DAMMAM, 2 September — The month-long observation of Linggo ng Wika, or the Philippine Language Week, by the Philippine School in Dammam has concluded with high energy competitions among students.
During the whole month of August, the school had weekly presentations and students were required to speak only in Filipino inside the school. Teachers and students were also required to wear Philippine attire.
In their culminating activities held Tuesday, schoolchildren in all grade levels performed native Filipino folk dances, poem and choral competitions, impromptu speech contest, and the famous “Balagtasan.”
Emarc Perri Magtanong, a 3rd year student, won the impromptu speech contest, beating six other contestants.
Second place went to Kristina Mae Manalaotao, also in 3rd year. Aurora Aves, a 4th year student, grabbed third place.
Jeriel Sawit was named “Best in Balagtasan” and his group in 2nd year, coached by their teacher Analiza Catanus, won over 1st year students in the Balagtasan competition.
In the elementary level, Grade 2 pupils handled by their teachers Betty Calvo and Gemma Flores won the “Sabayang Pagbigkas,” or pronunciation, category, besting the Grade 1 pupils.
In the choral competition, Grade 4 pupils mentored by Amy Caldeo, Connie Hugo and Erna Mendoza won the award for the “Pagbibigay-Buhay sa Awit” category, outsmarting the Grade 3 pupils.
Teacher Tess Castro choreographed the Grade 6 pupils to win the “Katutubong Sayaw” (folk dance) contest, besting the Grade 5 pupils.
PSD school principal Lita Rolluda handed the awards to all the winners in each categories. Overseeing the culminating activities was Emelita Rojas, chairwoman of the celebration for the school year.
Base of language
Filipino, or Pilipino, was made the national language when the Philippines gained independence in 1946 in hopes of helping Filipinos develop a national identity.
English, however, remains the official language of the land. It is the language used in official transactions, in classroom instructions (except for some subjects), in Congress, and to a large extent in media.
More than 50 years after Philippine independence, objection to Filipino as national language continues because it is based on the Tagalog tongue of the original people of Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal Batangas and Quezon.
Resistance, however, comes largely from politicians, especially among Cebuanos who claim there are more Cebuano speakers than Tagalog speakers.
Reports have said the Cebuano claim was true during the 40s to the late 60s. But studies made during the 80s and mid-90s showed that 70 percent of Filipinos, from the northernmost province of Batanes to Tawi-Tawi in the south, spoke or understood Filipino.
Studies attributed the steady increase in number of Filipino speakers to the imposition of the language in schools the penetration of many homes by television, as well as interaction with those who speak the language.
In the Kingdom, it is seldom to hear a Filipino who could not speak the national tongue.
