THE GONZAGA EXPERIENCE: The Seminar/Workshop

DAY 1

I was invited by GUMIL-Cagayan in Gonzaga to read my very own Ti Pusak a Gusing, an example of Daniw a Para Ubbing (Children's Poem), in a Literary Seminar/Workshop organized by GUMIL-Gonzaga held at the Gampao Gym last February 11-12. The seminar/workshop aimed to boost the interest as well as developing the skills of the young delegates, professionals, and common people in writing damdamag (news), sarita (short stories), salaysay (essays), daniw  (poems) and other articles using Iluko/Iloco/Ilocano medium.

 

Although DepEd excludes Region II in initial MTB-MLE implementation funding recently, the association of Iluko writers known as Gunglo Dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano (GUMIL) in Cagayan still believes in the importance of teaching in Iluko and encouraging the young generation to use the mother language of the province.

The Ortograpia Ilokana (Iluko Orthography) has been introduced first to guide the delegates in writing  Iluko effectively.

  

After the lectures on the first day, on the-spot daniw writing contest was immediately push-through.

In a mixed-audience of pupils, students, common people, and professionals, it has really amused me how the organizers take control of the crowd successfully.

The result of submitted entries signifies that the learner is more attentive when using the mother tongue as the medium of instruction. Thus the Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual Education in Region II should not be set aside to uplift the quality of education in the region.

Can you imagine how ridiculous it is knowing that you are very fluent and comprehensive in numerous dialects and languages and yet you can’t speak and write in your own mother tongue effectively? It’s just like what Gat. Jose Rizal said, “Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay mas mabaho pa kaysa malansang isda”. I’m not an education expert but I think that this famous saying of Rizal is trying to emphasize the importance of using your mother tongue language as the foundation of your own culture and your true identity. Thanks to those simple folks who are willing to sacrifice their precious time while sharing their priceless knowledge just to help in enriching Literatura Ilokana (Iluko/Ilocano Literature) as the main vehicle of Ilocano Language!