PANGASINAN, Lingayen – University of the Philippines (UP) Vice President for Public Affairs Prospero de Vera cited the provincial government of Pangasinan for setting the pace for a ‘cultural renaissance.’
De Vera, a renowned educator and political analyst, hailed the incumbent provincial administration for its leadership in reawakening cultural sensitivities of Pangasinenses during the Pambansang Kongreso sa Pagpaplanong Wika held at the Sison Auditorium recently.
In his speech delivered before a crowd of educators, language experts and enthusiasts, the UP official bared the latest agreement forged between UP and the provincial government which aims to “reinforce a comprehensive research for the preservation of Pangasinan culture and language.”
As stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by UP President Alfredo Pascual and Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. on June 18, the creation of Pangasinan Studies Center (PSC) shall become a repository of government documents and inventory of historical accounts of towns and cities in Pangasinan.
PSC, De Vera said, will buttress the existing efforts of the provincial administration for cultural development which will lead into a wide-ranging (cultural) mapping of places, events and personalities, including customs and traditions in the province.
The studies center shall be located in a university in the province, but preferably within the Capitol Complex, De Vera recommended. “If the latter will be the case, then we will have a consortium of Pangasinan-based universities and colleges, while UP professors and research experts, who hail from Pangasinan, shall provide technical assistance,” he said.
The UP Vice President likewise exhorted the delegates from various regions in the country to get involved on the development of the national language, pointing out the vital roles of regional languages for the enrichment of the national language.
“The purpose of the national congress for language planning is to have a consensus for the development of Filipino, based on the regional languages,” De Vera said.
The provincial administration in Pangasinan, he cited, has implemented various initiatives for cultural development like institutionalizing a provincial hymn and strengthening Pangasinan language.
De Vera urged that even in the advent of advanced communications technology, in text messaging for example, the use of proper Filipino must be observed, as he discouraged the use of tag-lish in oral and written discourse.
The UP executive said that for the national language to progress, the integration of Filipino and regional languages in public documents must become a government policy.
By Dexter A. See