The Magic of Insoymada

Did you already taste an ensaymada and how delicious it is? It is how delicious life can be to the one of the legendary people in Cebu.

Lorenzo “Insoy” Niñal was known by forming one of Cebu's most successful band ‘Missing Filemon’ in 2002. He writes songs that are what he considers to be "shallow", wherein one doesn't have to think about what the song means upon hearing it. His lyrics employ overused themes like friendship, unrequited love, memories of childhood.

“You can't hide behind the symbols," he said.

Niñal was also an advocate of promoting Cebuano language at its best. He noticed that local bands in Cebu did not created a Cebuano song, so he started everything by writing Cebuano songs that hit the music industry not just in Cebu but in the whole country.

“It is really hard, you don’t have any guide because you are the first one to do it,” he explained in TEDx USC as he was one of the speakers.

In 2008, the band received its first national award. The song “Sine-Sine” won as Best Movie Theme Song in that year’s Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (FAMAS), besting compositions by Noel Cabangon and Mike Hanopol, among other big names in the country’s music industry.

Niñal inspired the young Cebuano artist and bands to do the same that also hit the industry. "Write really good songs so the public will have no choice but to support you," he said.

Many people considered Niñal as one of the legendary artist in Cebu because he founded the immediate rise of the Cebuano music and the first who used the own language in creating music in bands. He also founded the Visayan Pop music that he believes to be to the future of Cebuano music industry.

“If the legendary Eraserheads are in Manila, we also have Missing Filemon in Cebu, headed by Insoy, he is a legend,” University of San Jose Recoletos Mass Communication Professor Kaloy Uypuanco said.

Aside from being an artist, he was also an editor of  the publication of the San Carlos Seminary College and also contributed “Crossline” essays to Sun.Star Cebu’s Weekend Saturday Magazine.

Finally choosing the pen over the pulpit, he quit theology studies in seminary and became a Sun.Star reporter in January 1999. The year 2003 Insoy also edited “Light,” a faith-based section published on Sundays.

In July 2007, his “Scrambled Egg” column in Weekend Saturday Magazine was renamed “Insoymada” and moved to the opinion-editorial. He was one of Sun.Star Cebu’s page editors and columnists.

            With his work in media and music industry, Insoy inspired youth by actively participating in the different forums as a guest speaker. He was part of the faculty of the Cebu Normal University teaching music and other Mass Communication subjects. He also guides Tsinelas, an organization he founded to help children attain an education.

“My profession also allows me to always keep myself abreast of the latest developments in various fields of interest and write about a wide range of topics,” he said.

“Over the years, I have worked with some of the best people in my field who have helped me develop love and respect for the written word,” he added.

Insoy made a mark in his life and continue making his legacy in the industry of media where he serve the people through giving information, in the industry of music where he will continue to give an uprising stint of the patronage of the people in Cebuano music and by inspiring the people in using Cebuano language and lastly, in the industry of knowledge- the academe where he continue to inspire his students and give a good quality education for the future.

That’s what the Insoymada Magic was all about! It was an all-packed service to the community with humility. Nobody could ever surpass the deeds of the humble Insoy. It is hard! But it was inspiring! You know what was the easiest thing? We better eat the delicious ensaymada.