Preserving The Cebuano Classics

CEBU, Philippines - Cebuano songs are immortal and they touch the heart and soul! This is according to three Visayan divas, who have had popularized and spread the beauty of classic Cebuano songs all over the country and the world.

In a recent interview, Cebu’s Pilita Corrales, Dulce, and Raki Vega described how exquisite our songs are, and expressed the honor and nostalgia they feel each time they perform some of the works from the most prolific and talented Visayan composers in gigs around the world.

The three had the rare opportunity to relive some of these Cebuano songs, most of which were created during the height of radio-sponsored amateur hour contests in the 50s and 60s, at the recently held Halad 2010 of Dr. Jose R. Gullas, chairman of The Freeman. But more than just a concert, Halad 2010 was essentially a tribute to Cebuano composers who were able to produce a massive cache of works but were not duly recognized.

“Cebuano songs are the most melodious, and I’m not saying this as a Cebuano but as an artist,” said Pilita Corrales in a recent press conference at the Waterfront Lahug.

Raki Vega, who admitted that she was not born yet when these songs were composed, was nevertheless enthralled by the strong emotions that the songs evoked, saying that “they will really penetrate your heart and even your soul.”

Dulce, who always gets emotional when she sings Cebuano songs, said, “I have always loved and will keep on loving Cebuano songs, because I’m proud of the depth in meaning of the various songs, as well as the delightful melody. That for me is the secret to the immortality of the songs that I always love to sing.”

“I’ve been singing Cebuano songs in my concert tours because the people (abroad) would really request me to sing such songs even if some don’t understand the lyrics simply because they love the melody, which soothes their ears and hearts,” Dulce added.

When asked what their favorite Visayan songs are, Raki said that she loves “Usahay” the most as she grew up listening to it, but with her participation in Halad 2010 requiring her to learn songs she never even heard before, she has come to embrace all Cebuano songs.

“'Usahay' is my favorite song before, but now I think I already love all the Cebuano songs because I find them very, very meaningful and amazing! Even those that I never heard before. I realized that there is more to 'Usahay' and 'Matud Nila' that we should discover or re-discover,” said Raki.

Dulce, on the other hand, named the “Patayng Buhi” (Living Dead) song by Manuel Cabase as her all-time favorite. “Patayn’g Buhi is my favorite song because it holds so much meaning to me. It even served as my motivation on how I live my life,” she said.

Manuel Cabase was one of the composers posthumously recognized in Halad. The only living composers who were honored were the now Canada-based, 80-plus Mil Villareal and Fr. Jed Ponce Bellones, a contemporary composer who wrote the favorite church song “Way Sama.”

Dulce fondly recalled that it was her “Manoy Mil”, whose most famous composition is “Sama Sa Damgo Lang,” who used to screen aspiring singers on DYRC, she included.

When asked about their reaction to some comments from the younger generation that old Cebuano songs are “corny,” “Sila ang corny,” reacted Pilita.

“Why should they tell that the songs are corny when they didn’t even know the songs? So they don’t have the right to say those things to our songs, which have been a part of our culture and heritage.”

“I believe that there is a need for parents to orient their children with these songs. Maybe the younger generation today is so much influenced by the Western culture that they do not value Cebuano songs that much,” said Raki.

Dulce, for her part, also said, “Cebuano songs are not ‘corny.’ I would like to leave this challenge to the new generation that if they want to preserve or maintain their identity of being Cebuanos, then they must help in promoting these songs rather than saying bad things that would not be of help.”

Halad was the project of Dr. Jose R. Gullas, who is also an educator and former congressman, for his Tinipigan sa mga Kanta ug Kinaiyang Sugbuanon Foundation.

To complement what Halad has done and hopefully, provide a long-term impact, a museum was also inaugurated recently. Named as Jose R. “Dodong” Gullas museum, it is located in the old Freeman building in corner V. Gullas and Jakosalem Sts., and will open its doors to the public this Feb. 3.

Indeed, what good is it to be told how beautiful Cebuano songs of the yesteryears are when opportunities to listen to them are scarce if not nil?

Many thanks to the museum, one is (re) introduced to Cebuano composers and classics as memorabilia from some of the famous Cebuano musicians, such as the piano of “Matud Nila” creator Ben Zubiri and the guitar of “Kasadya Ning Takna-a” composer Vicente Rubi, are on display. Also found in the museum are brief bios, old photographs, and awards that are sure to invoke images of the music scene of the past.

There are two music stations wherein you can listen to favorite as well as least known Cebuano songs to complete the experience.

Gullas was inspired to preserve the songs and the memory of their composers after being made aware, during his single term as a congressman, of the common misconception that the widely-popular Christmas carol “Kasadya Ning Takna-a” was translated from Tagalog; when in fact, it was the other way around, spinning off the version, “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit”.

“I have met its composer, Vicente Rubi, when I was very young, as well as other great Cebuano composers, and it deeply saddens me if their works are not given enough recognition, or worse, totally forgotten,” Gullas said.

“That’s why we have to make the extra effort by coming up with the Halad and the museum. These projects were really conceived and set up to honor and preserve the memory of our composers and their songs. If we will not love and treasure our own Cebuano composers and songs, who will? This is one way of celebrating our cultural identity and heritage,” Gullas ended.