Sarong Banggi
The complete lyrics of “Sarong Banggi,” by Potenciano V. Gregorio (1880-1939)
Sarong banggi
Sa higdaan
Nakadangog ako
Hinoni nin sarong gamgam
Sa luba ko katurogan
Bako kundi simong boses iyo palan.
Dagos ako bangon
Su sakuyang mata
Iminuklat
Kadtong kadikloman
Ako nangalagkalag
Kasu iheling ko su sakuyang mata
Paitaas,
Simong lawog
Naheling ko maliwanag.
Kadtong kadikloman
Kan maheling ta ka
Mamundu kong puso
Tolos na nag-ogma.
Minsan di nahaloy
Idtong napagmasdan
Sagkod nuarin pa man
Dai ko malilingawan.
Magpuun na ika
Sakuyang namo’tan
Ako nakamate
Nin kaginhawahan.
Pati an puso kong
Tagub kapungawan
Ngunyan burabod na
Nin tunay na kaogmahan.
About the composer
Sarong Banggi was composed in 1910.
On August 15 of that same year, it got publicly played during the town fiesta of Guinobatan town in Albay by a band or singer whose identity people and time appear to have conveniently forgotten.
Soon enough it became a favorite of local serenaders. Then it assumed the status of a folksong.
Today Sarong Banggi is emblematic of Bikol and of Bikolanos, of enduring love and constant hope. While the song soared into popularity and public patronage, its composer, Potenciano Valladolid Gregorio Sr., remained virtually unknown and unrecognized for over 60 years. Of those 60 years, 39 could be counted after he died.
His obscurity led to claims that the song was composed by a nameless someone. There too were attempts at usurping the authorship of what is now a Bikolano treasure. Only those close to or who know Tió Poten or Lolo Poten, as he was popularly known in his hometown, acknowledge Sarong Banggi’s real authorship.
Lolo Poten was about 30 years old when he composed Sarong Banggi. He was the younger of the two children of Narciso Gregorio and Canuta Valladolid. In some narratives, his middle initial would be “B” for “Balladolid” which should rightly be “Valladolid.”
He was born in the town of Lîbog, Albay, now Sto. Domingo, where the parish records include that of Lolo Poten’s birthdate, May 19, 1880, and baptism, May 22, 1880. He was married to Dominga Martinez Duran with whom he had seven children—Salvador, Victoria, Narciso, Eriberto, Encarnacion, Monico, and Potenciano Jr. He died on February 12, 1939.
Lolo Poten and his family
In 1962, only four of the children were known to have survived the family. Victoria lived in Cebu. Narciso was in Makati, Rizal. Eriberto stayed in Sta. Ana, Manila. Monico went to Pasay City.
Potenciano V. Gregorio was a violin prodigy at the age of three. His first music teacher was Fr. Jorge I. Barlin who was then the parish priest of Lîbog from 1883-1885. Fr. Barlin (April 23, 1850 – September 4, 1909) held the distinction of being the first Filipino priest to become a Bishop during the Spanish colonial period.
As he grew older, he wrote music for the town church in collaboration with his older brother, Bernardo. Eventually, he became the band leader of Banda de Lîbog until he was 39 years old when he joined the Philippine Constabulary Band in 1919. Lolo Poten is said to have written three major compositions, Sarong Banggi included, and religious compositions that were done in collaboration with Bernardo.
It was Lolo Poten’s close friend, Judge Albert Somerselle of Daraga, Albay who suggested that he join the world-famous Philippine Constabulary Band under the baton of Col. Walter Howard Loving. He considered the idea and went to Manila for an interview and audition. He was challenged to show what he could do. He played almost all of the musical instruments in the band. Then he got hold of a banduria and played Sarong Banggi, which was unheard of outside of the Bikol Region in 1919. And played it again on the piano.
He prepared a score for Sarong Banggi for the band which played it several times in 1920. It became very popular and would be played again and again by popular request during the much-anticipated Sunday afternoon public concerts in the Luneta until World War II put an end to that enjoyable weekend treat.
Together with Antonino Buenaventura, who would later become a National Artist for Music, Lolo Poten benefitted enormously from the tutelage of Col. Loving. His talent did not go unrecognized. He was selected to be among those who would compete with other musicians worldwide at the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco, California, USA in 1939.
Unfortunately, while aboard the S.S. President Pierce on the way to Honolulu, he was downed by pneumonia. He was rushed to the Fort Shafter Hospital in Honolulu, but he died shortly after arrival. His remains were brought back to the Philippines and interred at the La Loma Cemetery in Manila. He held the rank of Corporal in the Philippine Constabulary Band.
Doubts cleared on the song authorship
The doubts on the authorship of Sarong Banggi were cleared by Justo B. Gregorio, then 73 years old, a nephew of Lolo Poten. It was intended for Dominga Duran who would become his wife. Shortly before his death, Lolo Poten sold his rights to the song to the defunct Ilaya Music Publishers of Manila for P1,000.00.
Sarong Banggi was publicly performed in Lîbog for the first time, on the first Sunday of October 1917 during its town fiesta, seven years after it was first heard in Guinobatan. After World War II, the song became popular even more, but its composer faded into oblivion. The younger generation seemed to have forgotten him.
In 1957 the people of Lîbog decided to change the town’s name due to its spelling, pronunciation, meaning, and confusion with a Tagalog word similarly spelled but with different pronunciation and meaning. Then Municipal Mayor Hilario B. Balilo proposed Sarong Banggi to be the town’s new name. The proposal lost out to Sto. Domingo, the town’s present name.
On January 22, 1963, Sol H. Gwekoh in his Hall of Fame column in the Manila Times featured Potenciano V. Gregorio Sr. as among the country’s illustrious sons. In 1966, Sarong Banggi was chosen as the theme song by the United Nations on its 20th anniversary, recorded on a newsreel for worldwide release.
On February 14, 1975, Potenciano V. Gregorio Sr. was memorialized and immortalized in his hometown, 36 years after his death. On May 19, 1975, a Sarong Banggi Park and Open-Air Amphitheatre was established in the Albay Constabulary Parade Grounds, now Camp Simeon A. Ola.
Header image based on the publication poster from the 2022 Sarung Banggi Festival in Sto. Domingo. Albay (credit: Sto. Domingo LGU)
About the author:
RAFFI BANZUELA (Rafael A. Banzuela Jr.) is an essayist, fictionist, poet, translator, historian. He studied at the Divine Word College and Aquinas University of Legazpi; taught at the Bicol University and Aquinas University; and did stints in government work, journalism, and radio broadcasting. His radio program “Satuya Ini” (This Is Ours) was named the Best Program Promoting Culture and the Arts, Radio Provincial Area category, at the 8th KBP Golden Dove Awards.
His published works also include: Selebra (Celebrate), 2011, a collection of poems, and Albay Viejo (Old Albay), 2010, a collection of prose works on Albay. His recent book for Bansay Bikolnon is a mini biography of Potenciano V. Gregorio Sr., the composer of the song Sarong Banggi. He also edited works by known Bikol poets and an anthology by young writers. He was honored with these awards: Outstanding Albayano Artist (Literary Arts) in 2013; the NCCA Writers’ Prize in 2013; Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas in 2015 by the Unyon ng nga Manunulat ng Pikipinas; and Gawad Kampeon ng Wika by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino in 2017.
Fellow Bicol writers look up to Banzuela as living proof that writing in Bicol can persevere. His writing, rooted in his love for Bicol, is notable for his rich vocabulary and blend of reminiscence, folktale, history, and essay, sharpened by untiring historical research.