Sharing with all of you some Observations And Insights On The Urgent Need For The Protection And Preservation Of Our Languages, written by yours truly in 2007 … Nurture, Protect and Preserve Our Languages by : Jose Roman Reyes Laquian Sunday, 23 September 2007 I have read with great interest the Privilege Speech of Senator Aquilino Nene Pimentel before the Senate dated September, this year (2007). In his opening statement, the good senator spoke of preserving the languages of our people, submitting to the fact that we, as a Filipino Nation, have many languages. However, he named only eight ( 8 ) of these languages, namely, 1.Iloko in the Ilocandia provinces; 2.Pangasinense in Pangasinan; 3.Capampangan in Pampanga; 4.Tagalog in Manila and other Tagalog provinces; 5.Bikolano in Bicol; 6.Hiligaynon in the Iloilo provinces and in Negros Occidental; 7.Binisaya in Cebu, Bohol and parts of Mindanao; Waray in Samar and parts of Leyte; and 8.the local languages of the Maranaos, Maguindanaos and Tausugs. I was amused and apparently pleased at the sight of the number eight ( 8 ) for it immediately reminded me of the eight ( 8 ) rays of the sun in our flag representing the eight provinces ( Pampanga and Tarlac included ) that revolted against the Spanish tyranny in our country in the early period of our countrys colonization. But this, I know, is not our topic. Today, We Talk, We Speak of the Great Importance And Relevance of These Major Language Group in our country. In the words of Sen.Pimentel, these languages have nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, clauses, all the major components of languages used in verbal conversation and literary works. But I would like to add that above and beyond all these major components lies the Soul and the Spirit: the Great Ideas, Ideals, Hopes, Dreams, Desires and All the other Lofty Aspirations Birthed From Within The Innermost Being, In The Unfathomable Depths of the Brilliant Minds and In The Recesses of the Noble Hearts of Each and Every Patriotic Filipino. Our country, the Philippines, is small and pale in comparison to countries of significantly vast land areas. As one foreign visitor has said, it is just a small dot on the map. This statement, of course, is ignorant and inaccurate. And even though some will conclude that ours is a small country, we nonetheless pride ourselves with the fact that this nation of ours have produced men and women of great stature and achievements in the annals of world history and culture: heroes, martyrs, philosophers, writers, scientists, inventors, architects, engineers, lawyers, doctors, nurses, teachers and other nation builders and decision-makers whose brilliant minds and hearts of compassion are equal to, if not greater than, the best the world has ever known, and have helped change the course of our civilization towards new and greater heights. No particular region in the Philippines can claim honor, fame and prestige as belonging to itself alone; rather, each region has its own share of a uniquely high standard of moral values, culture and traditions it can proudly claim and declare as its own. And with all these regions which are united in their diversity, the Philippines proudly claims honor through these men and women of noble character and ideals whose sole desire is to see through this nation of ours truly free from all political, religious, economic and other types of oppression and neglect, including ignorance, the lack of education and the seemingly Lack of National Will To Nurture, Protect And Preserve All The Known Major Languages Of Our Nation Of The Philippines . Our nation, the Philippines, is a multicultural country with multiple languages. Indeed, to force the language of one ethnic group upon another ethnic group is divisive and disruptive of the national fabric, and is likewise perceived as a form of regional oppression. This is highly discriminatory and demeaning in a civilized nation such as ours and is, therefore, unacceptable. Tagalog is mandated by the constitution as the basis of our national languages. It became as such, as a result of the 1938 decree of the then Commonwealth President Manuel Luis Quezon, one of the best lawyers and brilliant minds of his time. He was also the president who said I would rather see the Philippines run like hell by a Filipino rather than like heaven by a foreigner. Such prophetic words became a reality in the time of President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos whose unpopular and infamous regime which span two ( 2 ) decades came to a fitting end when one of his closest allies, now Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, broke ties with the ruling dictatorship and boldly declared, Enough is Enough, Mr. President ! The question is: What is the point in telling this ? Quite simple: A brilliant mind does not define nor does it suffice in the making of a good leader. Rather, the makings of a truly good and great leader lies in ones GOD-given ability to keep in touch with reality, one who constantly mingles, interacts, walks with and closely dialogues with his people: listening to them as they speak out freely their thoughts and ideas, feeling their sentiments, knowing their needs, and focusing on the goal that is directed towards doing what needs to be done for the common good at any given time. Indeed, many of us were not born in Tagalog-speaking areas, and, IF By Some Stroke Of Fate, We Were Born In These ( Tagalog-speaking ) Areas, Although Our Patriarch Were Originally Non-Tagalogs, We Have The Sacred Duty And Every Right To Nurture, Protect And Preserve Our Own Indigenous Languages, In Our Daily Conversations And Written Communications, Lest They Will Slip And Completely Disappear From Our Consciousness And Fade Into Oblivion . Just like all the other Major Philippine Languages, our Amanung Sisuan, which is equally known as the Capampangan Language, is A Distinctly Unique, Completely Garnished And Richly Flavored Language. It Is A Magnificent Reflection of A Very Rich And Great Culture, A Mecca Of High Intellectual Learning, A Center Of Great Arts And Sciences, And Of All That Is Noble And True. Tagalog, though mandated as a national language, should NOT be allowed to take the lead role as a language in any region. For instance, in the case of the Noble Province of Pampanga, as well as All of Its Capampangan-speaking regions spread throughout our nation, the Indigenous Language, which is the Amanung Sisuan or the Capampangan Language MUST and SHOULD Be Allowed To Be Used As The Medium Of Instructions for all subjects in the elementary schools, that is, from Grades 1 to 6. English and Tagalog should be taught in our grade schools by the use of Capampangan which is the Native Language of the Capampangans ( People in Pampanga ). For most of us, this has long been our hearts desire and a long awaited dream we had hoped to be a reality. Thank GOD for leaders like Sen. Nene Pimentel who have the Insight and the Vision to See what We Capampangans See and the Heart to Feel what We Pampangueños Feel. The graph that is included in the good senators privilege statement is quite alarming and cannot be ignored by all Patriotic Filipinos. The graph clearly illustrated the trend towards the extinction of most of the languages of our country. In 1948, for instance, the use of the Amanung Sisuan ( Capampangan Language ) in Pampanga, both spoken and written, was 03% and declined to 02.90% in 1995. In 1948, the use of Bikolano in Bicol, both spoken and written, was 08% and declined to 05.69% in 1995. Also, in 1948, the use of Pangasinense in Pangasinan, both spoken and written, was 03% and declined to 01.01% in 1995. And based on the same graph, all the other Philippine Languages, in like manner, showed miserable declines from 1948 to 1995. And even now, as we discuss this matter, the percentages relative to the usage of this languages could still be declining. In the midst of this woeful situation about our dying languages, we are being consoled by the fact that it is not yet late. There is still Hope; Hope because we have Faith, we Believe that something can still be done to save our languages. But our faith alone is not enough. GODs Word clearly states: ...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. JAMES 2 : 17 In the light of GODs Holy Word, we all as one have to Rise Up and as the need arises, leave the comforts of our homes, our individual comfort zones. We All Have to Put Our Acts Together Towards The Goal Of Achieving The Need Of Our Present Time, Being Of Like Mind And Heart, Bearing The Right Attitude And Taking The Appropriate And Positive Approach. And As We Go About This Noble Task Of Saving And Preserving Our Precious Languages, Let Us NOT Forget To Call Upon Our Almighty And Merciful GOD And Father to Guide Us By HIS Infinite Wisdom , And To Bless The Works Of Our Hands. The Vital Key to Avoiding Ethnic and Linguistic Conflicts as well as to Prevent Language Extinction is to Have A Deep Sense of Respect and Hold In High Esteem the Liberal Use, Protection and Preservation Of All Our Known Major Languages Throughout The Philippine Archipelago. I am one in heart and mind with the good Sen. Nene Pimentel in saying that the time to do this is NOW, NOT Tomorrow, NOT Later. Tomorrow may be Too Late. And, as an adviser to the President of Iceland in the 1800s, Ornolfor Thorsson, Truthfully And Very Well Said: Without our language, we have no culture, we have no identity, we are nothing. The Department Of Education, Culture and Sports ( DECS ) Must and Should Adopt a Policy to change or revise the curriculum in our educational system, one that needs to be implemented at the soonest possible time for the entire six grades, and in the succeeding secondary levels of education, as may be deemed necessary by our education officials, and this, dear friends, is the immediate use of the Capampangan Language, as one fine example, as the Medium Of Instruction in the entire Pampango-speaking Regions grade schools, and in like manner, the use of the corresponding indigenous languages in every regions of the Philippines. It is Our Sacred Duty As A People to Rally Behind this Noble Cause of the Immediate Implementation of this Change or Revision In Our Educational Systems Curriculum Pertaining to the Perpetuation And Preservation Of All Our Philippine Major Languages. Today, the clarion sounds. It calls ! The time to ACT is NOW, NOT tomorrow, NOT even later. One day, each one of us shall stand before the judgment seat of God and give an accounting of all the things that we have done, the things we should not have done and even the things we should have done but have not done. GODs Word says, Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesnt do it, sins. JAMES 4:17 ( The Holy Bible ) We are a People, a Nation called by GOD. HE gave us these Beautiful Gifts of Languages. HE called us, as HIS people, both leaders and citizens, to be United, to Do the Good We Ought To Do : To Nurture, Protect And Preserve Our GOD-Given Languages. In so doing, We Preserve Our Identity As A People, As A Race And As A Culture That Is Distinct And Unique, United In Its Diversity. In closing, it is my hearts prayer that GOD Our Father generously grant us all HIS Wisdom and Grace Towards The Preservation And Strengthening Of Our Nation Through This Noble Task Of Nurturing, Protecting And Preserving All Of Our Known Languages. GOD Bless Our Country, the Philippines ! GOD Bless All Filipinos ! GOD Bless, Protect and Preserve All Our Known Languages ! . . . And To GOD Alone Be All The Highest Praises, Honor and Glory Both Now and Forever !
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 06:46:55 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015