Move over, Ryan Cayabyab

By Jun Velasco

WILLIAM Bigornia, only in his 40’s, is the manager of Manila Bank in Urdaneta City.  He is a musician, composer, singer and arranger par excellence!

His musical genius surfaced lately, “maybe I’m a late-bloomer sort of,” he told us excited about his recent self-discovery.

The bank executive is a weekend  resident of  Quezon City by virtue of his Manila Bank  work which started at the  Dagupan City branch.

The Bangus City slot was later taken over by Carmelo “Joy” Inamac, an Aklanon whose excellent public relations  catapulted  him too soon to the presidency of the Rotary Club of  Metro   Dagupan   lately.

William is a nephew of the two icons in Philippine journalism – the late columnist Jesus Bigornia of the Manila Bulletin, a namesake of his father, and former Press Secretary Amante Bigornia of Manila Standard Today.

This is William’s story.  Each week he drove his car to his workplace (Urdaneta) from Quezon City and back, he’d be seized by new haunting melodies and lyrics that were impossible to shake off. They were too lovely, he said.

Bigornia’s experiences have  catapulted  his whole being  to celestial heights, working  like  a  “poetic conspiracy” he  had to stop by a restaurant along the highway to jot down the words and, once  back in his car, continue to  hold on to the memory of the tune by humming   the  melody of a lifetime . . .  until he’d find himself at his Urdaneta  workplace without noticing it.

These “poetic conspiracies” have coughed up musical masterpieces that could match if not excel the country’s well-known compositions of Ogie Alcasid, or Martin Nievera or Ryan Cayabyab. What are William’s musical subjects or themes?  William betrayed his deep need for lasting friendships. He said his compositions were inspired by personal affairs among some of his staff and employees caught in a bind —the personal graduating to the universal realm.

Move over, Ryan Cayabyab, et al. 

*             *               *

While Laban was holding its convention at the Manila Hotel to endorse  charter change, Sigaw ng Bayan’s  spokesman Raul Lambino  masterfully  gave a thesis on why the People’s Initiative is the best mode of  changing the constitution before the Rotary  Club of  Metro Cubao, which had guests from various parts of the country,  including Maguindanao and Jolo.

Raul, our partner in the “De Venecia Code,” has perfected his speaking skill, cool under fire, clear-minded and effective in driving his views across. He has presence, too.

But here’s the rub:  a disconcerting speech style for saying “is going to” instead plain “will.”  He’d say “the group is going to do that.” We thought “the group will do that” is more punchy.

 But no matter. Raul has gone a long way and easily edges out most other politicians because he has good looks, good voice and grammatical English (minus this common lapse “one of the provision” and the like). A smitten listener pulled our arm and said, “You should have introduced him as a future senator.” Obviously, the lady doesn’t believe the   days of the senate are numbered. 

Our grapevine at the Laban confab reports that the body language of both Senate President Franklin Drilon and party president Ed Angara  is pro Cha Cha.

Is Cha Cha a done deal?  If you ask JDV and Gerry Garcia, it is.

*           *            *

In the Punch’s On-line last week, cousin Maripi Llamas – Parayno, now a Canadian resident, wrote about her family’s acquiring immigrant status to the delight of Auntie Paz and family no end.  Nana Paz was our writing tutor while Mama Erming (now Ernie Martinez) was our speech writer in our high school days.

There was no let-up in our giving speeches because we were the president of the student council and active in extracurricular activities. That though is another story.

A couple of weeks back, Abrenio-Dagupeño Conrad Belisario, now a full-fledged Canadian (not Cana dito,Cana dian at Cana doon, ha?) in Ontario  blew into town to visit his folks.

He noticed that the Dagupan he left   l5 years ago hasn’t shed its parochial character “except at night when the lights were out ala-Las Vegas.”

  Maripi and Conrad share an impression, “you won’t know what you’re missing in life when you don’t go to Canada.”

The Parayno and Belisario families live comfortable lives in Cold Country, but Conrad says he still misses the happy-go-lucky lifestyle so prevalent in a poor country. 

We visited the Belisarios, the Salvadors, Zabalas, Olegarios, Gutierezes, and Primiciases in Toronto (pronounced T’rono) in l992 and found them all financially blessed.  In a sudden change of mood, Conrad, mug in hand, said, “Padre. There’s no place like home.” Was he talking of the home in Canada where cumadre Tessie was waiting or was he talking of the Philippines?  

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