Written Work #4

Evasco, Jedy Lyn E.

12 STEM 2

Feature article

                   Potenciano Gregorio Sr.

     Bicol region or region five is one of the seventeen regions of the Philippines encompassing the southern part of Luzon Island and nearby island provinces. Bicol is the adventure capital of the Philippines, there are a lot of famous tourist attraction and famous literary works and authors like Sarung Banggi (One Evening) by Potenciano Gregorio Sr. Potenciano Gregorio reffered as Potenciano Gregorio Sr. was a Bicolano musician born on May 18, 1880 at Lib-og, Albay, Captaincy General of the Philippines. His parents were Narciso Gregorio Canuta Valladolia. He was the composer of the song "Sarung Banggi"(One Evening) the most famous song Bicol language and also called the folk song of the Bicol, he composed the song when he was seventeen years old. At early age he already learned to play violen and he got known for his talent, he also learned many instruments like guitar, piano and bandurria and start writing music for the local church by himself or in collaboration with his brother Bernando Gregorio who organized the local band "Banda de Lib-og".  In 1939, at the age of 59 he died because of pneumonia while he was in overseas, his remains were brought back to the Philippines and buried in La Loma Cementery.

      Potenciano Gregorio Sr. is one of the famous literary author in Bicol region. He composed a lot of song such as Pusong Tagub nin sakit (cover with pain), Hinuyop-hoyop ni Dios (God Breathe) and the most famous song Bicol language Sarung Banggi (One Evening). This song was first publicly played in Guinobatan, Albay on August 15, 1910 on the occasion of the town fiesta. The song was about the lonely man who is missing his beloved and he composed it after hearing a bird chirping and leaves rustling on 1897 when the Mayon Volcano errupted. Resurrecion Gregorio a grandson of Potenciano claimed that Potenciano wrote the song to dedicate to his beloved fiancée Dominga Duran whom he later on married. The song Sarung Banggi (One Evening) is a love song that is why it become famous in the Bicol region cause the emotion of the song touched and effected the listener , up to this time it still popular, when I was in High School we used to sing Sarung Banggi in front of many people and translated it into english. Sarung Banggi (One Evening) is very meaningful, it represent the love of the composer, how lonely he is when his not with his beloved and in the lyrics you will feel the sincerity of the man.

     Every literary authors has a contribution to Contemporary Phillipine Literature. Aside from writing the song Tagub nun Sakit, Hinuyop-hoyop nin Dios and  Sarung Banggi, Potenciano Gregorio Sr. joined the Philippine Constabulary band under the tutelage of Col. Walter Loving on 1919 but before he joined he became bandmaster of the band Banda de Lib-og and he is also invited to compete with other musicians during the Golden Gale International Exposition in 1939. He also sold the rights to the song to Constancio de Guzman.