Suggestions and comments on how to preserve, and revitalize the Spanish language in the Philippines:
Comment # 1:
For Filipinos to be interested in any language, and that includes the Spanish language, it has to be useful and practical or at least a language that they can enjoy. Currently, Filipinos in the Foreign Trade, Export/Import. Tourism, Hotel, Restaurant, Banks, and other industries that cater to tourists, businessmen, buyers, and sales persons from Spain, the United States, and Latin America would do well to learn the Spanish language. Similarly, Filipino workers working overseas in Spain, and Latin America including Nurses, Domestic workers, Programmers, Philippine embassy and diplomatic staff would benefit from learning Spanish. Other groups that would benefit from a study of the Spanish language would be Filipino historians, translators, and Spanish culture afficionados. For the Filipino population, in general to have some degree of interest or enthusiasm in learning the Spanish language, they should have some means of enjoying it, and what better way to enjoy the Spanish language than for Filipinos to have easy access to Television, and Radio stations that broadcast in Spanish or mixed Filipino-Spanish even for one to a few hours a day. It would be a big boost to the Spanish language in the Philippines if philanthropic businessmen, institutions or the Spanish government will subsidize such Spanish radio and television stations. Similarly, ready availability of Dance or Karaoke clubs that offer Spanish songs and music, music stores that sell Spanish songs, and most importantly elementary, secondary, and College schools that offer, at least, optional Spanish subjects and lessons would go a long way to revitalizing the Spanish language in the Philippines.
Saludos, Antonio Faustino II
Comment # 2:
As grown up men/women, to reprogram our minds in order to speak spanish or any language the way natives where such language is spoken would take a lifetime task to do. Grown up men like us not only have been accustomed to speaking our own native languages and dialects. And grown up people have many cares and interest that no matter how big the benefits maybe shown to him/her to learn that language would not get him to give up most of his time and diverse "to do" things that we cannot expect to become expert in the language like a spaniard.
All I can say is that the project will not benefit much of the grown up filipinos. I think the goal can be reached, but not to the immediate benefit of the grown ups like us. If a good fruit is to be expected out of this project, it can be achieved, although it would take say a great investment of financial resources, government and private groups support, and a legitimate program and organization to norture and protect a hispanization project.
A flowering and fruitful time 'nationwide' in seeing a great number of filipinos speaking 'natural spanish'can be achieved quickly and seen in 5 years. Make no delay of it by organizing a local and international support group between Spain, the Philippines, and internet organization/groups like this that will lay down the plans, a grand and realistic goal that would be beneficial [reason for hispanization] to the filipinos, to the country/s involved, and to the private businesses who will want to give support to it.
A sample program to hasten the hispanization of the Philippines is to provide "free spanish classes from kindergarten up to sixth grade". Of course, since the program is young, only 2 classes in each city maybe offered each year. [It should be noted that hispanization took hundreds of years in all the lands where it was introduced.] Then an advance course from first year high school to 4rth year high school, also free, but with a better promise: a chance to become acknowledged "spanish language instructor", NOT as for export laborer BUT for the purpose of propagating the language in the country. This way we develop a poll of teachers, and learners of the language. After a certain number of years, the graduates can be trusted to become resourceful members of the Philippines, able to share their mastery of spanish in many productive fields, say: making spanish version movies, production of spanish music which has a big market: USA, Latin America and Spain. Another area is in production of books, newspapers, magazines, AND SOFTWARE, most important of all. If we develop a great number of spanish language speakers, we might have a poll of workers that could supply some shortage of workers in many fields: engineering and medical research and profession in the latin world. I think I have spoken long enough positively. In the end, the Philippines will develop closer ties and better foreign trade and "tourism profits" from people visiting from many other hispanic/latin nations.
I think the cost will be small compared to the never ending fruit that's awaiting to be reaped.
Thank you, Emmanuel San Buenventura Rodriguez
Comment # 3:
Estimados cibercontertulios,
He confeccionado una lista de grupo-objetivos (target markets) entre filipinos que pueden aprovechar mejor el conocimiento del español y ser socio de nuestro Círculo Hispanofilipino:
1. profesores del español y de la historia 2. traductores 3. personal plurilingüe de "call centers" o centros de atención al servicio de cliente 4. personal de embajadas de países de habla español 5. diplomáticos 6. becarios en España y países latinoamericanos 7. inmigrantes en España 8. inmigrantes en los Estados Unidos, un país cuya población se hace más y más hispana y por tanto necesita empleados bilingües 9. aficionados a la cultura hispana 10. importadores/exportadores Saludos, Cornelio Lozada
Comment # 4:
La idea de 'target market' es parte de marketing o advertising que esta muy bien porque lo es una campanya de lengua Espanyol para ganar el target market que tendria mas resultas con menos esfuerzos. Despues del target market, la segunda parte de la battalla es con la mayoria de pueblos Filipinos. El Grupo de 'aficionados de la cultura hispana' es un grupo grande incluyen estudiantes, empleados, sacerdotes, oficiales y otros personas. Podemos a usar coreo electronico, carta postal, telefono ,y fax para contactar estos grupoy otros grupos de target market o simpatizantes de lengua Espanyol y invitarlos a nuestro grupo.
Pienso que los profesionales de marketing o advertising pueden ayudarnos porque los tienen a ellos los domicillos, emilios, telefonos o fax de estos grupos. La problema es dinero y tiempo.
Saludos Antonio Faustino II