The Pangasinan State University (PSU) successfully conducted last year’s celebration of the National Language Month (Buwan ng Wika) with the theme: “Filipino at mga Wikang Katutubo sa Dekolonisasyon ng Pag-iisip ng mga Filipinoโ. The celebration emphasized the importance of the Filipino language and other cultural languages in raising the awareness of Filipino people in being free from colonial influences.
The limited circumstance caused by the pandemic didn’t become a hindrance for the students, teachers and every Filipino in honoring the country’s national language. Given the situation, the social media became the main platform of the said event.
One of the main highlights of the celebration was the Tertulyang Pang-wika held last August 23, 2021. The PSU together with the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), catered this event through a webinar via zoom and facebook live. Dr. Arthur P. Cassanova, Chairman of KWF was the speaker of the said event. In his talk, he emphasized the role of the national and cultural languages in our society. He also inculcated that colonial mentality should be washed away from the heart and minds of every Filipino. Hence, we need to develop our own identity and culture.
A culminating activity called “Bigkis” was also held last August 31, 2021 organized by the teachers and students of Pangasinan State University that graced the victorious celebration of the National Language Month.
Prior to the said events, the Pangasinan State University Lingayen Campus conducted various activities and competitions for the celebration of the National Language Month. Through the collective efforts done by the Kapisanan ng mga Mag-aaral sa Filipino, the activities were successfully administered via social media platforms such as Facebook. Significant and trivial information were shared online to raise the awareness of the students with regards to the national language (Filipino), cultural languages or dialects, as well as the cultures of the Filipino as a whole. These include SIWALAT SALITA- Ilocano and Pangasinan vocabulary; WIKAALAMAN – tackled the history of Filipino language; BONIKEW at BUBURTIA – Pangasinan and Ilocano riddles; and TIKTOKAWIKAAN – tiktok videos about the national language. The students were also able to show their skills and capabilities in different competitions such as TULATHALA (poem writing), BAYBAYIN BUHAYIN (slogan making through baybayin), TINTALATA (essay writing) and MEMESTORY (memes that shows culture and realities in Filipino society). The winners of the said competitions were given prizes and certificates of recognition. It was indeed a successful celebration of the National Language Month.
The students, as well as the teachers were still able to actively participate despite the limited situation faced by the schools and universities. This only proves that the Filipino language and culture will always have a place in the hearts and minds of every Filipino. The annual month-long conduct of Buwan ng Wika is not just a mere celebration but rather, it is about understanding and appreciating the worth of our culture and national language. Having said that, may we always find courage to stand for our identity.