LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, April 10 (PNA)– The move to revive ‘Baybayin,’ the original Filipino transcript or form of writing, has intensified following the holding of the first National Baybayin Summit on April 9-11, 2015 at the Sison Auditorium here.
“Even before the colonizers came, we already had an original form of writing,” noted Pangasinan second district congressman Leopoldo Bataoil.
But because of colonization, Baybayin “died a natural death,” he said.
Bataoil is the principal author of Baybayin House Bill No. 5100 or “An Act declaring Baybayin as the National Writing System of the Philippines and providing for its promotion, protection, preservation, and conservation”; and No. 4882 “an Act institutionalizing the use of Bayabayin in all official logos of all government agencies, departments, and offices.”
The two proposed bills are now in the committee level in the House of Representatives. .
Bataoil expressed optimism on the approval of the two Baybayin Bills. In the Senate, similar bills are being sponsored by Sen. Loren Legarda.
“Baybayin is one of our unique identities as Filipinos,” he remarked.
Evidences for Baybayin’s existence were found in rocks, among other archeological artifacts, and are now preserved at the National Museum.
These evidences which date back about 35,000 to 45,000 years are proof of the antiquity of our community, said Professor Virgilio Almario, chairman of Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), one of the speakers in the event.
He further said that Baybayin, mistakenly called ”
He further said that Baybayin, mistakenly called Alibata”, is a symbol of a high level of culture, which ought to be known and preserved.
Meanwhile, Jay Enage, the chairman of Taklobo Baybayin, Inc., the event organizer, underscored that giving importance to Baybayin is the key to development.
He said the Summit, attended by educators and other advocates of cultural preservation, is the first of the three series of National Summit this 2015, with the other two to be held in the National Capital Region in August and in Palawan in December.
Lectures and workshops on Baybayin promotion, as its possible integration in the school curriculum, were conducted. (PNA)