Classes in public schools here in the Philippines this year had only started on the last week of August. Usually, classes start in the month of June but the numerous changes post-pandemic had really affected the opening of classes. What we normally do in school everytime the month August comes is to celebrate the "Buwan ng Wika" (in English, "The National Language Month"). This is based on Proclamation No. 1041, s. 1997 that declares the said month as the National Language Month in the Philippines.
This year's theme emphasizes the Filipino language (among other native languages and dialects) as a language of peace, security/safety, and social justice (This is based on my own translation/interpretation.😊). Image source
It was only a week before the start of classes when we were informed that, finally, we will be celebrating the "Buwan ng Wika" not on August but on September 1, as the latter is a Friday (which means it is the last day of school for the week). We were also asked to wear our Filipiniana attire on that day. It was a bit challenging for me to look for an outfit. It would be too late to order online. It would be impractical to buy an expensive Filipiniana attire at the mall. So, I decided to wear the outfit I wore for the same event way back 2016 (I prayed it fits! Hahaha!).
A quick pic with some of my colleagues 👩🏫👨🏫
The program started at around 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Most of my colleagues were wearing different versions and styles representing Filipino costume. It was quite humid but we tried to bear with it as this is one way to celebrate and give value to our language and culture. Moreover, this only happens once a year.
The lower tv screens malfunctioned so I couldn't clearly view the whole picture with the theme.😵
The first part was an introduction of all the faculty members (per department) as well as the school administration.👐 I'm sharing some photos of the teachers of the grade levels I was already able to teach in--Grade 7, 8, 11, and 12.
They are some of the Grade 7 classroom advisers. 💜 I used to be one of them, too.😊
These are the teachers handling Grade 8 classes. Yes, I'm teaching Grade 8 now.💜
(Btw, thanks to a colleague who took this photo using my phone.)
Sharing a photo of the Grade 11 and Grade 12 teachers. I've taught in the senior high school department for a few semesters even before the pandemic. Thankful for the opportunity. 💜
There were song and dance presentations, a radio broadcasting presentation,and a showcase of spoken poetry. All used Filipino music and Filipino language.
Some of our colleagues also shared to us their singing talent. Their voices are really amazing. All I could do was sing along some familiar lines of the songs.
The crystal voices of our school. Proud to be working with these ladies.🎤🎼
Our award-winning Solid Waste Management Coordinator 👏
What followed was the awarding of the winners of the recently held contests such as Poster-Making, Slogan-Making, and Essay Writing. The victors were given medals and cash prizes. Unfortunately, mid-awarding, there was a power failure so the Filipino department had to make use of a bluetooth speaker to keep the program going.
Luckily, power was back on and we were able to peacefully continue with the program. The teachers of the Filipino department were able to present their dance. I know they've practiced this dance for a short period of time but they were able to pull it off.
At the close of the program, we were surprised with an awarding of the best-dressed teachers for the event. I was lucky to be chosen as one of the winners. Thank you for this Filipino teachers!
The activity was filled with smiles and laughters. I enjoyed the community dance the most as we were all dancing and just having fun. I was unable to take pictures though because I was just excited to dance with my colleagues.
A photo with some of my closest colleagues 💜 Thanks to a student for taking this photo for me.
To some, this may just be an ordinary celebration. There were things that were amazingly done despite the short preparation period. There were also things that will surely be improved next time. But all in all, seeing more than 150 colleagues and the school administration work together and support each other on this occasion was worth the time and the effort. We were able to celebrate our culture and language as well as appreciate each one. Our participation was a symbol that our language and culture will always bring people together. 💜
Thank you dear Hive friends for reading this blog. I hope you'll have a great weekend. See you next time. 💜
Note: All photos, except for one, are taken using my cellphone. The source of the image of the event's theme has been properly indicated in that photo's caption.