Reviving ‘Baybayin’

The author is Teacher

How would you feel about the revival of Baybayin to promote and preserve indigenous and traditional writing systems and help in the country's resurgence?

Many were elate with the third reading approval of the bill seeking to promote, protect, and preserve Baybayin and other Philippine indigenous and traditional writing systems as part of the country’s cultural treasures.

Recently, the House of Representatives voted to approve on final reading House Bill 10657 or the proposed “Philippine Indigenous and Traditional Writing Systems Act" with 197 affirmative votes.

Baybayin, according to some of the country’s officials, is “lost, but not forgotten.” Together with other indigenous and traditional writing scripts, it should be preserved and promoted as part of the country’s resurgence.

Baybayin is an ancient syllabary script, which means “to spell". It is one of at least 16 different writing systems that were used by early Filipinos prior to the Spanish era. It, and other indigenous writing scripts, are representations of Filipino tradition and national identity.

Officials believe that it is time for the country to revisit its past through one of its cultural remnants, the indigenous and traditional writing systems, including Baybayin. There is a need to promote, protect, preserve and conserve Philippine indigenous and traditional systems as tools for cultural development, for instilling national pride, and for protecting Filipino cultural heritage and identity, officials also said.

The promotion and preservation of these writing systems are a must in order to “generate greater awareness of indigenous and traditional scripts and to foster a wider appreciation of their significance and beauty.”

The bill seeks to require the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to include writing systems in relevant subjects of basic and higher education curricula, as well as to create an elective or specialized course in higher education.

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts shall be the lead policymaking unit for the promotion of Philippine Indigenous and Traditional Writing Systems.

The bill also aims to promote and preserve indigenous and traditional writing systems by creating and supporting activities that promote awareness of these writing systems, particularly during Buwan ng Wika and similar occasions and events.

Other measures to promote and preserve these writing systems could be done through the conduct of seminars, conferences, conventions, symposia, as well as a good record-keeping of relevant documents and the preservation of oral evidence on these writing systems.

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The author is Master Teacher at Sepung Bulaun Elementary School

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