Ilokano writers’ group rallies vs KWF version of dialect orthography

By Freddie Lazaro 

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — A group of Ilokano writers rallied against the proposed Ilokano Orthography launched by the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino in the regional office of the Dept. of Education in Region 1.

The members of the Gunglo Dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano iti Filipinas (GUMIL-Filipinas) claimed that the “Ortograpiya ti Pagsasao nga Ilokano” prepared by the KWF is not in conformity with the existing standards of orthography being used by the Ilokano writing experts.

During the launching of the KWF’s “Ortograpiya ti Pagsasao nga Ilokano” on Thursday, retired Judge Joven F. Costales led the members and officers of the GUMIL Filinas in expressing their opposition to the KWF’s Ilokano orthography.

“The KWF’s Ilokano orthography would create confusion among the students, who are learning the Ilokano Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)and even the teachers, who are teaching the MTB-MLE,” Costales said.

“Our Ilokano language has its own unique and rich orthography that needs to be preserved and doesn’t need to be revised,” Costales said.

However, KWF Chairperson Virgilio Almario said that based on their study the Ilokano orthography is in need to be developed and to be revised in harmony with the existing Pilipino language orthography.

Almario said the KWF’s Ilokano Orthography is a proposal, and he is open for change and revision if necessary.