Monday, March 10, 2008 Costanilla: Afternoon, piano delight By Sam Costanilla spotlight
MEETING one of Cebu’s music giants will always be cherished by this writer. Even when I was an elementary pupil, I already admired him as composer of several immortal Cebuano love songs, which continue to be sung by local talents. Mil Villareal, a.k.a. maestro Mil, and his wife Tita, who are now based in Edmonton, Canada, were in Cebu for a month for their annual vacation.
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ONE lovely afternoon two weeks ago, Cebu United Radio & Television Artists (Curta) Corp. founding chairman Emil Rizada Jr. organized a small gathering at his Tisa residence. That’s where maestro Mil and Tita met with this writer as well as veteran broadcaster Ginnie Vamenta, drama actor Tony Rabanes and singers Cora Rosales-Jayma, Eking Fernandez, Mario Jadraque, Baby Condeno, Vicky Corro, Ester Alferez anf Curta Corp. first lady Nanay Rose. Maestro Mil accompanied the singers on the piano although there were also a few numbers that this writer played on the piano. It’s such a rare honor and privilege to have tickled the ivory keys of the very same piano that maestro Mil used. It’s really a one-in-a-million experience to have shaken the hands of and talked to an institution in the local music scene.
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TOLEDO city’s Sapangdaku River is up for development as a heritage river so it can become a major tourist destination. At present, the river is being destroyed by some quarry operators who are into the unauthorized extraction of sand and gravel in the area. Gov. Gwen Garcia and Toledo city Mayor Arlene Zambo met with the quarry operators and explained to them the importance of making Sapangdaku a heritage river, aside from protecting it from further environmental destruction.
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AND did you know that the old name of Sapangdaku River was Hinulawan? I gathered that the name came from the phrase hinagoang bulawan, and that the city is now preparing several activities for its first Hinulawan Festival in June.
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READER Micky Dobie (michaelgdobie@yahoo.com) e-mailed that during a two-week visit to Cebu City last January, he was moved when he saw a lot of street children. He decided to help alleviate their sorry plight. According to him, he filled half of his suitcase with clothing and other items that he gave to the kids when he returned here last month from the United Kingdom.
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MICKY also wrote that he is now composing some songs, which he intends to record in the United Kingdom and to donate half of the proceeds to benefit the street children here. To me, this guy’s intention is very laudable and should be fully supported by all well-meaning Cebuanos. By the way, Micky also said that he was voted Marlborough Citizen of the Year 2007. Sadly, this composer and singer lost his wife to cancer in 2006. Micky was also the other performer of a comedy cabaret duo in the past 15 years in Marlborough town.
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THIS bossy radio station manager is being assailed even by his own subordinates. While this guy is projecting the image of a tough radioman, he is actually a henpecked husband.
