A state funeral was organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in collaboration with the Calinog local government unit (LGU) and Indigenous Peopleโs community in Calinog for Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan Awardee Federico โTuohanโ Caballero at the Calinog Public Plaza in Iloilo.
Panay Bukidnon epic chanter Federico Caballero passed away at the age of 88 on August 17, 2024. He received the National Living Treasures or Gawad ng Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) award in 2000 for his expertise in the Sugidanon, the epics of Central Panay, which uses an archaic language that is related to Kinaray-a. The epics were researched by a team from UP Visayas headed by Dr. Alicia Magos. The same team nominated him for the GAMABA awards.
The funeral was commenced by the welcome remarks of the Head of the GAMABA Executive Council Commissioner Reden S. Ulo. This was followed by messages from the Mayor of the Municipality of Calinog Hon. Francisco L. Calvo, and from the Governor of the Province of Iloilo Hon. Arthur R. Defensor, Jr. Manlilikha ng Bayan Federico Caballero was remembered through the speeches of Ma’am Merly C. Delfin, local coordinator, Dr. Alicia P. Magos of UP Visayas, and Dr. Felipe M. De Leon Jr., member of the GAMABA Executive Council.
The event also included the chanting of Sugidanon and the dancing of Binanog, a traditional dance that mimics the flapping of the wings of the Banog (eagle) bird. Messages were also given by the Chairman of the NCCA Hon. Victorino Mapa Manalo, Senator Loren B. Legarda, and the President of the Philippines Hon. Ferdinand E. Marcos, Jr. GAMABA awardees Teofilo Garcia, Adelita Bagcal, Estelita Bantilan, and Rosie Sula were also present at the event.
The event concluded with the awarding of the medallion to the GAMABA awardee and his family. His remains were then paraded back to Barangay Garangan, Calinog where he will be buried in the afternoon of September 3, 2024.
