The plan of Talisay City Vice-Mayor Alan Bucao to name the City’s performing arts office after the late Councilor Julian Daan, to be known as Julian “Teban” Daan Performing Arts, is laudable. This is one way of giving honor to the contributions of Talisay City’s very own son.
Daan has been well-known in the Visayas and Mindanao because of his jokes and entertaining radio dramas. He entertained the people for 5 decades in the radio industry. He carved a niche in radio drama.
He also became a public servant. He served as a barangay councilor, city councilor of Talisay City and board member of the province of Cebu. With the number of years in public service, it cannot be denied that Daan helped many people too.
I’ve known Daan as his listener, his station manager and as his friend. As his listener, I’ve known him since in my elementary years. I remember at that time that because of extreme poverty, we neither had electricity in our house nor radio sets.
However, during the time slot of Teban’s drama I and my father would purposely go to the house of our relative-neighbor so we could listen to it. I also observed in the province, many even would bring their radio sets in the farm, so that they could continue to listen to the dramas.
I was just one of the millions of his listeners who was entertained many times by him. Surely, each listener has his own story as to how he was entertained by Daan.
I also knew him being his friend and his station manager of RMN. Daan was a good drama writer, director and talent. He was hardworking and humble despite the fact that his drama program has been the number one drama program in the Visayas and Mindanao based on official surveys conducted by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP).
He was a respected drama personality and model among the drama talents. His work attitude is excellent. Despite of his prominence, he was unassuming, and just followed orders from the management. He is a good and very understanding friend.
Evaluating his life as entertainer over the radio, television and stage and also as a public servant, I have no doubt he deserves to be honored by naming the performing arts into his name. This way he can be remembered by generation to generations.
I hope Mayor Samsam Gullas would agree to the plans of his Vice Mayor to give honor to a prominent public servant and a native son of Talisay City. In fact, if there is still an unnamed road of the city, I recommend that the same be given in honor of Daan.
I recall that in Argao there is a street named “Cerge Remonde Street” in honor of the late broadcaster Remonde. Also in Cebu City, the longest road is named “Natalio Bacalso Avenue” in honor of another prominent radio commentator in his time, Natalio “Talyux” Bacalso.
So what about in Talisay City? Could it be possible to name a street in honor of a great radio drama writer, director and talent, to be called Julian “Teban” Daan St.?