Filipino: Language of Unity

“In Mano Amiga, the use of English as our medium of instruction is held in high regard but equally is the use of the Filipino language which we strongly believe is one of the more admirable traits of the Filipino people. As a Filipino Teacher, I encourage my students to continuously use the language and discover its richness. The Buwan ng Wika (National Language Month) is the most opportune time when we remind our students of the uniqueness of the Filipino language and its power to bridge thousands of islands together and further unite our nation.” – Homeroom Teacher Ms. Hilda Bayotlang

This year, Mano Amiga Academy celebrated Buwan ng Wika with the theme “FILIPINO: WIKA NG PAGKAKAISA. (Filipino: Language of Unity)”. The faculty and staff prepared various activities that aimed to promote unity and nationalism among students and enhance their leadership skills, self-confidence and creativity. Some of the activities held for the month were poetry writing, Balagtasan, speech choir, slogan designing and essay writing. The celebration was culminated with “Boses Pinoy”, a singing competition that showcased the talent of students in singing and performing.

“I enjoyed all activities but my favorite was the speech choir competition where I got the chance to collaborate with my classmates in preparing for the actions and movements. We built stronger friendship through the competition.” Grade 5 student Vohnmark Cantuba shared.

When asked about the month-long celebration, Grade 2 student Ruelyn Olive shared “I did not join most of the activities for the month because I was very shy. I did not believe it when my mom said I can sing but she encouraged me to join the contest. I was very happy when the teachers announced my name. I won the Little Division of the Boses Pinoy. After that, I promised my mom I will join the school choir and never be ashamed to show my talent to the world.”

During the culmination, parents brought an array of Filipino delicacies, like suman, bibingka, kakanin, and saging which were served to all the guests and participants. “I am very happy with how the activities went. It makes me so proud to see how the parents collaborated with the teachers in preparing not only the collateral for the event but also in coaching the students. Everyone involved deemed this year’s Buwan ng Wika celebration a success. I could not agree any less.” Teacher Hilda proudly shared.