Hasta la vista EJ! Goodbye Susan Fuentes!

•Goodbye, EJ, hasta la vista!

•Goodbye Susan Fuentes!

Wake-uppers:

Scene: The 7^th School Press Advisers Movement Inc. (SPAM) was held in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on Sept. 12-14 attended by student writers and advisers in the country. Two GMA pillars are recognized by SPAM with their first awards of excellence for media practitioners. GMA News anchor and “Imbestigador ng Bayan” Mike Enriquez has received the Award of Excellence in the Field of Broadcasting, while GMA News Online Editor-in-Chief Howie Severino has received the Award of Excellence in the Field of Documentary Reportage. With the theme “Intensifying the power of Campus Paper in Protecting and Preserving the Environment and Natural Resources,” the convention aims to recognize the excellent services of campus journalists and advisers, hone their talents, and provide them with the recent trends in campus journalism.

Mike Enriquez and Howie Severino during the 7th SPAM

Scene: Dindo Tallo and his wife Rose (Miss Tagbilaran 1987 first runner-up) were in Bohol to attend to their father’s wake and burial.  Dindo is the eldest son of Dr. Prisco Tallo who died on August 28. Dr. Tallo served as resident physician of the Bohol Provincial Hospital and chief of the Loon District Hospital and Carmen Cong. Natalio Castillo Memorial Hospital, respectively.

Scene: Maria Mercedes ang pangalan ko! Sa 'king pamilya'y tumutulong ako. Nagtatrabaho ng kahit ano. Sanay ako magbanat ng buto...Maria Mercedes, the Mexican telenovela starring Thalia will be back on primetime. The first official teaser for the Philippine remake of the hit Mexican series "Maria Mercedes" was released last week. The clip uploaded on ABS-CBN's official YouTube page shows lead actress Jessy Mendiola dancing in a long red dress -- a throwback to the iconic take of Mexican superstar Thalia on the title character. The teaser also offers a brief taste of the updated Filipino version of the series' theme song, as first heard in the local telecast of the original "Maria Mercedes" in 1996. Thalia fans couldn’t wait to see the soap. Si señor!

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Ania si Rosas Pandan
Gikan pa intawn sa kabukiran
Kaninyo makiguban-uban
Sa gisaulog nga kalingawan

Balitaw day akong puhunan
Maoy kabilin sa akong ginikanan
Awit nga labing karaan
Maoy garbo sa kabungturan

Ayayay ayayay ayayay!
Ayay sa akong balitaw
Kanindot ba mosayaw
Daw yamog ang kabugnaw

Tigadong tigadong tigadong!
Ayay usab si Dodong
Nagtan-aw kang Inday
Nagtabisay ang laway...

Susan Fuentes

I’m not sure how old I was at the time but I remember singing Rosas Pandan while the song was being played by our neighbors back in old Booy. The neighborhood was simple. Technology was slow then. Since only a handful few had TV, most people tuned in on radio especially on Sundays for their favorite oldies.

I also remember Rosas Pandan was used as talent in barangay beauty pageants and amateur singing contests. It was easy to sing. It still is. Thanks to the Queen of Visayan Songs Susan Fuentes, who’s a half-Boholana-half Butuanon, who also has a string of other enduring hits to her name.

For the information of today’s generation of music-lovers, between 1970s and 1980s, Susan racked up

several No. 1 Visayan songs, including “Matud Nila” (They Say), “Gimingaw Ako” (I Feel Lonesome), “Usahay” (Sometimes), “Rosas Pandan,” She also originally recorded and popularized “Miss Kita Kung Christmas.”

Call me old, but I love listening to Susan’s authentic and uniquely poignant voice that reminds me of good times.

I like Susan’s version of “Ang Bol-anon” (originally composed by Regino Bastes Dano) which shows her clean, soulful and authentic voice. And it’s Binol-anon for using the word gaJud instead of gayud.

Kung ikaw Inday mangita'g pamanhunon, Siguro-a baya inday ang Bol-anon, Kung matuman mo suwerte ka kay ang Bol-anon buotan gajud, Magmahal kanimo hangtud sa Tagbilaran... Magmahal kanimo hangtud sa kahangturan...

Is there any difference between women of past and women of present? Yes, her song “Kagahapun ug Karun” tells why.

Kagahapun ug karun

Kadako diay sa kabalison
ang dalaga ta manggi-ulawon
moduko lang kon imo lang sud-ungon

Ang karun pagkatahum
kon tutokan mo mapahiyumon

kon halaran mo iya kang tubagon
hinay ka ra kay may tag-iya na

Ang dalaga ta karon dili daling muhilak sama kagahapon Ondo

ikaw pa hikapa ang gihay di ba mangatangtang ug mangapangtagak

Lahi ang kabulakan nga katilingbanun

Buyog magsibadsabad mata magsiplatsiplat

Mao kini ang lingla sa bag-o nga panahon
lahi ang kagahapon lahi ang karun...

Her fans, including my Mama Inday, Inday Charity and yours truly, are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Susan who died on Sept. 7 after a prolonged confinement due to a kidney ailment. She was 58.

Mama Inday has paid tribute to Susan last week. She was singing all her Awitnong Bahandi songs although Mama Inday was not hitting all the right notes with her lusty vocals and emotional stylings like Susan’s, while Inday Charity has  paid tribute to Susan in her radio program.

Well, it’s a misty-eyed Sunday morning today while listening to Visayan classic oldies.

Midag-om, midag-om na, dapit sa atong habagatan,

pagbantay-bantay mga kauban, ang timbangan dili pagbiyaan,

ayaw baya kalimot nga gikalisangan kining hangina,

 Mugisi sa layag, Muguba sa atong sakayan,

Timbang kamo, hinubig kamo, Dagan ngari, dagan ngadto,

Walay labing pait Ingon sa kinabuhing sakayanon,

 Init ug ulan , Gisawod nga walay pulupasilong,

Nia pay katugnaw, Ug kagutom pa gayud intawon,

 Giantus ang tanan,Kay gim but-an sa kapalaran...

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Anytime now, fashion icon EJ Relampagos is flying to New York to relax.

He has been busy in wedding coordination alongside some other events like debuts, beauty pageants and fashion shows.

EJ Relampagos

EJ is planning to see famous landmarks in New York such as the Empire State Building, the 911 memorial, Statue of Liberty and American Museum of Natural History.

What will happen to EJ’s House of Fashion (along Pamaong Road, Tagbilaran City) where he has total creative responsibility for the designs and all of its collections?

“It is still open. It will continue with all my staff. But we're only accepting wedding gowns for now while I will be away,” says EJ.  

However, VRS heard that EJ was invited to design for an American singer (name not disclosed by VRS) as part of the New York Fashion Week in the US.

“He will also be there to visit some famous fashion houses and attend charming workshops in New York,” adds VRS.

Well, then, to EJ, wishing you the best in NYC! C'est la vie!

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