The Legislative Board (LB) of the Nursing Central Board of Students (NCBS) elected last July 8, 2009 a new set of officers, who will initiate the implementation of the recently ratified 2009 College of Nursing Constitution in its one-year transition period.
The LB, composed of the class presidents of the current academic year, elected Vincent Emmanuelle “Bob” Santos as the Speaker of the House, while Christyn Marie Jarlos and Lara Gabrielle Lim were chosen as the Deputy Speaker of the House and the Secretary-General, respectively.
New batch coordinators were also elected in the assembly. Unlike the previous selection process, the whole BOR elected the batch coordinators after the NCBS Executive Board has narrowed down the candidates, in accordance to the new Constitution. Julius Cerda, Lyndcie Lee, Raiza Wan-Wan Chua and Yayyo Gonzales were elected as the batch coordinators of Levels I, II, III and IV, respectively.
Present in the assembly was the Immediate Past Speaker of the House, Valerie Anne Ferma, who gave an orientation to the responsibilities, rules and regulations of the Legislative Board and guided NCBS President Anne Pauline Chosa in the discussion on the organizational chart. Pheelyp Edward Aytona, the proponent of the constitution, also delivered an inspirational talk on the importance of the document to securing the welfare of the student body.
All of the elections were supervised by the Nursing Commission on Elections Chairman Miguel Talavera and his commissioners at the Saint Elizabeth Hall (Room 308).
NASUGBU, BATANGAS—Momentarily, the seniors removed themselves from the droning environment of Manila to immerse in a time of contemplation as class retreats were held every weekend of August this year.
Divided into two sections per weekend, the retreats were held at Caleruega –Philippines, a retreat house which covered a vast area in Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas. The activity was prearranged by the Office of the Regent and the Level IV professors of the college.
“It is a time to spend with the Lord, a time for prayer. For the past three years, the seniors have been with their respective classes and this is an appropriate avenue for them to bond and spend a little time with each other,” said Mrs. Rowena Escolar-Chua, RN, MAN, the level four chairperson and the over-all coordinator for the said event.
Caleruega: A House of Prayer and Renewal
It was a three-hour bus ride from Manila to Caleruega. The comforting and cold environment instantly established the mood for the retreat as the seniors were greeted with the panoramic views of the Tagaytay Mountains.
Upon entering Caleruega, one is drawn to the silence and solemnity of the place. Essentially, it gives a sense of mystery to its visitors as it celebrates the gift of life and the beauty of creation.
Act of Kindness
Different sessions were held every day, led by retreat masters Fr. Nilo Lardizabal, OP, the Provincial Secretary of the Dominican Province of the Philippines and Fr. Stephen Redillas, OP, the Director of Caleruega-Philippines.
Fr. Julius Factora, OP, the regent of the UST-CON was also present during the three-day retreat and gave inspirational talks to the seniors.
The talks focused on certain topics such as work, stress, and issues of sex, love and the shifting ideology of the youth. In one of his talks, Fr. Nilo told the seniors “to appreciate nature, which is rarely done in Manila.”
Indeed, with the pressing load and the requirements faced by the seniors, they have been “too busy meeting demands that they fail to look at the simple things—and they miss the most significant things.”
One of the highlights in the retreat was called the “Act of Kindness” in which every person shall briefly express the traits that they admire about every single person in the class. These affirmative, comforting and positive words, did not fail to draw tears from some of the seniors. Every session had its premise on the question: “Why are you here?” This has forwarded a sense of purpose for the graduating batch as they are on the verge of undertaking very important decisions in their lives.
“I have seen lives being destroyed just because these people don’t have any purpose in life,” Fr. Factora, said during one of the talks and challenged the seniors to “love and move for a purpose.”
A Transfiguration
Aside from the sessions, the participants also received the sacrament of Reconciliation. “I'd never forget the feeling after I've confessed for the first time in 11 years, seemed like I've seen all my demons scamper away,” said Mikkel Aaron Yap, IV-10.
According to Mr. John Vincent Ignacio, one of the retreat guardians, it is “basically a time for the seniors to rest, to renew and to reflect.” Each class was accompanied by their respective advisers and some of the faculty members of the college.
“The lower batches only have an annual recollection and it is only when you are in the fourth year that you are allowed to officially leave your books and requirements to devote a serious time of prayer,” Mrs. Escolar-Chua told the Nursing Journal.
The retreat culminated in a Thanksgiving Sunday mass at the grand Transfiguration chapel concelebrated by Fr. Redillas, OP and Fr. Factora, OP.
The UST CON excellence and competence was once again proven by its Batch 2009 graduates last June 7 and 8, 2009 as they have garnered a 99% passing rate, as released by the Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC).
Of the 50 topnotchers, 26 came from the UST College of Nursing.
5th Place (85.80%)
Marco M. Dometita
Margaret C. Encarnacion
Marc B. Marzan
6th Place (85.60%)
Lisa Angelica V. Evangelista
7th Place (85.20%)
Adrian Patrick P.Calimag
Aaron M. Esporlas
8th Place (85.00%)
Mary Joy S.Crisostomo
David John Gabriel E.Cristobal
Libby Joy R. Evangelista
Ginille Marie G. Visaya
9th Place (84.80%)
Helene Marie M. Calderon
Abigail Ann B. Candelario
Jan Benson T. Chan
Anna Melissa S. L
Johanna T. Yu
10th Place (84.60%)
Angela Carmela F. Agbay
Pheelyp Edward C. Aytona
Julienne Katrina B. Beltran
Marie Rosario A. Brilliante
Jasper Q. Castillo
Jose Mari Niño L.Cuarto
Abigail Joanna U. Doluntap
Jana F. Fragante
Divina Viktoria P.La Torre
Rachel R. Milante
Christelle Miracle-An Q. Santiago
The oath-taking ceremony of the board passers was held on August 18 and 19, with morning and afternoon sessions at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City. Administrators, professors, and nursing students altogether rejoiced for another outstanding accomplishment of the Thomasian nurses. Congratulations to all the top notchers!
The UST College of Nursing (CON) faculty and students are in for a real change this year as new appointments have been made not only for the executive positions in the administration but also for the student organizations as well. UST-CON Regent, Rev. Fr. Julius Paul C. Factora, RN, O.P. shares, “It’s time now for a change since the two-year maximum term of some organization advisers already ended. Plus, it is also a means of professional development for the faculty members and for the organization itself”.
Newly added in the Organization Advisers roster is clinical instructor, Mr. Dennis Cuadra, RN for Red Cross Youth Council (RCYC)– Nursing Unit, replacing former RCYC adviser, Asst. Prof. Thelma Abellardo RN, MEd. “My experience working as the NCBS 2002-2003 Vice President really helped me a lot in the managerial aspect,” Cuadra says in an interview with the Nursing Journal. He adds, “My plan as the new RCYC adviser is to make the organization more visible with the primary goal of organizing the [RCYC] system first as an organization.”
From one organization to another, former Medical Missions Inc. – Nursing Group (MMI) adviser, JN Junille Paat, RN, MHSS is now the Pax Romana adviser. Pax Romana was formerly under the supervision of Asst. Prof. Editha Ocampo, BS Med Tech., MEd. “As the new organization adviser, I plan to have more activities that will foster camaraderie among members as well as meet the main objective of Pax Romana, which is to share the peace of Christ to the whole nursing community,” says Paat.
Filling the newly vacated Medical Missions Inc. – Nursing Group advisoral seat is Ms. Brenda Luy, RN. “I want to supervise the students in dealing with missions and maximize their skill/potential wherein MMI would serve as their training ground. I would also like to emphasize the spirit of volunteerism among the students and make them aware of the different situations in the country thus making them more open-minded.” As for plans as an organization adviser, she aims to nurture potential student leaders as well as make the group more independent. “Kung baga, support lang ako, sila na ung magcarry-out”, she says.
Meanwhile, the rest of the student organizations retain their advisers: Ms. Estelle Rose Lerma, RN (Nursing Chorale), Assoc. Prof. Elmer C. Hibek, Ph.D. (Nursing Journal), Ms. Monaryn Borbo, RN (Nursing Dance Troupe), Ms. Melanie Turingan, MA (Nursing Association of Student Achievers), Mr. John Vincent Ignacio, AB (Nursing Varsity Council) and Mr. Gian Carlo Torres RN, MAN and Assoc. Prof. Anita Cabezon, RN, MPH (Nursing Central Board of Students).
As a response to the first confirmed case of A(H1N1) in St. Martin de Porres building, the UST College of Nursing suspended classes from June 22 to 29 after a one-week class which had started on June 15.
The University of Santo Tomas rescheduled the opening of classes to June 15 as a precautionary measure after the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in the Philippines last summer. Being a highly communicable infection, the number of infected persons quickly rose and caused panic among the people.
To prevent the spread of A(H1N1), the university declared a 10-day quarantine period to any students or faculty who came from abroad prior to the beginning of classes. On the first day of classes, necessary reminders to avoid the transmission of the disease were given to the students. “Red fans” and posters containing precautionary measures were handed out and posted correspondingly; the most prominent notice was the poster displayed at the entrance of St. Martin de Porres Bldg.
The delay of the classes significantly affected the academic calendar for this school year, and necessary adjustments had to be made by both the students and the faculty. Despite said adjustments and the shortened time frame, the lectures of the topics needed for the grading period were still completed and discussed effectively.
Last July 22, 2009, the UST Central Student Council (CSC) organized the “SIGAW DILAW Day” in anticipation for the “Aba USTe na Ako” freshmen celebration and the traditional Thomasian Welcome Walk (TWW). The TWW, which was attended by 564 nursing students was conducted last July 24. CSC encouraged the freshmen students to wear yellow on the said day to instill a sense of pride and identity as Thomasian students.
Despite the A(H1N1) scare, the event was pushed through with the combined efforts of the CSC, Office of Student Affairs (OSA), and Office of the Secretary General.
The highlights of TWW were the Eucharistic celebration and the tradition of passing through the Arch of the Centuries. The 5:30 PM mass was led by Rector Fr. Rolando De La Rosa, O.P. It was then followed by the Thomasian Welcome Rites. The event concluded with an evening concert featuring rock bands such as Spongecola, Chicosci, and Sandwich.
For the past years, leadership training seminars were held annually in the USTCollege of Nursing. For the AY 2009-2010, the Nursing Central Board of Students (NCBS) prepared a more challenging and more motivating series of events for this year’s 3-day Leadership Training Camp (LTC) entitled “Transcend: Going Above and Beyond the Call of Duty”.
Last August 7, 2009, the NCBS gathered all the participants for the seminar in the Nursing Auditorium and gave them a taste of what’s in store for them in the next few days as they were given a rundown of the activities and the speakers that will hopefully inspire them to be better leaders. To ensure an orderly and fruitful occasion, rules and agendas for the camp activities were also presented that afternoon. At the same time, the participants were already randomly divided into twelve teams with a team color assigned to each.
On the day of the departure, the student leaders gathered as early as 5 AM and arrived at Caliraya, Laguna by 10 AM. After everyone has settled down, Mr. Michael Angelo Malicsi, Executive Secretary to the Rector of the University of Santo Tomas, began the seminar with a speech on “Acceptance” wherein he focused on acceptance in love, death, failure and identity. According to him, everything begins with acceptance, especially before we begin to “believe”. Acceptance is the most important in love, death, failure and identity. He further added that we must refuse to measure ourselves to other people’s expectations in order for us to accept ourselves.
This was then followed by the lecture about “Believing” presented by Mr. John Vincent Ignacio, Chief Executive Officer of Alchemists, Inc., a group that aims to empower students through self-awareness by delivering an inspirational talk. Mr. Ignacio mentioned that since we can’t control our environment, it is important for us to assess our own behavior (which is the easiest to change since it only involves ourselves), attitudes and beliefs, which will eventually lead us to change ourselves.
After the talk, the Amazing Race took place. Focused on a moral about leadership, each station prepared for the participants had tasks to be carried out. They used the point system, wherein merits and demerits were given according to how well the tasks were performed. This was used to determine the winning team of the race and of the other camp activities.
According to Mr. Gian Carlo Sy Torres, RN, MAN, the adviser of the NCBS, teamwork was established throughout the activities. The proof, he said, was seen when the participants were grouped randomly. Most of them didn’t know one another; however, they bonded and they became very supportive of one another in every task they performed. He also emphasized that “every moment is a choice”, and this was the focus of the race because decision-making is an important skill that every student leader needs to develop.
Thereafter, a socialization party followed
A socialization party, where each team was given a chance to perform, capturing everyone’s attention, then took place that same night.
The following day, Mr. Torres discussed the significance of every station in the Amazing Race and how it represented the participants’ decision-making as a team and as leaders. Afterwards, a video presentation in honor of the late President Corazon Aquino was shown, followed by a moment of silence and prayer.
Assoc. Prof. Glenda Vargas, RN, MAN, the Dean of the USTCollege of Nursing, graced the event for the “Dialogue with the Dean,” where she had a forum with the well-represented student leaders to hear out their concerns. As student advocates, the student leaders of the USTCollege of Nursing were able to raise a number of subject matters, which Dean Vargas assured to evaluate and take action. One of these concerns was regarding the loyalty of the nursing students to the university. Mr. Torres commented that although they may launch projects to instill loyalty unto the students, the rest is still up to their willingness, dedication, passion and support.
Upon arriving at UST, the participants attended the Sunday mass at the Santissimo Rosario Parish.
But the activities didn’t end there. The last guest speaker was not able to attend the series of events in Laguna; however, it was arranged that on the afternoon of August 10, 2009, the third and last address will be presented. The Assistant to the Rector for Student Affairs, Assoc. Prof. Cristina Castro-Cabral, Ph.D., delivered an inspirational talk to the LTC participants who gathered at the Nursing Auditorium. She presented a lecture on the subject of “Dare”. According to Dr. Cabral, we should dare to love because leadership is about life and molding it—and in life, we obtain wounds and these show that we love. “Mad generosity is what leaders must exemplify in order to express true love to those whom leaders serve,” says Dr. Cabral. She reminded us that since we are substantially vulnerable, then we can be courageous. Also, Dr. Cabral pointed out that Thomasians should be proud of their university; and, she observed that this is manifested in the UAAP games wherein whether win or lose, Thomasians stay until the end of the game to sing the university song.
At the end of the seminar, the Yellow team, composed of Jeremiah Chua, Kathleen Cruz, Lara Jane Ferrer, Paula Evangelista, Kiam Tadle, Philias Sajor, Joshua Nocom, Michael Cruz and Joseph Steven Macaraig, emerged as the overall champion.
As the LTC finally came to a close, a great credit was given to the NCBS, who had been very resourceful and flexible in delivering a successful event. It ended with a hope that all the students would put to heart the theme of the event: lead on and serve going above and beyond the call of duty.
The science of human psyche and behavior goes hand-in-hand with academic performance – all the time.
As nurses-in-the-making, we feel the need to create a balance between a busy mind and a positive mentality to function well as a healthy person. Given the hectic schedule nursing students have, not to mention the sometimes grueling school work, there arises a need for someone who can help us pull through with our problems.
We are talking about no other than our new guidance counselor, Ms. Christine Garinganao. A licensed guidance counselor and a full-pledged Thomasian herself, she completed her high school education at the UST High School and finished B.S. Psychology at the UST-College of Science. She is currently taking up her Masteral of Arts in Psychology at the UST Graduate School. Both the juniors and seniors, whom she now handles, could reach her at her office in Room 408, while the freshmen and the sophomores are still under the supervision of Ma’am Nette Cervantes.
Ma’am Ten, as she prefers to be called, didn’t really have Psychology as her first choice when she enrolled for college here in the University of Santo Tomas. Being a graduate of UST High School, she garnered a GPA that allowed her to choose from a roster of study programs. Ma’am Ten narrates, “At first, I chose to go for Engineering since I really idolize my father who is an engineer. But when I saw the subjects that I’m going to take, I told myself, ‘Puro Math! Baka hindi ko ito kayanin!’ So I had a discussion with my parents and they wanted me to take Medicine. They suggested that I should take Psychology because according to them, if ever I won’t be a successful doctor; I will still have a fallback as a Psychology degree-holder. I could work at a human resources department or as a guidance counselor in a school”. So I took their advice and enrolled at the College of Science, keeping in mind that I’ll pursue Medicine. When I was on my last year in college, parang ayaw ko nang mag-Med, so when I graduated I applied here in the university and I was hired as a guidance counselor”. She had been the guidance counselor of the College of Education, and of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences before she landed a spot here in the College of Nursing.
When asked about her first impression of the students in the College of Nursing, she said that she thought that the nursing students do not have time for activities other than academic activities. But the moment she took on the job, she could not prove herself any more wrong. In fact, she has seen how active the students are in their extra-curricular engagements during the organization fair – right on her very first day of work. Happy about what she found out, she became even more eager to work with the students and thus, has now began devising her plans and goals for this school year.
She hopes to reach out to as many students as possible and to invest time on getting to know more about the college. Moreover, the Guidance and Counseling Department has quite a number of special programs for every student’s counseling concerns. Among them are: Empowerment Program for STAR (Students at Risk), Life Enrichment Program for Children of Single Parent Families (including Migrant Parents – OFW), The Achiever’s Program (UST-TAP), Freshmen Academic Competence Enhancement (F.A.C.E.), Leadership Workshop, Career Seminar Series (CarSem) and Roadmap to Self-Discovery.
She relates: “As agreed upon, our office will focus on the Peer Facilitators Training Program and the Career Seminar Series. Of course, this will only be successful if there would be active participation from our students. Some of the services that we also hope to work on are the testing and research. As of this time, we have already conducted our testing program and we intend to give it to all year levels.”
With regards to the Peer Facilitators Training Program, Ma’am Ten would like to invite the students to be, as the program suggests, peer facilitators. The program is geared towards developing student facilitators through various seminars and sessions and referring students who are in need of assistance for counseling. The premise is that, since these student facilitators are close to their peers or to the students per se, they would be able to foster a sense of guidance and serve as a helping hand to the student body. As the extension arm of the guidance and counseling department, the peer facilitators would help in the promotion of the said department’s services, such as the taking personality tests that cater most especially to students who wants to know themselves more. Ma’am Ten said that her department plans to gather the different peer facilitators from various colleges so that they may interact with each other and share their experiences and gain more insight.
Ma’am Ten’s personal goals for her inception as a guidance counselor in the College of Nursing are focused on providing the different services to the third year and fourth year students. She said that she is still in the adjustment stage, testing the waters, and that the appraisal tests will help her start the provision of guidance services to the students.
Other than being a guidance counselor, Ma’am Ten hasn’t tried other jobs in line with her field. She says, “I won’t stay in this career for so long if I’m not happy with it. My profession is a helping profession - just like nursing. Iba ‘yung fulfillment that you are able to help others. The reward is not tangible but it is something that you can bring with you as you nurture your life as a person”.
Though she has just spent a few months in our college, Ms. Garinganao already has something to say about its students. She said that the students, faculty, administration and support staff show respect and concern for each other, emitting positive vibes that produce a warm atmosphere within the institution.
“We have intelligent and diligent students who remain humble despite their achievements. I believe that it’s a meaningful value that our students here possess” remarked Ms. Garinganao.
Looking forward to know the Thomasian Nursing Community and ever glad to be of assistance, Ms. Garinganao is encouraging students to visit their offices and to avail the different programs and services that are being provided. She is indeed excited to finally commence on implementing the programs their department has planned on. She said that she is happy to be with people whom she deems easy and pleasurable to work with. As much as you are happy to work in our college, we, the Thomasian Nursing students feel lucky and equally happy to welcome you to the College of Nursing Community as our new guidance counselor!
***Fun Facts
“I studied Spanish and German at Goethe Institut though I’m not fluent with it”.
“I have a dog named Ashley who is a mix of a shih tzu and a terrier”
“I’ve already climbed Mt. Pulag with my co-guidance counselors”
“The different college week intermissions numbers are one of the most unforgettable moments in my career as a guidance counselor”
“Anong lahi kayo sa kinabukasan? Isang bayang walang kaluluwa, isang bayang walang kalayaan na , lahat nang bagay ay hiram ultimong kasalanan at kabiguan?”
—Simoun, tauhan sa nobelang gawa ni Jose Rizal na El Filibuterismo
Ano ba ang nagbibigay sa bansa ng kanyang kaluluwa? Maraming bagay ang maaaring magbigay-buhay sa isang bansa: ang kalayaan, kadakilaan ng mga mamamayan, kultura at mga tradisyon. Ngunit ang maituturing na pinakamahalaga sa mga ito ay ang pagkakaroon ng isang wikang pambansa.
Ang wikang pambansa ang siyang bumubuo sa ating pagka-Pilipino. Ito ang tatak ng ating lahi at ang simbolo ng ating pagkakabuklud-buklod. Ito ang nagsisilbing tanda ng ating pag-ibig sa sariling bayan—ang natatanging kayamanan na matatawag na atin lamang.
Hindi lingid sa atin na ang Pilipinas ay binubuo ng humigit kumulang na 7,100 mga pulo, na pinaninirahan ng milyung-milyong Pilipinong gumagamit ng 87 na iba’t ibang dayalekto. Bukod pa rito ay sinakop din ang ating bansa ng mga dayuhang Kastila, Amerikano at Hapon. Kaya naman, kung pagbabatayan ang kasaysayan ng ating bansa, hindi madali ang naging proseso ng pagsusuri kung aling wika ang siyang hihiranging wikang pambansa.
Sa bawat pagkakataong tayo’y nangailangan ng wikang maitututuring ng lahat bilang pambansang wika, gaya ng pagbubuo ng iba’t iba nating mga saligang batas, marami ang naging mungkahi hinggil sa pagpili ng dayalektong itatakda bilang wikang pambansa. Napabilang sa mga mungkahing ito ang kaisipang maaaring itakdang pambansang wika ang Espanyol, lalo na noong bagong-laya ang Pilipinas mula sa mga Kastila noong 1898. Ito ay sapagkat matagal na rin itong gamit bilang wika sa Pilipinas. Noong panahon ng pananakop ng Amerika, naimungkahi ang Ingles na siya namang itakda bilang wikang pambansa dahil sa ito ang naging wikang gamit sa pakikipagtalastasan ukol sa ekonomiya at pulitika. Bukod sa dalawang wikang ito, marami pang ibang katutubong wika mula sa iba’t ibang rehiyon ng bansa ang sinuri upang tanghaling wikang pambansa. Ayon kay Ginoong Virgilio Almario, mula sa kanyang sanaysay na Bakit Kailangan ng Filipino ang Filipino?:
Ito’y dahil sa higit na nanaig sa kanila ang paniniwala na higit tayong magkakaisa bilang isang bansa at makakapagsarili sa politika at ekonomiya kung isang wikang katutubo sa atin ang ating wikang pambansa. Ang paniniwalang ito ay bahagi ng matinding nasyonalismo na dulot ng nakaraang Himagsikang Filipino at maalab na maalab pa noon sa puso ng mga lider at naging delegado sa kumbensiyong pansaligang-batas.
Noong ika-13 ng Setyembre 1936, sa bisa ng Batas Komonwelt Blg. 184 ay naitatag ang Surian ng Wikang Pambansa. Ang mga kinatawan ng suriang ito ay mula sa iba’t ibang dako ng Pilipinas. Matapos ang pagsusuri sa iba’t ibang wikang ginagamit ng bansa, nanaig ang wikang katutubong Tagalog, sapagkat: 1) ito ang gamit na wika sa Maynila na siyang sentro ng pamahalaan at kalakalan; 2) nagtataglay ang Tagalog ng pinakamayamang talasalitaan at panitikan; 3) madali itong mapag-aralan at maintindihan; 4) pinakalaganap ang paggamit ng dayalektong ito sa buong kapuluan.
Ayon kay Dr. Pamela Contantino, isang mananaliksik, sa artikulo niyang Tagalog Pilipino/Filipino: Do they Differ?,sa bisa ng Executive Order No. 134 na nilagdaan ni Pangulong Quezon noong ika-30 ng Disyembre 1937, ay kinilala ang Tagalog bilang basehan ng pagbubuo ng Wikang Pambansa. Idinagdag niya na mula sa taong 1940 ay hango na sa wikang Tagalog ang wikang gamit sa mga pampubliko at pribadong paaralan. Ngunit nabago ito nang itakda ang Saligang Batas ng 1987, na kung saan Filipino na ang siyang nakasaad bilang wikang pambansa. Maaaring maituring ito na kabuuan ng ebolusyon ng wikang Tagalog: mula sa pagiging dayalekto lamang ng isang pangkat etniko hanggang sa pagiging wikang pangkalahatan ng bansa.
Samakatuwid, ilang siglo ang ating binilang upang magkaroon lamang ng iisang wikang bibigkis sa ating lahi. Marubdob na pagsusuri at paghahanap ang isinigawa ng ating mga mananaliksik at mga dalubhasa upang makamit ang wikang matatawag nating atin. Ngayon, masasabi na nating natagpuan na natin ang “kaluluwang” bubuhay muli sa ating Inang Bayan. Ngunit, bakit kung kailan natagpuan na natin ang matagal na hinahanap ay ngayon pa natin ibabaon sa limot ang kahalagahan ng pagkakaroon ng isang wikang pambansa?
Kung ang pagbabatayan ay ang kasalukuyang panahon, nakalulungkot na isiping kakaunti lamang ang nagpupugay sa wikang pambansa. Kung papasok ka sa mga silid-aralan, maririnig palagi na tampulan ng mga kutsa ang mga mag-aaral na hirap mag-Ingles, kahit pa marurunong sila sa wikang Filipino. Tumatatak kasi sa isipan ng marami na kung hindi ka marunong magsalita ng Ingles ay mahirap ka at mababa ang iyong pinag-aralan. Kung ating iisiping mabuti, hindi ba’t dapat mas mahalin pa natin ang mga kababayan na bagamat hindi mahusay mag-Ingles ay mahusay naman sa pagbigkas ng ating sariling wika?
Maliban sa higit na pagtangkilik ng maraming Pilipino sa wikang Ingles kaysa sa wikang Filipino, ay mayroon pang ibang mga usapin kung saan ay pinagtatalunan ng maraming mga kritiko ang wikang Filipino. Ito na rin ay ayon kay Virgilio Almario sa kanyang sanaysay na Bakit Kailangan ng Filipino ang Filipino?. Dito ay inilahad niya ang ilan sa mga dahilan kung bakit maraming tumutuligsa sa wikang Filipino.
·Unang pagtutol: Tagalog lamang ang Filipino. Bagama’t matagal nang nasagot ang isyung ito, para sa ikalilinaw ng marami, ang Tagalog at Filipino ay hindi iisa. Batay sa mga sulatin ni Dr. Pamela Constantino, ang wikang katutubong Tagalog ay iba sa Filipino, pagkat ang wikang Filipino ay ang kabuuang bunga ng ebolusyon ng wikang Tagalog kasama ang pagbabago dulot ng impluwensya ng wikang Kastila at Ingles.
·Ikalawang pagtutol: Maituturing na mas mababang uri ng wika ang Filipino sa Ingles. Ito’y kaugnay na rin ng paggamit ng nasabing dayuhang wika sa mataas na antas ng pag-aaral, gaya ng agham at matematika. Ngunit kung tutuusin, pantay-pantay naman ang lahat ng wika. Nakasalalay lamang ito sa tao kung paano niya ito ipagbubunyi sa pamamagitan ng paggamit nito sa pakikipagtalastasan.
Dagdag pa ni Almario, bagama’t sa dalawang aspeto lamang umiikot ang pagtutol ng mga kritiko, nagsisimula na rin gamitin ang “globalisasyon” bilang sangkalan upang ipagdiinan na ang Ingles ay makatutulong sa atin upang tayo’y maging “globally competitive”. Sabi pa nga ng iba, maaari ka namang maging makabayan kahit hindi ka madalas magsalita ng Filipino. Sa madaling sabi, mas mainam na maging magaling ka sa Ingles dahil makakatulong ito sa iyo kapag ika’y maghahanap-buhay sa ibang bansa. Higit nga namang magiging kapaki-pakinabang ang Pilipino kung siya’y makapagdadala ng limpak-limpak na salaping maaaring maging pambayad-utang ng Pilipinas.
Nakadudurog ng puso na makita ang ganitong sitwasyon. Kung sa bagay, hindi natin masisisi ang marami sa ating mga kababayang naghahangad lamang na mapaganda ang buhay ng kanilang mga pamilya. Hindi rin naman lingid sa atin ang mga kakulangan at kahingian ng ating ekonomiyang baon sa utang at kulang sa oportunidad. Ngunit hindi magandang ikatwiranang pagkalimot sa wikang naging bunga ng ating masalimuot na kasaysayan. Maaaring ang pagkatuto ng Ingles o kahit ano pa mang wika ang siyang makapag-aaangat ng ating karunungan, ngunit bakit kailangan pang ibaon sa limot ang wikang bumuklod sa ating lahat?
Wika nga ni Dr. Isidro Dyan, isang dalubhasa sa wika:
“Malaking kahihiyan para sa bansa kapag mayroong ginagamit na wikang dayuhan subalit di nag-aangkin ng sariling wikang pambansa. Kailangang magkaroon ng wikang pambansa upang malinang ang pambansang paggalang at pagkilala sa sarili.”
Huwag sana nating kalimutan ang matagal na pinagdaanan ng ating bansa mahanap lamang natin ang wikang magbubuklod sa atin. Mahalin at pagyamanin ang pambansang wika. Ating ipagmalaki ang wikang bumigkis sa ating lahi at nagbigay-diwa sa ating bayan: angwikang Filipino.
