Monday, March 19, 2007 Costanilla: Factions By Sam Costanilla Spotlight
THERE is really an urgent need for all Cebuano/Visayan literary writers and clubs to come together as one solid club instead of being factionalized as they are now. I stressed this point when I met Gras Butantan, a poet from Asturias who won the 2nd prize in the recent Sangka sa Gugmahanong Balak organized by radio station dyLA. This was the same point I emphasized to Ernesto Amatiaga, another noted literary writer, who readily agreed with me.
LOOK, Cebu so far has at least three different literary writers’ clubs—Lubas sa Dagang Bisaya (Ludabi), Dagang Foundation, Inc. and Bathalan-ong Halad sa Dagang (Bathalad). We are aware that these three groups have one and the same objective which is to promote the Cebuano/Visayan tongue and culture. But do they have to function as factions? To me, there is no substitute for one, united and indivisible club of literary writers here if they really want to achieve their common goal.
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ON a personal note, this is precisely the reason why I have opted to become inactive with Ludabi of which I was an official for many years. Honestly, I was and still am disappointed with the situation that local literary writers are in. They can’t even agree on the right spelling and grammar of simple Cebuano/Visayan words!
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AND I remember that years back, former Ludabi president Adelino Sitoy launched his own Akademiyang Bisaya whose pet project was to come up with a dictionary of Cebuano/Visayan words. I don’t know what happened to this laudable project—we haven’t heard an update since. I hope his Cordova mayoralty aspiration would not dampen and hamper his drive and energy to finally launch the dictionary with a big bang.
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AGAIN, I am for the unity of all literary writers in Cebu and other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, considering that these three existing clubs have chapters outside Cebu. We need to exist as one solid force, not a divided club. I challenge Ludabi, Dagang and Bathalad people to find a way to form one potent organization, without necessarily carrying the name of any particular group. They can come up with a brand new name but continue to espouse the same mission that they have been promoting all these years. I don’t think this is hard to do.
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GUITARIST Paul D of the Southwings band says he is offering guitar tutorials from April to May using modules from basic to advance. His modules include a program for starters as well as guitar-style techniques being used by country legend Chet Atkins and the finger techniques of Yngwie Malmsteen. For scheduling, call or text Paul D’s cellphone number 0919-2308738. He is charging P300 only for each session (one hour). I hope Paul D can help me learn to play the guitar myself; I’m left-handed. By the way, Paul D is now busy with Southwings band in their effort to finish The Promiseland album which they intend to release next month.
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SPOTLIGHTER Darlyn of Pardo e-mailed to inquire about preparations for next month’s Kadaugan sa Maktan, the reenactment of the bloody battle between Lapulapu and Magellan. Darlyn, we haven’t heard yet from the Lapulapu city government, through its commission on arts and culture, what they are coming up with on April 27. Your concern about hiring a Manila star to play Magellan is also valid but I remember Councilor Damian Gomez say that getting a Tagalog actor to play Magellan has always been a sponsor’s demand. Okay, I just hope everything is being prepared now and that this year’s Kadaugan sa Maktan would be another spectacular event.
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THIS year’s Kabanhawan festival in Minglanilla promises to be a more ‘bongga’ celebration. Both Minglanilla Mayor Eduardo Selma and Minglanilla parish priest Msgr. Esteban Binghay agree that there is reason to make the Kabanhawan a grand event considering that this year is the 150th anniversary of the Immaculate Heart of Mary as a parish. I will be updating you on the activities being prepared in future articles.
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THIS Cebuano multi-awarded singer says her conflict with her ex-husband is irreconcilable. She maintains her former husband is guilty of infidelity.
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THREE lady mayors in the northern part of Cebu wanted to hire a radioman to be their on-air campaigner. When the radio station owner learned about the plan, he advised the lady mayors to get another commentator. The would-be on-air campaigner is a certified extortionist.
