CyberEd reply awaited

I have been informed that the comments I reprinted last week made by the DepEd CyberTeam on the STAR website did not represent the official stand of DepEd about my columns against CyberEd. I apologize to the DepEd Secretary and Undersecretaries for assuming that they had approved such a foolish rejoinder. I should have known better than to think that they could have been that irrational. This space is still open to DepEd for an official reply to my arguments against CyberEd.

Meanwhile, here are more citations from the National Book Awards ceremony last September.

2006 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR BIOGRAPHY: Sharing the award was Kapitan: Geny Lopez and the Making of ABS-CBN, by Raul Rodrigo (ABS-CBN Publishing). The citation read: “The great story of a great man building a great company against the odds, against personal tribulation and history’s relentless turbulence, Kapitan’s portrait of the late Eugenio ‘Geny’ Lopez and the genesis of what we now know as ABS-CBN is fascinating and illuminating, fruits of the inherent drama in this saga and the remarkable writing of Raul Rodrigo. Kapitan is a lush blend of history, business and personality in a polished package that serves the Filipino reader to transcendent levels.” (citation written by Ruel de Vera)

2006 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR ANTHOLOGY: The citation for the Best Anthology read: “It is testament to the nostalgia and longing attached to the grand City of Manila before politicians and history swept its charm away that The Manila We Knew (Anvil Publishing) resonates so strongly. Erlinda Enriquez Panlilio edits essays by an impressive cast who recall Manila before and after the War, graced by the art of the incomparable Manuel Baldemor: Henrie Santos, Laling Lim, Lourdes Montinola, Josefina Pedrosa Manahan, Maria Cristina Olbes, Millete Tañada Ocampo, Mert Loinaz, Lolita Delgado Fansler, Anna Isabel Pamplona, Gizela Gonzales and Wynn Wynn Ong. The Manila We Knew brings the names behind the streets and the days behind those names to life, their words forming a loving intersection in the here and now.” (citation written by Ruel de Vera.)

LANGUAGE MATTERS: Several readers have asked me about the suit on Filipino as medium of instruction that Wika ng Kultura at Agham, Inc. (WIKA), filed with the Supreme Court.

Due to the lack of supporting documents, the Supreme Court dismissed the original suit by WIKA on a technicality. The Supreme Court later accepted a similar but non-technically flawed suit filed by another set of children, parents, educators, and lawmakers. As of this writing, the Supreme Court is waiting for the Solicitor General to file the government’s reply to the suit.

Since the case is sub judice, I cannot comment on the merits of the case.

GOOD NEWS: Here is something to lift the spirits of our educators. I was in a consultancy meeting with European experts in Yemen this week (I am still in Yemen as I write this), when one Dutch expert asked where to get consultants that could handle a high-level workshop on curriculum development. The head of the team, himself Dutch, said that, instead of looking for experts in European universities, they should get experts from the Philippines. It turned out that the team leader had been in the Philippines and had gotten to know the quality of Philippine educators. We should all feel very proud of ourselves, knowing that at least some Europeans, who have some of the best universities in the world, now look at Filipinos as their equals.

CONTRACT BRIDGE: The Philippines will host the 29th ASEAN Bridge Clubs Championships on December 7-11 at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati City. Says K.T. Yang, president of the Philippine Tournament Bridge Association, “We view these championships not just as a venue for Philippine bridge stars to compete with the best ASEAN bridge players, but also as a showcase for the over-all progress and economic development of the country.”

“WORDS OF THE DAY” (English/Filipino) for next week’s elementary school classes: Nov. 19 Monday: 1. fall/vanda, 2. send/vakul, 3. start/valatinok, 4. error/varicose, 5. public/vacation, 6. position/vacancy; Nov. 20 Tuesday: 1. flat/variety, 2. clean/vanwa, 3. wax/vehicle, 4. country/vandalism, 5. process/vacuum, 6. violent/valedictorian; Nov. 21 Wednesday: 1. gray/viva, 2. birth/velvet, 3. well/veranda, 4. increase/verso, 5. produce/verify, 6. umbrella/valet; Nov. 22 Thursday: 1. full/vet, 2. bread/veto, 3. soup/virus, 4. hanging/vibes, 5. second/victory, 6. tomorrow/video; Nov. 23 Friday: 1. meal/vigil, 2. earth/vihud, 3. curve/villa, 4. respect/vinca, 5. purpose/viola, 6. together/vigilante. The numbers after the dates indicate grade level. The dates refer to the official calendar for public elementary schools. For definitions of the words in Filipino, consult UP Diksiyonaryong Filipino.