Monday, April 21, 2008 Costanilla: Diego Salvador soap as teleseries By Sam Costanilla Spotlight
YOURS truly had the privilege of witnessing a historic event over the weekend. I was there when Gov. Gwen Garcia and Vice Gov. Greg Sanchez Jr. formally opened the Tuburan municipal museum, which is housed in the former town hall. I gathered that the edifice, which was finished in 1889, used to be the house of the Tabotabos.
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THE setting up of the museum is an impressive work of art, thanks to the efforts of Capitol consultant on heritage and museums Jojo Bersales. There, I saw artifacts and ceramics worth over a million pesos, not to mention necklaces and bracelets made of glass dating back to the Qing dynasty.
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ALSO saw the Morse Code telegraphic transmission on the surrender of Gen. Arcadio Maxilom. The copy was dated April 3, 1898. Very old, religious symbols and icons as well as faded and partially damaged black-and-white pictures of prominent Tuburanons are also on display there. Maxilom’s saber inside a transparent encasement is another sight to behold. The Tuburan example should encourage other Cebu municipalities to set up and manage their respective museums in a professional manner. Now, I can safely say that your next visit to Tuburan wouldn’t be complete if you don’t drop by its municipal museum.
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REMEMBER the very popular radio drama titled Diego Salvador? It was in the 70s (am I correct, writer Tino Yburan?) when this local Western soap opera dominated the airlanes with veteran voice talent Nanding Celeste playing the lead role. Well, I have good news for all Diego Salvador fans. The radio Western will soon be seen on local television—as soon as negotiations are finalized.
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CEBU Catholic Television Network channel 47 president Nonito “Tatay Dodong” Limchua and Yburan have already initially discussed the production aspect of Diego Salvador although more talks have yet to be done. I was also told that the officers and members of a local horsemen’s club will be actively involved in the project. A landed former public servant has already consented to let the crew shoot the Western teleseries in his ranch situated in a mountain barangay.
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TATAY Dodong is right in saying that not one of those major networks have ever produced a Cebuano/Visayan Western teleseries. See, it takes a small network to produce it—proof that CCTN channel 47 is slowly becoming a force to reckon with. By the way, he already asked this writer to play sheriff in this local Western. The offer from the network president himself was too good to be true, one that I readily accepted.
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ONCE again, the now globally popular dancing inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center will be doing a free show for the public on Saturday, April 26. The first is at 10 a.m. and the second at 3 p.m. Capitol’s airconditioned buses will ferry spectators to and from the jail. Those who’d like to watch the show, and for pre-listing purposes, kindly call tel. nos. 2531970 or 2536070 now.
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WHILE this old woman is serving as manager of a local hotel, her way of dressing up is a letdown. She comes to the office and even visits other establishments in a lousy dress and a cheap pair of slippers. Doesn’t she deserve two thumbs down?
