Edfer Rigodon, Citadel of Visayan Literature
Edfer Cabrera Rigodon, son of an esteemed Cebuano writer, Florencio Rigodon Sr. was born on August 15, 1941 in San Fernando, Cebu. He was a juvenile patron of Cebuano language and literature and became part of the famed ALBICALARIVI Poetry Group (taken from the first syllables of the members’ surnames), within the campus of the Southwestern University.
The members were Melquiadito Allego Jr., Urias Almagro, Romeo S. Birao, Zosimo Cabungcal, Ernesto D. Lariosa, Antonio Villavito, and Rigodon.
It was organized by Mel Allego, a medical student who later founded the Bathalad (Bathalan-ong Halad sa Dagang Inc.).
In 1966 Rigodon migrated to the Island of Promise, Mindanao. He was a graduating student then of SWU and bid goodbye to his beloved poetry group. He worked in Ozamiz City (named in honor of Don Jose Fortich Ozamiz, born of a Cebuana mother, elected senator and governor of Misamis Occidental) It was at the Misamis University that he finished Bachelor Arts in Commerce.
It was in Misamis Occidental that Edfer married Virginia Jalem, a teacher, and they had three children who are all boys and are now in the US. Edger lived in the United States for 15 years. For decades he was an anchor of dxDD a radio station in Ozamiz City, in the program called “Kabiling Bililhon sa atong Kagahapon.”
Edfer won many contests sponsored by the Ludabi (Lubas sa Dagang Bisaya). The title of his works that won were entitled: “Buntag,” “Kon Moabot ang Tinginit,” and “Sangod.” He won second place in the first poetry contest held by the Cebu Arts Foundation, Inc. in 1981, in Cebu City.
His brother and the namesake of their father, Florencio C. Rigodon, Jr., was a composer, he wrote the song, “Sama sa Usa ka Damgo” and was the lyricist of “Musikang Binisaya” which placed second in the first Cebu Popular Music Festival in 1981 with Dionisio Enriquez Jr. as musical arranger.
Edfer Cabrera Rigodon, the Citadel of Visayan Literature is now retired and is back in the birthplace of Juan Magdidiyong, the founder of San Fernando, Cebu. He may have retired from human work but he has not yet given up his pen, for a writer works until eternity.
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