When a Pangasinense steps in another province, give him a week and he could speak the native language in the area and converse with its natives. But when a person from another land comes to Pangasinan, it would seem forever for him to study and speak the native tongue.

The orthography aims to revive Pangasinan’s culture and language so that the roots and identity of Pangasinenses will be preserved and enhanced. “It is an added cap to the province’s culture as the dialect will now have a roadmap as far as proper usage of words and correct spelling is concerned,” cited provincial administrator Rafael Baraan.

As a native speaker of Kapampangan, I look forward to the literary resurgence that the return of the mother tongue to our schools may trigger. The writing of teaching materials using our indigenous languages will definitely spawn a renewed interest in local history and culture. It will instill pride in our beginnings, and hopefully lift our nation from the morass of demoralization in which it has long been stuck.

MANILA, Philippines - Twelve major Philippine languages will be used as mediums of instruction in public schools from kindergarten to Grade 3 starting next school year. The move is part of efforts of the Department of Education (DepEd) to boost its Mother Tongue-Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE) program aimed at raising student competency.

...Pangasinenses have the tendency to use Iloko or Pilipino during conversations, notes writer A.R. Ravanzo who thinks this could be due to “penchant or uncanny ability for assimilation – to absorb oneself into the cultural tradition of another place, and the proclivity to belong, to survive against all odds.”

DAGUPAN CITY, July 15 (PIA) -- The dying Pangasinan language is given a new breath of life thru a radio program conceived by Mayor Benjamin S. Lim. Dubbed ‘Pinablin Taoir,’ which means ‘treasured heritage’ in English, the program aims to revive the local language thru discussions with guests and phone-in questions and suggestions from the listeners.

A 63-year-old Japanese went back to school as a Grade 3 pupil in a public elementary school in Barangay San Juan here to fulfill his dream of learning the Filipino language and Pangasinan dialect.

DAGUPAN CITY, June 14 (PIA) -- This city is set to revive the dying Pangasinan dialect through its popular folk song. Dubbed as “Project Sanengseng,” it aims to boost the Pangasinan culture through a choral competition with ‘Malinac Lay Labi’ as the contest piece. “Sanegseng” means “tunog” in Filipino and “sound” in the English language.