MALAYBALAY CITY–The country’s 6th Bantayog-Wika has been installed at the Bukidnon Provincial Freedom Park, Capitol Compound, Malaybalay City early this week.
Installed on Monday, July 9, the monument is an acknowledgement to the local Binukid language, said Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) chairperson and National Artist Virgilio S. Almario,
Almario said Bukidnon’s Bantayog-Wika is the second of its kind in Mindanao after a similar monument was put up in Mati City, Davao Oriental, which recognizes the Manday’a language.
For the Bukidnon Bantayog-Wika, the poem of Gat Andres Bonifacio entitled “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Bayan” is inscribed in the monument.
As seen in the translation below the monument, the poem is composed of four lines with three paragraphs using the Baybayin language.
Almario said the Bantayog-Wika for the Binukid language reflects the government’s effort to preserve local languages in the country.
He underscored the importance of language, saying it is the main source of memory and “all wisdom and history.”
“The Philippines has 131 languages. That means many languages are used in the native language. At least we need to have 131 monuments to be built country-wide,” Almario said.
But Almario said locals often do not value their own language “because it is not used and studied.”
He said this was the reason why Senator Loren Legarda — the main proponent of Bantayog-Wika–initiated the project.
The National Artist said another Bantayog-Wika to symbolize importance of the Manobo tongue may be installed somewhere in the southern part of Bukidnon.
Loreta Sol Dinlayan, head of of Bukidnon State University (BukSU) Ethno Cultural Museum in Malaybalay City, said the Binukid language is spoken by Bukidnon, Higaonon and Talaandig tribes inhabiting the northern part of Bukidnon, particularly along the Tagoloan River and Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon.
“The Bantayog-Wika shows that Bukidnon has its own language. If the Datus and Baes are here today, surely they will be very glad for Bukidnon having this Bantayog-Wika installed,” said Dinlayan, daughter of late Bukidnon Vice Governor Lorenzo “Aki” Dinlayan Sr., himself a tribal leader.
She also shared that cultural communities in the southern part of Bukidnon are commonly using another local tongue, which is Manobo. She said the Manobo language keeps the rich culture and tradition of Mt. Kalatungan and Pulangui River. (Mel B. Madera/PNA)
