Talumpati: Onofre Pagsanghan — Ang Makahiya

See also the category "Talumpati."

August 19—the birth anniversary of Manuel L. Quezon, former president of the Philippines and acknowledged "Father of the National Language"—is a non-working holiday in Quezon City and the provinces of Quezon and Aurora.

"Ang Makahiya" (literally, the shy plant) by Onofre Pagsanghan was first published in Makabagong Pilipino (1967), where the same author's "Sa Kabataan" also first appeared (contrary to what I wrote in that earlier post).

The speech is reproduced here with the author's permission, so that it may be used by students looking for a speech to recite in class. The speech may not be reproduced, whether in print or online, without the author's consent. See "An Open Letter to C. S. Canonigo" for possible consequences of unauthorized reproduction.


Ang Makahiya
Onofre Pagsanghan

May damong ligaw sa ating bayan na kung tawagin nati'y "Makahiya." Huwag mong makanti ang damong ito't dagling iikom. At kapag ito'y nakaikom na'y mahirap mo na uling mapabukadkad. Ang Makahiya ay maraming tinik. Kapag nagkamali ka nang tangan ay dagli kang magagalusan. Ang Makahiya ay walang bunga, walang katuturan -- hindi gamot, hindi rin gulay. Ang "Makahiya" ay balakid sa paglaki ng ibang tanim na napapakinabangan. Kung kaya't ang "Makahiya" ay binubunot, tinatapon, at sinisigan; sapagka't kapag napabayaan kay bilis nitong kakalat at maghahari-harian sa buong halamanan.

Taglay ng marami sa ating mga kababayan ang isang kaugaliang tulad ng "Makahiya." Ito'y ang labis na pagkamahiyain. Ang karupukang ito'y isang balakid sa pag-unlad. Ayaw mamuno. Nahihiya. Kiming sumalungat sa kasamaan. Nahihiya. Kiming ipagtanggol ang katarungan. Nahihiya. Kiming makipagpaligsahan. Nahihiya. Ayaw maiba sa karamihan. Nahihiya. Takot mag-isa kahit na sa gawang kabutihan. Nahihiya.

Ang labis na hiya'y nagsusupling pa rin ng ibang karupukan. Ang labis na mahiyain kapag napagsabihan ay nagtatampo; kapag napagsalitaan ay nagmamaktol; kapag napulaan ay nasisiraan ng loob; kapag sumama ang loob ay di na makikiisa kahit na sa kanyang sariling ikauunlad. Ito'y mga karupukang supling ng labis na hiya.

Ako ang huling magpapayong itapon natin sa hangin ang hiya. Ang taong walang hiya ay masahol kaysa taong labis ang hiya. Ang aking iminumungkahi ay ang wastong pagpapahalaga sa hiya. Ikahiya ang dapat ikahiya -- ang paggawa ng masama, ang paglabag sa utos ng Diyos, ang paglapastangan sa kapuwa. Nguni't huwag nating payagang ang ating hiya ay pumigil sa ating pag-unlad sa kasaganaan. Huwag nating payagang magapos tayo ng labis na hiya sa pagsalungat sa kasamaan. Huwag nating payagang ang ating hiya ay maging isang damong ligaw na sasakal sa ating pagpupunyagi sa kabutihan. Lagutin natin ang gapos ng labis na hiya. Bunutin natin ang damong "Makahiya" sa ating katauhan -- bunutin at sigan. Lakas loob na umusad sa ikasasagana ng bayan. Lakas loob na bumukod at sumalungat sa kasamaan. Lakas-loob na ipagsanggalang, kahit na mag-isa, ang katarungan. Lakas-loob na magpunyagi sa ipagtatagumpay ng kabutihan.

Read More...

Summary only...

Carlos Celdran—Filipino Performance Artist

The video above was taken at the Ortigas Foundation Library, where I listened to Carlos Celdran talk about how he came to do what he does. In case you didn't know, Celdran is probably the best known "tour guide" in the Philippines. The phrase is in quotes because Celdran does not think of himself as a tour guide, but as a performance artist.

Celdran has been featured in international and local publications (see "Small Change," where you will see how this blog's "mission" came to be). He appeared in a Nescafe commercial last year, but this, I believe, is the first time part of his performance has been captured on video.

Read More...

Summary only...

The State of Library Hub

In "70 Library Hubs and still counting," Neni Sta. Romana Cruz (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 9 August 2008) summarizes the latest developments regarding Library Hub. Perhaps the most interesting news—especially for unemployed librarians—is that, "after two years of discussions, the licensed librarian post was finally approved by the Department of Education." This could mean that as many as 70 licensed librarians may be needed across the country as soon as the approval becomes reality.

Right now, most of the 70 hubs are still not operational, and Cruz expresses hope that, "between the preparation of the required physical space and the delivery of books, the public support will remain constant and unwavering." I, too, hope that the dream turns into reality, but I wonder about the "public support" to which she refers. As far as I can tell, there is no tangible support from the public for the establishment and operation of libraries. What we have are a few good men and women—including Cruz, who keeps on writing about Library Hub—working within their spheres of influence to promote the idea that libraries are necessary.

Read More...

Summary only...

"Rey Ileto and the Filipino Librarian visit Filipiniana.net"

From left: Alfred Ursua, me, Rocky Gocuyo,
Rey Ileto, Tin Mandigma, Richard Grimaldo.

The title of this post and the photo above were taken from the Vibal Foundation Blog. What is not mentioned in the post is that I had been invited to look at the Vibal Foundation's collection of rare books only, and that I accepted because it was also my chance to spend more time with Reynaldo Ileto, author of Pasyon and Revolution, which will be an important part of the dissertation I'm working on.

And so, the invitation to talk to the staff about blogging—the day before the scheduled visit!—caused me some anxiety. It's a good thing that I remembered a previous paper on "What I Learned Through Blogging" that I could adapt easily. But what was more significant, in my opinion, was the desire to learn more about blogging that the invitation implied, and the revitalization of Filipiniana.net that I sensed from my interaction with the people afterward.

I still have reservations about being referred to as the Filipino Librarian—I prefer "owner of the blog Filipino Librarian"—but I guess I just have to live with it. While it's flattering to think that the post title implies that I am worth mentioning in the same breath as Rey Ileto, it also places a heavy responsibility on me to think that I represent all Filipino librarians. Then again, I did make the decision to use "Filipino Librarian" as the title of my blog, and so have only myself to blame =)

Read More...

Summary only...

1st LibraryLink Conference: Connect to Evolve!

Click on the image above to read the text.

When I posted the announcement regarding the "1st LibraryLink Conference," I thought that it would be an interesting event to attend. But since I knew by then that I was going to be at four conferences (presenting at three of them) in four different countries on three continents, and flying across two oceans in less than two months—whew!—I also knew that I wouldn't have any money to pay for the registration fee for a fifth conference.

Then I met one of the organizers... and got invited to be a speaker! For only the second time in my very short "career" as an invited speaker—this time right before the Board for Librarians (last time, I preceded the Director of the National Library)—I'll be talking about leadership. So check out the program (pdf), and see if it's something that will be helpful to you. The image above, incidentally, shows the only men making presentations at the 3-day, 12-speaker event. Here's hoping we won't be the only men there =)

Read More...

Summary only...

Buwan ng Wika 2008

August is Buwan ng Wika (Language Month). This year, the theme is "Wika Mo, Wikang Filipino, Wika ng Mundo, Mahalaga!" I'm not quite sure I understand what it means, but here's my translation: "Your language, Filipino, language of the world, is important."

The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) is holding two contests this year. One is the Gawad Komisyon sa Sanaysay-Gantimpalang Collantes (doc), an essay-writing contest in Filipino. Its deadline has been extended to August 15. The other is the Gawad Komisyon 2008 (pdf), which is for poems and short stories written in the following major languages: Ilokano, Sebwano, Tagalog, Bikol, Hiligaynon, Samar-Leyte, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Meranaw. The deadline for this one is September 30. The prizes range from P2,000 to P20,000 for winners in both contests.

It is worth noting that the first requires the use of Filipino, while the other includes Tagalog. This, perhaps, was meant to highlight the difference between Filipino and Tagalog, that one is not equivalent to the other. But what if, for instance, someone submits an essay written in Tagalog for the Gantimpalang Collantes? Will it be accepted as having been written in "Filipino"? If the answer is yes, would the answer still be the same if the essay were written in any of the other major languages? If not, does this mean that the other languages are not, in fact, Filipino?

One last thing. I hope that they will also publish the works, not just a list of winners (doc), like they did last year. There doesn't seem to be a PinoyBlogoSphere contest this year, but unlike KWF they did provide links to the works of last year's winners. How do you promote the use of Filipino? Make sure that there are outstanding examples available—not just in papers hidden away in filing cabinets, but online, where students and those interested can find them.

Read More...

Summary only...

Public Lectures by Three Filipino PhD Students

Just in case you're a regular reader of this blog and didn't know it, this blogger is, in fact, in the Philippines at this time. (Alternatively, if the opposite is true and you thought I've always been in the Philippines, you should know that I've been based in Toronto for most of the past two years.)

Anyway, consider this post an invitation to attend the lectures to be delivered by three PhD students who just happened to be in town at the same time. And just in case you're wondering about the photos above, those are our current profile pictures on Facebook, where a page has been set up so that people who have Facebook accounts can RSVP. You may also read the official announcement below.

The
School of Library and Information Studies
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES DILIMAN


invites everyone to the lectures


VISUALIZING LEPROSY
ARCHIVES, LEPROSY AND COLLECTIVE MEMORY
by
Ricardo Punzalan
Ph.D. Student, University of Michigan School of Information
Assistant Professor, University of the Philippines


WHAT DOES IT MEME?
SPAM, ONLINE QUIZZES AND THE LAST SONG SYNDROME
COGNITIVE POETICS AND USELESS INFORMATION
by
Paolo Manalo
Ph.D. Student, University of St Andrews School of English
Assistant Professor, University of the Philippines


WHAT WAS THE FIRST BOOK PRINTED IN THE PHILIPPINES?
by
Vernon Totanes
Ph.D. Student, University of Toronto Faculty of Information Studies


on


14 August 2008 (Thursday)
9:00 a.m.
at the
SLIS Rooms 3 & 4
3rd Floor, Gonzalez Hall
(UP Main Library)

Read More...

Summary only...

Ricky Punzalan — Filipino Archivist

Click on the image above to read the article.

The latest issue of SI@umich (pdf), the University of Michigan's newsletter for alumni of its School of Information, features Ricardo L. Punzalan, a Filipino archivist currently studying for his PhD.

Read More...

Summary only...

FO: Philippine Studies

Two weeks after I wrote "FO: Open Access Journals," Philippine Studies (PS) launched its own website. There is, unfortunately, no link yet from either its page on Philippine Journals Online or the Ateneo de Manila University, its parent institution, which would help make this open access journal more visible to scholars and other researchers via search engines.

At this point, Kasarinlan, whose archives go back to its first issue in 1985, is probably the Filipino open access journal with the most issues online. PS, however, should take the "lead" (not that there's any competition going on) once all its issues from 1953, which have already been digitized according to Filomeno Aguilar, Jr., its editor, are uploaded.

Note that there is a two-year embargo, which means that the latest PS issue available in full-text right now is from 2006. (No such embargo seems to exist for Kasarinlan, though its first issue for 2008 is still not online.) I suppose a mechanism will be provided in the future so that subscribers will eventually be able to access the most current issues. Also, like most of the journals mentioned in "FO: Open Access Journals," searching is limited to authors, titles, and abstracts—not the full text of articles—perhaps because the digitized files have not (yet?) been converted into searchable text.

Read More...

Summary only...

Filipino Book Historians in Manila

From left: Karina Bolasco, May Jurilla, Ambeth Ocampo and me.

The promise I made in "Filipino Book Historians in Oxford" has been fulfilled. The panel entitled "On the History of the Book in the Philippines" went very well this morning, despite a delayed start followed by technical difficulties, at the 8th International Conference on Philippine Studies. Papers were read in the following order:

Making a List: Analytical Bibliography,
Literary Historiography, and the Filipino Novel
PATRICIA MAY JURILLA

30 Years of Philippine Tradebook Publishing
KARINA BOLASCO

The Importance of the First Two Books
Printed in the Philippines
VERNON TOTANES

Publishing the History of
Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
AMBETH OCAMPO

The best part came during lunch when a participant volunteered, with no prompting whatsoever, that ours was the best panel she had attended =)

Read More...

Summary only...