Sen. Vicente Rama's books, memorabilia in Museo Sugbo

CEBU, Philippines - After the unveiling the other day of the National Historical Institute marker at the entrance of what once was the “Carcel de Cebu”, the gallery featuring the works and memorabilia of the late Don Vicente Rama – journalist, legislator and father of the Cebu City charter – was opened for public viewing.

Corazon Rama del Prado, 12th child of the former senator, led the guests in viewing her father’s works such as his 1947 and 1948 novels “Donya Marcosa” and “Ang Silot ni Bathala”, respectively; his Sinugbuano translation in 1930 of the “Doce Pares de Francia”; and the surviving copies of the “Nueva Fuerza”, the local daily he established in 1915, in an exhibit dubbed “Publishing and Politics: The Sen. Vicente Rama Memorabilia”.

“Gi-ransack man god among karaang balay dinha sa Magallanes during the Japanese occupation, so daghang items ang missing na. Somehow, we really tried our very best to gather as many books and magazines, clippings and other important documents on his political career as possible because finally these have found a place here,” del Prado said gleaming with pride in the legacy of his father she described to be a very hardworking man who cherished every moment of his life being a Cebuano.

“Mamat-an ug makatulgan na lang to nako siya’ng sigeng nag-type. Big percentage gyod sa iyang life was spent in writing,” del Prado recalled. “Nya bisan educated siya’s Spanish language, he really enjoyed more writing in the native tongue.”

To quote, Don Vicente Rama wrote of this great love through “Mga Handumanan sa Akong Kinabuhi” by saying “sa pagdala ug pagpangulo ko ning mantalaan, akong nakita dayon nga ang umaabot sa katitikan ug sa mantalaang Binisaya dako ug masilakon. Ang pag-alima kaniya mao day nakakulang. Mao nga sa pagtukod ko sa Nueva Fuerza sa 1915, wala nako biyai ang dahong Binisaya nga ako usab nga giulohag “Bag-ong Kusog”.”

Other than his novels, the exhibit features sample ballots that date back to his congressional bid in the third district of Cebu for the 1925 elections; pieces of furniture like wooden filing cabinets and his most favorite table and chair where he spent much of his time writing. There are also photographs of the Rama family tree, with fellow local leaders like Fructuoso Ramos and then Governor Buenaventura Rodriguez, and with former President Manuel Luis Quezon; as well as other mementos such as a telegram to his family informing them of his election victory.

Ambeth Ocampo, National Historical Institute chairman; Corazon Alvina, director of the National Museum; Ludovico Badoy, NHI executive director; Governor Gwendolyn Garcia with Professor Jose Eleazar “Jojo” Bersales, director of the Museo Sugbo, led the unveiling of the markers and inauguration of new galleries. Actually, there are two markers – one in Filipino, the other a Sinugbuanon translation.

Further, it was learned from Bersales that the establishment of the Museo sa Sugbo is covered by a memorandum of agreement with the NHI and National Museum amounting to P5 million.

“Around P2 million ana counterpart sa Capitol for the personnel, preparing of the facilities, and grounds landscaping. The P5 million has not yet been spent totally. I think mga P2 million pa lang ang nagasto just to prepare the galleries. But last year, Capitol already spent P2.8 million just to prepare all the galleries,” he said.

Other new exhibitions opened were Remembering the War: A gallery dedicated to Gov. Hilario Abellana and all martyrs of freedom; Amidst Two Wars: The Gregorio and Jovito Abellana Memorabilia; and Edward Sharp: A Thomasite in Bohol. Also, the activity saw the inauguration of the NHI Museum of Philippine Political History in the Visayas and the NM’s Cebu Branch Museum.

The activity closed with the ceremonial tossing of coins into the so-called Well of Wisdom, Love and Good Fortune; and a fashion show using “Cebu then and now” as a theme featuring Cebu’s top designers and models. — Maria Eleanor E. Valeros   (THE FREEMAN)