SURAT BINISAYA by Prof. Rolando Borrinaga; A Book Review

BOOK REVIEW by Rodel C. Cuyco

(Delivered at Prof. Rolando Borrinaga’s lecture hosted by Holy Family Center of Studies in Lavezares, Northern Samar on April 4, 2018)

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SURAT BINISAYA: Deciphering Ancient Bisayan Writing and Language

by Rolando Borrinaga

Maupay nga adlaw sa iyo ngatanan.

An pagkakadiskubre san kinadaan nga pagsurat san Binisaya nagpapakita nga kita nga mga Samarnon mayda kita lugaring nga sistema sin pagsurat ug kultura waray pa man mag-abot didi sa aton an mga langyawanon nga mga tawo.

Nagpapakita ini nga kita nga mga Samarnon, hagrayo man an distansya dara san mga kabukiran nga kadagatan sadto nga paanahon, ginbubutok na kita sin mga pinulongan ug istorya nga hasta sa yana buhay nga nagpapadayon sa presente nga henerasyon.

Salamat nga dako nga may-ada kita sin Filipino historian ngan si Professor Rolando Borrinaga nag-aram sini nga aton kadaan nga pagsurat. Iya gintukib an mga nakaukit ng mga litra nga nakasurat sa mga naukad nga biso sa iba iba nga lugar sa Pilipinas, sa Calatagan, Batangas, sa Limasawa Southern Leyte, ngan sa Montreal, Masbate. Kaupod san mga nauna na mga sinurat san aton mga historyador sa Samar sugad kan Fr. Francisco Alcina nagsurat san Historia de las Islas y Indios Bisayas (1668), kan Dr. William Henry Scott (1921-1993) nga nagsurat san Prehispanic Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History ug Fr. Cantius J. Kobak, OFM (1930-2004) nga mas nagpahalarum san pag-aram san istorya ngan kultura san Samar, napgsumpay sumpay niya an mga datos, an mga nakaukit nga litra sa mga biso, ug nahatagan linaw ug klarado nga interpretatsyon an karuyag sidngon o an mensahe san mga litra.

Pinaagi sini nga pag-aram ni Professor Borrinaga, naadman naton nga sadto pa man hataas na an aton pagpasidungog sa mga espiritu nga labaw pa sa aton nga mao an aton Makagarahum nga Ginoo. Naadman liwat naton nga sanhi pa man hataas na an paghatag naton balor sa ritu san paglubong san aton mga hinigugma ug san aton mga lider. Naadman liwat naton nga sadto pa man mabaskog na an pagnenegosyo o barter trading san mga tawo sa magkadurudilain nga lugar sa Pilipinas ug sa mga taga iba nga nasud labi na gud didi sa kaharani naton sa kontinente san Asya. Ngan pinaagi sini nga pakikipagsangkay sa mga taga iba iba nga lugar, lumangbo an aton lengwahe ug an aton kultura. Nagpapakita la ini nga an Surat Binisaya ug an Kultura Binisaya katumpal ug diri ubos san mga langywanon. Kunsugad angay gud la ini  buhayon ug igpadayon tungod nga mao ini an usa nga aton tigaman san aton pagiging Samarnon ug san aton Kutura Binisaya.

Bilang mga Samarnon yana nga presente nga panahon, ini nga libro ni Professor Borrinaga kaangayan la himuon naton nga usa san sentro san pag-aradman naton san aton kasaysayan ngan daku sini an maibubulig san mga taga akademiko ug mga batan-on. Ug sugad man para sa aton nga presente nga mga Samarnon, dako ini nga ayat sa aton.

Surat Binisaya, aton ini. Kultura naton ini. Bahandi ini san aton tuna nga natawhan. Aton ini adman, buhayon, ug igpadayon.

Damo nga salamat.

BOOK REVIEW by Rodel C. Cuyco

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SURAT BINISAYA: Deciphering Ancient Bisayan Writing and Language

by Rolando Borrinaga

The Calatagan Pot discovered in Batangas, the Limasawa Pot in Leyte and the Monreal Stones in Masbate all bear the distinct ancient syllabic writing inscription aptly called Surat Binisaya. As unlocked by the author, all are connected to ancient babaylan’s burial rituals.  All these have given us solid evidence about our distant past as a people long before colonizers came to our shore.

Surat Binisaya was just as important and unique as the Chinese, Japanese and Arabic systems of writing in the time of ancient barter trade system between and among our neighbor countries. Indeed, Surat Binisaya reflects our identity as a people, hence, it is worth reviving and preserving.

Thanks to the author, Professor Rolando Borrinaga, the historian of Eastern Visayas who along with his researches about the history of the region, was able to explain the hidden thoughts behind the written inscriptions in the abovementioned artifacts which he has presented in his recently-published book titled Surat Binisaya: Deciphering Ancient Bisayan Writing and Language (New Day Publishers, 2017).

Professor Borrinaga studied each object and character carefully using his years of expertise in deciphering, translating and interpreting ancient syllabic writing and cross validating it with the works and writings of Fr. Francisco Alcina who wrote Historia de las Islas y Indios Bisayas (1668), Dr. William Henry Scott (1921-1993) who wrote Prehispanic Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History among others, and Fr. Cantius J. Kobak, OFM (1930-2004) who made extensive researches on the history and culture of Samar and to whom Professor Borrinaga dedicates his book to.

As this one is a great historical opus in this region that can be aligned with the monumental works of Alcina, Scott and Kobak, this book just deserves to be part of the reading materials for all students of history. All libraries and history teachers should read it and pass it on to the next generation of learners.

The fact that these cultural treasures were recovered in geographically distant islands is a manifestation that the Binisaya culture, its writings and language are found all over the archipelago. One could only imagine how much influence the people of the Bisaya (whenever Fr. Alcina spoke of Samar, he was referring to the Island of Samar) had in the different parts of the country.

Unfortunately, with Spanish colonization and the succeeding American colonization and the introduction of new belief system, this distinct form of syllabic writing was destroyed and replaced by new orthographies. It is good our spoken language was able to outlive centuries of changes. Wishfully, with more advocates on reviving Surat Binisaya, this written language will be reunited with its spoken language and will once again find its rightful place in the Filipino cultural traditions as well as in the community of written languages.

As a simple wish, I hope I will have the chance to study Surat Binisaya.

My high salute to Professor Borrinaga!

Travelling with Rizal in Dapitan

Sometime in October, I saw an announcement posted by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines over the Internet about its open invitation for Doing Local and Oral History Seminar Workshop on December 1-2, 2017 in Dapitan City. I submitted my online application attached a 400-word essay expressing my intent of joining the seminar as required from applicants.

By the last week of November, I received a letter from the NHCP informing me that my application was approved. Later in the seminar, I learned that more than a hundred had applied but only 70 were accepted. Honestly, I have been praying for such an opportunity to come. Praise God, He did not only give me this chance to attend this seminar in which the topic is of so much interest to me, He also gave me this gift of finally visiting Dapitan, one of the cities in my bucket list.

By six o’clock in the morning of November 29, 2017, I hitched on a car of our ICO-Municipal Treasurer for Tacloban in which we arrived at 11:30am. By 12:30 noon, I was already on my way to Ormoc via a commercial van. I arrived at the Ormoc’s pier at 2:35pm and by 3:45, I was already on board a Supercat bound for Cebu. I arrived at the Cebu Pier 1 at 6:30pm. I hurriedly get a ticket for Cokaliong ship on my way to Dapitan via Dumaguete. The ship left Cebu at 7pm and arrived in Dumaguete pier by 2am of November 30. By 7am, the ship left Dumaguete and arrived at Dapitan pier at 11:00am. By the gate of the pier, I hired a motorcycle that took me to the gate of the Jose Rizal Memorial State University.

From the gate I just walked to the school’s guest house where I will be staying overnight. I checked-in and paid 150 pesos, then, I went out of the school and look for some food outside. I took my lunch which I had for 60 pesos only. Then, I walked around the vicinity. I noticed that the city was very quiet which is quite strange for any city that I have been. No tall buildings, no big commercial establishments. Very peaceful. Perhaps, it was because of the holiday, Bonifacio Day, but my observation has not change in the succeeding days either. By the end of the street along the university’s campus, I continued to walk on the street and found the historic plaza of Dapitan. I saw the old Municipal Hall which seems to be struggling in its structural integrity given its perceivably rickety second floor and veranda. Today, the building is being used as police station. In front of the building are three old cannons in different sizes. These were used during the Spanish period.

I crossed the street and passed thru the entrance of the old plaza complex. I read first the historical marker and it says that it was Rizal who designed it. It used to have a kiosk at the center but now what stands there is the statue of Rizal built during the American period. It looked like the one in Luneta, but here Rizal was holding his medicine bag and a book. The kiosk which is now concrete is on the left side of the plaza. During Rizal’s time, I have learned later that the kiosk was originally made of wood.

In keeping with the Christmas tradition, the plaza is dotted with landmarks from different parts of the world aside from the towering Christmas Tree with a big i-love-dapitan cut-out below. I saw a replica of Taj Mahal, Chinese Imperial Palace and Germany’s Brundestag Wall as well as the replica of Rizal’s house in Dapitan.

I came near the Rizal monument and read the inscription. From there, I saw the church and the parochial school beside it. I wanted to enter the church but all the doors were closed. I learned that the patron saint of the city is Saint James the Greater. Just across the church is a portion of the plaza which has some mounds of land covered by carabao grass forming the map of Mindanao. This was originally designed by Rizal with Fr. Sanchez and some of the students of the Parochial School. I realized how great Rizal is with all these indelible marks he left this city with as well as in the country.

I took a tricyle to Gloria Mall which is only five minutes or less from the plaza. There are not so many people along the way. There was even lesser inside the mall. It was the smallest mall I have ever visited. I asked myself where all the people have gone. This place should be the busiest area in any city. Only a few are eating on their restaurants and food stalls around the mall. I bought a cone ice cream and ate it while surveying the complex. There was a small park, a cockpit arena and a carnival called Fantasyland. Not so many people are there either. I assume it must be because of the martial law which is in effect in the entire Mindanao due to Marawi siege. I was already hungry but not yet interested to eat my dinner. I entered a coffeshop and drink a medium-sized cappuccino and a piece of cheap bread. After this late merienda, I took a tricycle again and went back to the Dapitan Plaza as I really wanted to see the park all lit-up with the Christmas-around-the-world theme and the giant Christmas Tree. I strolled around the park, got nearer the replicas and had some photos of it. When it started to rain, I went inside the kiosks and waited until the rain stopped. Then, I started walking back to the university but before going inside, I first took my dinner in a carenderia just across the main gate. Then, I walked back to the guesthouse and laid down myself in bed and started watching the mid-90’s movie titled Rizal in Dapitan. I find it so difficult to sleep until past midnight perhaps because I am a stranger to this place.

I woke up at five in the morning, took a bath and readied myself to Dapitan Resort Hotel where the seminar-workshop will be conducted. I checked out at seven and before 7:30 I was already at the venue. The hotel looked old perhaps because of an average maintenance of it. On the right side is the pavilion which can only accommodate a little over a hundred persons.

On the registration table, I finally met NHCP’s Mona Quizon. She was the one whom I have constantly communicated with when I was inquiring about the founding date of my hometown, Lavezares. I told her how happy I am to meet her and thanked her too, for her prompt reply to my inquiry which required her to make an immediate research. Of course, NHCP’s reply to my inquiry then was signed by its then Chairperson, Professor Maria Serena Diokno, who to my surprise is our speaker for the two-day seminar-workshop. In morning of the first day, Prof. Diokno discussed all about doing local historical research. She really is an expert.

After lunch time, we had a walkabout around the city starting off at the Punto del Disembarko de Rizal or the landing site of Rizal. This historical shrine was only developed in 2009 presenting the night when Rizal first arrived in Dapitan. The images of Rizal and his Spanish escorts were all made from bronze. From there, we walked to the plaza which I already had a tour in advance the day before. Then, we went inside the St. James Church, then to the Casa Real where Rizal first stayed with Commandante Militar Ricardo Carnecero. Casa Real now houses the Public Attorney’s Office and the Philippine Coconut Authority. We also took a look at the old convent which is now being used as a high school. We also passed by the old Rizal Hospital now being used by the Department of Agrarian Reform. All these structures are located around the plaza.

On the adjoining streets near the plaza are the old ancestral houses of prominent families of Dapitan. This town center is truly a model of old town planning design which is also called as the plaza complex, a legacy of Spanish colonial period.

On the morning of the second day, Prof. Diokno discussed how to conduct oral history. Beforehand, I thought oral history is very easy to do, now I know it is a very complicated process.

On the afternoon, we visited the Rizal Shrine on a guided tour. Finally, I have seen and felt for real Rizal’s historic sojourn in this 16-hectare property. There I saw Rizal’s hospital made up of wood and nipa. Inside, we found the operating table, his small office and some wooden chests. Then, we went to his main house also made of wood and nipa. Beside his house is his kitchen made also of wood and nipa. The kitchen has an open window so that the smoke will just freely go. It was intentionally detached from the main house so that if ever there would be fire, the main house will be spared. Inside the kitchen, we found some old earthen cooking equipment and native utensils.

In the main house, there is only one room for Rizal. There was a sala, a study nook, and a dining space. All were made of hard wood. In his study nook, there was this table attached a drawer where Rizal kept his papers. One would notice that the chair was higher than normal. This was custom-made for Rizal so he can reach the table as he is short of height. He was only 4’11. I sat on his chair and by the other side on the dining chair. I can only imagine how this place used to be like on an ordinary day during Rizal’s stay. On the sala, a life-sized image of Josephine Bracken is seated. All of us had a photo with her. In front of his house is the giant tree which Rizal planted more than a century ago.

A few steps away from his house near the mountainside is the irrigation system that Rizal had built. It was really an illustration of his engineering prowess. Up to this day, the irrigation structure is very much preserved. Near the sea shore, we found Rizal’s schoolhouse where he taught 16 or 24 boys about different subjects. The schoolhouse is also made of wood and nipa. There was a small table and a small blackboard in it which are only replica of the original. The schoolhouse floor was really high I assume they also conduct classes under it.

Finally, we reach the heart-shaped Mi Retiro rock where Rizal and Josephine spent romantic moments and exchanged vows. This is also where he wrote the famous poem, also the longest titled Mi Retiro. He wrote it as requested by her mother. On the far end of Rizal’s property is the mini-amphitheater where Rizal’s students performed.

We walked back and got inside the Museo ni Rizal. The two-storey building was only inaugurated last year. The design was both modern and classical. There was natural lighting as glass panels partly surround the structure. The museum showcases Rizal’s artifacts and memorabilias, some are original and some are replicas. As one enters the building, the first thing that will be noticed is the three sets of Rizal’s clothing situated right at the center. These are encased on a glass. These include Rizal’s black coat, a chaleco paired with a trouser and what appears to be his pajama set. Beside it is the original blackboard and the table that he used for his students. There was also a mini photo gallery of the members of his family. Hanged on the walls are the pictures of the important people whom he had close contact with while he was Dapitan, farm tools, animal specimens which he discovered and later on scientifically named after him, letters which he sent to his sisters and his friends like Blumentritt, Fr. Pastells and so many others in the various fields. There is also the model laid down on a small table showing the map of Mindanao which he designed in front of the church. We also found the surgery tools which Rizal used as a doctor as well as replicas of his sculptures of different figures. The original of these sculptures are housed at the National Museum according to the curator. There are really more to these that I can remember.

When the tour ended, we went back to the venue on a tricycle. It was the last activity, actually, for the seminar. I no longer waited for the closing ceremony as I really have to catch the 4pm ship bound for Cebu via Dumaguete. At exactly 3:45 in the afternoon, I was already on board M/V Zamboanga. The ship was brand new and it felt so comfortable especially that I was staying at the tourist class. At eight in the evening, the ship had a stop-over in Dumaguete City in Negros Occidental. I step down from it, took a tricycle to  Chowking and took siomai mami for my dinner. Dumaguete City is a busy city. There were lots of people and cars. If I only have more time I would go around the city. I had this feeling this city is one of the progressive cities in the country as this home to sugar barons and hacienderos. Right in front of the port area is the famous Silliman University. At 11 in the evening, we departed Dumaguete Port. By 5 in the morning of the following day, December 3, we were already at Cebu pier. At 7:45 am, I was already on my way to Ormoc via fast cat. At 11:30am, I was on my way to Tacloban. I arrive there at 1:30pm. I got some refreshment at Savemore then boarded on a Grandtours van at 3:00pm and arrived in Calbayog at seven in the evening. Since Grandtours has no more trip for Allen, I waited for Turbanada until 8:30pm. I boarded it as a chance passenger. By 10:45 in the evening, I was finally home.

I took my dinner. Then, fell asleep with Rizal in my mind. 

Rethinking the Rizal of Dapitan

I always have this perception that Jose Rizal is only good at writing – who wrote Noli and Fili that helped shaped the history of this country. Not until I visited Dapitan where he spent four years as a destierro, that was from 1892-1896.

I looked at his sojourn in Dapitan as the nucleus of his public life and the pinnacle of his humanity. There he did everything and offered his all, stranger as he was at the start until the place became him and the people owned him as one of them.

His Dapitan journey began when he got the ire of the Spanish Government because of his Noli and Fili and his attempt to organize La Liga Filipina, an organization that would fight for reforms for the country. For the governor-general, Rizal’s being thrown in the distant Dapitan would keep Rizal miles away from the brewing resistance from the indios now gradually awakened from deep slumber from the abuses and persecutions by the Spaniards. 

When Rizal arrived in Dapitan, he was made to chose to stay either in the commandante’s courthouse or in the priest’s convent. The priest of Dapitan said he would only allow Rizal to stay if he will go back to the Catholic’s fold and withdraw all the negative things he had said against the abuses of the friars. Rizal stayed with the commandante whom he had started a growing close relationship with.

One day, Rizal and the commandante won the lottery in the amount of 20,000 pesos. His share was 6,200 pesos. He paid some of his debts, gave some amount to his family and bought 16-hectare of land called Talisay near the sea shore.

In that piece of land, Rizal established his clinic which he opened to all those who needed medical services, from local or foreign land, rich and poor alike. He established school for boys whom he instructed in various subjects. He built an irrigation system which able to convey water from the mountains to his crop land. He planted different crops and was able to export some of his produce. He discovered some plants and insects which were now scientifically named after him.

In the town center of Dapitan, he designed the town plaza which until today locals and tourists alike find so refreshing and relaxing. The focal point of it is the Rizal Monument. The plaza is dotted at the peripheries by acacia trees which Rizal himself planted. A part of the plaza just facing the St. James Church is the small mound of land forming the map of Mindanao which Rizal had designed with the help of some students at the nearby Parochial School.

It was only four years, yet he has done so much for Dapitan as if he spent there his whole life. He never held any public office yet his selfless leadership and his influence is towering and world-changing. He never think of himself alone. He has given his all, his mind, his heart and his material wealth. Everywhere in Dapitan, I can feel Rizal is very much alive. The city pulsates his life, his poetry, his genius and his contributions that have withstood a century and a quarter of it.

In Dapitan, he was able to show us that he is not just an armchair hero. He is in fact, a working hero defined by the perfect blend of bravery and compassion. He is truly a gift to the Filipino nation. 

One could only wish our leaders and soon-to-be-leaders be a little like him. It only takes a moment of reflection to see a piece of Rizal within us, telling us to get up and join the rays of the sunrise.