Baybayin : A Filipino ancient writing system

Summary

In this engaging discussion, the guest, a consultant to Congressman Pao, delves into the importance of the Baybayin script, the ancient Philippine writing system. He highlights its historical significance as a symbol of national identity and freedom, emphasizing the need for legislation to preserve and promote its use. The conversation also touches on the script's unique characteristics, its comparison to other Asian writing systems, and the efforts to integrate it into the K-12 curriculum. The guest's personal advocacy is evident as he showcases his Baybayin-emblazoned Barong, symbolizing cultural pride. The discussion concludes with an invitation to the first National Baybayin Summit, underscoring the script's relevance and the push for its legislative recognition.

Takeaways

• 😀 The guest, Mr. J, is a consultant of Congressman Y Pao and is involved in promoting the Baybayin script.
• 🏛️ Baybayin is an ancient Philippine writing system that predates Spanish colonization and is distinct from the Latin alphabet.
• 🌐 The term 'Baybayin' was mistakenly called 'Alibata' due to a misunderstanding by Professor Paul Bersales in 1914, which has since been corrected.
• 📜 Evidence of Baybayin's existence dates back to 3000 BC, as found in petrographs and other archaeological discoveries.
• 🏫 There is a push for the inclusion of Baybayin in the educational curriculum, with a pending bill in Congress to support this.
• 👔 Mr. J is an advocate for Baybayin and wears a 'Baybayin Barong' to promote the script, which is hand-embroidered with Baybayin characters.
• 📝 Baybayin is a syllabary system where each character represents a syllable, and it has a unique style of writing that differs from the alphabet.
• 🌐 The script is seen as a significant part of Filipino cultural identity and is being promoted to counter the effects of colonization that led to its decline.
• 📖 There is an upcoming Baybayin Summit in Pangasinan from April 9 to 11, aimed at further promoting and educating about the script.
• 🏦 The Philippine Central Bank has incorporated Baybayin in some of its designs, indicating a growing recognition of its importance.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Baybayin script in the Philippines?

Baybayin, also known as Alibata, is the ancient script of the Philippines, representing the pre-Hispanic writing system. It is significant as it is a symbol of Filipino identity and cultural heritage.

Why is there a push for the revival and teaching of Baybayin in the Philippines?

There is a push for the revival and teaching of Baybayin to preserve the Filipino cultural identity and to ensure that future generations understand and appreciate their linguistic roots.

What is the relationship between Baybayin and the national language of the Philippines?

Baybayin is the script associated with the national language of the Philippines, Tagalog, and was used before the introduction of the Latin alphabet. It is part of the country's linguistic and cultural heritage.

What is the term 'Baybayin' believed to have been incorrectly labeled as by Professor Paul Bersales in 1914?

Professor Paul Bersales labeled it as 'Alibata' after noticing similarities with the Arabic script. However, this was a mislabeling, and the correct term is 'Baybayin'.

Why is there a need for legislation to support the use of Baybayin?

Legislation is needed to provide a legal framework and support for the teaching and promotion of Baybayin, ensuring its integration into the education system and its recognition as part of the national identity.

What is the significance of the Baybayin Summit mentioned in the script?

The Baybayin Summit is an event aimed at discussing and promoting the use of Baybayin. It brings together educators, scholars, and enthusiasts to advocate for its inclusion in the curriculum and its recognition as a vital part of Filipino culture.

How does the script Baybayin differ from the Latin alphabet?

Baybayin is a syllabary script, meaning each character represents a syllable, while the Latin alphabet is an alphabetic script with each character representing a single sound or phoneme.

What is the role of the Baybayin Buhayin organization in promoting Baybayin?

Baybayin Buhayin is an organization that advocates for the revival and integration of Baybayin into the education system and daily life, aiming to preserve and promote the ancient script as part of Filipino culture.

Why is the Baybayin script not widely recognized or used in the Philippines despite its historical significance?

The Baybayin script was largely replaced by the Latin alphabet following colonization, leading to its decline in usage. Efforts are now being made to revive its use and recognition.

What is the significance of the Baybayin script being featured on the new generation currency notes in the Philippines?

Featuring Baybayin on the currency notes is a way to highlight and honor the country's cultural heritage. It serves as a reminder of the Filipino identity and the historical significance of the script.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Introduction to Baybayin

The first paragraph introduces the guest, Mr. J, who is a consultant and a graduate of PMA. The discussion revolves around the Baybayin script, which is an ancient Philippine writing system. The conversation highlights the importance of language and script as markers of liberty and identity, referencing Jose Rizal's quote about the significance of preserving one's language. The guest explains that Baybayin is the pre-Hispanic script of the Philippines, predating the Spanish colonization. There's a mention of a historical mix-up where the term 'Alibata' was mistakenly used instead of 'Baybayin,' which has been perpetuated even by educational institutions. The paragraph concludes with a discussion about the origins of Baybayin and the need for legislation to promote its use and recognition.

05:03

🏺 The History and Advocacy of Baybayin

In the second paragraph, the conversation delves into the historical evidence of Baybayin, including petroglyphs found in a cave in Rizal, dated back to 3000 BC. The discussion emphasizes the need for legislation to promote the use of Baybayin in education, similar to the efforts in other countries to preserve their traditional scripts. The guest mentions his advocacy for Baybayin, including wearing a Barong (traditional Filipino clothing) with Baybayin designs. The paragraph also touches on the challenges of learning Baybayin due to its syllabic nature, which is different from the alphabetic system used in the Philippines. The guest stresses the importance of Baybayin as a part of Filipino identity and the need to reintroduce it in schools and society, despite the country's history of colonization and the influence of foreign scripts.

10:03

🌐 The Global Context and Future of Baybayin

The third paragraph discusses the global context of writing systems, comparing the distinct scripts of China, Korea, and Japan with the Philippine alphabet, which is based on the Latin script. The guest emphasizes the importance of having a unique script like Baybayin to distinguish Filipino culture. The conversation highlights the guest's travels and observations on how different countries value their writing systems. The guest also mentions the Central Bank's inclusion of Baybayin on currency, which is seen as a positive step towards recognizing the script's importance. The paragraph concludes with an invitation to the first Baybayin Summit, which aims to gather educators and advocates to discuss and promote the use of Baybayin, indicating a growing movement to preserve and revitalize this ancient script.

Keywords

💡Baybayin

Baybayin refers to the ancient Philippine script, which is a pre-Hispanic writing system. It is a syllabic writing system where each character represents a syllable. In the video, the script discusses the importance of reviving and preserving Baybayin as part of the Filipino cultural identity and heritage. The term is used to emphasize the need to maintain a distinct Filipino script alongside the spoken language.

💡Pangasinan

Pangasinan is a province in the Philippines where the script mentions a national summit related to Baybayin. It is highlighted as a significant location for the promotion and education of the Baybayin script, indicating a regional effort to preserve and promote this aspect of Filipino culture.

💡Prehispanic

Prehispanic refers to the period or artifacts in the Philippines that predate the arrival of Spanish colonization. The script mentions prehispanic evidence of Baybayin, such as petroglyphs, which are ancient writings on stone. This term is used to emphasize the indigenous origins of Baybayin and its significance in Filipino history.

💡Colonization

Colonization in the context of the script refers to the period when the Philippines was under Spanish and American rule. It discusses how colonization led to the suppression of the Baybayin script in favor of the Latin alphabet, which was imposed by the colonizers. This term is crucial for understanding the historical context that led to the decline of Baybayin.

💡Identity

Identity in the script is discussed in relation to the preservation of the Baybayin script as a means of maintaining a distinct Filipino cultural identity. It is argued that by preserving Baybayin, the Filipino people can assert their unique cultural heritage separate from the influences of colonization.

💡Script

Script in this context refers to a system of writing, specifically the Baybayin script. The script is discussed as a visual representation of the spoken language. The video emphasizes the importance of having a national script alongside the national language to preserve cultural heritage.

💡Congressman Batawi

Congressman Batawi is mentioned as a supporter of legislation related to the Baybayin script. His role indicates the involvement of political figures in the push for the revival and legal recognition of Baybayin, showing the script's importance in contemporary Filipino society.

💡K to 12

K to 12 refers to the educational system in the Philippines that spans from kindergarten to 12th grade. The script mentions the inclusion of Baybayin in the K to 12 curriculum as part of a mother tongue-based education, indicating efforts to integrate the script into modern education.

💡National Summit

National Summit in the script refers to an event where stakeholders gather to discuss and promote the Baybayin script. The summit is mentioned as a platform for advocacy and education, highlighting the collective effort to revive and preserve the script.

💡Language Preservation

Language Preservation is a theme in the script that discusses the importance of maintaining the Filipino language and script in the face of globalization and external influences. It is argued that preserving the Baybayin script is crucial for maintaining the菲律宾 cultural identity and heritage.

💡Alibata

Alibata is a term that was mistakenly used in the past to refer to the Baybayin script. The script corrects this misconception, emphasizing that the correct term is Baybayin. This term is important for understanding the historical misunderstandings and the ongoing effort to correct them.

Highlights

The guest today is the consultant of Congressman y Pao Paul, representing the second district of Pangasinan.

Baybayin is the ancient Philippine script, predating Spanish colonization.

Baybayin is a syllabic writing system, different from the alphabetic system.

The term 'baybayin' was mistakenly called 'alibata' due to a linguistic conference in 1914.

Baybayin is not just a script but a symbol of Filipino identity and heritage.

Efforts are being made to reintroduce baybayin into the education system and legislation.

The first National Baybayin Summit is being organized to promote the script.

Baybayin is being used in modern applications such as keyboard stickers and clothing designs.

The Philippine Central Bank has incorporated baybayin in the design of new currency notes.

The importance of baybayin in preserving the Filipino language and culture is emphasized.

The script is being promoted as part of the K-12 curriculum to teach the mother tongue.

The guest's advocacy for baybayin is evident in his clothing, featuring baybayin designs.

Baybayin is a visual representation of the Filipino language, distinct from spoken language.

The script's revival is seen as a way to reclaim and preserve the pre-colonial Filipino heritage.

The guest discusses the historical significance of baybayin and its suppression during colonization.

The guest calls for the recognition of baybayin as a national script, similar to other countries' scripts.

The guest shares his personal journey and efforts in advocating for baybayin.

The guest invites educators and the public to participate in the National Baybayin Summit.

Transcripts

[Musika]

r

and Okay Alam mo napakaganda ng topic

natin sa umagang ito our guest today is

the consultant of Congressman y Pao Paul

batawi The House of Congress second

District

Pangasinan ba kanina binanggit ko din

PMA PMA year siya grad at saka yung

asawa niya kasi si Gina ah ah Kaibigan

ng kapatid ko si roxan oh at siya din

ang founding Chairman of baybayin

buhayin and taclobo baybayin

incorporated Good morning and Welcome to

Rise and shine Mr J en Good morning po

Good morning J lahat at napapaligiran ng

magagandang babae Salamat naman Ayan

show ninyo

rice than Maraming salamat marami

na marami na po kaming narining

sa makatotohanang ano makatotohanan po

talaga yan Okay pisahan na kaagad natin

kasi pagka sinabi nating baybayan ito

pagkakaintindi ko baybayin Baybay ah

tahakin or puntahan k sinabing Baybay

paano ang pagbabaybay nito pangalan pero

ano ba talagaang ibig sabihin sa inyo ng

baybayin so una sa lahat ang baybayin ay

ang ating sinauna na wikang panulat ang

wika kasi ay may dalawang bahagi

pasalita spoken which is

auditory pero the second part na nann

natin is the writing which is visual

kasi isusulat mo siya eh at parang

Babalik na naman tayo sa Anong nauna

itlog o

manok par nauna Although scientifically

manok

dahil biblically also goda God made the

animals hindi God made the

EG Pero yun nga lang gusto ko lang

simulan doun sa central library ng UST

may nakalagay doon

napakalaking sinulat na quotation ni

Jose Rizal okay ang sabi niya roon while

a people preserve its

language it preserves the marks of

Liberty mm napakalaki niyan sa central

library ng UST sa Tagalog sab ganon kung

isasali natin ito sinulat niya sa

elfilibusterismo nung 1887 sabi niya ang

isang bayang nag-iingat ng kanyang wika

taglay niya ang tanda ng Kalayaan So

kaya pag pinag-usapan natin ng b Bin we

are ah ang tinutuk natin wika pero

specific pasulat pasulat pasulat we have

our national language spoken but we

don't have a law na National script like

the Japan the hiragana katakana Kanji

the hangul of Korea the devanagari of

India the sanskrit of of India also the

Arabic of the the Middle East Middle

East Okay so ang ang tawag diyan

baybayin pero bakit ang ibang iba ang

tawag nila bbay alibata alibata Okay 100

years ago 1914 merong isang professor ng

pangalan si professor Paul bersosa he

attended isa siyang linguist eh he

attended

na conference sa America linguistic

conference pero bago siya dumating doon

sa kanyang research Akala niya nakita na

niya kasi very visible yung writing eh

MM sa nakita niya Sabi niya kahawig ng

sulat natin ang sulat ng Arabic MM MM

totoo ah ang sulat ng Arabic alip ba mm

ung alip ba doun din nagaling yung

salitang

alphabet Ah doon din galing sa Greek '

ba

alphabeta Okay so sabi niya ngayon Al

ang ating wikang

panulat Bago dumating ang kastila so

kinoy niya ung word na'y nung 1914

alibata so pagbalik niyo sa Pilipinas

Syempre yun ang balita merong news ah

merong ah linguist conference sa bahagi

ng America pagbalik dito yun ang napiza

so dahil walang nag-correct

yan ang ginamit pero lumabas eh parang

tamang mali ibig sabihin lumabas yung

tamang character pero yung term mali

ngayon lang kinorek even the dep ed the

kwf the NCCA and Our government ung

ating official gaset doon na sin saabi

nila hindi alibata kundi baybayin Okay

so sir doon din ba nagsimula ang

baybayin O saan talaga ang origin nito

kung titingnan natin way back before the

Spanish game Kaya nga ang tawag natin

dito prehispanic merong mga evidences

Ako ay taga Rizal Although Marikina is

part of Rizal dati meron Dong isang cave

ang tawag e petr glip nag-iisa lang yon

according sa data sa Carbon dating ng

national Museum This is 3000 bc eh may

Mga baybayin writing do eh na hindi rin

alam kasi wala ngang Nagpapaliwanag eh

then recently meron kaming mga findings

doon through the help of Dr bonfacio

comandante isa sa mga kasama namin dito

may mga evidences in fact na Ano na nga

yun na feature na sa sa isang TV

documentary yung angon petr GPS kaya

siya petroglyphs writing sa stone It's

like the the the hieroglyphs of Egypt

writing siya eh eh wala namang papil pa

noon eh yes so you write on the wall

spell hieroglyphics you write on the on

the bambo and bago pa na-discover ang

paper ng Chinese so Ito ba pinag-aaralan

na sa mga eskwelahan ah Yun ang aming

pinu-push ngayon there is a pending bill

ang advocacy ng baybayin buhayin ay

legislation una sa lahat and education

kaya umiikot ako sa iba't ibang depth Ed

or division sa NCR Rizal Quezon City and

now magkakaroon nga ng first national

Summit sa April 9 to 11 sa Pangasinan

kasi pag walang

batas ang tao sa Pilipinas ha e hindi na

nga may batas na nga hindi pa sumusunod

eh lalo na yung walang batas so hindi

siya required so lalo na pumasok ang K

to 12 na one si baybayin si K 12 merong

nagsusulong ng mother tong base kaya

wikang kinagisnan m na isama par kasabay

namin siyang batas sa Congress under

Congressman batawi itong mother tong bas

kay Congressman Gino ang nangyari nung

naapprove yyung K12 naisingit itong

mother tong base Kaya nga sa iba't ibang

lugar ng Region di ba kung bikolano yan

bikolano ang mode kung Ilocano Ilocano

pero different writing meron ding

equivalent J Ito ba yung baybayin ito

yung mga yun na nga pakita natin par

siyang este Ano ' ba Ah yes J and I want

to ask yung sa barong mo yan

rino dahil n advocate ako ng baybayin So

lahat ng aking barong ay usually talaga

we Officially barong e hindi ako

nagtatahi or ano bibihira lang pero ang

tawag ko rito baybayin barong yeah and

sinoo mo Ang galing naman niyan medyo

Syempre sa Lumban ano na lang yon

paraan Hindi kasi sa ang mga embroider

ng barong Oo ano yan mga handmade mhm

Kahit anong ibigay niyo sa kanilang

design ibobor na nila Ikaw magbigay ng

Des Syempre yung yung design na may

pattern madali ag ito iba't iiba talaga

yung sinulat eh Yes kasi nga ang

baybayin ay different ang style ng

pagsulat pero almost the same ang stroke

parang sa computer Nasa computer na rin

ang ano kaya nga meron kaming keyboard

sticker dito ba sa ibang country Ayan

ang sulat ni Jose Rizal

ba parang ano parang ang hirap ang hirap

ng baybayin kasi kita mo ha isang letter

lang a ganito kaagad ang pagsulat a

papaano ko Halimbawa isang word na

isusulat mo So napakahaba parang yung

vowel is a a e oo pero yyung consonant

is bakada mas nas in nga eh kasi we are

syllabary consonant vowel kaya hindi

tayo B ba hindi tayo k sa hindi tayo da

o hindi t

aonang a dahil cons ba ngayon ma-change

mo lang siya sa e and I by using yung

marking niya yung tinatawag na kudlit sa

taas or sa ilalim kung o or u or

ida-drop mo yung bowel by using cross

Okay so yun ang do you think importante

Ong matutunan ng mga tao Yes dahil ito y

ating identity Okay kung importante yan

bakit napabayaan kung napabayaan dahil

we are colonized country This is

prehispanic when the colonizer came

Anong date 1521 so do tayo mag-start eh

ang Spaniards inaral nilaang baybayin ng

100 years before they came out with a

dictionary vocabulary de L lenga tagala

so 100 years if a colonizer Conquer or

colonize a country or a place ang

papasok nila yung kanilang culture yung

Papas sila yung Education nila That's

why we use alphabet after 400 years of

Spanish colonization Anong pumalit

America alphabet din ang gamit So kaya

bihasang-bihasa ang Pinoy sa paggamit ng

alphabet eh pagsalita ng English dati

ang lengua Franca Spanish pumalit ang

America English pero the same writing

alphabet mhm kaya nawala napabayaan

hindi na ipasok sa school Sir Anong

kahalagahan ng baybayin Yun nga una is

identity parang truly Filipino Alam mo

ang Pinoy agag hindi siya nakalabas ng

bansa ako kasi nag for the past 15 years

nakapagtravel ako eh Hindi naman all

over ano pero especially sa Asia na may

mga writing system Punta ka sa China

maliligaw ka kasi ang sulat Chinese

Punta ka sa Korea maliligaw ka kasi

sulat Koreano hanggul Punta ka sa Japan

maliligaw ka kasi sulat hapon punta ka

sa Pilipinas hindi ka maliligaw kasi

sulat alphabet salita English pag

Tinagalog mo nga galit pa sila e so sa

akin napakahalaga itong Baybay na to na

maibalik Una sa school maging batas Then

may development language e that's why

even the Japanese they need to invent

they have a national script na tinatawag

na system para yung kanilang original

writing which is hiragana pero kinol din

sila ng ilang taon ng mga Chinese kaya

sila nagkaron ng which is Chinese

katakana then they invented another term

Kanji to use for the technical word or

mga brand name kaya sa pagbasa mo ng

diyaryo o magazine ng hapon sa kanang

mga ads Kita mo lahat yung tatlo na yon

and the Japanese knew it alam nila

hiragana katakana Kanji ang pinoy Alam

din

yon kasi dati ano tayo ba colonizing

tayo ng hapon kung

natuloy pero tanungin mo ngayon Ano

itong sulat napakahaba ng topic na dapat

nating pag-usapan dito sa baybayin na'

kaso wala na tayong oras kasi meron pa

siya ditong ah may pera no dahil

nandiyan daw talag baybayin Siguro meron

tayong part two nito baka part two yung

pera pwedeng pamigay mo na lang ah

hindi basta Ito lang kasi highlight

ngayon ng bangko Sentral thank you

because the meron siyang baybayin na

Filipino pero sa harap kalahati ung

design sa likod kalahati pero pag

Tinignan mo siya sa light napakali iag

ng word na pilipino in baybayin tanong

Bakit si Central bank hindi kailangan ng

batas nilagay niya sa security feature

ng new generation at walang nakakaalam

mm Okay sige Mr J bumalik ka dito para

pag-usapan pa natin yung Sana

bago dumating ang buwan ng wika Linggo

ng Wika buwan na Lingo hindi na aug the

whole month of aug

Congratulations lang yung aming baybin

summit m Okay go Sige po ah Salamat sa

time and ini-invite namin lahat ng

educator teachers if you're principal o

head ng arling Panlipunan of Filipino we

have the first byb Summit sa Lingayan

Pangasinan sa season auditorium April 9

to 11 kaya pwede kayong

mag-register pwede niyong i-like sa

Facebook yung baybayin Summit 2015 All

right so sana we're proud to be

Filipinos Yes thank you very much thank

you Mr and Hello po kay Congressman

batawi pwede ko rin siyang niyo rin

imbitahin kasama ko siya next time ito

sa inyo na to Salamat sa pag niyo sa

inyo naung 1000