ORAG: SORSOGON VICE OR VIRTUE?
Authors: Ezra G. Vargas John 
Published: June 2023

This study finds out the abstraction of the semantic orag by Bicolanos, specifically SorsogueÅ„os, either being vice or virtue. The study determined the usage, perception and coinage of the term from informants all over the province. Qualitative method was used in this study with an approach utilizing Critical Hermeneutics. The researcher viewed the interpersonal experiences and reactions of the informants to the semantic.There are two common perceptions to the term, positive and negative. Informants referred to it as being matibay or maabilidad (strong and willful). This positive coinage can also refer to a person who is intelligent and good at everything. However, it was perceived with an echoing meaning where the negative connotation arises. Boastfulness, ill-manner, arrogance and meanness are some of the negative connotations. But the prevailing coinage is that it is understood as a term linked to lust and sex.When asked about the origin of the term and how Bicolanos became known as oragon, the respondents perception can be categorized into three (3): (1) that it is a pure Bicol term used by ancient Bicolanos (2) that Bicolanos are known as oragon because of being brute in street fights and that Bicolanos are known to have delicacies and dishes that always include spices such as Bicol Express and (3) because the term was made famous by the well-known actor, Eddie Garcia, a Bicolano actor from Sorsogon who included Bicol terms in almost all of his movies. The historical and cultural aspects of its coinage had been revisited. It was found out that Ancient Bicol holds a rich traditional culture that embodies Bicol mindset prior to the Hispanic era. There are myths that have been believed by the ancient Bicol and one of which is that oragon is maguinoongpanonin boot. They were leaders of tribes who were believed to have acquired the power from Bathalaan hence they are maguinoong-oragon. During the Spanish colonization, however, most of the oragons became leaders of guerrillas. To aid this problem, Spanish friars deprived the oragons with their proper honorific titles and started preaching on the immoralities of polygamous marriage. Hence, maguinoong-oragon became maguinoong-bastos. From there arose all the negative coinage of the semantic: its linkage to sex and lust, boastfulness and badness. The semantic clearly has an innate goodness in its original connotation but was given a negative coinage by history. One thing is clear: it is an emblem symbolizing Bicolanos as fearless warriors, bold yet plain to truth and with dignity, as the regional march stresses. Its pure meaning still echoes and resonates in the different interpretations among SorsogueÅ„os. Finally, it was perceived that orag or oragon is an emblem that manifests Bicol virtue. This is a call to all Bicolanos, especially SorsogueÅ„os, to try to regain and muster the authentic meaning of orag. Striving to get back what was lost from history would mean enrichment to a restored culture. People must not be satisfied with the present status of the semantic for if not, it will forever be lost. As a recommendation, Orag as Bicol virtue is a recognition of a deeper understanding of the rich culture and tradition of the once maguinoong-oragon. Whatever meaning it conveys now, it definitely is a virtue that SorsogueÅ„os symbolize and carry as persons of worth and of values.