MikeLigalig.com

Written By Fred C. Amora
Associate Editor
The Bohol Standard

This is the problem of translation. Most of the time, the context is lost and wrong impressions are created.

My good friend Dandan Bantugan made it clear last Wednesday, during the city council’s regular session, that he is wrongly branded as mayor Dan Lim’s “faith defender.”

Well, I think I was the one who wrote that line in this column. If I was wrong, mea culpa, mea culpa. I’m sure my good friend Dandan will be always forgiving.

That day, I was flattered. He noticed me and remembered my name!

But he forgot (omitted?) the initials after my name D.D.D. (Dili Doctor of Divinities).

In that session, I heard the councilors’ hush whispers: “Guapo man diay na si Fred Amora?”

Tenk you, puera buyag!

* * * * *

While I sat meek as a lamb in a corner of the session hall, Bantugan stood and took the opportunity chastising me, particularly on the issue that in my column I called him “faith defender.” But I don’t see anything wrong with the name (remember, Catholic faith defender Socrates Fernandez is now mayor of Talisay City).

He explained that his manifestations regarding the move of fellow councilor Anne Mariquit Oppus, who questioned the Blue Card Health Program of the Lim administration, was well meant.

Legislative matters brought before the sanggunian are first discussed in the committee level. That is parliamentary protocol.

Lawyer-councilor Bantugan is right! Those who condemned his stance should apologize.

But joining in duet with Mayor Lim branding the move of Oppus as “pamolitika” is another thing. I don’t know how to translate that one.

We will wait for Bantugan to make the necessary edition.

* * * * *

Indeed there are always discrepancies in translations. One should be cautious.

Look how pastors (religious experts kuno) engage in never-ending debates deducing their own biblical versions.

True biblical scholars say: “The deductions that may be validly drawn from ancient documents all harmonize with biblical records and one has nothing to fear from hostile arguments and challenges of humanistic rationalists or detractors of any and every persuasion.” (Gleason S. Archer, Professor of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.)

Also, even the Supreme Court had scored the problem of translation.

It said: “No statute can be enacted that can provide all details involved in its application. There is always an omission that may not meet a particular situation. What is thought, at the time of enactment, to be an all-embracing legislation may be inadequate to provide for the unfolding of events in the future. (G.R. No. 161081, May 10, 2005).

See? So, we must also be forgiving. Wala lang ninyo masabta si Kagawad Dandan Bantugan. Kon and tiki (house lizard) mag-usab sa panit depende sa balay nga gipuy-an, tawo pa kaha?

Fake or Faith Defender, they seem to sound the same.

Bantugan’s good intentions were just probably “lost in translation,” so to speak!

Lesson for Today: “Wise men learn from others’ mistakes; fools by their own.”

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asa man siyay kuwarta? hehehehe dato si gallientes

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