Plan to adopt ‘Maayad’ as official Oro greeting temporarily shelved

THE City Council committee on tourism, chaired by Councilor Girlie Balaba, has temporarily deferred the proposed ordinance seeking to adopt the Higaonon word ‘Maayad’ as the official greeting in service-oriented establishments in the city.

This, after some indigenous peoples’ (IP) chieftains expressed differing views on the said measure.

Some tribal leaders stressed that 'maayad' should be used in full form with its accompanying phrase to convey complete meaning (e.g. ‘maayad ha pag-uma’ for welcome or ‘maayad ha adlaw’ for good day).

Several IP representatives further argued that since the city intends to adopt a Higaonon word, it should remain purely Higaonon, because pairing it with Bisaya terms, such as ‘maayad ha buntag,’ are not faithful to the heritage language.

Atty. Dexter B. Precioso, legal officer of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples–Region X, welcomed the recognition of IP voices in the discussion but emphasized the need for clarity in the ordinance.

He explained that even among Higaonon communities, variations exist such as ‘maayad ha alraw, maayad ha adlaw, or maayad ha aldaw.

So he pointed out that limiting its usage and definition will help establish the distinct identity of the Higaonons in Cagayan de Oro.

Meanwhile, other chieftains maintained that maayad alone is sufficient, noting that it is traditionally used in community gatherings and rituals, and already embodies goodness, peace, and beauty.

It may be recalled that Councilor Balaba proposed during the City Council’s 3^rd regular session the ordinance to institutionalize the use of maayad as a standard greeting in hotels, restaurants, airports, seaports, and bus terminals as a gesture of hospitality for both locals and tourists. (FDC/SP)