by Telly G. Ocampo
The first Sandugo and the many years after
The first Sandugo celebration was very memorable for me and
for us, mga Baclayanon. That was immediately the year after
the bloodless Edsa revolution and the governor then was
Governor Constancio “Nonoy” Torralba. He was a good and
kind man. His exposure was not in politics, but in corporate
service, for he was once a bigwig of General Milling
Corporation.
We were then residing in Tacloban, and my daughter, Estela
Ocampo (now Estela O. Fernandez), was asked by our
Mayor Felix Uy to represent our hometown of Baclayon in the
beauty search of the province. My daughter, then, was very
young – a Fine Arts student at the University of the Philippines,
Cebu. She was in her junior years during the tilt.
My husband and I were reluctant parents. Beauty pageants
were never part of our agenda. But the spirit of Edsa was still
strong in our hearts and so we relented. I asked my cousin,
Judge Antonio Oppus Uy and my mother to represent us and
to guide my daughter, on our behalf. Winning was also never a
goal. It was the spirit of cooperation and volunteerism that was
foremost in our mind. Much more so that Nang Mameng Gatal
was one of the members of the inner circle of the Sandugo
Foundation. My bff Ardy must have been in that circle, too.
We were back home to Baclayon in1992. Having been active in
the academe and in the socio-cultural activities in Tacloban, I
became part of Nang Mameng’s group in the socio cultural and
religious affairs. As early as 1994, we were already engrossed
in the plan for the town’s celebration of 400 years of
Christianity. Mine was more focused on the greening project
with Nong Ite Mendez. That year – in 1995 – we had a grand
slam in the Sandugo Festivities/Competition.
We got the first place in the Street Dancing competition
with Oscar Real as the choreographer and director.
We got the crown for the Miss Sandugo Search and our
winner was in the person of Noemi Naron (now married to
a Seno).
Our float for the street parade was a product of the efforts of
the community with the painting and decor by an architecture
student from University of Bohol and Tata Caballo. All services
were “pro bono”. And Judge Antonio Oppus Uy provided nall
the food for us. He was our lookout “ug kinsay inglabay” .I
would hear him say: “Toa na, inglabay na [ang float] sa
Loboc ug Loay. Anus-a pa mahuman ning atoa?’
What made our group different was the representation of the
senior citizens dressed in baro at saya from their kaban. The
older the baro and the saya, the better during the parade.
Erwin Lagura, now the superintendent of schools in Toledo,
was then a faculty member of Immaculata high school. His role
was to man the karomatas used as props. He also took care of
the water and snacks for everyone.
It is now Sandugo 2023. I’m partly wheel chair bound. My spirit
of Sandugo is dependent on what is on the radio. I could not
hear anymore that Sandugo rhythm and music that used to
dominate the airwaves. There is no more mention of the
Sandugo foundation. Where have they all gone? Where are the
neighbors’ groups nga magsabosabot ug unsay sakyan kay
motan-aw sa street dancing? Duna pa ba? Asa ra man ang
mga balita bahin sa Sandugo?
I salute the Sandugo Foundation. You deserve an accolade
for the service you freely rendered during those beautiful and
memorable years.
P.S. I’m not so sure if I ought to say this. But I have to. To any
future candidate for Miss Sandugo or Miss Bohol: Please do
not allow yourself to be a product of any make-up artist who
would like to transform you into someone you are not. Please
have your own concept of what a true Boholana is in the ternos
and gowns you wear. Please be a Boholana in the manner you
speak and walk, on and off stage. Please!
Irah Noemi Naron
Miss Bohol 1995
(photo credit: Raul Gatal)
Carmen Gatal
(Photo Credit – internet)
Bohol’s Sandugo
(Photo Credit – Wikipedia)