Kinaiyang Sugbuanon, an educator/ politician's concept

At the rate the Metro Manilans, in response to a survey recently conducted, look upon politicians with distrust, generally speaking, those in our national officialdom are quite uneasy on their seats. It has become more tragic than ironic, that instead of getting the highest of the peoples’ adulations, many of our officials, seem to be battered by the ram of disrespect. The politicians’ moves are put under suspicion. Their pronouncements derided. Especially unfortunate is the case of the First Gentleman, Atty. Miguel Arroyo, who while married to the country’s number one politico, does not himself hold an elective position. Yet, he has, per the research, received, at negative 51%, a rating none has ever gone lower. Naturally, he brings down the name of the president of our republic in unintended disrepute.

The apparent basis of this worsening curve of distrust of politicians is the creeping perception that they do not anymore work for the common weal. They are seen as promoting their personal and vested interests with public service just a convenient cover. This is what the ZTE-NBN deal boils down to. If true, it is corruption in unparalleled scale. Because of this and a number of equally dubious transactions attributed to the present administration of Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the fact of being a politician is presently derisively equated to a host of unflattering titles.

Here in Cebu, however, we have a politician whose name remains unsullied. Well, being back to his role as an educator, he is no longer a politician. The name is Dr. Jose R. Gullas, my publisher. I am not supposed to write about him because our connection places my article in a less objective category. But, precisely because I have seen, at a close range, the unfolding of his new project, our unique superior-subordinate situation puts me in a better position to discuss it.

This project is to take place on March 15, just two days after the birthday of Sir Dodong’s beloved mother, Lady Josefina Rivera Gullas, who has since joined her Creator. With the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) as the venue, the event intends first, to revisit the distinguished traditions of the past and second to put them in such a perspective for us to be able to assimilate them back into our system. For instance, while modern courtship is facilitated by a young swain’s giving his lady-love a miniature gadget called Ipod (which contains thousands of songs), harana was the practice of the past. A man in love would then gather his singer-friends and canopied by moonlight, express, thru songs, his devotion to his girl.

Pamalaye, although less observed today, was a profound way to ask for a lady’s hand in the manner that expressed respect to elders. Rather than a man and his woman deciding to cohabit, mostly without benefit of marriage, the old way was different. In the past, any man planning to marry someone had to pass thru a virtual gauntlet. They could not (and should not) just agree to stay under one roof. They needed to have the blessings of the parents. For that purpose, the man would request a highly respected person to champion his cause. At a designated day and time, he, his parents and his “dakong tawo” (champion) would literally plead with the parents of the lady to consent to their union.

The harana and pamalaye usher to the honoring of two of Cebu’s most prolific and renowned composers, namely: Minggoy Lopez and Maning Velez. On the whole, this is the concept of Sir Dodong Gullas' "Kinaiyang Sugbuanon", the March 15 super production which has the support of the Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters sa Pilipinas and the Philippine Star group of publications.

The educator in Sir Dodong thinks of revisiting these very beautiful and meaningful practices of the past, while the politician that he once was moves him to actualize the concept. Of course, it is his generosity that prods him to make the admission to the show at the least cost.   If he were of a different mold, he would be one of those who would squirm in his seat each time surveys are conducted.

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