Group wants 3 Visayans on national artist list

CEBU, Philippines — A group of local talents, writers and broadcasters is pushing for the inclusion of the three famous Visayan personalities—Julian “Teban” Daan, Nenita “Inday Nita” Cortez Daluz, and novelty singer Yoyoy Villame, Julian—in the list of National Artists of the Philippines.

Members of Lubas sa Dagang Bisaya (LUDABI) Inc. led by its national president Atty. Leo Zaragoza and Cebu Association of Media Practitioners (CAMP) Inc. led by Max “Daloydoy” Andrino made the endorsement through Secretary Adelino Sitoy, Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs.

Sitoy, a Cebuano lawyer and politician, is among the pillars of LUDABI and he co-authored the History of the City of Cebu and an English-Cebuano Visayan Dictionary (with 66,000 English words translated into Cebuano-Visayan).

Daan, a number one councilor of Talisay City, died of heart failure on August 21, 2019.While he continued hosting several radio drama including the morning radio show “Kung Ako Ang Pasultihon” aired over dyHP-RMN Cebu 612, Daan served as Provincial Board member for 15 years. Daan became popular as Esteban Escudero in the Cebuano radio and television drama, “Ang Manok ni San Pedro”.

Villame was a novelty singer, composer, lyricist, and comedian. Villame was a native of Calape, Bohol and was the father of singer Hannah Villame. He died of cardiac arrest on May 18, 2007.

He moved to Las Piñas City, where he became a city councilor for ten years. He then ran for vice-mayor in 1995 but lost.

Villame was the first to brand his music as "novelty" to distinguish himself from his contemporaries, who tried hard to sound like Perry Como or Frank Sinatra. It was the beginning of a long list of albums and recordings of his politically inspired songs in Cebuano, Tagalog and English.

On the other hand, Daluz or popularly known as Inday Nita to the Cebuano masses initially broke into the public awareness as a radio drama talent, endeared for her iconic nasal voice. Her very credible portrayals of her drama roles and her down-to-earth demeanor in her talk programs earned her the favor and trust of the public.

During the martial law years, she rose to national prominence. The sweet, soft-spoken Inday Nita turned fiery as she joined the crusade against the Marcos dictatorship. She became a fierce and fearless fighter against the excesses of the Marcos administration.

LUDABI and CAMP also proposed to name big infrastructure projects to some Cebuano personalities.

These include the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge to the late Senator Jesus Marino “Rene” Espina who died on September 13, 2019.

When he was governor of Cebu, Espina was also appointed secretary of Public Works, Transportation, and Communication on November 1968, serving as both governor and member of the Cabinet. It was during this time that the plans for the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge were initiated.

The Mambaling, Cebu City flyover for the late secretary Cerge Remonde; and the Transcentral Highway for the late vice governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr.

They are also requesting the Commission on Higher Education to offer in college the Bachelor of Science in Bisayan Education, and requesting Sitoy to endorse for the establishment of CAMP and LUDABI Center in Cebu City. (FREEMAN)