AN ARTIST DEFINES HER ROLE

Painting as an art is an old as civilization. Unfortunately, man has to satisfy his physiological needs before he reaches the highest level of self-fulfillment, which could be through his art. Consequently, only a few succeed in their artistic goals, in a society more concerned with the rat race. In painting artistry, anybody can count with his fingers the number of Boholanos who can be considered real artists. One of these very few is Mrs. Hermogena Borja-Lungay.

Nene was born in Tagbilaran City on September 2, 1929 . His father was former Provincial Treasurer Dionisio Manigque Borja, and her mother was Teopista Aceron-Borja. She has six other brothers and sisters. Alfredo, Bonifacio, and Rosario “Inday” B. Corales have made USA their home. Teotimo, Dionisio and Nora B. Simbajon have also given more meaning to their lives. Nene has nine children. Hermes married Rosemarie Nini. Naomie and Boy Fabiana are starting a family in Jersey City . Nelia and married to Bobong Recemilla. Brydon, Mitzi, Gene, Charles, and Raul are in the country. The youngest Mary Ann is married to Ronnie Badilla of Cotabato.

Nene Borja started her education at the Myrn Graham Kindergarten (1935-36), at a time when pre-schools were still quite rare. In 1936 she studied at the Tagbilaran Central School . She finished her elementary studies as Valedictorian in 1941. The artist's blood has always been in Nene Borja's veins, a bloodline that defined her future even when she was still a gangling girl. A friend now recollects that Nene was different from the rest of them; while they indulged in childish games, Nene was making sketches and drawings on any available paper, even at a time when papers were scarce. The fly-leaves of his parents' books were not spared from her drawings.

The outbreak of the Second World War in 1941 hampered her educational pursuits, but not her love for painting. The family had to move to Catigbian, Bohol where they had a farm. The absence of materials for her art made her more resourceful. In any activity where she could avail of her talent, she was always tapped. Even the war years did not relegate her skills to the background. Her grandfather, Ramon Borja, used to paint churches. An uncle, Filomeno Borja was a painter and a draftsman. Nene must have been lucky to inherit her artistic talents from the Borja clan.

After the surrender of Japan , the schools were opened in 1945. Nene enrolled at the Bohol High School , where she was a scholar from first to fourth year. She was consistently elected officer in various campus organizations in a span of four years. Her writing skill was also given cognizance. She was a staff member of the school paper. Even in music she showed special talent, for which reason she was oftentimes given the task of school pianist in many programs.

Until today a profession in visual art in Bohol is not synonymous with lucrative financial returns. More so in the field of painting. In the 50's the panorama was worse. Yet, a few ventured into this seldom trodden path, not because of monetary considerations, but because of love for the art. After the secondary studies most of Nene's classmates enrolled in the usual courses designed to earn fast bucks after graduation. But Nene Borja, despite the discouragements, decided to follow her heart's desire. She wanted to be an artist, no less. She went to UP Dilliman in 1949 and enrolled in Fine Arts, at a time when the course was viewed as a man's world. And true enough, she was the only lady in the class which included fellow Boholano Billy Abueva, who rose to become a National Artist. Disregarding the discrimination, she was an Entrance Scholar, College Scholar, and University Scholar. She was Chairman of the UPSCA Fine Arts Chapter and was member of Phi Alpha Fine Arts Sorority-Fraternity and Sigma Beta Sorority. She graduated on top of her class (Cum Laude) in 1953 and was awarded “Art Student of the Year” by the Arts Association of the Philippines .

Back in Bohol she fall in love and married Nicolas Rocha Lungay, a banker at the Development Bank of the Philippines, who became a founding member of the First Consolidated Rural Bank of Bohol (now FCB), and manager of the Catigbian Rural Bank. She devoted her time to her growing family and for while, painting almost took a back seat.

Nevertheless, her love for painting never waned. She managed to find time for different art groups. She headed the Visual Arts Sector of the Bohol Arts Council; was President of Banig Escaya; facilitator of workshops and lecture-demos for different groups and schools; was Bohol Coordinator, Visayas Islands Visual Arts Association; Director for Painting, Bohol Visual Arts Community; President, Datu Sikatuna Guild of Artists; Member, Diocesan Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church; and Member, BACH (Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage) Council. She even had outreach activities through “Halad sa Kamot,” arts workshops for the deaf and disabled children.

It is not only in art that Mrs. Hermogena Lungay is known for. She has various involvements in civic and religious organizations. She is the Vice President of Tagbilaran Civic-Legion of Mary; Board Member of Tagbilaran Women's Club; and Member of Parish Committee on Cultural Patrimony, Parish Finance Council, CWL, Tagbilaran Unit, and Cathedral Latin Mass Choir. Mrs. Lungay founded the Udlot Youth Art Group in 1985, and has organized Udlot Summer Workshops from 1985 to the present. This is her legacy to the young artists, for she believes that any talent God has given to an individual must be shared.

For Nene, art is life; life is art. Art is the beauty of life. It is God's gift for the mind, heart and hands. So a work of art has a quality of strength that defies explanation: it is felt rather than defined, then it endures. According to Albrecht D?rer, a German 16th century artist, “...occasionally God gives an artist the ability to learn and create something good, and no one like him can be found in his own time, or perhaps ever existed before him or will soon come after him.” Therefore, the unique gift from God should be developed to the fullest and when it ripens should be shared with others and passed on to the next generation according to God's Word.

As a fitting tribute to this Boholano artist whose paintings now are prized positions in several residences all over the country, the FCB (First Consolidated Bank of Bohol) and TBTK (Tigum Bol-anon Sa Tibuok Kalibutan) awarded Mrs. Hermogena Lungay a Plaque of Distinction as TOBAW (Ten Outstanding Boholanos Around the World) awardee in Visual Arts at the Grand Ballroom of Bohol Tropics and Resort Club on July 18, 2003.

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