The tributes kept coming for a beloved teacher.
Students and those who had a chance of working with Prof. Mamerto Villegas sent glowing remembrances upon knowing of his death last week.
“Sad to know our beloved high school music teacher has passed away. Mamerts was our SUHS Youth choir conductor when we won the NAMCYA National championship in 1979 at the CCP in Manila,” emailed Emmanuel Merced, who now lives in California.
Villegas had taught for several years as a music teacher at the SUHS, where he shared his talents with his students and members of the SUHS band and Young Singer’s Choir, which he founded.
“I remember him to be not only a virtouso of music but also of discipline…..perfectionist in the full essence of the word….and he was also warm-hearted and a great encourager,” wrote Alexander James Apura, one of Villegas’ students who is now based in Texas.
Still, others remember him from earlier days, when Villegas worked with Maestro Albert Faurot in building up the SU Men’s Glee Club.
“Mamerto was a memorable character who made a mark in the Silliman community and within the province of Negros Oriental with his passion for music and the performing arts,” wrote Ed Dames, a PR and communications expert now based in Manila. “I remember him as one of the close associates of my Tatang (Prof. Albert Faurot) who helped the Men’s Glee Club.”
Another of Villegas’ proteges is Joel Pal, past chairman of the SU Alumni Council of North America. “Mamerts was one of Tatay Albert Faurot’s assistant conductors at the SU Men’s Glee Club. He was with us on our first tour to Manila in 1972, where Tatay assigned him to arrange and conduct the pop songs. As one of the pop song pianists, I worked long hours with him and it was a delight to learn from his vast musical experience.” Pal said he admired not just Villegas’ conducting and arranging ability but also his crooning talent. “I must have told him many times how much I wanted to sing like him when I grow up. I never came close.”
Villegas, 66, retired as professor of the Negros Oriental State University, where he spent several years after his stint with Silliman University, where he earned his BSE in Music Education in 1965.
Provincial Board Member Erwin Macias remembers Villegas for having composed the song “Garbo sa Kabisaya-an,” which is sung before every session of the Provincial Board of Negros Oriental. The Provincial Board, during the governorship of George Arnaiz, passed an Ordinance requiring its singing before every official function of the Province.
A capitol source said that this song was controversial because it became the “official” song of Negros Oriental, apart from Zoe Lopez’ “Sidlakang Negros,” recognized as the “official hymn” of the Province.
The difference? Villegas song highlighted “Oriental Negros,” Arnaiz’ name for the Province, in contrast to Sidkalang Negros “East Negros” which was composed during the 1998 centennial celebration of the Province, during the incumbency of then Gov. Emilio Macias II.
Macias and Arnaiz disagreed on which of the two words “Negros” and “Oriental” came first. When Arnaiz was governor, he named the Province “Oriental Negros.” Macias reverted to using “Negros Oriental” after he took over the governorship from Arnaiz in 2008.