LINGAYEN, Pangasinan March 31 – In support to programs initiated by the present provincial administration to raise awareness on Pangasinan language preservation, the province will play host to the launching of Baybayin Summit (Unang Pambansang Komperensya ng Wikang Panulat) on April 9-11 at the Sison Auditorium, here.
This was bared by Jose Jaime Enage, chairman of Taklobo Baybayin Inc. and Baybayin Buhayin, a non-profit organization that champions the preservation of Philippine culture and heritage, during a coordinating meeting at the Capitol Conference Hall.
Enage also said that the national summit seeks to generate awareness among the participants from various parts of the country on the history of Baybayin and instil the relevance of the writing system and its artefacts in Philippine culture for educational purposes.
Baybayin is an ancient writing system in the country.
He furthered said that the summit “supports the passage of Senate Bill No. 2440 (National Writing System Act of 2014) and Senate Bill No. 1899 (Baybayin Act of 2013) authored by Senator Loren Legarda and House Bill No. 5110 and House Bill 4882 (Baybayin Act of 2014) authored by Congressman Leopoldo Bataoil.”
“Mapalad ang Pangasinan dahil dito natin sisimulan ang pagbuhay sa wikang panulat ng Pilipinas,” Enage said, as he noted that the campaign of Baybayin Buhayin will also extend in other provinces after the formal launching in Pangasinan.
Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr., who advocates the preservation of Pangasinan language, has expressed full support to hosting the summit which is a strategic component in the implementation of Republic Act No. 10533 known as the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (K to 12 Curriculum) and mobilization of the use of Mother Tongue-Multi Lingual Education (MTB-MLE).
As the partner Local Government Unit (LGU) for the national summit, the provincial government helps in the promotion of the national activity, extends assistance in the summit’s endorsement to DepEd schools divisions in the province and to concerned participants and shall treat the participants to a series of cultural performances by the Dangoan Pangasinan Cultural Group during the summit.
Invited guest speakers during the summit are: Former President Fidel Ramos, Sen. Legarda, Cong. Bataoil, Governor Espino, DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro, National Commission for Culture and the Arts Chairman Felipe de Leon, Jr., Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino Chairman Virgilio Almario and National Museum of the Philippines Director Jeremy Barns.
Meanwhile, Enage also confirmed the participation of language and history professors from University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University, a representative from Mangyan Heritage Society and some international researchers who will serve as resource speakers and presenters to the topics regarding Baybayin.
Registration fee of P4,000 (inclusive of the accommodation and meals and conference kit) will be charged from each participant while Pangasinan residents are entitled to P2,000 registration fee for the meal and conference kit.
Confirmation of participation could be done via online (www.hallohallo.com); walk-ins in Metro-Manila area may confirm attendance to the summit at the Coconut House Restaurant in Quezon City Memorial Circle, Quezon City.
The Department of Education (DepEd) has endorsed the participation of teachers and pupils/students in the elementary and secondary levels to the national summit through DepEd Advisory No. 462, s. 2014 last December 18, 2014 while the participation of college students and faculty and staff of higher education institutions particularly those involved in Filipino language programs has been endorsed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
