The Filipino language and cultural enrichment class at the Philippine Embassy opens today (Friday) at the Philippine Embassy.

Volunteer teachers are handling the three classes for beginners (ages six to eight), juniors (ages nine to 11) and seniors (12-14) from March 19 to 27. This programme is offered for free during this school break for children of Filipino overseas workers in Brunei.

“Children who returned to the Philippines to continue their studies often struggle with their Filipino subject in school and outside the classroom.

“To help enhance the basic language skills of Filipino children whilst helping them prepare for further studies or travels to the Philippines, and rekindle their ties with their mother country, the Philippine Embassy in Brunei has been offering ‘Pilipino Pô Ako: Mag-Aral Tayong Mag-Pilipino’ for the fourth time,” said Minister and Consul Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat.

“Cultural enrichment activities have always been a part of the Embassy’s vision for this programme. However, we saw the need to introduce the Filipino language first. Our language embodies our culture and is an essential element of our identity as Filipinos,” said Minister Balatbat.

“Classes on the Filipino language remained the programme’s core, with the curriculum focusing on the Filipino alphabet (vowels and consonants), numbers (cardinals and ordinals), parts of the body, telling the time, and other basic elements,” she said.

This morning (Friday), Minister Balatbat will be speaking in the cultural enrichment programme, which is part of the course on notable Filipinos, specially women, Philippine history and development.

Carolyn Cruz, whose children have been enrolled in the programme since its pilot run in September 2008, attributed the noticeable improvement in their use of the Filipino language due to the Embassy’s programme.

She also lauded several of the programme’s activities intended to enhance their children’s knowledge of the country’s rich historical and cultural heritage such as the story-telling session on popular Filipino myths and stories such as Ibong Adarna and Juan Tamad, Minister Balatbat said.

Teacher Toni Therese P Banzuela will be delivering the stories.

Another resource speaker will deliver an introduction to Philippine literature and mythology, and the use of Philippine comics as a tool to teach the national language.

Tomorrow (Saturday), Philippine cuisine, from the most ancient of Philippine food, kinilaw, a way of cooking with liquid fire, to bibingka, a rice cake introduced by the Chinese, will also be discussed by the same speaker.

A hands-on cooking session for a traditional Philippine snack by Rhoda Sta Maria at the Philippine Embassy will follow the introduction to Philippine cuisine.

Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Alexander B Yano will lead a session on showing respect for the flag, and will deliver a briefing on the Philippine peace process next week. Resource persons from Asean missions and Brunei government offices will speak on Asean day. An interfaith dialogue will also be conducted.

Labour Attache Elizabeth O Recio will talk on financial literacy. Cultural and Information Officer, Ruby G Banzon will make a presentation on Philippine tourist attractions. Teacher Neil Molina will introduce Philippine history and basic facts on the Philippines.

Teacher Bernadette Respicio will also discuss Filipino customs, etiquette and good manners. Jojo Lemque and Ched Kaith M Vallejos are to round up the weeklong cultural enrichment programme that will tackle Philippine arts, dances and music.

There will be a tree planting at the Berakas Forest Recreational Park, with participation from the Forestry Department, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, and Filipino outdoor games and kite flying before the graduation ceremony the following day.

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