BALAGTASAN ...ALING WIKA ANG DAPAT NA MAS PAHALAGAHAN AT GAMITIN SA PAARALAN: WIKANG FILIPINO O WIKANG ENGLISH?ni Joel Costa Malabanan

Lakandiwa: Magandang hapon po ang aming pagbatiOkasyon pong itoy sadyang natatangiIsang balagtasang kakaibang uriDito sa Perpetual, ngayoy mangyayariIt will be the first time in our historyTwo people will debate with rhymes and poetryAnd the main objective, for each of us to seeThe power of language and its hidden beautyKung kaya ang paksa na pag-uusapanAy matagal na ring pinagtatalunanAling wika ba ang dapat pahalagahanAng wikang hiram ba o ang kinagisnan?I m Jonathan Calda, designated as judgeIm tasked to supervise, and later to decideAnd since, I wish not to prolong your agonyListen and contemplate, debate through poetry!

Makata 1: Azl Cedric Lopez, ang aking pangalanTagapagtanggol po ng wikang kinagisnanSa debate akoy walang aatrasanKnocked out ang sinumang sa akiy lalaban

Makata 2: I am Reggie Ucang, a third year studentMy crusade is to prove that English is the bestNo one can stop me, nor intimidate meAnytime, anywhere, I am always ready!

Makata 1: Bayaan nyong ako na ang siyang maunaAng tanong ko sa yoy Pilipino ka ba?Sayang ang tulad mong matalino sanaSubalit sa malas, ay utak banyagaSapagkat kung ikay isang PilipinoDi sana, kung gayon, ikay kakampi koHindi tulad ngayong dala mong aninoAy asal at diwang maka-Amerikano!

Makata 2: By heart and by thoughts, Im a FilipinoAnd I love this country just like the way you doBut nationalism, is not language aloneWe should be practical, for our life to go onAs we enter the stage of globalizationEnglish will be our tool for communicationWe need not study, our own native languageSchools should choose English, in the search forknowledge!

Makata 1: Isang kahibangan ang iyong tinuranMismong wika natin ay kalilimutan?Kung lahat ng Pinoy ang utak ay ganyanMas lalong kawawa itong ating bayan!Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salitaDapat na igisa sa kanyang mantikaKung Pilipino ka sa isip at gawaPatunayan mo rin maging sa salita!

Makata 2: In Chemistry, Physics, Bilogy and MathFilipino language is surely not enoughFor comprehension and to avoid confusionEnglish will only be the only solution!Modern technologies are printed in EnglishTranslations will take time for us to accomplishAnd if in deed, youd like this country to prosperEducators should try to teach English better!

Makata 1: Sa Matematika at kahit sa AghamTerminolohiyay maaring tumbasanLahat nang salitay pwedeng matapatanKung pagsisikapang ngayoy masimulanItong Komisyon sa Wikang FilipinoDapat magsimula nitong pagbabagoPwedeng mag-imbento ng mga salitaGagamitin hanggang makasanayan na!

Makata 2: Your idea is good, but it may not be soundAnd to tell you frankly, I find it so absurdAsk an Ilonggo, or a CebuanoThey do not understand, Wikang FilipinoWe cant rely on the Filipino languageConfusing dialects is our disadvantageFor practicality and to achieve unityEnglish langage should be our first priority!Makata 1: Wikang Filipino ang tanging pag-asaUpang tayong lahat ngayoy magkaisaMakamtan ng bansa, tunay na paglayaAt di sa dayuhay palaging umasaNagkawatak-watak tayong PilipinoEnglish ang ginamit at siyang instrumentoAng diwang kolonyal, tanim ng dayuhanInaani natin ngayoy kahirapan!

Makata 2: If our people were poor, then blame the governmentFor they have done nothing for our improvementBut the English language, cannot be the culpritIn fact, it is a must, people should master it

Our avenue to progress is the English languageUnlike other Asians, it is our advantageFluency in English of our migrant workersIs fully appreciated by foreign employers!

Makata 1: Baluktot na naman ang iyong katwiranNa magpaalipin sa mga dayuhanSa tono ng iyong pangungusap ngayonNais mong matulad kay Flor ContemplacionAanhin ang English kung ikay alipinSa araw-araw ay may among susundinPagka-Pilipinoy wag mong pababainLahing kayumanggi ay iangat natin!

Makata 2: I am not downgrading the race where I belongYou cant just understand what Ive said all alongNo country will move on with the tide of progressMastery of English should really be stressed!Makata 1: E di tulad natin ay ang asong ulolNais ay ngumiyaw sa halip na tumaholHuwag nating payagang lalo pang masakalNitong kinagisnang isipang kolonyal!

Makata 2: Of course Im not a dog, also, I am not a catA false analogy, is what youre driving at

Makata 1: Bakit mapapalso, gayong tama namanAbnormal ang ating naging kalagayan!Makata 2: Everything is normal, and the problem is youYoure trying to deviate from the real issue!

Lakandiwa: Hintay, saglit lamang, aking puputulinLagbalab ng apoy nitong paksa natinNgayon silang dalawa ay pagpapalitinSi Azl naman ang ating pag-InglesinBut then the two of them will carry the same standReggie will still try to support her demandThe irony of all, is that they will argueUsing the language that they intend to outdo.Pakinggan nga muna, natin si ReggieKahit Tagalog na, sa English pa rin siyaHow about giving her, another loud applauseAs she tries to unfold, the main part of our show!

Makata 2: Di naman kolonyal ang maging praktikalBagkos ay pag-iawas sa pagiging hangalEnglish ay kailangan ng kahit sinumanKatotohanan iyang di kayang tanggihanAng English ay isang wikang universalSiyang sandigan ng mga pag-aaralWalang bansang kayang umunlad mag-isaKung sa wikang English ay hindi aasa!

Makata 1: I dare to disagree, that is a fallacyFor those who would listen, please hear now my pleaThe Japanese proved to us with its economyUsing their own language, achieved prosperityAnd then we have China, Thailand and MalaysiaUsing their native tongue, they dominate AsiaWe Filipinos, should appreciate our ownTo liberate our souls from any subversion!

Makata 2: Kasinungalingan ang iyong tinuranNang dahil sa US, umunlad ang JapanKahit gamit nila ang sariling wikaSilay tinulungan din ng AmerikaAt kahit ang Chinay wag mong ipagyabangKomunismoy kanilang tinatalikuranMga Intsik ngayon ay nais mag-InglesAt kapitalismo ang siyang ninanais!Makata 1: Capitalism is the root cause of evilCountries are exploited even against their willAnd the English language that I am using nowDiscriminates people who do not know howFluency in English is not a measurementOf persons intellect or countrys achievementFor us, Filipinos, it is a manifestOf how we glorify colonial interestI accept that we need to learn more of EnglishBut we should be master of our own language firstCause there is no reason, for our race to existKung ang wika natin namay maaalis!

Makata 2: Aminin na kasi, na sadyang talunanAng lahat sa mundo, English ang kailanganKahit sa internet, sining at musikaSa English ay walang higit pang dakilaBut then I must admit, we need not to forgetYes, we should also use, the language we know bestKung ang Wikang English ay pag-aaralanWikang Filipino ay huwag kaligtaan!

Lakandiwa: Narinig nyo naman ang huling tinuranWikang Filipinoy huwag kalilimutanItaguyod lagi ang sariling atinPag-ibig sa bayan, laging paniaginThus, we should be master of our language firstAt the same time we try to learn more of EnglishAnd perhaps in the end, our country will prosperThrough unity and hard work, our life will be betterAt sa hapong ito ay napatunayanNa ang wikay sadyang makapangyarihanKapwa, Perpetualite, aming kahilinganNa kami pong tatlo ay mapalakpakan!

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