"Mabuhi!" ( Cebuano for 'long live'; cf. "mabuhay"), also known as "Mabuhi Ka, Sugbuanon" ("Long Live, Cebuano"), is a song written and composed by Filipino musician Paul Melendez. Often played and danced to at festivals throughout the province of Cebu, including at the Sinulog Festival, it is the signature song of the administration of Gwendolyn Garcia as the Governor of Cebu.
"Mabuhi!" has been described as having a lively, marching-band–like pace, [1] with the song's lyrics encouraging Cebuanos to enjoy life, [2] as well as to be proud of their heritage. [3]
As Garcia's signature song, "Mabuhi!" is regularly played at events where she is present, [4] particularly when the event is held at the Cebu Provincial Capitol. [5] Playing the song is taken as an indication that she has arrived at a particular public event, [6] although it has been played to welcome other dignitaries. Notably, the song was played to welcome Agnes Magpale, a political rival who was serving as acting governor of Cebu while Garcia was suspended from the position, upon her arrival in San Fernando on January 23, 2013. [6] This changed during the governorship of Hilario Davide III, Magpale's successor and another political rival of Garcia, where the song was intermittently played but was not used to welcome guests or to open events. [7]
In addition to being used for welcoming dignitaries, "Mabuhi!" has also been more broadly used to welcome arriving visitors, [2] as well as being regularly performed by the Dramatics and Cultural Ensemble of the University of San Jose–Recoletos at local and international events. [8]
The song has an associated dance, [9] and Garcia has danced to the song during her governorship. [5] "Mabuhi!" has also been danced to using other festivals' dances, [6] although it has also been performed without the dance. [8] [10]
Reception to "Mabuhi!" has been mixed, although Melendez, the song's composer, was recognized for his composition by Tomas Osmeña, the mayor of Cebu City, as an awardee at the city's 2007 Charter Day celebrations. [11]
Use and performance of the song has elicited more polarized reaction. Writing in The Freeman , columnist Archie Modequillo credits the song for changing his mother's attitude toward Garcia after she had seen her dance to it during an official event where she was in attendance, describing "Mabuhi!" as the anthem of her administration. [12] Garcia's dancing has also been generally received positively by the public. [5] On the other hand, broadcaster and journalist Leo Lastimosa, also writing in The Freeman, criticized Garcia's use of the song as indicating she has "Imelda syndrome". [13]
Cebu, officially the Province of Cebu, is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas (Region VII) region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a site of highest marine biodiversity importance in the Coral Triangle.
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu, is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 964,169 people, making it the sixth-most populated city in the nation and the most populous in the Visayas and in Central Visayas Region.
The Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival is an annual cultural and religious festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu, with the center of the activities being in Cebu City, and is the centre of the Santo Niño Christian celebrations in the Philippines.
Liloan, officially the Municipality of Liloan, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 153,197 people. Liloan lies within Metro Cebu.
The Cebuano people are the largest subgroup of the larger ethnolinguistic group Visayans, who constitute the largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group in the country. They originated in the province of Cebu in the region of Central Visayas, but then later spread out to other places in the Philippines, such as Siquijor, Bohol, Negros Oriental, southwestern Leyte, western Samar, Masbate, and large parts of Mindanao. It may also refer to the ethnic group who speak the same language as their native tongue in different parts of the archipelago. The term Cebuano also refers to the demonym of permanent residents in Cebu island regardless of ethnicity.
Leo Andanar Lastimosa is a veteran tri-media journalist based in Cebu City, Philippines. He was formerly an anchorman for ABS-CBN's regional news program, TV Patrol Central Visayas, the host of the current affairs program Arangkada on radio station DYAB, and a columnist for Cebu's newspaper, The Freeman.
Gwendolyn Fiel Garcia-Codilla is a Filipina politician serving as the governor of Cebu since 2019, a position she previously held from 2004 and 2013—being the first woman to hold that office. She was the representative of Cebu's 3rd congressional drict from 2013 to 2019 and concurrently served as a House Deputy Speaker from 2016 to 2018.
One Cebu (1-CEBU) is a provincial political party based in the province of Cebu. It is headed by Gwendolyn Garcia, governor of Cebu.
Hilda Suico Montayre was a Filipino writer who often used the pseudonym Rosa Montes. She considered fellow Cebuana writer Maria Kabigon to be a major influence.
Sugbuak refers to the failed proposal to divide the island province of Cebu in the Philippines into four separate provinces in 2007. The issue, which had emerged before the 2007 general election, was a polarizing issue in provincial politics, pitting the anti-partition camp of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Cebu City Representative Antonio Cuenco, against that of Sugbuak proponents Representatives Antonio Yapha Jr., Clavel Asas-Martinez, and Simeon Kintanar—all of whom were last-term congressmen at the time.
Emilio Villareal, also called Maestro Mil, was a Filipino composer and musician. Born in Boljoon, Cebu in 1920, Mil was from a Chinese-Spanish family of musicians.
JRG Halad Museum is a musically-themed museum in Cebu City, Philippines that pays homage to the musical heritage of Cebu.
The Mayor of Cebu City is the chief executive of the government of Cebu City in the Philippines. The mayor leads the city's departments in executing ordinances and delivering public services. The mayorship is a three-year term and each mayor is restricted to three consecutive terms, totaling nine years, although a mayor can be elected again after an interruption of one term.
Pio Abelgas Kabahar, also known as Piux A. Kabahar, was a Cebuano composer, playwright, journalist, and director. He was best known as a playwright, he was the director of the first Cebuano moving picture, Bertoldo ug Balodoy.
The governor of Cebu is the chief executive of the provincial government of Cebu, Philippines. The first governor appointed by the Spanish Crown was Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, and during the American Era, Julio Llorente became governor on April 16, 1899, although Luis Flores and Arcadio Maxilom served in the same position in 1898 and 1899, respectively.
Agnes Almendras Magpale is Filipina educator and politician from Cebu, Philippines. In 2010, she became a Cebu Provincial Board Member, acting Vice Governor, and acting Governor within a single three-year electoral term through succession. She assumed the Vice Governor post upon the death of incumbent Gregorio Sanchez Jr. in 2010 and became acting Governor when Gwendolyn Garcia was suspended in 2012.
The Cebu Provincial Board is the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the Philippine province of Cebu.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Central Visayas is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus reached Central Visayas on February 5, 2020, when the first case of the disease was confirmed in Bohol. As of May 2, 2023, there have been 210,549 cases in Central Visayas with 6,685 deaths.
"Sugbo", also known as the Sugbo Hymn, is the official hymn of the province of Cebu in the Philippines.
Garcia ended her speech by quoting a few lines of the Mabuhi (Ka Sugbuanon) song which reflect Cebuanos' current situation: "Pagkadaghan na nga giagian ta, mga pagsulay og Covid 19 pa, apan kay ligdong kaman og may baruganan gipasigarbo mo pagka Sugbuanon mo."[We've been through a lot, many challenges on top of COVID-19, but because you have integrity and are taking a stand, you should celebrate being a Cebuano.]