BATANGAS CITY – A 10-foot tall bamboo-inspired tubular monument is now open to the public, particularly history and language enthusiasts, at the Laurel Heritage Park at the provincial capitol compound in this city.
The Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF), or Commission on Filipino Language, in collaboration with the provincial government here, set up its 8th Filipino language monument as a tribute to Batangas province for being one of the precursors of the Filipino language, being a predominantly Tagalog-speaking province in Southern Luzon.
The language commission said its historical marker monument aims to recognize the native tongue and dialects widely spoken in the province and in the country; and showcase the Filipino traditional writings, native prose, poetry and literature masterpieces.
The “Bantayog-Wika”, designed by renowned sculptor Luis “Junyee” E. Yee Jr., was inaugurated as one of the highlights of the dual celebrations of “National Language Month” and “History Month” on Aug. 23 with Yee, Batangas culture and language project proponent and partner, Governor Hermilando Mandanas, Prof. Cecil Dimasacat, Director of the Center for Language and Culture and Dr. Purificacion Delima, KWF Comissioner as representative of KWF chairperson and National Artist Virgilio S. Almario.
Also gracing the occasion were Provincial Board Member Claudette Ambida-Alday, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial legislative council) Committee on Tourism, History, Culture and Arts; and Atty. Sylvia M. Marasigan, head of the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office. The monumental pillar designed like a bamboo pole is made of stainless steel and artistically inscribed with the luminous poetry lines of Andres Bonifacio’s “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Bayan” (love of homeland).
Additional information pertaining to the Tagalog dialect are also inscribed on the Batangas marker and are written in Filipino language.
The notable Batangas writers include Teodoro A. Agoncillo (Lemery), Teodoro Kalaw (Lipa City), National Artist for Literature Bienvenido L. Lumbera (Lipa City), Apolinario Mabini (Tanauan City), Padre Vicente Garcia (Maugat), Claro M. Recto (Lipa City) and Gaspar Aquino de Belen (Rosario) for the first published “pasyong tula” (Lenten passion in poetry) in the country “Ang Mahal na Passion ni Iesu Christong P. Natin na Tola.”
According to the KWF, Batangas was chosen as one of the 8th monument sites in the country for being one of the leading native and Filipino-speaking provinces that include Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Marinduque, Mindoro, Nueva Ecija, Palawan, Zambales and the National Capital Region or Metro Manila.
Other language monuments showcasing the country’s 130 native languages as “great cultural heritage”, which will also be similarly established in historical places, are supported by Batangas Senator Loren B. Legarda and the KWF.
The Batangas language monument was made possible after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Batangas provincial government and the KWF last Jan. 29.
Marasigan said the establishment of the historical language monument serves as landmark and repository of the treasured indigenous folk knowledge, quotations and literary works on the early Batangueños and Filipino culture, language, behaviors, traditions and history.
“This provides an intangible cultural heritage of the country due to Batangas’ role in the development and emergence of a national cultural identity, especially on the wealth and richness of the Filipino language,” Marasigan said. (Saul Pa-a/PNA)
