1
KAGANDAHAN NG WIKANG FILIPINO:
PAGSUSURI SA IBA'T IBANG LARANGAN
Fr. Anselm M. Manalastas, O.S.B.
The Filipino language is beautiful. This beauty is manifested in the many facets
of life such as literature, folklore, customs, traditions, and even cuisine. These we have
inherited from our forefathers and mothers.
This paper will examine the beauty of the Filipino language in relation to these
facets of life. It will also present contemporary issues (like globalization, media,
migration) that pose problems in the use and appreciation of the language. Finally, the
paper will present some suggestions to address said problems.
The paper will include the following:
1 . The Beauty of the Filipino Language and its use in:
Literature
Customs
Traditions
Cuisine
2 . The Filipino Language in Relation to Contemporary Issues
3 . Conclusion and Recommendations
Methodology:
The paper will present samples/vignettes of the above areas that manifest the
beauty of the Filipino language. Then the presenter shall relate some of the
contemporary issues that pose problems/complications in the appreciation of the
Filipino language. There will be some suggestions that will be given to the audience.
Discussion:
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (November 30, 1863 – May 10, 1897), Filipino
nationalist, revolutionary and founder and leader of the Katipunan, wrote:
“Ytong katagalugan na pinamamahalaan ng unang Panahon ng ating tunay na
mga kababayan niyaong hindi pa tumutuntong sa mga lupaing ito ang mga
kastila ay nabubuhay sa lubos na kasaganaan, at kaguinhawahan. Kasundo niya
2
ang mga kapit bayan…sila’y kabilihan at kapalitan ng mga kalakal malabis ang
pagyabong ng lahat ng pinagkakakitaan, kaya’t dahil dito’y mayaman ang
kaasalan ng lahat, bata’t matanda at sampung mga babae ay marunong sumulat
ng talagang pagsulat nating mga tagalog.” (“Ang Dapat na Mabatid ng mga
Tagalog” in The Writings of Andres Bonifacio, 68)
The early inhabitants of the Philippines had a culture, which they inherited from
their forebears. This was even before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores. That
culture spans the various spectra of social living, including trade and even their mores
and behaviour. The early Filipinos had their own language and a corresponding way of
writing, what we refer to as the alibata.1
Life in pre-colonial Philippines must have been pleasant if not idyllic. There was
prosperity in the land and the local rulers managed the society. There was freedom;
and although the natives traded with foreign merchants who frequented their shores,
foreign domination was unheard of. This freedom may be attributed to the fact that the
ealy Filipinos had their own language. By means of that language, they communicated
their ideas and feelings, their dreams and aspirations. Through their native language,
they communicated their longings and hopes. Through their native language, the
natives of the Philippines manifested their natural creativity and artistry.
Of creativity and the Filipino language, literature, folklore, customs, traditions,
and cuisine are veritable treasures. In the various literary traditions and forms of the
Islands, in the many folklores and traditions, in the color and drama that is Philippine
cuisine, one may glean upon the creative character of the Filipino People and Language.
Thanks to the painstaking efforts of Filipino researchers, knowledge and
discovery of the beauty of our native culture are more and more becoming possible.
A Note on the Nuances of Filipino
There are nuances in every language. According to Jose Rizal (June 19, 1861December 30, 1896), these make it impossible to fully translate words from one language
to another, for the thoughts in the minds and the sentiments in the hearts of people who
speak a certain language do not have an equivalent in another.2
Moreover, Filipino has characteristics that highlight the nuances of words. One
such characteristic is that the same word can mean different things. For example,
langgam can refer to an animal that crawls (an ant) and it can also mean an animal that
1
or Baybayin, known in Unicode as the Tagalog script, is a pre-Spanish Philippine writing system that
originated from the Javanese script Old Kawi. The writing system is a member of the Brahmic family (and
an offshoot of the Vatteluttu alphabet) and is believed to have been in use as early as the 14th century. It
continued in use during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines up until the late 19th Century. The
term baybayin literally means syllables.
2
José Rizal, El Filibusterismo, trans. Maria Odulio de Guzman (Manila: National Bookstore, 1997), 57.
3
flies (a bird in the Visayas)! Another is ibon which is an animal that flies (a bird) and a
fowl that is still inside the shell (egg in Pampanga)! In the Philippines, galaw is a verb
that can either mean “to move” something or “to act”. Still more, it can mean “to have
(sexual) relations”. In Batangas (a Southern Tagalog province), however, galaw means
“to make fun” of somebody. The Batangueno therefore says, “Ay sya, ginalaw niya ako
kagabi!” ( S/he made fun of me last night!) For people from Bulacan (a Central Luzon
province), maglandi means “to flirt”. But in Laguna and Rizal (Southern Tagalog
provinces), it would mean “to take a bath”.
Filipino is also onomatopoeiac, i.e., words imitate or suggest the source of the
sound they describe. Example of these are:
1. Kumakaluskos (moving cautiously and carefully, under the cloak of secrecy)
2. Rumaragasa (raging)
3. Bumulwak (overflowing, welling up)
4. Dumadagungdong (thundering)
5. Humahagunot (hushing)
6. Humahampas (beating, buffeting)
7. Humahagibis (rushing)
8. Kumakalembang (literally, making noise like a bell)
9. Kumakalam (growling stomach)
10. Lumalangitngit (creaking)
11. Lumalagapak (blagging)
12. Umiingit (creaking [door])
13. Tumatalbog (dribbling)
14. Kumikiskis (scratching)
15. Tumatagas (leaking)
16. Pumapagaspas (swishing)
17. Sumisipol (whistling)
18. Sumusutsot (this is imposible to translate in english)
19. Lumalagitik (creeking)
20. Nagngangatal (gnashing)
21. Nagngangalit (grinding with anger)
22. Sumusuwit (like sipol, this is imposible to translate)
23. Humuhuni (chirping)
24. Pumapatak (dropping/leaking)
25. Lumalawiswis (wind hushing through bamboos))
26. Pumapalakpak (clapping)
Filipino is a Vibrant Language
Filipino is a vibrant language. In it, words change their meaning by the addition of a
mere letter or two. An example is the word uwi (go home). Uwi becomes umuwi is the
past tense (Umuwi na siya = He went home); umuuwi (He is on his way home) is the
present tense; uuwi o pauwi (Uuwi si Pepe = Pepe will go home). The meaning of this
word becomes different in uwi nang uwi (always going home), kauuwi lang (just arrived
4
home), uwi (pasalubong = souvenir), kauuwian (hahantungan = end result). Uwi can
also be the favourite of students in uwian (dismissal)!
Moreover, in Filipino, one may exchange and reverse syllables, with the result that
the meaning of the word changes: bilbil (baby fats) can become liblib (forested,
wilderness), ladlad (spread [a mantle]) becomes daldal (to talk endlessly, to blabber,
sipsip (to sip) becomes pispis (to wipe), kaskas (scratch) becomes saksak (to purge), tastas
(tear) becomes satsat (again, to talk), katkat (to comprehend, to grasp) becomes taktak (to
shake), sabsab (voracious eating, usually attributed to poultry animals) becomes basbas
(blessing), etc.
1. Filipino in Literature
Sa isang madilím gúbat na mapanglaw
dawag na matinik, ay waláng pagitan,
halos naghihirap ang kay Pebong silang
dumalaw sa loob na lubhang masukal.
Karamiha’y, Ciprés at Higuerang kutád,
na ang lilim niyaón ay nakasisindák
ito’y walang bunga’t, daho’y, malalapad,
na nakadidilím sa loob ng gubat.
Ang mga hayop pang dito’y gumagalâ
Karamiha’y, Sierpe’t, Baselisco’y, madla,
Hiyena’t, Tigreng ganid nanag sisi sila,
ng búhay ng tao’t, daigíng kapwa.
Ito’y gúbat manding sa pinto’y, malapit
ng Avernong Reino ni Plutong masungit
ang nasasakupang lupa’y, dinidilig
ng ilog Cositong kamandag ang túbig.
Sa may gitnâ nito mapanglaw na gubat
may punong Higuerang daho’y kulay pupás,
dito nagagapos ang kahabag-habag
isang pinag usig ng masamang palad.
The passage above is a portion of the Florante at Laura of Francisco Balagtas
(April 2, 1788 – February 20, 1862). Balagtas, as we know, is regarded as the “Prince of
the Tagalog Poets”. A pillar of Philippine literary tradition, he is so greatly revered that
the term for Filipino debate in extemporaneous verse is named for him: balagtasan.
Balagtas is perhaps the first Filipino Poet to expose the abuses of the Spanish
colonial structure. In the Florante at Laura, he narrates in poetic form the evils of the
Spaniards. In it, the critical reader will surely glimpse upon the theme of resistance
towards Spain. Florante, the main character, symbolizes the Philippines while the
rapacious beasts stand for Spain and nations that enslave others. On the other hand, the
5
long battle between General Osmalik and Florante represent Spain’s colonization of the
Philippines, which cover hundreds of years.
Balagtas wrote in the tradition of the Awit at Korido. Literary materials classified
under these are romantic poems. The Korido speaks of the love and adventure (often
characterized by mystery). The Awit, on the other hand, deals with love and adventure
sans the element of mystery.
O pagsintang labis nang kapangyarihan
sampung mag-aamá’y, iyong nasasaklaw!
pag ikaw ang nasok sa púsò ninuman
hahamaking lahat masunód ka lamang!
At yuyurakan na ang lalong dakilá
bait, katwira’y, ipanganganyaya
buong katungkula’y, wawaling-bahalà
sampu nang hininga’y, ipauubayà.
Itong kinaratnán ng palad kong linsil
salamíng malinaw na sukat mahalín
nang makatatatáp, nang hindî sapitin
ang kahirapan kong di makayang bathín.
Sa mawika itó lúhà’y, pinaagos,
Pika’y, isinaksak, saká naghimutók,
nagkataón namáng parang isinagót,
ang buntóng hiningá, niyóng nagagapos.
It is evident that the previous selection may be translated. May be; any
translation from one language to another essentially loses some of the nuances of the
words in the original language. In such a case, there is only a loose translation (saying
in another language) of what is written in another. Then there is the profundity of his
lines which escape translation. In the words of Hermenegildo Cruz, a commentator on
Balagtas,
“the poesy of Francisco Balagatas should be based on the loftiness of his
insights and the metaphors contained in his works which he has handed
down to us rather than on the beauty of pronouncing (the) sentences
(translation mine).3
In the passage, Aladin, the sweetheart of Flerida, speaks of the difficult situation
he is in. His love is being taken away from him, by no less than his own father, Sultan
Ali Adab. The Sultan is determined to wrest Flerida from even his own son, at all costs.
Flerida, out of genuine sense of love for Aladin, pleads that the life of the latter be
spared in exchange for her hand in marriage. Aladin bemoans the ill fate of his love.
Intense love is mighty; it embraces even the hearts of father and son.
3
Hermenegildo Cruz, “Kun Sino ang Kumatha ng “Florante”, Himalay: Kalipunan ng mga Pag-aaral kay
Balagtas, ed. Patricia Melendrez-Cruz et al., Manila: Cultural Center of the Philippines, 1988), 23..
6
Love is not only mighty; it also escapes reason. Lovers do not follow the rules of
right reasoning, if only to gain the love of the beloved. This is clearly seen in the
passionate desire of Sultan Ali Adab for Flerida. His passion blinds him even to the
known love of his own son for Flerida (O pagsintang labis nang kapangyarihan…pag ikaw
ang nasok sa púsò ninuman hahamaking lahat masunód ka lamang!
Mahiganting langit, bangis mo’y, nasaan?
Ngayo’y, naniniig sa pagkágulaylay
Bago’y, ang bandilà ng lalong kasamaan
sa Reinong Albania’y, iniuauagayuay?
Sa loob at labás, ng bayan kong sawî
Kaliluha’y, siyang nangyayaring harî
Kagalinga’t, bait ay nalulugamî
ininís sa hukay ng dusa’t pighatî.
Ang magandang asal ay ipinupukól
sa láot ng dagat ng kutya’t, linggatong
balang magagalíng ay ibinabaón
at inililibing na waláng kabaong.
Nguni, ay ang lilo’t, masasamang loób
sa trono ng puri ay iniluluklok
at sa balang sukáb na may asal hayop
mabangong incienso ang isinusuob.
From these lines (recited by Florante) are reflected the Filipino view of life.
Filipinos daily face challenges (poverty, injustice, corruption, etc.), because of which
they raise a number of questions. Why is there injustice? The standards of evil and
wrong doing are conspicuous; deceit is the name of the game the righteous and nothing
seems to happen. Furthermore, righteous living is tossed in the wind; the righteous
person is ridiculed and maltreated.
Balagtas continues:
Kaliluha’t, sama ang úlo’y, nagtayô
at ang kabaita’y, kimi,t, nakayukô,
santong katwira’y, lugamì at hapô,
ang lúha na lamang ang pinatutulô.
At ang balang bibíg na binubukalán
ng sabing magalíng at katotohanan
agád binibiyák at sinisikangan
ng cáliz ng lalong dustáng kamatayan.
O taksíl na pita sa yama’t, mataás!
o hangad sa puring hanging lumilipas!
ikaw ang dahilan ng kasamáng lahat
7
at niyaring nasapit na kahabághabág.
In a regime of evil and deceit, the righteous people are all with heads bowed
down and incredibly silent. Those of righteous reason are tired and exhausted and are
content with plainly shedding their tears. Furthermore, those who break their silence
into denouncing falsehood are silenced; they are made to drink the chalice of death. But
the Filipino sees through all these. He still believes that those who chase after fame and
glory (that is based on falsehood) will find themselves realizing that such glory
vanishes in the thin air.
Ang lahát nang itó, maawaing langit
iyóng tinutunghá’y, anó’t, natitiis?
mula ka ng buong katwira’t, bait
pinapayagan mong ilubóg ng lupít?
Makapangyarihang kánan mo’y, ikilos,
papamilansikín ang cáliz ng poot,
sa Reinong Albania’y, kúsang ibulusok
ang iyóng higantí sa masamáng loob.
Bakit kalangita’y, bingí ka sa akin
ang tapat kong luhog ay hindi mo dinggín?
dí yata’t, sa isang alipusta’t, iríng
sampung tainga mo’y, ipinangungulíng?
In the midst of his suffering, the Filipino often asks why God seems to be doing
nothing. It is not rare that they ask why heaven allows wickedness to flourish, why it
seems to ignore the violence dealt the good men. During such times, God seems deaf to
the supplications of the oppressed.
Datapwa’t, sino ang tatarók kaya
sa mahál Mong lihim Dios na dakilà?
waláng mangyayari sa balát ng lupà
dì may kagalingang Iyóng ninanásà.
Despite such lingering questions, however, there is resoluteness in recognizing
that the divine designs are unknown to people. Moreover, God’s plans, though at times
incomprehensible, are truly meant for the good of people. Good will ultimately
triumph over evil.
2. Customs
The Philippines is rich in customs and traditions. Filipinos are a people whose
lives are replete with such customs and traditions. Their culture reflects the complexity
8
of the history of the Philippines through the combination of native cultures and foreign
influences.
The Filipino language plays a significant role in the customs and traditions of the
Philippines. Not only do our customs and traditions characterize the culture of our
people. They also betray the beliefs that underlie them.
As the Filipino language is is the primary means of communication in the
Philippines, it is a vehicle for an understanding of the customs of the Filipinos. We
shall take a look at two popular and perennial customs of the Philippines: Marriage
and Burial.
There are two books that are helpful in this regard: the Aklat ng Pagdiriwang ng
Pag-Iisang-Dibdib (2001) and the Aklat ng Paglilibing at mga Panalangin para sa mga
Yumaong Kristiyano (2001). Both are published under the auspices of the Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Commission on Liturgy.
2.1.
Marriage
Marriage is a sacrament. It is classified as one of the so-called sacraments of
commitment.4 Filipinos refer to it as the Sakramento ng Pag-iisang-dibdib (Uniting of
Hearts). In it, the couple participating in a mysterious way in the unity of Christ and
his Church. By entering into it, the couple pledge to be halves of the same heart. They
also promise to rear and educate in the faith the children God will give them.
Moreover, the unity of the spouses in marriage is a covenant that may not be rescinded
for it is done in all willingness and in the spouses’ own volition. In connection to this is
a popular saying: Ang pag-aasawa ay hindi tulad ng kaning isusubo na iluluwa kung mapaso.
(Marriage is not like rice that is swallowed which will later on be vomited when one
feels it is hot.) Marriage is a serious thing. People who wish to contract it must think
deeply about the responsibilities it entails. Furthermore, marriage entails fidelity on the
part of the spouses. They may not, so to speak, shake off from their shoulder the yoke
of the married state.
Marriage demands the absolute commitment of the spouses both to their welfare
and that of the children they will beget. Children after all, in the Filipino worldview,
are a gift from God. Thus, the begetting of children is never a problem but a welcome
gift. The Filipino term supling (shoot) underlines this worldview.
2.1.1. The Marriage Ritual
The marriage ritual starts with the parents’ presenting the couple to the Christian
community:
Mga kapatid, aming ikinagagalak na sa inyo’y iharap
4
Sacraments are defined as sensible signs instituted by Christ to give grace. Cf. Catechism for Filipino
Catholics, (Manila: Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education, 2005), 373.
9
Sina N. at N.
Sa ating sambayana’y tanggapin ninyo silang bukas-palad
bilang magkaisang-dibdib
mula ngayon hanggang wakas.
Here, the parents present the new couple to the congregation (representing the
Church). The continuity of the Church’s lineage is therefore completed in the parents
and which they in turn pass on to the next generation (as represented in their children).
Then the priest responds thus:
Minamahal kong N at N.
sa Binyag at Kumpil, nakiisa kayo
sa buhay at pananagutan ng Panginoon,
at sa pagdiriwang ng Huling Hapunan
muli’t muli kayong nakisalo
sa hapag ng kanyang pagmamahal.
Ngayon nama’y kusang-loob kayong dumudulog
sa Sambayanang ito
at humihiling ng panalangin
upang ang inyong panghabambuhay
na pagbubuklod ay pagtibayin ng Panginoon.
At kayo naman, mga kapatid
na natitipon ngayon
ay manalangin para kina N. at N.
At bukas-palad silang tanggapin
bilang magkaisang-dibdib
sa ating Sambayanang Kristiyano.
Marriage is a sacrament that builds on the two Sacraments of Initiation, i.e.
Baptism and Confirmation. As such, it presumes a certain maturity in the Faith for in
Confirmation, the baptized receives the Holy Spirit so that they may bear witness to the
Catholic Faith in their lives. Now that they are set to contract Marriage, they will build
on that maturity. As this sacrament which they are about to receive involves lifetime
commitment, they would need the prayer of the Christian Community. For their part,
the congregation pledges to pray for the couple. At the same time, they unreservedly
accept them into the fold of the Community.
Then the priest scrutinizes the couple to alternately state their intentions before
God and His Church by answering this question:
Hinihiling ko ngayon
na buong katapatan ninyong ipahayag
ang inyong damdamin sa isa’t isa.
10
N., bukal ba sa iyong loob ang iyong pagparito
upang makaisang-dibdib si N.
na iyong pakamamahalin
at paglilingkuran habambuhay?
Nakahanda ba kayong gumanap sa inyong
Pananagutan saSimbahan at sa bayan
na umaasang aarugain ang mga supling
na ipagkakaloob ng Poong Maykapal
upang sila ay inyong palakihin
bilang mabubuting mamamayang Kristiyano?
Herein lies the heart of the marriage rite, i.e., the exchange of vows between the
couple. In this exchange, there is no element of coercion or force. The couples pledge to
love and serve one another until death. They also express their readiness to stand up to
their obligation to Church and country to rear the children God will give them.
Furthermore, they will rear their children so that these will grow up as good Christians
and citizens.
The couple then pledge their commitment to their marriage covenant (first the
groom and then the bride):
N., sa harap ng Diyos at ng kanyang sambayanan,
tinitipan kitang maging aking maybahay
sa hirap at ginhawa, sa dusa at ligaya.
Ikaw lamang ang aking iibigin
at itatanging karugtong ng buhay
ngayon at kailanman.
Here, they declare their intention to be the spouse of the other in all
circumstances whether good or bad. Their love is mutually exclusive; the spouse alone
is considered as the better half. Not only that, with the words “...karugtong ng
buhay...,”there is the explicit reference to the spouse as the other half of oneself; one
spouse is not complete without the other. More profoundly, the spouse becomes like a
sibling, a kapatid (the other half of the umbilical cord), one’s other half in the cord of life.
Next, the priest asks the spouses to express their willingness to be each other’s
according to the teachings of the Church, to give of one’s self fully to the other, and to
fulfil the obligations of being married,
Subsequently, the spouses together say:
Ama naming mapagkalinga,
Ama naming tapat,
pagpalain mo po kaming nag-iisang palad;
papagningningin mo po sa lahat ng oras
ang pagsasamahan naming dalisay at wagas.
Sa puso’t diwa, lagi sanang magkaisa,
11
at nawa’y maging matatag sa hirap at dusa,
sa ginhawa’t kaligayahan ay magsamahan,
maging tapat sa pag-ibig ngayon at kailanman.
By pronouncing these words, the married couple now involve their caring and
faithful God in their union as they ask for blessings in their being of one (iisang palad).
They ask for the grace of a pure and lasting union, that they may be united in heart and
spirit, always strong in the face of hardships, comfort and joy now and forever.
The godparents (actually principal sponsors) welcome them into the Christian
Community. They witness to the union in marriage of the spouses and pledge to
support them with their help and prayers. The priest then confirms the bond of their
marriage. Then the people respond with a lively “Amen”.
2.2.
2. The Blessing of Arrhae
The arrhae is a symbol of sufficiency of material possessions which God would
hopefully bestow upon the newly weds.
Ama naming maawain,
basbasan mo’t kupkupin
ang iyong mga + lingkod
na sina N. at N.
Pagkalooban mo sila
ng sapat na kabuhayang
sinasagisag ng mga aras na ito
sa ikapagkakamit
ng buhay na walang hanggan.
Iniluluhog namin ito
sa pamamagitan ni Hesukristo
kasama ng Espiritu Santo
Magpasawalang hanggan.
It can be observed that material possessions are to be seen by the new couple as
means to eternal life and not ends in themselves.
It is worth noting that the Filipino Ritual provides for other symbols that may be
substituted for the arrhae: husked rice, necklaces, bracelets, etc. as the local customs
would warrant.
2.2.3. The Blessing of Rings
The priest recites the following prayer over the rings:
Ama naming mapagmahal,
Basbasan mo’t lingapin
Ang iyong mga + lingkod
12
Na sina N. at N.
Pagindapatin mo
na silang magsusuot
ng mga singsing na ito
ay maging kawangis mo
sa iyong wagas na pag-ibig
at walang maliw na katapatan.
Iniluluhog namin ito
sa pamamagitan ni Hesukristo
kasama ng Espiritu Santo
magpasawalang hanggan.
The rings that the spouses will put on each other’s finger symbolize their
everlasting love and fidelity, which is patterned after the love and fidelity of God (for
his people). Such love and fidelity will in fact be explicitly pledged with the subsequent
words:
N., kailanma’y di kita pagtataksilan.
Isuot mo at pakaingatan ang singsing na ito
na siyang tanda ng aking pag-ibig at katapatan.
Sa ngalan ng Ama at ng Anak
at ng Espiritu Santo.
Amen.
These words are no mere promises to fidelity. In fact, it is a pledge that the
testator forever will remain loyal and not betray the other. The other spouse for his/her
part will have to promise to take (good) care of the ring and the reality it symbolizes.
After this, the groom will entrust the arrhae into the receiving palms of his bride while
saying:
N., kailanma’y di kita pababayaan.
Inilalagak ko sa iyo itong mga aras
na tanda ng aking pagpapahalaga
at pagkalinga sa kapakanan mo
(at ng ating magiging mga anak).
Sa ngalan ng Ama at ng Anak
at ng Espiritu Santo
Amen.
With the above words, the groom pledges that he will forever take care of his
bride. Her welfare (and that of their children) will always be his first and foremost
consideration.
Tinatanggap ko ito
at nangangako akong
magiging iyong katuwang
sa wastong paggamit at pangangasiwa
13
ng ating kabuhayan.
With these words, the bride wholeheartedly receives the treasures from her
husband and promises to actively participate in the right management of their
possessions. It is worth noting here that the word kabuhayan does not only refer to
possessions but everything that the spouses have to live by.
The couple having exchanged their vows, the congregation breaks into a loud
applause to welcome them as a new couple into the Christian Community.
2.3. Ritual for the Burial of a Deceased Christian
In her Burial Rites for the Deceased Christian, the Church celebrates the mystery
of the passing of Jesus from death to the Resurrection. With firm faith in this mystery,
she believes that the deceased will also be able to cross from death to life through which
they can join the company of those who long for the revelation of Jesus and the
resurrection of the dead.
The Church therefore deems to praise and thank God for this mystery and pray
for the departed so that together with the other members of the Christian Community,
they may be deemed worthy of God’s mercy.
In burying their dead, Christians hold on to the hope in the life that will never
end. Moreover, they also look at the welfare of the bereaved. The Ritual takes
consideration of and makes provision for the customs and traditions of the community
so long as these are not contrary to the teachings of the gospel.5
The Ritual for Burying the Dead has three parts: in the house of the departed, in
the church, and at the burial site. For the purposes of this paper, emphasis will be on
the last two parts. Moreover, the focus shall be on the parts that exemplify certain
nuances that are found only in the Filipino version and which may not be found in the
English version.
2.3.1. The Mass for the Dead
In the Opening Prayer for the Mass of the Dead, the priest says:
Ama naming makapangyarihan,
maawain ka at mapagpatawad kailanman.
Lumuluhog kami para kay N. Na iyong tinawag
Upang iyong makapiling.
Pakundangan sa kanyang pag-asa at pananampalataya,
Maihatid nawa siya sa kanyang talagang bayan
At magkamit ng ligayang pangmagpakailanman....
5
Ang Aklat ng Paglilibing at mga Panalangin para sa Yumaong Kristiyano (Manila:
Conference of the PHilippines, 2001). x.
Catholic Bishops’
14
In this prayer is expressed the Christian and Filipino belief that life here on earth
is not THE life. Our earthly dwelling is not the only one there is. Rather, the true
dwelling place is that to which we will all proceed (our talagang bayan) at the hour of
our death.
In the Prayers of the Faithful, the firm faith in the Resurrection is further
sustained:
Mga kapatid,
halina’t manalangin nang buong pananalig
sa Diyos Amang makapangyarihan.
Binuhay niyang muli ang Anak niyang si Kristo
upang maging pagkabuhay ng lahat ng tao.
In the petitions, the Filipino’s hopes are expressed:
Noong binyagan ang aming kapatid na si N. sa kanya’y
ipinunla ang binhi ng buhay na walang hanggan.
Nawa’y umani ito ng pagkabuhay
sa piling ng mga banal sa kalangitan.
Idalangin natin siya sa Poong Maykapal
Through baptism, the seeds of life eternal have been implanted in a person. Now
that he is deceased, the faithful hope that the same seed will yield everlasting life in the
company of the saints.
Ang lahat ng namatay na umaasang muling
mabubuhay ay malugod nawang tanggapin ng Diyos
sa piling niya sa kalangitan.
Idalangin natin sila sa Poong Maykapal.
Since the faithful who have died hoped that they will live again, God will surely
receive them into his company.
Ang lahat ng ating mga kapatid na naririto,
Ang mga nagdadalamhati at nalulumbay,
at ang lahat ng sa kanila’y nakikiramay
ay magkasama-sama nawa sa langit na tahanan.
Idalangin natin siya sa Poong Maykapal.
In this petition, we see the Christian and Filipino belief in the communion of
saints, i.e., the time will come when they will be united with those who have gone
before them into the heavenly kingdom.
Nawa’y gantimpalaan ng Panginoon
ang ating mga yumaong kapatid,
kamag-anak at pinagkakautangan ng loob.
Idalangin natin sila sa Poong Maykapal.
15
People will receive their reward from God who gives to each their desserts.
There is a presumption that since the person who passed away did well in this life, he
will be rewarded in deference to the beneficiaries of his goodness. Also, the Filipino
sense of utang na loob (gratitude from the inside= from the heart) surfaces here. The
people left behind (relatives, friends, and acquaintances) pray for the deceased as a
manifestation of their gratitude.
In the Prayer over the Gifts, the priest leads the congregation in supplication in
behalf of the deceased, hoping that the Lord of Justice will render a just and merciful
verdict. The reason for such hope is that the deceased had steadfast faith in Jesus.
Ama naming Lumikha,
sa aming paghahain ngayon para kay N.
iniluluhog naming kanya nawang makaharap
sa paghuhukom ang iyong maawaing Anak
na siyang lilitis nang may habag
pakundangan sa pananalig na matapat
sa kanyang mapagmalasakit na pagliligtas
bilang aming Tagapamagitan
kasama ng Espiritu Santo
magpasawalang hanggan.
The priest goes on to say (sing) in the Preface that in Jesus is the certainty that in
the evening (dimness) of death, the Resurrection shines like the dawn. Moreover, the
Resurrection is the destiny of those who believe in Jesus. The loob (the will, the gut
feeling) regains strength because it is certain that death will pass away and that it
cannot be the end of everything.
Sa gabi ng kamatayan ay pag-asang sumisilay
ang muli niyang pagkabuhay na aming kinabuksan.
Loob nami’y lumalakas
ngayong aming natitiyak
na kamataya’y lilipas,
di ito ang aming wakas.
In death, the faithful reaches the threshold, that is, God. As the faithful dies now,
he is sure he will rise again tomorrow.
Sa sandali ng pagpanaw ikaw ang aming hantungan.
Kaming ngayo’y namamatay sa’yo bukas mabubuhay.
There is reference to the experience of Jesus, who died and rose again after only
three days.
After Communion, the priest recites the following prayer:
Ama naming mapagmahal,
Inilagak ng iyong Anak sa amin
16
ang pabaong pagsasalo sa banal na piging.
Ipagkaloob mong si N. ay makapakinabang
sa hapag ni Kristo sa kabilang buhay
sa pamamagitan na rin ng Anak mong mahal
kasama ng Espiritu Santo
magpasawalng hanggan.
As the faithful who are alive have partaken of the Holy Eucharist, they pray that
the deceased may also share in the heavenly banquet of Christ in the afterlife. Kabilang
buhay (other life) is the Filipino belief that there is life after death. Such being the case,
death is the end of life; it is the beginning of a new way of life, a new existence.
2.3.2. The Last Farewell
Having concluded the Eucharist, the priest leads the congregation in bidding the
deceased a last farewell:
Mga kapatid, bago natin ihatid sa huling hantungan si N.
pag-ukulan natin siya ng huling pamamaalam.
Ipahayag natin ang ating pagmamahal sa kanya,
tanggapin natin nang maluwag sa kalooban
ang kanyang pagpanaw,
at umasa tayong magkikita-kita muli sa piling ni hesus;
doon ay wala nang dusa, kalungkutan at kamatayan
kundi ang mamamayani ay lubos na ligaya
at buhay na walang hanggan.
As the deceased is about to be laid in its final rest, the Christian Community
performs a threefold action: it expresses its hearfelt love. It also accepts with resolution
the passing away of their loved one and professes faith in that moment when they will
once again meet the deceased face-to-face (they will be in reunited with him). At that
moment, all the worldly cares of suffering, sadness and death will no longer be; only
eternal life and bliss shall reign.
Then the priest invokes the heavenly hosts to meet and accompany the soul of
the deceased:
Mga anghel, mga banal,
tanang nasa kalangitan,
halikayo at samahan
(Ang giliw naming pumanaw sa piling ng Maykapal)
Christ himself will lead the soul of the dead into the bosom of Abraham to rest
(in happiness).
Si Kristo ang mag-aakay sa kandungan ni Abraham
upang doon ay humimlay.
In the Eternal Day, the soul of the deceased will obtain eternal peace (and
contentment) from God the Almighty.
17
Sa ilaw na walang hanggan,
kapayapaan kailanma’y
pagkamitin ng Maykapal.
Then the priest, in behalf of the Community, rests the soul of the dead into the
hands of God. He pleads with Him not to abandon or lay aside the dead but to make
him live forever in with Him (God). Furthermore, the priest intercedes with God that
He might show mercy in pardoning the sins the dead have committed out of human
weakness.
Ama naming mapagmahal,
inihahabilin namin sa iyo si N.
na pumanaw sa buhay na ito.
Huwag mo siyang pababayaan
at pamalagiin mo siyang buhay sa iyong piling.
Alang-alang sa iyong awa at pag-ibig,
patawarin mo na sana
ang kanyang mga pagkukulang
at nagawang pagkakasala
dala ng kanyang kahinaan.
Manatili nawa siyang maligaya sa iyong piling
kasama ng iyong Anak at ng Espiritu Santo
magpasawalang hanggan.
Addressing the deceased, as if to reiterate the fact that the dead in fact lives, the
priest says:
Paalam sa iyo, kapatid na pumanaw
mapasapiling ka nawa ng Poong Maykapal.
Ang pagpapala ng Diyos ay baunin mo:
Sa ngalan ng Ama, at ng Anak, + at ng Espiritu Santo
The last farewell shows how strong the faith in the belief that the dead lives in
Christ is. It also betrays the Filipino belief in sending off someone with a token (baon)
which the dead would take with him on his pilgrim way to the kingdom of God.
Filipinos in fact believe that the dead traverse through death to eternal life. For this, the
deceased would need to bring along with him God’s blessings that he might arrive
safely home into heaven.
Sa paraiso magkikitang muli tayo.
Samahan ka ng mga santo.
Kahit na may nauuna,
tayo rin ay magsasama,
upang lagi tayong lumigaya
sa piling ng Diyos Ama.
18
These words, again addressed to the deceased, show how certain the Christian
Community is that they would, someday, again enjoy the company of the one who
passed away. Moreover, the Filipinos believe that it is just a matter of time before
people would pass from this life into the next. There is in fact a saying to this effect.
Una-una lamang ang tao sa kamatayan (We will all die; but each in his own time).
2.3.3. In the Burial Site
Proceeding from the Church, the coffin of the dead is led to the burial site.
There, the priest leads the Congregation, mainly relatives and friends, in asking Jesus to
heed their prayers. Mindful of his own three days in the womb of the earth when he
died, He will make holy the graves of those who sleep in peace. He will then grant
eternal peace and respite (not only rest) from the cares of this world to the deceased.
He will also grant him the gift of eternal life on the last day.
Panginoong Hesukristo,
sa tatlong araw na pagkahimlay mo sa libingan,
pinabanal mo ang pinaglalagakan
ng lahat ng sumasampalataya sa iyo.
Pagkalooban mo ng pamamahinga sa kapayapaan
Ang aming kapatid na si N.
Ikaw ang buhay at muling pagkabuhay
Kaya’t umaasa kaming bubuhayin mo siya
Sa iyong kaluwalhatian magpasawalang hanggan.
3.
Cuisine
Philippine Cuisine is an interesting field. In it, the beauty of Filipino is revealed:
In the Philippines, the term used for a particular meal corresponds to the time when it is
taken. Agahan (breakfast) is the term used to refer to the meal taken in the morning
(umaga). Tanghalian (lunch) is the midday meal (tanghali), while hapunan (dinner,
supper) is the term for that meal taken late in the afternoon. The term hapon is also the
equivalent of the verb to sup (humapon6).
Moreover, the verb “to eat” is kumain, “kain” in Tagalog, “kaon” in Hiligaynon
and Cebuano. This is derived from the food partaken of: kanin (rice).
As far as the method of cooking is concerned, nanag is to grill fruits, peanuts, and
sweet potato (camote); inihaw, sinalab, sinugba, and dinarang are terms used to food that
is roasted on the furnace, usually using charcoal. Talibuyo, on the other hand, is the term
for lechon (roasted pork). Tindag and tinuhog are words for food cooked in a stick. If
there is barbecue for the Amerikano, then there is barbacoa (which the Spaniards brought
from Guiana).
6
Interestingly, humapon is also used to refer to the act whereby chickens perch on the treebranches at
twilight.
19
As for fish, when it is made to dry under the sun, it is called daing. If meat is
dried under the sun, it is called tapa or pindang. If food is cooked on smoke, it is called
tinapa, humba, pinausukan or tayubay. If food is ‘cooked’ in vinegar, it is called kinilaw.
Other samples are:
Palitaw (rice cake patties made to surface=lumitaw over boiling water)
Palarusdos (rice ball in coconut sauce; the balls are made by rolling a pinchful of
rice paste in one’s palms)
(i)Sinigang (brothed)
Iprinito (fried)
Dinaing (dried)
Inasal
Pinangat
Nilitson (grilled over the fire)
Binuro (fermented)
Tinusta (toasted)
Nilupak
Binulanglang (brothed in shrimp or fish paste)
Binagoongan (sautéed in shrimp paste)
Pinakbet
Pinaksiw (simmered in vinegar)
Inasnan (salted)
Then there is the practice among Tagalogs of calling a dish according to the
position of the animal used as basic ingredient in a dish. Thus, Pinalundag na isda
literally means jumping fish, pinalukso is fish (usually mudfish or catfish) that is
jumping on the frying pan after being thrown into, the nilasing na hipon is shrimp that
is simmered in beer or native wine (made drunk), binalot na isda is fish wrapped in
banana leaves, and pinaupong manok (sitting chicken).
It is likewise noticeable that in Filipino, there are words that when repeated,
would refer to a food stuff. Examples of these are:
20
Word
Sapin
Meaning
underneath
Repeated Word
sapin-sapin
Ihaw
Kare
Grill
Curry (ingredient
used)
ihaw-ihaw
kare-kare
Bicho
bicho-bicho
Bilo
Make into a ball
bilo-bilo
Akay
To lead, to guide
akay-akay
Onde
4.
onde-onde
Halo
Mix
Halo-halo
Pichi
Bola
Pares
Ball
Pair
Pichi-pichi
Bola-bola
Pares-pares
New Meaning
Rice cake with
many layers
Meat (usually oxtail
and innards) or
seafood curried in
peanut sauce and
mixed with
vegetables
Long donuts
sprinked with sugar
Rice ball in thick
sauce of coconut
Ball of mongo
inside layers of rice
Gelatinous balls
with a sweet syrup
inside
Sweet ingredient
mized with ice and
milk
Gelatinous cakes
Fishballs
Merienda (snack) of
hot stew made of ox
innards
Challenges to the Appreciation of Filipino
Having discussed lengthily about the beauty of the Filipino language, we may
now proceed to
Some challenges to the appreciation of the Filipino Language:
1.
Filipinos have a tendency to be ashamed of speaking in Filipino. Claro M. Recto,
in this regard, rightfully observes:
aywan kung bakit tayo’y parang naugali na, na kapag ang isa sa
ati’y sa sariling wika nagsasalita ay ipinalalagay na isang kung
sino lamang samantalang itinuturing na isang taong tangi kung
wikang kastila o ingles ang sinasalita…. Ang karunungan at ang
katalinuhan ay hindi nagtatangi ng ano mang wika. Panahon nang
21
tayo’y nararapat na magkaisa-isa sa lalong ikadadali ng pagpapalaganap
ng wikang pambansang ikapagkakaunawaan nating lahat.7
(It escapes me why we have grown accustomed to (the habit of)
regarding anyone among us who speaks in our native tongue as a
nobody while regarding as of greater esteem a person who speaks
in Spanish or English.
Wisdom and intelligence do not
discriminate between languages. It is high time for us to unite to a
better facility in spreading the national language so all of us may
understand each other.)
José Rizal also attests to this and its terrible consequence
Little by little, they lost their ancient traditions...They forget their
own system of writing their songs, their poetry..., in order to learn
by rote alien ideas which they did not understand, an alien code of
conduct, an alien conception of beauty, all far removed from those
inspired in their race by the environement in which they lived and
by their native genius. They sank in their own estimation. They became
inferior beings even to themselves. They began to be ashamed of what was
their own...they lost heart and became a subject people.8
In the Philippines, it is not uncommon to see relatives and friends turning their
heads in admiration over a kamag-anak (relative) who speaks “slang”, i.e., slang English.
Speaking thus has been regarded as a status symbol for those who have ‘hit it big’
abroad.
There is also a thinking that the Filipino language is inferior to others and that to
learn another language is better than gaining proficiency in Filipino. The phenomenon
of globalization further aggravates this because of a felt need to master languages that
are used by nations that play a major role in the global market. Learning these
languages, it is hoped, would not only unite us with the bigger global market but
would also unite us as a people. Rizal, as early as the latter part of the 19th century
realized this when he, speaking through Basilio, a character in El Filibusterismo who
represents the Filipino youth) wrote:
“...dahil sa pagkakaalam ng wikang Kastila, mapapalapit tayo sa
Pamahalaan (ng Espanya), sa isang dako nama’y magiging sanhi (ito) ng
paglalapit-lapit ng mga pulo.” 9
This mentality fails to consider that Filipino alone captures the mind and heart of
the Filipino people. The same José Rizal, realized this when he, speaking through
7
Claro M. Recto, “Si Rizal at Si Bonifacio,” in Himalay: Kalipunan ng mga Pag-aaral kay José Rizal, edited by
Patricia Melendez-Cruz, et. al (Manila: Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas, 1991), 241. .
8
Quoted in the Introduction by Jovito Salonga to the New Vicassan’s English-Pilipino Dictionary (Pasig:
Anvil, 2001), xii.
9
El Filibusterismo, 57.
22
Simoun (one of the principal characters of El Filibusterismo) said (addressing Basilio,
another character who represents the Filipino youth):
“Malaking pagkakamali!...Napadadaya kayo sa matamis na pangungusap
at hindi ninyo sinusuri ang kaubud-uburan at ang tunay na bungang
matatamo ninyo sa ganyan. Ang kastila, kailanman ay hindi magiging
wikang panlahat sa kapuluan, hindi gagamitin ng bayan sapagkat ang
layunin ng kanyang isip at tibukin ng kanyang puso ay walang katugon
sa wikang iyan: bawat bayan ay may sarili niyang wika at sarili niyang
kaugalian at damdamin...”10
2.
3.
F
ilipinos have a tendency to think along this line: It is difficult to speak and write
in Filipino. They are daunted about communicating in the national language.
There is a certain feeling that it would be easier to write in another language.
Even Jose Rizal, national hero of the Philippines testifies to this when he
admits...He was writing Makamisa (After the Mass), his third novel, a sort of
sequel to the El Filibusterismo and he admits that initially, he intended to write in
Filipino but had to give up when it suddenly dawned on him how difficult it was
to write in Filipino. He finally had to give up; he instead wrote in Spanish.
The migration of Filipinos abroad not only detaches Filipinos from their
Motherland; it also detaches them from their Mothertongue. As if to aggravate
the already growing mentality of regarding Filipino as an inferior language,
Filipinos who migrate abroad are faced with the difficult decision of whether or
not they should teach their offsprings their native language. It is not uncommon
to hear Filipinos reason out that since they have no intention of bringing their
children to grow in the Philippines and that they will eventually grow up in their
adoptive country, there is no use teaching them Filipino. There are exceptions to
this, of course. However, one may not close one’s eyes to this reality.
4.
T
he culture of “text messaging” or sending of SMS (short message script)
messages poses a grave threat to the proficiency of Filipinos in their native
tongue. Text messages do not follow definite rules of grammar. In fact, it is
possible to send these with words sans vowels (for example, “wr k n?”= “Where
are you?” It is also possible to send messages that jumble words (foreign as well
as local) together (for example, “dyan na me” (“I’m almost there”) and “wer na
u?” (“Where are you?”). This can confuse not only the receiver of the message
but also the sender. It is a common experience among teachers now to see
answers in test questionnaires written in the text lingo.
5.
ilipinos are “bilingual”.
10
Ibid.
F
This issue emerged as a result of the decree on
23
bilingualism, with the result that Filipinos, especially the young ones, do not
have proficiency in either Filipino or English.
5.
R
Recommendations
1. The Filipino Language is God-given; Filipinos should love their native language.
There is no other nation on earth that may be expected to love the Filipino
Language other than the Filipinos.
2. Filipinos should take pride in their language. Noting the discussion above of the
beauty of the Filipino language in the different fields chosen for this
presentation, Filipinos have all the reasons to be proud of their language.
3. There is a need to exert effort in understanding Filipino words we are not
familiar with. There is wisdom in that old saying that a word a day widens one’s
vocabulary.
4. Further studies need to be undertaken not only to advance knowledge of Filipino
but to instill an attitude of appreciation and valuing of the National Language.
References
José Rizal, El Filibusterismo, trans. Maria Odulio de Guzman. Manila: National
Bookstore, 1997.
Hermenegildo Cruz, “Kun Sino ang Kumatha ng “Florante”, Himalay: Kalipunan ng mga
Pag-aaral kay Balagtas, ed. Patricia Melendrez-Cruz et al., Manila: Cultural Center
of the Philippines, 1988.
Catechism for Filipino Catholics. Manila:
Catholic Education, 2005.
Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and
Ang Aklat ng Paglilibing at mga Panalangin para sa Yumaong Kristiyano. Manila: Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, 2001.
Claro M. Recto, “Si Rizal at Si Bonifacio,” in Himalay: Kalipunan ng mga Pag-aaral kay José
Rizal, edited by Patricia Melendez-Cruz, et. al Manila: Sentrong Pangkultura ng
Pilipinas, 1991 .
The New Vicassan’s English-Pilipino Dictionary. Pasig: Anvil, 2001.