THE SAN BEDA English and Literature (SBELS) took charge in spearheading the three-day celebration of Month of the Mother Tongue (Buwan ng Wika) entitled, “Buwan ng Wika: Ipagpunyagi!” last August 15, 16, and 19.
To officially open the celebration of Buwan ng Wika, students and faculty from the Department of Languages and Literature (DLL) assembled at the ground floor of the Lydia Tan Sy building to witness a musical busking session performed by the Bedan Musicians’ Guild (BSG), where they sang Original Pilipino Music (OPM).
SBELS’ Internal Vice President (IVP), Denver Provido, told The Bedan that “[Ang busking na ito] ay para maging paanyaya sa ibang bahagi ng ating pamayanan para makibahagi sa pagdiriwang,” further adding that “Nagkaroon din ng munting salo salo kasama ang mga mag-aaral ng CAS.”
The following day, a seminar was held at the Pamanang Bedista with the theme, “Kwento at Pagsalin: Usapang Wika at Panitikan.” Invited guests Dr. Christine S. Bellen-Ang and Dr. Imelda P. De Castro communicated the importance of Children’s Literature (Panitikang Pambata) and Translation (Pagsalin), respectively.
Post-event, Dr. Bellen-Ang explained that the Panitikang Pambata is not a “dying” genre. “Dati, emerging siya. Emergent literature ito. Pero ngayon, developing pa kasi marami ng ibang mga libro para sa mga bata, marami ng mga publishers na nag-veventure para sa children’s literature. Tapos, syempre, marami pa ring genre: comics, poetry and film [din].”
Dr. De Castro, on the other hand, told The Bedan that students have a “narrowed view” of the Filipino language. As such, she presented her study about “Lexical Elaboration of Computer Terminology,” to show students that the Filipino language was not just for the “markets.” In giving this lecture, she was worked towards her primary objective to “intellectualize the Filipino language.”
Concluding the Buwan ng Wika celebration, a Community Mass was held at the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat under SBELS’ sponsorship on August 19. Here, DLL students and faculty convened while being adorned with Filipiñana and traditional Filipino clothing.
As an additional part of the program, SBELS held a Group Oration (Sabayang Pagbigkas) and individual Spoken Poetry competition last August 17. Instead of having a face-to-face competition, the organization shifted towards an online platform, letting participants submit their entries.
“Need kasi ng time ng students to prepare their performances and pieces,” Provido explained. As of now, no winners have not been announced but he explained that the entries are still to be “judged at a later time.”
For Provido, this celebration of Buwan ng Wika was one of the many events for SBELS’ to be “loud.” “’Yung ingay ng ganap na ito ay para makita ng pamayanang Bedista na mayroong SBELS na nagtataguyod ng mga gawaing wika at panitikan.”
Moreover, he looks forward to the following events that SBELS has planned such as English and Literature week this coming November.