city. The old rectory that was spared in the bombing still stands today, serving a different purpose as a reliquary of religious artefacts… and is now known as the Cathedral Museum of Cebu. Today, the Archbishop’s Palace, now located along D. Jakosalem St., has also its own stories to tell, particularly about its famous transients. Among them, Pope John Paul II was an overnight
28 Sugbo
guest at the palace during his various visits in the Philippines in 1981. The late Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay also dropped by the Palace before his ill-fated flight back to Manila. The residence also has become a popular venue of choice for very intimate wedding ceremonies, bathed in its signature green light.
ON THIS DAY
January 16 1888 Birth in Carmen, Cebu of Mariano Jesus Cuenco (1888-1964), lawyer and journalist who became Cebu congressman, governor, and Philippine Cabinet member and Senate President. 1895 Birth in Talisay, Cebu, of Priscillo A. Campo, a leading Cebuano poet better known by his pseudonym, “Bukidnon”. 1900 Gen. Arcadio Maxilom issues a decree ordering a shift to guerilla warfare and reorganizing the military organization of the Republic in Cebu to support the war against the Americans. January 17 1898 Birth in Dalaguete, Cebu of Cebuano writer Sulpicio Osorio (1898-1970), novelist, better known as “Sulpusor”. 1946 A new municipal board of Cebu assumes office. Members are Honorato Hermosisima, Cecilio de la Victoria, Florencio Urot, Juan Zamora, Florentino Tecson, Ramon Abellanosa, Numeriano Estenzo, and Alfonso Frias. January 18 1917 Dionisio Jakosalem is appointed as Secretary of Commerce and Communication in the Philippine Cabinet. He is reappointed to the same position in 1920. January 19 1846 Romualdo Gimeno, of the Dominican Order, is appointed the 16th Bishop of Cebu. 1858 San Fernando, Cebu is established as a parish, with San Isidro Labrador as patron saint. January 20 Fiesta of Borbon, Cebu
1734 Manuel Antonio de Ocio y Ocampo of the secular clergy is appointed as the 8th Bishop of Cebu. 1852 A decree of the Bishop establishes Moalboal as a parish, separating it from Badian. 1877 Nueva Caceres, Cebu, is erected as a parish. January 21 1869 Birth in Cebu, of Fructuoso Ramos who was first elected mayor of Cebu City in 1916. 1946 Sergio Osmeña, Sr. accepts nomination by the Nacionalista Party as its candidate for President of the Philippines. January 22 1944 Col. James Cushing is officially recognized as Commanding Officer of the Cebu Area Command in the guerilla organization against the Japanese. It is a long delayed recognition owing to the operational misunderstandings and communication problems with the U.S. command in Australia. January 23 1899 The First Philippine Republic is inaugurated in Malolos, Bulacan with Emilio Aguinaldo as president. 1943 Cebu guerillas under Major Oligario Baura (commander of the Central Cebu Sector) engage the Japanese in heavy fighting in Malubog, Toledo. The battle lasts for three days. January 24 1865 Birth in Carcar, Cebu of Mariano Cui, lawyer and onetime head of the Public Utilities Commission of the Philippines. 1899 Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo approves the Cebu Provincial
Council of the Philippine Republic. Members of the council are Luis Flores (president), Julio Llorente (vicepresident), Arcadio Maxilom (councilor of police), Mariano Veloso (councilor of finance), Segundo Singson (councilor of justice), and Leoncio Alburo (secretary). January 25 1863 A bishop’s decree confirms the erection of San Francisco, Cebu as a parish. 1867 The Vincentian Fathers (Padres Paules) take over the administration of the Seminario de San Carlos upon the request of the Bishop of Cebu.
January 29 1901 Pantaleon del Rosario (councilor of the Central Column in the war against the Americans) writes to fellow guerilla chief Troadio Galicano, requesting reports on venues and expenses in the conduct of the war and setting guidelines for wages to insurgent officers and soldiers in Cebu. January 30 1885 A royal decree establishes Asturias, Cebu as a parish, thus separating it from Balamban. A new parish is put under the patronage of San Roque.
January 31 1901 Cebu insurgents ambush American troops near Guinamasan River in Balamban, Cebu. The Americans retreat, with 6 dead. On the same day, the Philippine Commission passes Public Act No. 82, providing for the organization of municipal governments in the Philippines. It was, however, only in April of this year that civil government was organized in Cebu.
January 26 1660 Juan Velez of the secular clergy is appointed 3rd Bishop of Cebu. 1705 Pedro Saenz de Landaverde Perulero is appointed 7th Bishop of Cebu. January 27 1845 A decree of the Bishop confirms the establishment of Liloan, Cebu, as a parish. 1946 Pres. Sergio Osmeña, Sr. calls the Philippine Congress to its first session after World War II. January 28 1780 A royal decree establishes Samboan, Cebu as a parish. This is confirmed by a decree of the Bishop of Cebu on Nov. 3, 1784. 1954 Florencio D. Tecson takes his oath as Vice-Mayor of Cebu City upon his appointment by the Philippine President. 1958 A bishop’s decree recreates Talamban, Cebu as a separate parish.
January 23 1899 The First Philippine Republic is inaugurated in Malolos, Bulacan with Emilio Aguinaldo as president.
(Entries were culled from the Cebuano Studies Center, of the University of San Carlos.)
SUGBO 29
Cebuano section Balak
Unang Tunob
Ernesto Lariosa
Ang dilang Sugbuanon gilitok sa kapin sa 30,000,000 ka mga tawo sa Kabisay-an ug Mindanao. ... Aduna na kini kaugalingong literatura nga nagauswag ug dakong buhi.
Tunob 1
Text
(ikaduhang bahin)
ni Josua S. Cabrera
S
a miaging mga dekada init ang panagbangi sa duha ka pundok sa mga Bisayista ug magsusulat. Ang gilalisan mao kon unsay sundon – ang lunsay ba gyud nga binisaya o ang di lunsay nga gilitok gihapon. Ang pabor sa lunsay gitawag mga purista samtang ang atbang ginganlag anti-purista. Nidisog ang panahon. Nagkaanam kabugnaw ang lalis. Hangtod gipasagdan na lang ang hilig sibo sa pagtubo sa atong pinulongan. Ang dilang Sugbuanon gilitok sa kapin sa 30,000,000 ka mga tawo sa Kabisay-an ug Mindanao. Gitan-aw nga kining Sugbuanon maoy usa sa mga dagkong pinulongan sa nasod. Aduna na kini kaugalingong literatura nga nagauswag ug dakong buhi. Ang gilantaw lang karon mao ang tin-aw nga gramatika kun batadila. Daghan na ang nanuway sa pagsuwat sa mga lagda sa batadila, apan wa pa kini ikatudlo. Sa sunod nga mga isyu, tandugon nato ang maong mga lagda. Motandog unya ta sa mga lagda sa espeling pinasikad sa atong naobserbahan nga gipanggamit pagka karon sa atong mga mantalaang Cebuano dinhi sa Sugbo ug sa kaulohan. Ato unya sad hisgutan ang mga kalainan ug kapariha sa ubang mga pinulongan tandi sa atong dila sama sa Hiligaynon, Ilokano, Bicolano, Winaray, Tagalog, ug uban pa. Ang mga pulong nga wa na gamita, ang mga bag-ong pulong, mga pulong nga angay di gamiton apan gigamit, ug daghan pa unya nga angayng masayran sa mga Sugbuanon. Ang etomolohiya kun gigikanan (origin) sa mga pulong nga atong gilitok karon paninguhaon nato nga atong mahisgutan. Apan ang di nato makalimtan mao nga ang pinulongan gikan sa katawhan ug nga kini nagausab ingon man nagatubo uban sa paglupad sa panahon.
Naglingkod ka, nanampiling kilid sa imong bintana. Imong panan-aw nilusot sa mga lihang sa galinya-linyang ulan latas sa dakong wanang lahos didto sa nagsadyang kakahuyan ug kawayanan. Sila nagkaway-kaway gadayeg nga naghangad sa langit. Kay sa pila ka buwang ting-init, nangliki ang yuta, nikaging ang mga dahon ug nibagtok ang kahumayan. Apan, kaganiha, nanawag ang langit. Nilanog ang iyang tingog. Dayon, iyang gipabuhagay ang iyang gugma, pagpahinumdum kanila nag sila wala niya hikalimti bisag kanus-a. Apan ang dagayday sa ulan sa imong bintana morag mga luha sa imong hulagway nga nianinaw sa bildo. Pila ka minutes ang nilabay, Nibarug ka, nanghupaw, gikab-ot nimo ang jacket nga sa lansang gisangit. Padulong kang mogawas sa imong lawak, apan nagdagan kang nibalik dihnag nitingog ang imong cellphone sa lamesa nga imong giakbuan ganiha. Imong gibasa. “Hey, I’m fyn, musta na u?” Nilanog ang huni sa libuhang mga anghel sulod sa imong dughan ug nangudlot og pahiyom ang imong ngabil. Ang mga balak ni Cabrera nga “Steamed Rice” ug “Hoy Alimukon” midaog sa ikaduhang ganti (1997) ug unang ganti (2001) sa Sun.Star Superbalita Poetry Contest. Sa 2005, nakuha niya ang ikatulong ganti sa Palanca Awards for Cebuano fiction. Ang balak nga “Text” gikuha sa librong “Pasumbingay, Antolohiya sa Sugbuanong Balak.”
30 Sugbo
Ceb101
Nagpanikad ug Naghinamhinam
Basic words, phrases and questions Yes- o No- di I- Ako You – ikaw They- Sila We- Kita:kami Him/ her- Siya Them- nila Boy- laki Girl- baye Please- palihug You’re welcome- way sapayan Thank you- salamat Thank you very muchdaghang salamat
Who? - Kinsa? What? - Unsa? Where? - Asa? When? - Kanus-a? How? - Unsaon? / Gi-unsa? Look! - Tan-awa! Take care- Pag-amping Entrance- agianan Exit- Gawsanan Pull- Bira Push-Tulod
Aninaw
ni Sam Costanilla
Nila pa, makalingaw kaayo ang Suroy-Suroy Sugbo kay nakahatag kini nilag higayon pagtan-aw o pagsudong sa tahom nga mga talanawon sa mga dakbayan ug mga lungsod sa atong lalawigan.
T
UNGOD sa tumang kamalamposon sa Suroy-Suroy Sugbo Northern Escapade dili pa lamang dugay, ang mga turista ug mga balikbayan nga nakasalmot niadto nagpanikad ug naghinamhinam na usab nga makasalmot sa sunod nga hugna sa maong kalihokan. Kay nila pa, makalingaw kaayo ang Suroy-Suroy Sugbo kay nakahatag kini nilag higayon pagtan-aw o pagsud-ong sa tahom nga mga talan-awon sa mga dakbayan ug mga lungsod sa atong lalawigan. Alang nako, lain na usab kadto nga kasinatian nga lisod hikalimtan – kasinatian nga magpabiling lab-as kanunay diha sa alimpatakan.
n DIHANG gitak-opan ang tulo-ka-adlaw nga Suroy-Suroy Sugbo niadtong Enero 22 sa gabii didto sa lungsod sa Liloan, usa ako sa nakadungog sa pamahayag sa usa sa mga balikbayan nga atua na magpuyo sa Las Vegas. Niya pa, manugilon siya sa iyang kahigalaan didto nga dinhi sa Sugbo, adunay talagsaong proyekto si Gob. Gwen Garcia aron pagpabuhi sa lokal nga turismo. Ug nga sila iyang kabigon dinhi atol sa sunod nga Suroy-Suroy Sugbo. Nakapahiyom ako sa tumang kalipay ug garbo. Tungod sa gisulti sa maong balikbayan, ako mibati sa dakong garbo; mapagarbohon nga ako usa ka Sugboanon.
n MAO nga matingala kita ngano nga adunay pila ka tawo (pila ra hinoon sila) nga magpunayg saway sa Suroy-Suroy Sugbo – nga kuno kini pag-usik-usik sa salapi ug naghagohago lang sa mga hingtungdan. Sayop sila. Wala sila makatugkad sa bunga niining maong kalihokan. Apan tataw nga ila kining nasulti tungod sa kasuya ug tungod sa pamolitika. Wala diay sila masayod nga ang pagpalambo sa turismo angay mang hugopan sa tanan ug dili isipon nga politikanhong kalihokan?
n BUSA, akong hagiton kadtong nagpunay pagsaway sa Suroy-Suroy Sugbo. Hala, unsa may inyong nahunahunaan nga laing kalihokan agig hulip niini? Hagiton ko sila nga dili na mopakamenos sa SuroySuroy Sugbo. Angay silang maminaw sa gipanulti sa mga turista ug mga balikbayan nga nagbalikbalik nag salmot sa Suroy-Suroy Sugbo.
n
Word for the Week panaghiusa,n. English:
LABAW sa tanan, angay silang mangadto sa kalungsoran ug maminaw sa mga lumolupyo nga manulti unsa kanindot ang SuroySuroy Sugbo. Silang mga hinawayon angay mangutana sa mga lumolupyo bahin sa maong kalihokan. Labing seguro, ang mga hinawayon manglipaghong sa kauwaw kon masayod nga ang Suroy-Suroy Sugbo maoy hinungdan ngano nga daghan ang nagpanikad ug naghinamhinam nga nagpaabot niini.
unity
Used in context: Ang panaghiusa sa mga katawhan gasa sa Kinahitasan.
(Ang maglilindog mao ang Consultant on Media Affairs sa Lalawigan sa Sugbo. Mahimo siyang padad-an ug e-mail sa samcost@yahoo. com o texan sa cellphone number 09327296756.)
A people’s unity is a gift from God.
SUGBO 31
Final frame
hues of harvest PHOTOGRAPHY Jaclyn Velasco LOCATION Danao City
32 Sugbo