Write in Filipino, National Artist for Literature Almario asks campus journalists

National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario answers questions from campus journalists attending the 2020 National Schools Press Conference in Tuguegarao City. Photo by Charles Magallanes/ Be An INQUIRER

TUGUEGARAO CITY –– National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario has batted for a wider practice of journalistic writing in Filipino as he encouraged participants of the 2020 National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) in Tuguegarao City to go beyond just winning in the competition.

Almario, also the chairman of the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, said the most important part of the weeklong NSPC is that campus journalists are given a platform to improve their writing skills and to share ideas with others.

“Siguro ang maipapayo ko lang, huwag kayong masyadong conscious sa pananalo ng contest. Ang mas mainam ay magkakila-kilala kayo at magkapalitan kayo ng kuro-kuro,” Almario said.

(“Maybe the only advice that I can give to you, don’t be too conscious with just winning the competition. It’s better to meet and share ideas and opinions with others.”)

“Iyong mga talino niyo at maishare niyo sa isa’t-isa at nang magamit ng lahat. Ano ba naman ang contest? Hindi mo naman makakain iyon. Hindi nadadala sa langit iyon,” he added.

(“You can share your knowledge to everyone so that anyone may be able to use it. What are contests for? They’re not even eatable, you can’t bring it to heaven.”)

The national artist also hoped that more newspapers would now be written in Filipino as he emphasized the effectiveness of the national language in periodicals during the Spanish era.

“Mahalaga ang pagsulat gamit ang wika na alam ng madla. Hindi English. Noong araw, hindi Espanol. Naging mas epektibo ang ating mga periodiko during the Spanish period nang magshift sila sa Tagalog, Ilokano, Visaya,” he continued.

(“It’s important to write in the language that the public knows. Not English. Before, it was not Spanish. Our language became more effective during the Spanish period when the newspapers shifted to Tagalog, Ilokano, Visaya.”)

Almario further said that he saw NSPC as an avenue where school journalists could help find ways to promote responsible writing in social media.

“Well, isang magandang nakita ko ay mayroon kayong sessions para sa social media. Mainam na mapag-usapan iyan ngayon at manggaling din sa inyo ang paraan upang madisiplina ang pagsulat sa social media,” he concluded.

(“… it is good that you have a session on social media. It is good to talk about that now and to come from you how to have discipline in writing in social media.”)

Almario, who just turned 76 years old on Monday, chose to celebrate his birthday with the delegates of the annual event, which run March 9-13.