MikeLigalig.com

By Loy Palapos
Columnist
Bohol Sunday Post

Atty. Adelino Baguio Sitoy (ABS) is a name that resounds especially in the Visayas and Mindanao. His fame in the legal and political domain is widely admired; his nuggets of thoughts as a radio commentator are well received; but there are some who have no idea that Atty. Sitoy is also a man of letters. LUDABI (Labas sa Dagang Binisaya) can attest with pride that the gifted Mayor is also a journalist and a creative writer, especially in the Visayan tongue.

Meeting the Mayor of Cordova, Cebu at Villa Alzhun last Saturday, December 15, was my opportune time to shake hands with an individual I greatly admire. As Special Guest, Inducting Officer, and Speaker of LUDABI, AWRAFI (Association of Writers and Radio Announcers Foundation, Inc.) and BLAC (Bohol Literary Arts Circle), he reminded me of the late Atty. Victoriano D. Tirol, Sr. for both shared the same passion and love for the Visayan language. It was also then when I learned that the Great Patriarch of the University of Bohol was born in Cordova.

As a lawyer, Atty. Sitoy stands tall in legal prowess so that even if the Code does not allow him (as Mayor) to appear in court, he has his law office and his five associates being kept on their toes with the endless number of cases by a public that knows brilliance when it spots one. As Dean of the College of Law of the University of Cebu, he was instrumental in producing one of the Bar topnotchers a year ago.

This LUDABI stalwart has all praises for Governor Erico Aumentado, sharing his dream of building a bridge between Bohol and Cebu, by linking Jetafe and Cordova.

A big dream, perhaps, but for a man of vision, it is a big possibility.

Atty. Adelino Sitoy finished Bachelor of Laws, Cum Laude, at the University of San Carlos, and his Master of Laws at the University of Southern Philippines. Trying to spread his wings in an effort to hasten development, he entered politics and became a Board Member of Cebu. He became a Congressman, and later City Fiscal, at which position his integrity became more pronounced.

Cordova has long recognized and accepted the Sitoy family and clan as the leaders of the town. An uncle and a brother became Mayors of the municipality. At this prime-time of his life, he reversed a trend of other towns of offsprings following the footsteps of their parents. This time, it was Atty. Sitoy who followed the footsteps of his son. After the three terms of his son as Mayor of Cordova, and after being a Congressman and Board Member, he became the Mayor of his hometown. For him, service is not measured in terms of the vastness of the physical area, but of the passion and dedication of the one who serves.

LMP: Let's start with LUDABI, how long have you been associated with the organization?
ABS: Since 1961. LUDABI was organized in 1950.

LMP: Can you still remember its first President?
ABS: The late Martin Abellana, cousin of Gov. Hillario Abellana of Cebu.

LMP: As far as affiliation with LUDABI is concerned, unsa may murag nakadani nimu to be a part of LUDABI?
ABS: First of all, I love writing. Even before I went to high school, I was already writing some balak ug mga essay in Cebuano. My uncle was a writer sa Bisaya Magazine. Siya nag kinaunhan nga nagpa-develop nako sa Cebuano writing. When I was in high school, I had difficulty catching up English words, mao nga nagkugi gyud ko unsaon pagkahibaw ug English. I memorized 20 English words everyday sa dictionary, to catch up with my deficiency in English. I managed to catch up by the end of the year, that's why first year high school ko sa Abellana High school, ming apil ko ug essay writing contest sa United States Information Service.

Luckily, I won. LMP: You are both accurate in Visayan and English, pero kung ikaw maoy pangutan-on, unsa may imong palabihon?

ABS: I would prefer the Cebuana language gyud. Mas comfortable ta sa atong pinulungan. Pero dapat pod ta makahibaw ug English kay that's our window to the outside world.

LMP: Namatikdan nato nga naay mga Bisaya nga maglisod na sa p inulungang binisaya, but that's already adultery. What's your comment on this?
ABS: I think this is because minus ta ug mga writing materials nga maghan-ay gyud sa mga tinud-anay nga Sinugbuanong buisaya apil na ana ang Binol-anon. Ang Bisaya Magazine kaniadto, usa ka semana mo-rota na ang usa ka magazine ug pila ka balay kung gusto mo-agpas sa mga sugilanon sa mga nobela, apil natong comics nga Hagibis.

LMP: Sa imong pagtanaw, makasulti ba ka nga dili hayag as far as proliferation sa mga kabatan-onan ang atong hisgutan?
ABS: Nagkaanam gyud ug kahinay kung kini man gani hisgutan. Sa studies karon tanan nga mga minor languages nga wala maatiman sa gobyerno dinhi sa Pilipinas, kini rang Cebuanong bisaya ug sa Bol-anon ang mi survive. Dili ni nato masulbad kung magsugod nata sa mga hamtong. Ani gyud ta sa mga batan-on. Ang mga first gade ug second grade level sa Cordova diin ko na-mayor, binisaya ang medium of instruction.

LMP: Local legislation ni siya?
ABS: Arrangement sa DepEd. Aron ang mga maestra mukugi pod ug tudlo ug gamit sa atong mga pinulungan. Gipaeskwela pod ni nako sila ug Masters of Arts in Cebuano teaching.

LMP: Asa man ni eskwelahana?
ABS: Sa amo sa cordova. Ang teacher nila taga University of Bohol, si Dr. Jess Tirol. Kada Domingo tua siya magtudlo.

LMP: Siya man ang hawod gyud anang binisaya. When we have problems about terminology nga binisaya, siya man ang makahatag.
ABS: Amu siyang gi-imbitar sa lungsod kay iyang papa Cordovanhon man sad.

LMP: With the pro's and the con's, unsa man ang kaugmaon sa lengguwaheng binisaya.
ABS: Dakog kaugmaon kung magkugi lang ta. Kinahanglan nga magsugod gyud ta sa mga bata kay sayon ra man sila kat-unan sa atong pinulungan.

LMP: That's for the spoken language. How about sa written?
ABS: Mao nay dako kaayong suliran. Didto sa Cordova karon, nagtukod mi ug magazine nga gihinganlan namu ug Kaliwat.

LMP: Finance na sa local government?
ABS: Yes. Unya ming tie-up pod ko karon sa mga kauban nako nga mayor Cebu nga unta mubutang sila ug advertisement bisan na ug usa ka pahina ra kausa o kaduha sa usa ka tuig aron ma buhi ang Magazine.

LMP: Unsa man pod ang reaction sa mga mayor?
ABS: Receptive man pod sila, except nga kinahanglan gyud mag follow-up. Muadto usab ako sa gobernador kay ang akong tumong muhangyo unta kaniya nga maghatag unta ug rice subsidy kay duna man poy relasyon sa history kining preservation of our language. Unya galihok pod ang lalawigan sa Sugbu kay nagasuwat man sila ug volume of history.

LMP: Is that initiated by the government?
ABS: Yes. Kada lungsod gibuhatan nila ug history. That is legislated and promulgated by the provincial board.

LMP: Kanus-a man ni mahuman tanan?
ABS: In one year time.

LMP: Who are the editors?
ABS: With the university of San Carlos chaired by Liezel Mujares. Ang ilang grupo ang nag-gather sa tanan, pero kada lungsod nag-submit ug history, with their own style but is subject to editing by the editorial board.

LMP: Basically ang profession nimu is with politics, at the same time you are a lawyer. Now, as a writer unsa man imong mga involvement karon sa sinuwatang binisaya?
ABS: Naa ko sa Kaliwat Magazine. Nya kada Domingo, duna mi radio program sa dyAB sa ABS-CBN. Kami kauban ni Jess Tirol.

LMP: Unsa may reception sa mga tawo?
ABS: Maayo, ming survive pod. Among gi-tackle ang mga wrong uses sa Binisaya. Gipahibaw namo sa mga taw nga kining mga uses ani adunay equivalent.

LMP: Ari ta sa imong other profession kay multi-faceted man ka. As a lawyer.
ABS: I've been a lawyer for 46 years now. After 2 years sa pagka abogado, I became Fiscal for 6 years. I resigned in 1969, then hilangsad ko ug CONCON in 1970. Unfortunately, na junk ko pagka kandidato nako. Then nahimo kong Dean sa College of Law at University of Cebu. I opened the college. In the history of law school sa tibuok Pilipinas, ang akong mga graduates ma top 10 dayon Everytime mukuha ug bar.

LMP: What made you decide to join politics?
ABS: Dugay ra nang politika. Karon pako nakahunong sa akong practice, kay karon paman ko nakahawid ug executive position. Kaniadtong Board Member of the Provincial Board pa ko, maka practice pa man. From 1974- 1984, sa Batasang Pambansa, maka practice pod kay legislative man. Pag mayor nako, dina gyud.

LMP: Pila ka tuig ka na Mayor?
ABS: Karon pa. Hingsunod ko sa akong anak kay akong anak maoy mayor for nine years. Ang iyang gisundan, akong manghod pod who was mayor for 23 years. Ang gisundan pod sa akong manghod, ang among uyoan nga na mayor for 17 years.

LMP: Sa pagka karon, how would you consider your lifestyle, muingon ba ka nga you are a Mayor, a writer, a lawyer?
ABS: I am more of a Mayor. Pero wala mawala ang akong pagka writer, my love for language.

LMP: In my opinion, you are more popular as a lawyer here in the Visayas and Mindanao. Ang imung punto pagka writer, murag na-overshadowed by your being a lawyer, considering the fact that daghan mi ug nadunggan sa imong abilidad labi na sa korte. Retired na ba ka?
ABS: Aduna koy law office. Karon, counseling nalang akong gihimo.

LMP: So would you like to say that your life is fulfilled?
ABS: Not yet. Daghan pa ko ug pag palambo nga himuon sa among lungsod. My plan now is to make our fourth class municipality a first class one. LMP: How will you do that?
ABS: First, kining dako nag project nga adunay kalambigitan sa Bohol.

LMP: Would you like to say nga kanang proyekto karon imu gyud na nga humanon?
ABS: Definitely. Nag pasalamat pod ko kay gipadayon ni siya ni Governor Aumentado.

LMP: There are people, mga visionary ba nga without them, murag lisod ang paglantaw sa unahan. What's your message sa mga katawhan?
ABS: Akong mensahe, is ipadayon nato ang pagtambayayong sa lalawigan sa Bohol ug lalawigan sa Sugbu. Kinahanglang kusgan gyud nato ang atong relasyon.

ATTY. Adelino Sitoy has a project, which requires Engr. Jess Tirol to go to Cordova as professor in the Visayan Academy of Arts and Lectures, which focuses on Master of Arts in Teaching Cebuano. The Mayor has his sense of history, and is a protector of heritage. He is one of those who initiated and insisted that the Philippine National Anthem be sung in Visayan.

As President of the IBP (Integrated Bar of the Philippines), his influence was outstanding. As an exponent of the move in teaching Visayan as a third language, he has overcome various obstacles coming from the skeptics. As a Legislator in Congress and in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, his bills became models of developmental goals. As a Dean, his mentoring wisdom positively influenced the minds of both the faculty and the students. As City Fiscal, there are only a few who can equal his feats. As a Mayor, Cordova once a side-stepped town, is now in the tourism hub. As a lover of the Cebuano language, he inspires even the dumb.

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Real greatness lies in pure simplicity.

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