Top 100 Cebuano Personalities: Inday Nita Daluz

CEBU, Philippines — Her name is actually Nenita Cortes Daluz – but she is simply the dear Inday Nita to the Cebuano masses.

She initially broke into the public awareness as a radio drama talent, endeared for her iconic nasal voice. Her very credible portrayals of her drama roles and her down-to-earth demeanor in her talk programs earned her the favor and trust of the public. Inday Nita had a magnetic on-air appeal – and her listeners all the more liked her to discover that she was no different in real life.

Then during the Martial Law years, she rose to national prominence. The sweet, soft-spoken Inday Nita turned fiery as she joined the crusade against the Marcos dictatorship. She became a fierce and fearless fighter against the excesses of the Martial Law regime.

Despite threats to her life, Inday Nita continued attacking the abuses of the Marcos government.

She was eventually put in jail, but even her incarceration did not shut her up completely. At every opportunity, she still dared to speak against the establishment.

When President Cory Aquino took over the reign of government, Inday Nita was appointed undersecretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government. As characteristic of her, she was open in admitting that the position was a gigantic feat for one (meaning herself) who had not even finished high school. She remained the modest Inday Nita that the ordinary people loved.