marky, the Igorot Icon, now back home to his creator
Posted by: philouise on: January 18, 2009
- In: igorot | igorots
- Leave a Comment
MARKY, THE IGOROT ICON, NOW BACK HOME TO HIS CREATOR
A shocker came to the global Igorot community when the death of Marky Cielo was flashed while the Pacman LaHoya match was watched on TV. He became an Icon and a household name when he participated and won the Starstruck: Nationwide Invasion Ultimate Male Sole Survivor in 2006.
Last Wednesday afternoon, I dropped by the Cathedral of the Resurrection to say a short prayer during the wake of Marky Cielo before leaving for Manila. Though ushers were needed to assist the throng of people coming to the Cathedral, I have to beg off and left the Epsicopal Church Women led by Vivian Perez, Martha Ano, Gabina Agustin, Betty Unos, Greggy Valenciana, Mr. Gonzalo and the Kabataang Barangay of Magsaysay barangay to usher young and old; men and women, Igorots and non-Igorots, priests, nuns and pastors and people from all walks of life as they come for the viewing before Marky’s remains was brought to Sinto as his final resting place. Stepping outside the church I saw the GMA crew setting up their camera outfit, an array of flowers and posters, a parking lot overflowing with all types of vehicles with one numbered 10 (assuming to be one of the vehicles going for the convoy) and lots of people milling around with the lines reaching as far after the church compound. According to the ushers, after the mass was over in the afternoon it was like a mob and they had to line them up to clear up the passages. This is the first time that the Cathedral hosted such a huge number of people.
For so short a time, Marky touched our lives and as Harry Palangchao said in his essay, Marky Cielo’s inspirations transcend regional ethnicity; “Although raised in the south particularly in Butuan City, Marky is fluent in Kankanaey, one of the dominant dialects in the northern highland, as well as Bisaya. Of course, he is also fluent in English and Tagalog, which his classmates in Architecture at the Saint Louis University can attest…. So Marky is gone but he will continue to inspire young people even he is in the great beyond”
Back in January 2006, most of the bibak and other Igorot forums were daily reminders to vote as many times for Marky by internet or by mobile phone. He was already at top six when I got aware of it and so I started voting as well. Even in BSBT College some students were voting for Marky as we pinned the posters made by Complex in the campus bulletin boards. I never knew my nephews and nieces were involved until they shared directions on how to vote by internet. They discovered that after they used up the 300 load they got from me, that was when I knew the purpose of those buddy loads.
Juan Bondad III posted last March 12, 2006: “Tonight, at the Marikina Sports Center, Marky Cielo was announced as the ultimate MALE Survivor. Moments later, he was judged as the 1st ever SOLE SURVIVOR for GMA's STARSTRUCK NATIONWIDE INVITATION - the top contestant after more than six months of talent search among tens of thousands of aspiring teenagers in the whole Philippines. He won P10M worth of cash and prizes. In the final program, he was introduced as Igorot's favorite son. His parting words on his last speech were "Siak ni Marky Cielo, apon ti Mountain Province".
Immediately Harry B, the moderator of Bibaknets posted “It’s the coming of time and age! For the first time in many hundred years, an Igorot accomplished a feat no other Igorot has done in the past in the Philippine Entertainment Industry. For the rest of the people of the Cordilleras in Northern Luzon who have been so ashamed to be associated with the word “IGOROT” or just can’t accept being one, I hope Marky Cielo serves as a prime example of how Igorots should be re-defined. He now represents the modern definition of an Igorot. He is and should be an inspiration not only for the tribe that he naturally belongs to but for all the people of the BIBAK community. He now resembles a symbol not anyone of us should be ashamed of.
We should all be joining Marky Cielo in pride of being called what he has been calling himself during the entire duration of the contest… an Igorot. Marky survived a very daunting test because he has consistently advocated his true self and belonging. He won because he is an igorot possessing all or most of the criteria established by those running the contest. His real talents were hard to overlook. His honesty prevailed and the judges sensed it. Putting them all together, it would have been a real travesty to what the Starstruck contest was all about if the result would have been something different.
For each of us who have done our little shares to uplift Marky to the pedestal where he now stands, let’s all pat ourselves in the back. For Marky, he is not just the ultimate male survivor in the contest but has established himself as a real hero for all the igorots in the world. “
One candid remark of Marky during the Lang-ay 2006 which got posted in www.imagesphilippines.com by Art Tibaldo was “Then I noticed Grandpa with the tatooed chest was the same guy who went to nakilambak in Malacanang Palace the other day. Sikat si lolo talaga. Sino ngen na? Anyone who know who he is? One elder was speaking in pure enlish while being interviewed that impressed a lot of other Filipinos. (Aba si lolo nakabahag pero puro englis ang pananalita).
That was our Marky, he is now back home with the Creator but his example will remain to inspire many. (Dec 10,2008)
(nb. The lolo is Ama Alexander Fakat, who happens to be my foster parent while detailed in Bontoc in the 1990s.Philian Weygan)
Philouise's Weblog 
Leave a comment