By: Telly Gonzaga-Ocampo
Tracing our roots through vernacular music
Ma’am Ekit (Enriquieta Borja – Butalid was our Music teacher in high school. She was then Miss Enriquieta Borja, the beautiful and smart Music and Piano teacher at St. Joseph College, Tagbilaran. In the middle of her teaching stint at St. Joseph College, she got married to Atty. Rolando Gatal Butalid whom we fondly called “Nong Rolly”. I did not know, then, that Nong Rolly and I came from the same family tree: that of Marcelo Tamayo Villamor and Silvina Iyog.
I became close to Ma’am Ekit when my mother was chosen as one of the members of the Bohol Sanhimig, a singing group composed of Boholanos. At that time, Nong Rolly was active in politics and when he became governor of Bohol, the Sanhimig group became a champion in a national choral competition. During Nong Rolly’s incumbency as Bohol Governor, Ma’am Ekit was known more for her music than her role as First Lady of Bohol. Despite her status, she never lost her common touch. Wala gyud niya ibutang sa iyang garbo nga FIRST LADY siya sa Bohol.
At some point in the late 1980s, there was a choral contest among the branches of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) in Tacloban. The chair, then, of DBP was Jess Estanislao. Anyway, while in Tacloban with my family, I received a letter from my mother informing me that Ma’am Ekit and the Sanhimig group were coming to our place to participate in the DBP choral competition. The letter also gave me instructions to help the group during its visit to our place.
The group was fortunate to have been billeted at the Baluarte San Jose of Bejo Romualdez. At that time, I had a strong link to the establishment, so, I was able to make representations for the Sanhimig’s special needs. And the GROUP’S choral rendition was exemplary, despite the fact that the points for “audience impact” went to Iloilo. The Sanhimig Group, during its stay in Tacloban, practiced at the ancestral home of the Quinteros, the house across ours. The place now is known as The Rosvenil Hotel in Tacloban City.
Ma’am Ekit is in her 80s and she wants to document the Ricorico and Daygon of Baclayon. Baclayon is dear to her as this is the place of birth of her mother-in-law, Mercedes Tumalon Gatal Butalid whose husband, Timoteo Butalid, was also one of the governors of Bohol. For us here in Baclayon, Governor Timoteo Butalid was “Nong Tiyoy”. Dili pa uso ang Sir ug Ma’am sa among panahon.
And so on Divine Mercy Sunday, off we went to Canggawa (Tanday) in Baclayon, for the Canggawa musical group. I have identified this particular group since, as a musical group, it has retained the vernacular character of the chapel choirs. Most chapels have their own set of Tulonggon but it is only in Canggawa that the set is intact, except for the violin of Bruno Mendez. It was destroyed by Odette. Pagka karon, talagsa na gyud ang makahibalo nga mopatugtug sa mga musical instruments of old. Duna pa pud ni sila agong para sa sinug sa ilang fiesta.
Canggawa is fully transformed. Its roads are cemented with solar lamp posts and you can go to Corella from there with ease and comfort.
Now, Ma’am Ekit is compiling vernacular music and will have all these into print, complete with musical score and lyrics. This way, we will be able to trace our roots, via a link between the past and the present through vernacular music. Hinaut unta nga ang mga kabatan-onan mohinayhinay na sa pagkat-on sa mga huni sa atong mga katiguwangan.
The Canggawa chapel choir. Here is a list of names of the participants of the Rico-Rico: 1) Romil Escuadra, 2) Valeriano Mendez, 3) Antonio Estoque, 4) Ronelo Estoque, 5) Felipe Tabugoc, Jr., 6) Sofronias Guilliano. Girls: 1) Patricia Quimado, 2) Rowena Dayna, 3) Calixta, Polinar, 4) Esterlita Quimado, 5) Carmelita Brua, 6) Arnulfa Mendez, 7) Francisca Estoque.
Our group, fully satisfied with what we saw and heard at the Canggawa chapel. From left to right Enriquieta “Ekit” Butalid, Carmen Gatal and Telly Ocampo with some guests.