Well, to a few of my readers: Thank you! Thank you for the patience reading my rants and nonsensical ramblings about everything. I know it’s a real drag to spare a few minutes to see what is really going on inside my little brain. But thank youuuu so muccccch for sparing me that few minutes.

Most of you are probably my friends in Facebook. So yeah, cheers! )

*free hugs for everybody*

It may be a failure on his part in conveying his real message, if he has one beside the statement above. I think his original point was the importance of the Filipino language and how he is ashamed on his view on the language. If it is the case, then it may be his failure to grab on that concept for his essay and revolve around it.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

He went toppling down on the wrong side of the point. English, as he stated, was for the learned and privilege. Filipino, in his point of view, was used only for practicality to actually get by in the Philippines. It is truly sad to hear this from our generation. Although many of us Filipinos do not feel the same way, we can not ignore the fact that there are people out there with the same perception as Soriano’s. It was indeed, a wake up call.

A point that I saw in his essay was how the Filipino view English in the past and up to now. You are educated when you can fluently speak English. You are globally competitive. You will go places. But they have left out a great part of the other side.

Yes, one point of teaching English to our people was to be globally competitive. And yes, English is an official language in our country. But the other side of the coin was not seen by these people. Filipino is our national language. The government and language planners out there wanted to unify the people to have one identity as Filipinos through our language.  It was not the plan to plant in our heads that English is the higher and prestigious language. As I see it, English was taught as an instrument for us to show our skills and talents as Filipinos to the foreign world.

We should be proud that Philippines is one of the most diverse home for languages in the world. In just a small island, we actually have more than a hundred Philippine languages that we can call our own. And Filipino was made as a lingua franca for the whole country. It signifies our unity as one nation. It was not designed to be the language of the manongs and katulongs.

I am not enraged with James Soriano’s essay. I am actually sad that the view on Filipino is still construed by the idea that English is a higher language. All languages are equal. It was only due to society that a language’s status is lifted up and viewed as prestigious. And his essay was actually an eye-opener. It shows that we have so many shortcomings in terms of teaching Filipino to our younger generation and in making them understand the status and importance of languages: not only on Filipino but other Philippine languages as well.

PS.

The article was taken down in Manila Bulletin’s website. If you wish to see the copy of the article, I read it here: http://www.pinoymoneytalk.com/james-soriano-column-filipino-language/

A good friend had a crazy idea to read an old blog of mine. I don’t know how she came across this but here it is: an old blog update I had on my LJ account. This sucks at one point because of my username and the emo-themed blog I had. But gross past personalities aside, this was an old rambling about my high school days. Geez, the nostalgia. Have fun, or rather, suffer on my mushiness:

When I arrived at home earlier, I had this sudden urge to look for my Sophie’s World book. I haven’t finished reading it after two failed tries. The book is great, don’t get me wrong. But other priorities came and I had to put the book aside.

Anyway, as I was looking for it, I found this brown envelop in my bookshelf. I know what it contains…retreat letters I received when I was on my senior year in high school. I grabbed the envelope and I instinctively opened and read all letters.

It was fun reading the thank you’s and sorry’s all over again. It was a nice feeling reminiscing the moments I experienced with my friends and classmates. It was comforting to read the words after two years of not seeing my second family.

I found myself smiling on every letter I received from these people. I mean, I had issues with some of them…but those retreat letters, they were so innocent! It was like all the bad memories we shared never existed, just the good times I had with them.

As I was reading those letters, I suddenly felt grateful (and still am!) that I have met these people. Although we had big fights in the past we didn’t let these fights tarnish the friendship we already established. I am grateful that they became a part of my life, a big part of my life. Without them, I wouldn’t be the Rizza you know today. I wouldn’t be the cheerful girl you have fun with. I wouldn’t be the Rizza who is working night and day for something she loves. I wouldn’t be the Rizza who is relaxed.

Without Lypaips, I would still be an introvert!

When I finally finished reading those letters, I had this urge to reply to all of them. But since I am having problems with my keyboard, I will just try my best to reply to these letters in this post.

To Zarina Manallo. Reading your retreat letter made me laugh! Thank you for considering me as one of your bestfriends. Thank you that you were always there to cheer me up whenever I had problems with some of our classmates. I miss you so bad and I wish we will see each other again soon!

To Aileen Elacion. I miss you Lyn! Reading your retreat letter made me smile. I am also thankful that I became your friend. I really miss you along with other T4 members (duh…Allen and Nana!). We should celebrate my 18^th birthday even though it’s already over. Ha-ha.

To Allen Maralit. Labxou! I really miss you! I hope we see each other soon and update each other with our lives! I have a lot of gossip to tell you! Ha-ha! I am also grateful that you became one of my closest friends in Lypaips. Without you three, my third and fourth year in HS would have been difficult.

To Elaine Diaz. Ha-ha.I don’t know if you still remember the letter you sent me during our retreat but you made me laugh! Remember our nicknames, Lee-Jun ki fanmate?! Haha. And yes, who would have thought we will be this close!

To Marvin Enore. I also want to thank you for the INSANITY we shared up until now. And no, you don’t have mental defects…if ever you had…your welcome that I have put up with you all these years! Haha. Kidding! Love you so much and miss you!

To Ralph Sumido. Miss you so much! You know you are one of those friends I will treasure for along time. We’ve been through a lot and I guess that made us strong as friends. I hope you guys will visit me here at our house again.

To Valerie Gayoba. I am not anymore excluding myself from you guys! Ha-ha. It just so happens I was just really busy with you know what. You’re one of the friends I had a lot of issue with. But despite those issues we still ended up as friends. And that’s what I love between us. Love you so much!

To Maurice Santos. Yeast! I am happy I became one of your close friends. It was nice having a yeast in my HS life. I miss you and I am really sorry I can not attend your debut. Hey karma already got me from declining invitations… haha.

To Frederick Mercado. WTF ROFL! I laughed at your retreat letter. Who would have thought that you’re scared of me before?! I really appreciated the jokes you wrote on that letter…although it was a little insulting. Ha-ha. Peace~!

To Chanine Cruz. Cheeeeze! Even though my eyes got tired reading your vertical letter… I really appreciated the effort. Thank you that you became one of my close friends after the fights we had during our third year in high school.

To Helen Rabanal. Aww sweetipie! I miss you so much! I am thankful that we became good friends. You really made my life fun with your cheerful and outgoing personality. Love you!

…and so on. I had a bunch of letters in that envelope. To Arvee, Phine, Krisha, Junbel, Poch, Neale, Charisse, Lara, Anshing, Patricia (and many others…sorry I can’t enumerate all of you guys): Thank you for appreciating the real me and for considering me as one of your friends. I appreciate the effort you put in writing those letters you gave me and I promise I will keep them.

I miss you Lypaips. I hope we will meet soon to celebrate Nhai Nhai’s birthday!