Some people still call Vicente Sotto hospital Southern Islands

BACK TO OLD NAME. Rep. Nerissa Soon-Riz has filed a bill calling for the return to its old name the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. The old name is, of course, the Southern Islands Hospital. The Ear is neutral in this issue.

But The Ear wishes to make known its observation: Many people, in and out of Cebu, still refer to this hospital as “Southern Islands.”

LITTLE ANECDOTE. Here’s a little anecdote about the abovementioned hospital. A City Hall employees took a taxi and told the driver to take him to the Vicente Sotto Medical Center. “Asa man na?” the driver asked. “Ay, kana gong hospital sa may B. Rodriguez,” the passenger said.

“Ah, Southern Islands Hospital?” the driver got it. “Oo, kana. Giusab na ang ngan ana, Dong,” the passenger said. “Ah, mao ba? Oo sige. Southern Islands man kaha ka,” the driver insisted on the old name and sped off.