A January 4-10, 2013 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
Dateline USA
http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426
Dr. Ruth Elynia S. Mabanglo, Multi-awarded Poet and Presidential Awardee
Promoting Filipino as a Global Language
by Joseph
Pimentel / AJPress
CONSIDERED as one of the leading female Filipino poets of our time, Dr. Ruth Elynia S. Mabanglo’s success did not come easy. If you read her biography, it seems as awards Galing Pinoy showcases the triumph though and recognition of the Filipino spirit – the Filipino’s sprinkle her like tiny drops of innate perseverance to rise above. A rain. For the past 30 double entendre, Galing Pinoy literally years, Mabantranslates to both coming from (or glo has racked awards from brought to you by) the Filipino and up being the first woman to reFilipino ingenuity. ceive the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Hall of Fame, “Makata ng Taon” Poet of the Year by the Commission on Filipino Language, to earning the Manila Critics Circle National Book Award for Poetry for her book, Mga Liham ni Pinay (The Letters of Pinay). Most recently, President Benigno Aquino III awarded University of Hawaii professor Mabanglo the 2012 Presidential Awardee for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas, in the “Pamana ng Pilipino” category. The Presidential award is given to Filipino individuals and overseas groups, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to national de-
velopment efforts, or their outstanding achievements in their field of profession. In the Pamana ng Pilipino category, Mabanglo exemplified the talent and industry of the Filipino, and brought the country honor and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or profession. For Mabanglo, a professor and coordinator of Filipino and Philippine Literature Program at the University of Hawaii, it’s been a difficult but worthwhile journey. Rough beginnings Born in Manila, Mabanglo’s mother passed away at an early age, leaving young Ruth “abandoned, penniless and maltreated,” said Pia Arboleda, the author of Swimming the Darkness: Subversion in Elynia Mabanglo’s in the Kyoto Journal 2006. Mabanglo persevered and in 1969 received a BA degree in Filipino from the University of the East. She earned a masters degree in Education from Philippine Normal College in 1980 before receiving a doctorate in Filipino and Literature from Manuel L. Quezon University. But it was tough as a female poet and writer to break into the a male-dominated writing world in 1970s Philippines. Aside from her gender, there were also acceptance issues when it came to the themes of her work, which explored female sexuality, abortion,
Ruth Elynia Mabanglo of the University of Hawaii (right) received a plaque of recognition from President Aquino, with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and CFO chair Imelda Nicolas looking on. Malacañang Photo
menstruation, etc. “The male-centered literary circle did not really accept her as a writer, and pushed her back into the margins,” wrote Arboleda. Arboleda explained that in Philippine literature, women are often portrayed as “as flat and stereotypical characters-either as evil women who ‘steal’ husbands from their wives, or as misguided women with golden hearts who meet a tragic end.” Some writers (mostly male) would be sympathetic towards women or sex workers but “their tone is somewhat condescending, expressing merely pity and hopelessness.” “Only Elynia Mabanglo uses the first-person point-of-view to express the sex worker’s pains, fears and aspirations,” wrote Arboleda. “She paints a more realistic and a more complete picture that begins with a description of the puta’s workplace-‘the dark, hidden corners that are filthy and rank with the smell of beer and ciga-
rette ash;’ or the street corner, ‘the other side.’” It wasn’t until the late 1980s and 1990s when her work began to surface and catch the eyes of critics. Global Filipino Now a multi-awarded poet and writer with several books of poetry, plays and other work under her belt, professor Mabanglo crusades for another passion: the spread of Filipino language around the world. “My ultimate dream is for Filipino, the national language, to be used as the medium of instruction in higher education in all the universities in the country,” Mabanglo said to Manila Mail in 2011. She reiterated that sentiment in earlier this year to the Inquirer. It is a tough sell especially in the Philippines, a country where some members of Congress are looking to phase out the Filipino language. When former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo pushed for Spanish to be taught in high schools and for prioritizing English so Filipinos could better serve global business, Ruth mobilized a protest petition, according to the Inquirer. “I encouraged my students all over the United States tosign a petition to fight the killing of Filipino in high school and college, which was part of the Gullas Bill that Arroyo favored. Later on, I organized the ‘Filipino as a Global Language’ conference as a professor of Filipino language and Philippine literature at the University of Hawaii,” she said. She has made it her mission to create a global network of Filipino language teachers and promote the national language to students around the world. It is a difficult task but one she aims on succeeding. Language is tied to our culture, she said. “What I want to point out is that Filipino or the national language should be given the same importance as medium of instruction side-by-side with the English language in our educational system,” said Mabanglo to Manila Mail. “Nakatanim sa lengwahe and kultura nito (Culture is embedded in the language),” she added. n
Election gun ban to begin on Jan. 13 A SIXmonth election gun ban will be enforced starting Jan. 13. Commission on Elections Resolution 9385 provides that bearing, carrying and transporting firearms and other deadly weapons are prohibited unless authorized in writing by the Comelec. Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said the PNP has long prepared for the Comelec-imposed election gun ban.
Cerbo said checkpoints would be set up in strategic areas to ensure the strict implementation of the gun ban. He said the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are in close coordination with the Comelec. With the gun ban, Cerbo said all permits to carry firearms outside residence issued by the PNP to civilian gun holders are suspended. Only law enforcers on duty and in full uniform are allowed to carry firearms outside residence, he added. Meanwhile, the Comelec said suspension of elective local officials is also banned during the election period. Transfer or movement of government officials and the use of security personnel and bodyguards by candidates are also prohibited under the Comelec resolution. (Sheila Crisostomo with Cecille Suerte Felipe/Philstar.com)
Comelec to hold mock polls THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold mock elections this month to ensure that the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines would function properly on the second nationwide automated polls in May. Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said that the commission en banc has yet to finalize details of the mock polls such as the date, venues and number of voters to be involved. “There are areas that were suggested in Luzon,Visayas, Mindanao and Metro Manila but they are not yet final,” said Sarmiento, while naming Maguindanao, Naga City and Camarines Sur as among the possible host areas. He explained that they want to find out the possible flaws that need to be addressed. He said that one possible result of the mock elections is the identification of areas with weak telecommunication signals. Telecommunication signals are crucial in transmitting the poll results from precincts to the canvassing centers. The conduct of mock polls is mandatory under Republic Act 9369 or the Poll Automation Law. The law states that there is a need for a “successful conduct of a field testing process followed by a mock election event in one or more cities/municipalities.” (Johanna M. Sampan/ManilaTimes.net)
9\kj Xi\ flk# gfc`k`ZXc YXkkc\ c`e\j [iXne `e 9X^l`f BAGUIO CITY—After the December 21, 2012 deadline for withdrawals and replacements, the Commission on Election now has a final list of candidates, which will be in contention for the different elective positions for this city. Among those who filed their candidacies for the representative of the lone district of Baguio: Nicasio Aliping, Independent; Miguel Arvisu, Independent; Marquez Go, Liberal Party (LP); Roly Manuel, Independent; Bernardo Vergara, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA); and Richard Zarate, Independent. For the mayoralty post: Mauricio Domogan, UNA; Guillermo Hernan-dez, Independent; Ramon Labo Jr., Independent; Junior Mina Jr.; Independent; Jose Molintas, Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC); and Peter Puzon, Independent. For vice-mayorship: Dwight Nicolas Bello 3rd, Independent; Van Oliver Dicang, NPC; Daniel Fariñas, Nationalista Party (NP); Francis Padawil, Independent; and Jeffrey Pinic, Independent. Those who filed their certificates of candidacies for the position of city councilor are: Joel Alangsab, NP; Arthur Allad-iw, LP; Gerardo Antolin, independent; Anthony Araos, NPC; Fred Bagbagen, NP; Evelyn Pit-og, Independent; Rocky Balisong, NP; Rizalino Banta, Independent; Anna May Baquirin, Independent; Paul Batnag, Independent; Joderek Bautista, NP; Edison Bilog, LP; Emmanuel Carantes, Independent; Richard Cariño, NP; Isabelo Cosalan Jr., LP; Robin Coteng, Independent; Elmer Datuin, UNA; Mario de Guzman, Independent; Jeffrey Dimas, Independent; Frisco Domalsin, LDP-Laban; Rebecca Dulawan, LDP; George Dumawing Jr., UNA; Laliane Estolas, Independent; Peter Fianza, Independent; Basilio Fongayao, NPC; John Glenn Gaerlan, Independent; Zandro Ico, Independent; Perfecto Itliong Jr., Independent; Richard
Asked about politicians who may seek gun ban exemption, Comelec said their request may be considered but tapping police personnel to protect them could also be an option. Philstar.com photo
Jimenez, Independent; Orlando Lardizabal Jr., Independent; Bruce Limmayog, LP; Federico Mandapat Jr., UNA; Mabini Maskay, UNA; Roberto Ocampo, NPC; Faustino Olowan, LP; Roberto Ortega, UNA; Ambrosio Palafox Jr., Independent; Rudolfo Paraan, LP; Ronald Perez, NP; Ramon Ramos Sr., Independent; Loida Soriano, Independent; Elaine Sembrano, NP; Betty Lourdes Tabanda, NUP; Edilberto Tenefrancia, Independent; Romeo Umali, Independent; Michael Uy, Independent; Peter Wasing, LP; Wegan-Allan Philian Louise, NP; Leandro Yangot, LP; and Lilia Yaranon, LP. Two candidates of the Liberal Party withdrew their certificates of candidacies (CoCs) and were substituted by party members. The Liberal Party is now in coalition with the National Peoples Coalition. Without any candidate for the mayoralty and vice-mayoral post, LP Baguio chairman and coalition spokesman Marquez Go announced the formal coalition between the Liberal Party and the Nationalist People’s Coalition earlier. Go is the coalition’s candidate for the lone congressional district seat. The NPC, on the other hand, is bannered by lawyer Jose “Jomol” Molintas, who himself is a former member of the Liberal Party. Go, announced earlier that the coalition will banner the President’s battle cry of matuwid na daan as its campaign advocacy. Aside from Go and Molintas, Van Dicang is the coalition’s official candidate for the vice mayoral post. Also, the coalition’s candidates for councilors include, incumbent councilors Edison Bilog and Isabelo Cosalan, with former councilors Faustino Olowan and Lilia Yaranon, also included in the line up are: Art Allad-iw, Bruce Limayog, Rudy Paraan and Peter Wasing from the Liberal Party and Anthony Araos, Basilio Fongayao and Roberto Ocampo who filed their COCs under the NPC.|
The LP-NPC coalition will be facing mostly incumbents from the Timpuyog ti Baguio Coalition. (Manilatimes.net)
CG Y\kj c`b\cp n`ee\ij `e 9XkXXe Æ >XiZ`X BALANGA City, Bataan—A landslide victory for the administration’s senatorial bets is seen in Bataan despite major political hopefuls in the province clashing against each other, Gov. Enrique Garcia said . The governor said opposing candidates for congressman, governor, vice-governor, provincial board members and majority of the municipal contenders are one in supporting the senatorial bets of the Liberal Party. Garcia said his faction and that of Chairman Felicito Payumo of the Bases Conversion Development Authority are in full support of the administration candidates. Under the group of Garcia are second district Rep. Albert Garcia for governor, Vice Gov. Efren Pascual for reelection, first district Rep. Herminia Roman also seeking reelection and the elder Garcia to replace his son Albert as congressman. The Garcias are under the National Unification Party while Pascual and Rep. Roman belong to the LP. At the opposite political fence are Felicito Payumo who resigned as BCDA chair for congressman in the first district, Dinalupihan Mayor Joel Jaime Payumo for governor, Jay Consunji for vice governor and former governor Leonardo Roman for congressman in the second district. The two Payumos are LP stalwarts in Bataan but filed their certificates of candidacy last December 20 and 21 under the Nationalist People’s Coalition that Roman chairs in the province. Consunji, a lawyer, is also from the NPC. (Ernie Esconde/ManilaTimes.net)