For our special topic for tonight’s show on Straight from the Sky, we bring you the Rule of Law from the perspective of Law students. We bring you this interview in order to find out how our law students think about the current problems our nation is facing most especially with regards the corruption plaguing the Judiciary. The EDSA Revolt of 1986 should have restored Justice to this country, but unfortunately, 22 years later, it’s become worse than before.
I too was a law student once at the height of Martial Law and I didn’t finish my schooling despite my being in 3rd year at the USC Law school for two reasons. First, my father died and I was needed more in our family business. Second, was because of a statement given by our professor, that in this country, no matter how smart a lawyer you are, you’d still lose your case because the lawyer with the right connections would win over you!
That was true then and I can only reckon that this is still true today. We have with us the national president of the Association of Law Students of the Philippines (ALSP) and a member of the Governing Council of Asian Law Students Association (ALSA) . So watch this interesting interview on SkyCable’s channel 15 at 8:00 pm tonight and get an insight of what our youth think about the problems of the Judiciary these days.
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Last Saturday, I attended the 1st Summit of Cebuano-Visayan Language (in Cebuano it is…Unang Kintaumyang Panagtagbo sa Sinuboanong Binisaya) at the residence of Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy, President of LUDABI (Lubas sa Dagang Bisaya). This event comes right after the LUDABI’s National Convention held at the Casino Español last January 19, 2008. You should know that preserving our Cebuano language also means preserving Cebuano culture, a culture that could vanish if we do not stop those who want to turn the entire Philippines into a Tagalog-speaking only ethnic group. Tagalog, not so-cleverly disguised as Filipino, is taught in all our schools to the detriment of all spoken languages in this country. This situation is disturbing to language advocates like me.
I was asked by Mayor Sitoy to give an inspirational talk with the more than 150 delegates who attended the summit. Provincial Board Member Agnes Magpale and Dr. Jess Tirol of the University of Bohol, who have been going around teaching people how to speak in proper Cebuano, also gave their insights on the preservation of the Cebuano language. Indeed, speaking in Cebuano helps a lot in preserving our culture and language.
Perhaps you may want to know why should we preserve Cebuano when it is not under any threat? This is exactly what most Cebuanos think because it is not illegal to speak Cebuano, Ilonggo or Waray in this country. However, the fact remains that the Educational Policies of this nation only “forces” our students to learn “Filipino” in school to the detriment of all spoken languages in this country. I am the best proof of this. Though I may be a staunch advocate in preserving all spoken languages in this country, I cannot even write in Cebuano, though I speak it. When I read in Cebuano, it would take me triple the time compared to reading in English.
For as long as our language policies are dictated by Imperial Manila which is run mostly by Tagalog nationalists, this country will never move forward. For instance the members of the board of the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCAA) that is tasked to preserve Filipino culture are all Tagalogs, hence there is undoubtedly a strong bias towards promoting only Tagalog nationalism. These nationalists say that having a National Language promotes Filipino unity. This is hogwash!
Since the 1935 Constitution took effect, Filipinos never attained any kind of unity. We’ve always had that “barrio-barrio” mentality here and it is more evident abroad.
As Dr. Tirol wrote in an article entitled, “Study the Bisayan Language the Proper Way” he said, “A language carries with it the history, culture, tradition and the expression of the way of life of a people. According to the Whorfian Hypothesis, ‘A language is not simply an encoding process for voicing our ideas and needs but rather a shaping force that guide our thinking and our behaviour.’ Those of us who attended that summit were given a presentation of the grade two pupils of the Bo. Day-as Elementary school where their teacher Ms. Nena Lipangon showed what her pupils can do when they are taught Cebuano in school. This proves that teaching Cebuano early makes better students.