To give you a glimpse on the politics of language in thePhilippines, here's a letter of protest by Dr. Nolasco of KWF decrying the underhanded methods employed in the recent election.
Baleg so epekto to yan agawad NCCA. No basaen yo ya maong et natalusan ya saray Tagalog gabay da ya sikara labat so minabang ed publikon institusyon ya singa National Language and Translation Committee na NCCA. So antak et anggapoy miyembro na satan ya executive committee ya Pangasinense. Sinolo na saray Tagalog aman ta walay getma da ya kontrolen iramay arom ya dila ed panangiyalis daray dokumento o antokaman. Nepeg labat ya amin ya salita komon et nairiprisinta ed satan ya committee. No walay miyembro tayod diman, walay boses na Pangasinan.
I include here a petition letter written by Edgar Godin, based on Nolasco's letter, for concerned artists and cultural workers or anyone interested in the preservation of Philippine languages. Please send it to the NCCA with your name and signature affixed.
REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS
Tanggapan ng Pangulo
KOMISYON SA WIKANG FILIPINO
G/F Watson Bldg., 1610 J.P. Laurel Street
San Miguel, Manila
P.O Box 2282 Manila
13 December 2007
Usec Vilma Labrador
Acting Chairperson
National Commission on Culture and the Arts
Intramuros Manila
Dear Usec. Labrador:
This refers to the undersigned's letter dated 10 December 2007 expressing his protest over the election of officers of the National Committee on Language and Translation Executive Council (NCLT-ExeCon2007 - 2010 held on even date. (Please see Annex "A".)
It may be important to note at the outset that through a letter dated 06 December 2007, the undersigned, for and in behalf of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filpino (KWF), moved that National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) defer the said election (Annex "B"). Hereinbelow are the grounds:
(a) Failure to communicate with the stakeholders the rules on application for membership to the NCLT; and
(b) Gross underrepresentation of the sector and mass disenfranchisement.
Failure to Communicate the Rules on NCLT Membership
In a letter dated 07 December 2007, Dr. Galileo S. Zafra, NCLTSecretary, rebutted the claims of the undersigned (Annex "C").Concerning the first allegation, he asseverated that the rules on the application for membership to the NCLT were published in three (3) newspapers (i.e., Manila Standard, Philippine Daily Inquirer,and Manila Bulletin). The same were also reportedly posted at the NCCA website, and announced during the television and radio programs(i.e., Sining Gising at Channel 4 and DZRH)
Contrary to the claims of Dr. Zafra, however, the specific rules on application for membership to the NCLT (i.e. well known in language teaching, not limited to the Filipino language) were never published(Annex "D"). What the NCCA published in the newspapers are the 2007 Amended Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 7356.
Thus, while the NCAA Board has widened the criteria for membership in the NCLT to include thereto those in the language teaching and translation professions (not only involving the national language),the same has been rendered meaningless because such information did not reach and was not widely communicated to the stakeholders. Consequently, the KWF received many complaints from institutions, organizations and individuals saying that they were not able to apply for membership with the NCLT because of lack of knowledge and information, thereby requesting the postponement of the election of officers for the NCLT ExeCon 2007 - 2010 (Annexes "E" to "M").
Gross Under-representation Inequitable Distribution and Disenfranchisement
The ineffectual promulgation of the rules on application for NCLT membership resulted in gross underrepresentation, inequitable distribution and disenfranchisement of stakeholders in Philippine languages and translation.
Per records, only 37 applicants applied for the NCLT membership, with only 27 were found to be qualified as election participants for the Executive Council (ExeCon) 2007-2010 (Annex "N"). Of this number, 20 are representatives of the Tagalog/Filipino language. Moreover, the so called eligible voters form no more than six (6)interlocking directorates/affiliates in a common entity or association (Annexes "O","O-1"TO"O-10". These six interlocking entities consist of UP, SANGFIL, FIT, the WIKA network, PSLF and SALIN.
To illustrate, Dr. Zafra , a Tagalog, is a faculty member of the University of the Philippines Departamento ng Filipino, permanent secretary general of SANGFIL, (Sangunian sa Filipino), Katipong Tagapagpaganap of FIT (Filipinas Institute of Translation), and signatory to the WIKA (Wika ng Kultura at Agham) petition. He cannot hide his affiliations by simply saying that he registered as an individual applicant, (Look at Annex "O" for more cases.)
No representative from the indigenous peoples of Mindanao and the Muslimized groups involved in language work and translation was able to vote and be voted upon in the elections. As expected, the six (6)interlocking entities led by Virgilio Armalio "won" in the uncontested election.
As submitted by the different stakeholders in the Philippine languages and translation petitioning for postponement, the election of officers for the NCLT ExeCon 2007 - 2010 held on 10 December 2007 runs counter to the very principles to which the NCCA policies and programs are ought to be governed, i.e., "pluralistic" (by fostering deep respect for the cultural identity of each locality, region or ethno linguistic locality, as well as elements assimilated from other cultures through the natural process of acculturations), "democratic" (by encouraging and supporting the participation of the vast masses of the Filipino people in each programs and projects), and "non-partisan" (by being open to all people and institutions, regardless of creed, affiliation, ideology, ethnic origin, age, gender, or class, with no organized group or sector having monopoly of its services.
In view of the foregoing, the undersigned respectfully moves that the NCCA Board of Commissioners: (a) declare a failure and / or nullification of election for the officers of the NCLT - Execon2007 - 2010; (b) formulate rules which will ensure the democratic participation of the different stakeholders in order to prevent a repeat of the December 10 farcical election, and (c) authorize the conduct of a new one after proactively inviting stakeholders in the different regions and ethnolinguistic groups and effectively disseminating the rules on application for NCLT membership to allow all the interested parties to submit their respective applications therefor.
It is further prayed that the election for the representative of the Subcommission on Cultural Dissemination to the NCCA Board scheduled on 14 December 2007 be held in abeyance until after the resolution of the controversy at hand.
Thank you.
Very truly yours,
RICARDO MA. NOLASCO
Acting Chairperson
SEEKING THE DECLARATION OF FAILURE OR NULLIFICATION OF THE DECEMBER 10, 2007 ELECTION FOR THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION- EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 2007-2010
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 56, Rule X of the 2007 Amended Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 7356, there shall be National Committees (NCs) which shall be composed of artists and cultural workers, and individuals recognized in their fields, organized into groups, which shall be the mechanism through which the community of Philippine artists and cultural workers can participate in decision-making, preparation of policies and programs affecting culture and arts;
WHEREAS, according to the same section, NCs are encouraged to set up their membership so that the various ethno-linguistic groups and organizations of artists and cultural workers coming from the political subdivisions of the country are properly and equitably represented ;
WHEREAS, the specific membership requirements for the NCLT – which in effect broadened the institutional membership to applicants involved in the preservation, development and promotion of the Philippine languages , and individual membership to applicants who are translators, researchers, educators, or advocates of the Philippine languages – were never published nor properly disseminated for the information and guidance of all concerned;
WHEREAS, as a consequence, only 37 applicants applied for NCLT membership, with only 27 were found to be qualified as election participants for the Executive Council (ExeCon) 2007-2010, most of which are Tagalog and Metro Manila based and forming no more than six (6) interlocking directorates /affiliates in a common entity or association (UP, SANGFIL, FIT, the WIKA network, PSLF and SALIN);
Baleg so epekto to yan agawad NCCA. No basaen yo ya maong et natalusan ya saray Tagalog gabay da ya sikara labat so minabang ed publikon institusyon ya singa National Language and Translation Committee na NCCA. So antak et anggapoy miyembro na satan ya executive committee ya Pangasinense. Sinolo na saray Tagalog aman ta walay getma da ya kontrolen iramay arom ya dila ed panangiyalis daray dokumento o antokaman. Nepeg labat ya amin ya salita komon et nairiprisinta ed satan ya committee. No walay miyembro tayod diman, walay boses na Pangasinan.
I include here a petition letter written by Edgar Godin, based on Nolasco's letter, for concerned artists and cultural workers or anyone interested in the preservation of Philippine languages. Please send it to the NCCA with your name and signature affixed.
REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS
Tanggapan ng Pangulo
KOMISYON SA WIKANG FILIPINO
G/F Watson Bldg., 1610 J.P. Laurel Street
San Miguel, Manila
P.O Box 2282 Manila
13 December 2007
Usec Vilma Labrador
Acting Chairperson
National Commission on Culture and the Arts
Intramuros Manila
Dear Usec. Labrador:
This refers to the undersigned's letter dated 10 December 2007 expressing his protest over the election of officers of the National Committee on Language and Translation Executive Council (NCLT-ExeCon2007 - 2010 held on even date. (Please see Annex "A".)
It may be important to note at the outset that through a letter dated 06 December 2007, the undersigned, for and in behalf of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filpino (KWF), moved that National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) defer the said election (Annex "B"). Hereinbelow are the grounds:
(a) Failure to communicate with the stakeholders the rules on application for membership to the NCLT; and
(b) Gross underrepresentation of the sector and mass disenfranchisement.
Failure to Communicate the Rules on NCLT Membership
In a letter dated 07 December 2007, Dr. Galileo S. Zafra, NCLTSecretary, rebutted the claims of the undersigned (Annex "C").Concerning the first allegation, he asseverated that the rules on the application for membership to the NCLT were published in three (3) newspapers (i.e., Manila Standard, Philippine Daily Inquirer,and Manila Bulletin). The same were also reportedly posted at the NCCA website, and announced during the television and radio programs(i.e., Sining Gising at Channel 4 and DZRH)
Contrary to the claims of Dr. Zafra, however, the specific rules on application for membership to the NCLT (i.e. well known in language teaching, not limited to the Filipino language) were never published(Annex "D"). What the NCCA published in the newspapers are the 2007 Amended Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 7356.
Thus, while the NCAA Board has widened the criteria for membership in the NCLT to include thereto those in the language teaching and translation professions (not only involving the national language),the same has been rendered meaningless because such information did not reach and was not widely communicated to the stakeholders. Consequently, the KWF received many complaints from institutions, organizations and individuals saying that they were not able to apply for membership with the NCLT because of lack of knowledge and information, thereby requesting the postponement of the election of officers for the NCLT ExeCon 2007 - 2010 (Annexes "E" to "M").
Gross Under-representation Inequitable Distribution and Disenfranchisement
The ineffectual promulgation of the rules on application for NCLT membership resulted in gross underrepresentation, inequitable distribution and disenfranchisement of stakeholders in Philippine languages and translation.
Per records, only 37 applicants applied for the NCLT membership, with only 27 were found to be qualified as election participants for the Executive Council (ExeCon) 2007-2010 (Annex "N"). Of this number, 20 are representatives of the Tagalog/Filipino language. Moreover, the so called eligible voters form no more than six (6)interlocking directorates/affiliates in a common entity or association (Annexes "O","O-1"TO"O-10". These six interlocking entities consist of UP, SANGFIL, FIT, the WIKA network, PSLF and SALIN.
To illustrate, Dr. Zafra , a Tagalog, is a faculty member of the University of the Philippines Departamento ng Filipino, permanent secretary general of SANGFIL, (Sangunian sa Filipino), Katipong Tagapagpaganap of FIT (Filipinas Institute of Translation), and signatory to the WIKA (Wika ng Kultura at Agham) petition. He cannot hide his affiliations by simply saying that he registered as an individual applicant, (Look at Annex "O" for more cases.)
No representative from the indigenous peoples of Mindanao and the Muslimized groups involved in language work and translation was able to vote and be voted upon in the elections. As expected, the six (6)interlocking entities led by Virgilio Armalio "won" in the uncontested election.
As submitted by the different stakeholders in the Philippine languages and translation petitioning for postponement, the election of officers for the NCLT ExeCon 2007 - 2010 held on 10 December 2007 runs counter to the very principles to which the NCCA policies and programs are ought to be governed, i.e., "pluralistic" (by fostering deep respect for the cultural identity of each locality, region or ethno linguistic locality, as well as elements assimilated from other cultures through the natural process of acculturations), "democratic" (by encouraging and supporting the participation of the vast masses of the Filipino people in each programs and projects), and "non-partisan" (by being open to all people and institutions, regardless of creed, affiliation, ideology, ethnic origin, age, gender, or class, with no organized group or sector having monopoly of its services.
In view of the foregoing, the undersigned respectfully moves that the NCCA Board of Commissioners: (a) declare a failure and / or nullification of election for the officers of the NCLT - Execon2007 - 2010; (b) formulate rules which will ensure the democratic participation of the different stakeholders in order to prevent a repeat of the December 10 farcical election, and (c) authorize the conduct of a new one after proactively inviting stakeholders in the different regions and ethnolinguistic groups and effectively disseminating the rules on application for NCLT membership to allow all the interested parties to submit their respective applications therefor.
It is further prayed that the election for the representative of the Subcommission on Cultural Dissemination to the NCCA Board scheduled on 14 December 2007 be held in abeyance until after the resolution of the controversy at hand.
Thank you.
Very truly yours,
RICARDO MA. NOLASCO
Acting Chairperson
SEEKING THE DECLARATION OF FAILURE OR NULLIFICATION OF THE DECEMBER 10, 2007 ELECTION FOR THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION- EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 2007-2010
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 56, Rule X of the 2007 Amended Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 7356, there shall be National Committees (NCs) which shall be composed of artists and cultural workers, and individuals recognized in their fields, organized into groups, which shall be the mechanism through which the community of Philippine artists and cultural workers can participate in decision-making, preparation of policies and programs affecting culture and arts;
WHEREAS, according to the same section, NCs are encouraged to set up their membership so that the various ethno-linguistic groups and organizations of artists and cultural workers coming from the political subdivisions of the country are properly and equitably represented ;
WHEREAS, the specific membership requirements for the NCLT – which in effect broadened the institutional membership to applicants involved in the preservation, development and promotion of the Philippine languages , and individual membership to applicants who are translators, researchers, educators, or advocates of the Philippine languages – were never published nor properly disseminated for the information and guidance of all concerned;
WHEREAS, as a consequence, only 37 applicants applied for NCLT membership, with only 27 were found to be qualified as election participants for the Executive Council (ExeCon) 2007-2010, most of which are Tagalog and Metro Manila based and forming no more than six (6) interlocking directorates /affiliates in a common entity or association (UP, SANGFIL, FIT, the WIKA network, PSLF and SALIN);
WHEREAS, in spite of the request by the various sectors for the postponement thereof, the election for the 13-member NCLT ExeCon 2007-2010 pushed through on 10 December 2007;
NOW, THEREFORE, we, the different stakeholders in the field of Philippine languages and translation, do hereby strongly urge the NCCA Board of Commissioners, either during a special meeting or through a referendum, to: (a) declare a failure of election for the NCLT ExeCon 2007-2010 as the same runs counter to the very principles by which the NCCA policies and programs are ought to be governed, i.e., "pluralistic" (by fostering deep respect for the cultural identity of each locality, region or ethno-linguistic locality, as well as elements assimilated from other cultures through the natural process of acculturation) , " democratic" (by encouraging and supporting the participation of the vast masses of the Filipino people in its programs and projects), and "non-partisan" (by being open to all people and institutions, regardless of creed, affiliation, ideology, ethnic origin, age, gender or class, with no organized group or sector having monopoly of its services); (b) formulate rules which will ensure the democratic participation of the sector; and (c) set a new election date for the officers of the NCLT ExeCon, after allowing the submission of additional applications for individual and institutional NCLT membership based on the duly promulgated rules.
It is further prayed that the election for the representative of the Subcommission on Cultural Dissemination to the NCCA Board scheduled on 14 December 2007 be held in abeyance until after the resolution of the controversy at hand.
Signed on ___ December 2007, Philippines.
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