ederic@cyberspace : PROUDLY PINOY
Annalyn S. Jusay (now blogging at www.annalyn.net)
In the ever-expanding world of Filipino bloggers, 28-year old journalist Ederic Eder stands out for his tenacity to blog in Filipino, the native language.
In fact, we remember him for bagging a special "Pinoy Ako" plum in the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards. He says blogging in Filipino was a conscious, practical decision since it’s the language he and his readers are most comfortable with, it’s also the "soul" of his country of birth. Aside from authoring his personal blog, Eder is also the founding editor of the Filipino youth e-zine Tinig.com, maintains Titik ni Ederic, a repository of his writings as well as a host of other websites like LuisTeodoro.com, Our Daily Txt and PinoyEbooks. He considers himself an Internet addict and is also a fan of gadgets, Twitter and Google. More in the following interview:
Q. How did you start to blog?
A. I started blogging in late 2001, but I’ve been a netizen and webweaver since 1997. My first Web project--made possible with the assistance of an alumnus-- was the online version of our college paper, Tinig ng Plaridel. By 1998, I was already trying to create my personal website, and it finally went online around 2001. In October of that year, I learned about Blogger.com and started using it to update my site.
Q. Was it a conscious, intentional decision for you to blog in Filipino? Why did you choose to blog in Filipino?
A. Yes. I used to blog in English, but I decided to shift to Filipino after a year. It was, at that time, a gesture to show my love for our mother tongue. Looking back at it now, I can say it’s also a practical decision. Since I speak and think in Tagalog/Filipino, it makes writing easier and faster since I could communicate clearly in that languange. I don’t have to keep on reviewing the entries to look for grammatical errors. Also, most of my readers are from the Philippines, so I’m sure they understand me better.
In August 2002, I posted this entry:
"Noong una, nagpasya akong English ang gamitin sa aking personal website sapagka't kako’y ang audience nito ay pandaigdig. Dati ay mayroon pa akong pahinang may salin sa Filipino. Ngunit mula ngayon, Filipino na pangunahing wika sa Ederic@CyberSpace. Ito ang pambansang wika ng Pilipinas, ang kaluluwa ng lahing Pilipino na kinabibilangan ko. Filipino ang wikang ginagamit ko sa pag-iisip at pagsasalita, at buong layang dumadaloy sa aking diwa ang wikang ito sa tuwing ako’y nagsusulat."
Q. Your thoughts on the survival of our national language vis-a-vis the modern strides in technology.
A. Despite the global village that the new media technologies have created, I still believe that we must push for cultural diversity. Languages and dialects must be preserved. For a language to survive, the people must use it. My use of Filipino on my blogs and my other online projects is my contribution to this cause.
The use of our national and local languages on the Web could also make non-English speaking Filipinos to feel at home online. When they see pages written in their own language, they would be more inclined to explore the Web and discover its wonders.That’s why I appreciate the efforts of big companies like Google in bringing their services to the people using their own languages, as well as local blogging community’s efforts such as PBS’s Wika 2007 contest.
And while I disagree with my cyberfriend Jason Laxamana on the use of English instead of Filipino in the Philippines, I commend his efforts at preserving and promoting the Kapampangan languages on the Internet though his blog kamaru.blogspot.com.
For our part, we in Tinig.com will soon start publishing materials written in local Filipino languages.
Q. Is it cause for alarm that our youngsters are not fluently speaking the national language , using Taglish or texting the corrupted version of the language? How do you think we can preserve our language?
A. They say language is dynamic, so it does not matter how you speak or write, as long as you understand each other. But maybe I’m a little OC. Although I maintain a text blog--www.ourdailytxt.com-- I still laugh when people text "d2 na me. san na u?" I’m even thinking of coming up with a proposed standard texting grammar.
I think we can help preserve the language by supporting the efforts of groups and institutions involved in this endeavor. The UP Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature and the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino, for example, continue to work for the promotion of the national language. Some publishing houses, such as PSICom, are also coming up with publications in Filipino for the younger audiences. The Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino, meanwhile, has come up with a new plan that will strengthen our local languages.
In the end, I think the best way to preserve any language is to keep on using it--online and offline.
Q. Who is your favorite Filipino hero? If that hero were alive today, what would you tell/ask him?
A. Andres Bonifacio and Jose Rizal are my favorite heroes. I’d thank Rizal for inspiring the Filipino people, and I’ll thank Bonifacio for courageously fighting for our country’s freedom. I’d also apologize to Bonifacio because he does not seem to get the credit he deserves.
Q. It seems there are more bloggers in English. How would you encourage bloggers to write in Pilipino? What would be the advantages you would tell them?
A. I’d say write using the language you’re most comfortable with. If you feel you could write better in English, eh di go ahead. But for those who think they should write in English because it's the Internet’s lingua franca, I’d say using your own language will save you from the ruthless grammar gods.
What’s important is that we shouldn’t think of our own language as inferior to others.
Q. Do you think that blogs serve a certain purpose? Do you think they can be tools for national development?
A. Each blog has its own purpose. Some may only serve as an outlet for personal expression, but as Bikoy Villanueva ( www.bikoy.net) said during the first Bloggers’ Kapihan, it’s also good to look and blog beyond the personal stuff.
As regards blog and national development, here are just some of my uses I could think of right now
- Blogs could serve as a venue for discussion of important national issues. That’s what we’re trying to do in Bloggers’ Kapihan. ;)
- It could be a potent tool for lobbying to influence national legislation.
- It could be used to generate support for developmental projects such as the Couple for Christ’s Gawad Kalinga.
- It could take the role the Propaganda Movement and the mosquito press once played.
- It could be used to pressure government officials to do their work properly. If texting ousted a president, and made a lifestyle columnist resign, why can’t blogging do the same to corrupt officials?
Of course there are limits to the power of blogging--such as the not-so-high Internet penetration in the country--but despite that, blogging has so much potential.
WIKA 2007 WINNERS: I recently had the privilege of judging entries to Pinoyblogosphere.com’s recent online composition contest to espouse the use of the Filipino language: "Wika 2007: Maraming Wika, Matatag na Bansa." There were 57 entries in all, most of which were excellent in quality.
Our native toungue is alive and kicking after all! Here’s the honor roll: Tungo sa Pagbabanyuhay by Ding Fuellos (Grand Prize), Naykupu! by Ynon (1st runner-up), Ang Obra by Feddie Marc S. Perez (2nd runner-up), ‘THE’ Filipino Language: WHAT THE HECK DOES THIS MEAN?? by Frances Paola G. Doplon, A Language We All Need to learn (Misteryosa Award), Pista ng Wikang Filipino/The Spectacle of the Filipino Language - by Marocharim (Participants’ Choice), Ang Pardigm Shift at ang Mga Erehe ng KWF by Willy Prilles Jr., Wika at Musika by Garry Victor Urbi ( Consolation Prizes). Congratulations to everyone! by Marocharim
(For comments and inquiries, email annalyn.jusay@gmail.com)
|
