The Language and Humanities Department of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) held an online celebration for the Buwan ng Wika Pambansa on August 31, 2021.
With the theme, ‘Filipino at mga Wikang Katutubo sa Dekolonisasyon ng Pag-iisip ng mga Pilipino,’ the department organized activities, including a webinar, essay writing contest, and TikTok video challenge for students with Filipino subjects.
In an opening remark during the webinar, Dr. Claudia Odette Ayala, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, elaborated on the importance of the celebration to raise awareness on the use and preservation of the native language.
“Sa taong ito, kinikilala natin ang paggamit ng katutubong wika sa sistemang pangkatarungan, media, paggawa, at kalusugan. Isinasalang-alang din natin ang potensyal ng teknolohiyang digital sa pagtataguyod at preserbasyon ng mga nabanggit na wika,” she stated.
Dr. Ayala also said that language binds people to reach their goals despite the problems they face amidst the pandemic.
“Sa panahon ngayon, sapagkat patuloy nating nililinang ang ating mga sarili at nagpapatuloy rin lahat ng bagay sa ating lipunan sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng teknolohiya, wika ang patuloy na nagbibigkis sa atin upang patuloy na maabot ang ating mga layunin kahit na patuloy tayong nakakaranas ng mga problema at kahirapan sa gitna ng pandemya,” Dr. Ayala stated.
The department invited Dr. Elizabeth M. Garcia and Prof. Gina R. Catalig to talk in a webinar to discuss their research on Tagalog dialects in different parts of Quezon.
Glory Anne Mendones of AB PolSci emerged victorious among the participants in the essay writing contest that tackles the Filipino language binding Philippine islands. Roland O. Mabuting of BSIE III placed second, and Jana Euxine Rivera of BSARCH III placed third.
Meanwhile, Gladyrene Mae Abella, a BSARCH III student, dominated the TikTok challenge which discussed some words used in Quezon Province.
The second and third place in the TikTok challenge were given to Ahra Monique Merluza of BSBA FM III and Gherome Escorpion of BSMARE I, respectively.