DFA Holds Virtual Lecture, Workshop on Philippine Indigenous Scripts
“There is no History without our own Culture, Literature, and most of all, our own Language.” Undersecretary Ernesto C. Abella opens the event with an inspiring message.
PASAY CITY 26 August 2020 – In commemoration of “Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa” and “Buwan ng Kasaysayan”, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) held a workshop entitled, “Sulat Sinauna: Talakayan Tungkol sa mga Sinaunang Sulat ng Bansa” on 22 August 2020 via its Facebook page.
The workshop was also simulcasted on the Facebook pages of the National Quincentennial Committee (NQC), National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and Project Saysay, and shared by Foreign Service Posts on their respective Facebook pages. During its live stream, an average of 450 viewers streamed the video, reaching up to more than 500 viewers at some point. The video has over 49,000 views on FB as of this writing.
The workshop is made available to the public at the DFA fb page https://www.facebook.com/dfaphl/videos/2666086000299326/.
The program began with remarks from Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Strategic Communications and Research Ernesto Abella who underscored the importance of understanding one’s history, literature, and language, as these are the roots of one’s heritage.
Project Saysay Executive Director John Paul Abellera then gave his insights on the relevance of the origins of the Filipino language and its system of writing.
A short lecture on ancient Philippine scripts was given by NHCP Senior History Researcher Ian Christopher Alfonso, tracing the roots of other regional scripts and the civilization of the pre-colonial Filipinos as evidenced by artefacts inscribed with various scripts.
The workshop proper on Baybayin, led by Mr. Leo Emmanuel Castro of Sanghabi taught participants the basics of writing in Baybayin, where Mr. Castro shared the four rules of Baybayin. The workshop then concluded with an open forum wherein at least 20 online participants raised their questions.
Participants who registered for the event were able to get their certificates through the Quincentennial Online Lecture Portal of NQC. Out of the 300 participants who initially registered, majority were ages 21-30, with a 17-year-old male registrant being the youngest.
This project was organized by the DFA Office of Strategic Communications and Research – Cultural Diplomacy Division in collaboration with Project Saysay. It is an official activity of NQC. END
Project Saysay Executive Director JP Abellera speaks on behalf of Project Saysay in acknowledging the relevance of studying the Philippine ancient scripts.
NHCP History Researcher Ian Christopher Alfonso (inset) shows a page of Doctrina Cristiana, which shows the use of Baybayin script in propagating the Catholic faith.
Mr. Leo Emmanuel Castro of Sanghabi, an engineer by profession, conducts his basic Baybayin workshop to some 450 online participants.
OSCR-CDD Principal Assistant Paola Ebora (top left) moderates the Q&A after Mr Leo Emmanuel Castro’s (top right) and Mr Ian Christopher Alfonso’s (bottom) workshop and lecture. (DFA Photos)