Ako'y Isang Pinoy

This year, Renz's class performed the song "Ako'y Isang Pinoy" by Florante for the school's Buwan ng Wika celebration held last August 29. You know the song: "Ako'y isang Pinoy, sa puso't diwa. Pinoy na isinilang sa ating bansa..."

I was so impressed with Renz's diligence to memorize the song by singing it aloud. He would sing it all day which drove his sisters batty. Of course every time he sang it, I'd correct his tune until he got it perfectly.

We were surprised one day when we learned the teacher asked him to sing it in front of the class for everybody to follow. Apparently, his singing became THAT good!

That's Renz on the stage, in the middle.


Funny, in my time which was decades ago, this celebration was always called "Linggo ng Wika". I distinctly remember that in Don Bosco Pampanga where I had elementary and High School, we were always required to create posters whenever Linggo ng Wika came around. We'd cut up cartolinas and then share among ourselves. We would then write assigned (or thought-up) slogans in big beautiful lettering like:

• "Manuel L. Quezon - Unang Pangulo ng Komonwelt"
  
• "Lope K. Santos - Ama ng Pambansang Wika"
  
• "Ang Hindi Marunong Magmahal sa Sariling Wika ay Higit pa ang Amoy Sa Mabahong Isda - Jose Rizal" (Florante song)
  

Then we'd spend half a day or so putting up these posters along walkways, bulletin boards and so on - excused from classes, of course.