LESSON 3

CEBUANO
VISAYAN TEXTS
by: Lily Mae De Chavez- Lapura
WHAT I NEED TO KNOW
explain significant human values from selected Cebuano
01 Visayan texts;

establish meaning from chosen literary texts; and

02
create a poem in response to identified localized texts.
03
• CEBUANOS have a rich oral tradition, including legends, folktales, and folksongs associated with specific
locales. The generic form for poetry is balak, characterized by the presence of enigma or metaphor called
balaybay or sambingay. The prose narratives developed into the sugilanon or short story, the first example of
which is “Maming” (1901) by Vicente Sotto, the “father of Cebuano letters”; and later into the sugilambong or
novel.
• Of the many publications before the war, only Bisaya has survived as literary outlet of Cebuano. Because of the
rise in prestige of English and later Tagalog, postwar Cebuano literature was downgraded to third class
although Cebuano was still the language of home and street. A new vigor in poetry was contributed by bilingual
writers whose exposure to Western modes and styles helped strengthen the poetic utterance with irregular
rhythms, precise and concrete diction and practical attitudes.
• Writers’ groups certainly contributed to literary growth, notably the Lubas sa Dagang Bisaya (LUDABI) and
Bathalan-ong Halad sa Dagang (BATHALAD). The latter is an offshoot of the former, which was at one time
headed by Marcel Navarra, the “father of the modern short story in Cebuano.” By sponsoring regular
workshops and contests and publishing their outputs and entries, these groups have encouraged younger writers
to start writing, and older writers to shift in style and attitude. The recent set of bilingual writers consists of
Mike Obenieta, Adonis Durado, and Januar Yap who are members of the Tarantula group.
MATUD NILA
A Cebuano love song
Words and Music by Wenceslao “Ben” Zubiri
Matud nila ako dili angay
Nga magmamanggad sa imong gugma,
Matud nila ikaw dili malipay,
Kai wa ako'y bahanding nga kanimo igasa,
Gugmang putli mao day pasalig
Maoy bahanding labaw sa bulawan
Matud nila kaanugon lamang Sa imong gugma ug parayeg,
Dili maluba kining pagbati
Bisan sa unsa nga katarungan
Kay unsa pay bili ning kinabuhi Kon sa gugma mo hinikawan
Ingna ko nga dili ka motuo
Sa mga pagtamay kong naangkon
Ingna ko nga dili mo kawangon
Damgo ko'g pasalig sa gugma mo
THEY SAY
English Translation
People tell me that I am not worthy
To desire and aspire for your love
People tell me I can't make you happy
I have no gold or treasure or any wealth to offer
It's my true love I promise to give you
It's worth more than what money can bring you
People say that you waste precious moments
To give me your love and your caress.
I will always have this deep emotion
It will never end for any reason
For here's the only way my life has meaning
Dreaming of the day you'll share your feelings
Tell me you'll ignore what folks are saying
That I've given up in desperation
Tell me that you'll wait - I'll keep on yearning
Till I earn the promise of your love.
 About the Author
Wenceslao "Ben" Zubiri (1911- 1969), also known as Iyo Karpo, was a
Cebuano composer, actor, and media personality. His most famous
composition, for which he wrote both the lyrics and music, is the song
Matud Nila (in English "They Say") in 1941.
Zubiri was born on the island of Cebu in 1911. From an early age, he
was said to have displayed an ability in singing and music.
A street in Barangay Labangon in Cebu City was later named in Zubiri's
honor.
The version of Matud Nila at present time was performed by Pilita
Corales, a Cebuano singer. The original version of this song was first
sung by Ben Zubiri himself.
 Notes to the Student
• Matud Nila is a classic Kundiman (Filipino term for love songs) written in 1941
during the Japanese Period when Philippine literature in English came to a halt
and allowed literature in the native languages to step forward. These songs are
used to serenade women as part of the phases of traditional Filipino courtship.
Matud Nila has been labeled by some as the cultural anthem of the Cebuanos.
• It is a very beautiful song about a man, pleading for love from his beloved. It is
part of the Filipino culture for woman to consider the opinion of her family and
relatives before deciding to be in a relationship with a man.
• This is a sad song about a man's expression of love and hope despite the suffering
of being deemed unworthy by the people around them. The song ends with a
message that he will keep on yearning for her love with the hope that his beloved
will not be persuaded by the prejudice of others.
Balaki Ko, ‘Day, Samtang Gasakay Ta’g Habal-habal a Habal-habal
A Cebuano poem by Adonis G. Durado
Balaki ko, Day
Samtang gasakay ta’g habalhabal.
Idat-ol og samut kanang imong dughan
Nganhi sa akong bukobuko
Aron mas mabatyagan ko ang hinagubtob
Sa imong kasingkasing.
Sa mga libaong nga atong malabyan
Gaksa ko paghugot
Sama sa lastikong
Mipungpong sa imong buhok.
Ug sa kainit sa imong ginhawa
Gitika kining akong dughan.
Ang mga balili unya
Nga naghalok sa ‘tong batiis
Isipon tang kaugaligong mga dila.
Dayon samtang nagakatulin
Kining atong dagan,
Mamiyong tag maghangad
Ngadto sa kawanangan
Aron sugaton ang taligsik
Sa uwan, dahon, ug bulak.
Recite to Me, Miss, a Poem while We Ride
English Translation
Recite to me, Miss
A poem while we ride a habalhabal.
Stick your chest closer
Here on my back
So that I can feel better the beatings
Of your heart.
With the potholes that dot our way
Embrace me tightly
Like the rubber bands
That you use to tie your hair.
And with the warmth of your breaths
Tickle this heart of mine.
And the amorseco
That kiss our legs
Let’s think of them as our own tongues.
Then while we’re speeding up
Our ride
Let’s close our eyes and face
The wide sky
To meet the drizzle
Of rain, leaves, and flowers.
 About the Author
Adonis Durado (born on 1975) is a contemporary writer and an award-winning Cebuano poet, visual
journalist, and graphic designer. He was born in Cebu City and is a fine arts graduate from the University of
San Carlos. In 2017, he received the Knight Fellowship from the School of Visual Communication at Ohio
University.

Durado has published four books of Cebuano poems. His recent collection To Whom It May Not Concern
(Pahinungod sa Di Hintungdan) was a finalist of the 2019 International Book Awards.

According to National Artist for Literature Resil Mojares: "Durado’s poetry glories in the richness of folk and
popular speech – earthy and playful, reckless and disciplined, vulgar and sly, comic and (as in all good
comics) subversive. But it is also poetry that is vitally current and global. Imagine Yoyoy Villame reborn as a
poet and graphic artist who fancies De Chirico and Magritte and reads Derrida and Szymborska. Durado is
one of the most exciting poets now writing in the country, in any language."
 Notes to the Student

Balaki Ko, ‘Day, Samtang Gasakay Ta’g Habal-habal is a contemporary Cebuano poem that describes a
very common situation in the provincial areas – a habal-habal ride – but the unique thing about this
habal-habal ride is that when you yourself experience the words articulated by the persona you would
know that it has a romantic and somehow sensual feel to it. The speaker, the driver of the habal-habal,
tells his passenger, a woman who is most probably his lover, to hold on to him tighter for him to feel her
heartbeat more clearly against his back. His want for her to cling to him tight can be interpreted as an
expression of love. This craving of physical intimacy between the characters suggests of young love, as
young couples usually act as if they cannot get enough of each other and have to have their hands on
each other constantly.

Mainly, the poem is about a young couple who go for a ride on a habal-habal, with the driver using the
proximity as a reason for the girl to be intimate.
WHAT I CAN DO: CAN THIS BE
LOVE?
Directions: Although both Matud Nila and Balaki Ko, ‘Day,
Samtang Gasakay Ta’g Habal-habal speak about love, each
examines a different kind of love. Complete the T-chart by
answering the questions in one sentence only on your
answer sheet (2 points each=12 points).
QUESTION Matud Nila Balaki Ko, ‘Day, Samtang
Gasakay Ta’g Habal-habal
1. How is love
described?
2. How is love
expressed?
3. What is the
emotion of
the man?
Cebuano literature has
endured through time and
has blossomed into a
magnificent work of art
that we are enjoying
now.
There is beauty in
Cebuano literature that
 MATOD
Matud Nila
NAKO!
is a song that expresses
the inner thoughts of a man yearning
for the love from his beloved despite
the suffering of being deemed
unworthy by the people around them.
Suppose you are the lover who will
write a response song, what would
you say?

Directions: Write a five-line song in

response to Matud Nila using the
melody of the song itself on your
answer sheet. Include a unique and
creative title. Be guided by rubric for
RUBRIC FOR EXCELLENT ACCOMPLISHED DEVELOPING
SCORING IN (10 points) (8 points) (6 points)
WRITING A SONG
CATEGORY
THE WRITING Student devoted a Student devoted Student devoted
PROCESS / lot of time and some time and little time and
EFFORT effort to the writing effort to the writing effort to the writing
process and process but was process. It appears
worked hard to not very thorough. that the student
make the song a Does enough to get does not care
good read. by. about the
assignment.
TITLE The song has a The song has a The song has no
unique title that title that does not title.
clearly relates to relate to the song.
the lyrics and adds
interest to the
theme or message
of the song.
Thank you for attentive
listening!