For Mutual Respect & Cultural Equality

One common misconception about the Philippines is that it speaks only one language–and that is Tagalog (honey-coated as Filipino). In fact, Tagalog/Filipino speakers comprise only 29% of the total population and the rest are Non-Tagalogs. And now, there is a petition at the Supreme Court by a group called WIKA. It is questioning the use of English as a medium of instruction at all eduactional levels; arguing that it is unconstitutional. In short, WIKA is aiming (again), to impose the Tagalog/Filipino at all educational levels all through out the archipelago. (Actually, they have been doing this for a very long time since Manual Quezon in 1935). To cite an example, Palawan used to be a Cuyonon speaking island. Now, it has become a Tagalog speaking province. Many languages in the country are dying because of this wide spread Tagalization.

How come it is considered a national language when majority of the inhabitants of the Philippines are non-Tagalog? Well, it is history and politics again. And it would be improper to discuss them here.

One would argue that it is English that is a threat to the Tagalog/Filipino language and other Philippine languages. If English is a threat to the Tagalog/Filipino language because it is foreign, then Tagalog/Filipino is also a threat to all the NON-Tagalog languages for the same reason. The English language, from the non-Tagalog point of view, is neutral in the sense that it is use globally. Tagalog/Filipino has no value of that kind for the NON-Tagalog people except to the Tagalog people themselves. Let the Tagalog people keep their language in their own territory, and the non-Tagalogs will do likewise. 

Tagalistas consider defending one’s language as “regionalism”. We could argue, then, that the imposition of Tagalog/Filipino to the NON-Tagalog people such as Waray, Cebuano, Ilonggo, Kapampangan, Ivatan, etc. etc. etc. is colonialism. Can’t we build a nation that is grounded on mutual respect and cultural equality?

Defending one’s language is nationalism and never “regionalism.” One must remember that there never was a Philippines before the westerners came. There never was a Philippines before 1521. However, the Ilonggo nation, the Cebuano nation, the Maranao nation, etc. etc. etc were and still are there . And these nations have their own respective history which could be traced back to the beginning of time. And these are being manisfested in their respective languages. How old is Filipino language? It was only instituted in 1935. How old are the indigenous languages in the Philippines?

The Philippines is an assembly of nations. It is not a nation. Definitely not a Tagalog nation. The kind of nationalism that is being perpetuated by Imperial Manila (specifically people from UP Diliman) is Tagalog nationalism at the very core.

I don’t advocate secession. I am for cultural equality and mutual respect.

We brag to the world that we are in a democratic country. Let’s put that into practice.

Usa han mga Siday nga Posible Mahisurat Bisan Kun Patay na an Winaray

kun waray  na

an mga pulong

itutudlok ko

ha imo

iton akon dughan.

Solitude

hundreds

of canna

in the field

only one

is

in bloom

Pag-usaan

nagtatarayatay

bandera-espanyola

ha natad

namumukad

an uusa

ha ira

[I]n the first paragraph, you solve most of the problems with your book…-Gabriel Garcia Marquez 

http://www.powells.com/biblio/trade%20paper:sale:9780312363147:11.20

Usa nga Siday

ni Nichita Stãnescu

Hinubad ha Waray ni Voltaire Q. Oyzon

*

Sumati ako, kun usa ka adlaw igkahibalag ta ikaw

Ug akon hadkan an imo rapadapa,

Diri ka ba maikid paglakat,

Mahahadlok hitamakan an akon harok?…

Siday

ni Nichita Stãnescu

Hinubad ha Waray ni Voltaire Q. Oyzon

*

Siday an luha han mata

ini an pagluha han sugbong

an pagluha han mata han sugbong

ini an pagluha han palad

an pagluha han mata han palad

ini an pagluha han tikod

an pagluha han mata han tikod.

O, ikaw sangkay,

an siday diri an luha

ini amo an pagluha

an pagluha han tinuod nga mata

an luha han mata

han usa nga angay maanyag

han usa nga angay malipayon.

An Astronomer nga hi Edwin Hubble Dida han Mapakyas ha Paghigugma

han

aton

pag-break,danay

kita pag-inobserbaran han

akon telekopyo. Sugad han iba

nga mga bitoon, we’re moving away na from

each other at a speed 

that is directly 

proportional to

our

distance.

An mga nadaog

An kada tawo

nga nakanhi

ha kalibotan

nakahigot

ha iya akos

himoon.

An tawo

nga nagdadaog

nagbabak-ad han iya gapos

ug tinututdoan hin pagbak-ad an iba

pinaagi  paghatag hin sobra pa han akos niya.

They that win

Every person

born

into this world

is bound

to what

he is able to do.

The man

who wins

unwounds those limits

and by giving beyond what he could,

he teaches others how to have theirs unbound.

-Trans. Michael Carlo C. Villas

An hangkop ha pagbak-ad han takna

hangkop

h  a  n  g  k  o  p

h   a   n   g   k  o   p

h    a    n    g    k    o    p

h      a     n     g     k     o     p

h       a       n      g      k       o      p

h        a       n       g         k       o      p