"Pandemya" is Sawikaan's "Salita ng Taon" (Word of the Year) for 2020.

University of the Philippines Diliman Assistant Professor Zarina Joy Santos, who defended the word "pandemya" (pandemic) as the fitting word of the year, said "pandemya" is the word that defined the year and possibly the decade.

"Pandemya ang salita ng taon dahil nagawa itong mapalaganap sa loob ng maiksing panahon. Makikita sa Google trends ang pagdalas ng paghanap sa salitang pandemya simula noong Marso 2020 (Pandemya is the word of the year because it spread in a short time. Google trends show that the word has been one of the most searched words since March 2020)," Santos noted.

"Pandemya dapat ang hiranging salita ng taon dahil umikot dito ang mga bagong salitang pumasok sa kamalayan ng mga Pilipino -- mass testing, social distancing, ayuda, contact tracing, community quarantine, at iba pa. Salita rin ito ng dekada, kung hindi man ng siglo, dahil pinapaalala nito sa atin na iisa nga lang ang mundo at walang taong nabubuhay nang mag-isa at magkakaugnay ang mga bagay (Pandemya should be chosen the word of the year as words associated with it -- mass testing, social distancing, aid, contact tracing, community quarantine, and more -- have entered into the consciousness of Filipinos this year.  It is also the word of the decade, if not of the century because it reminds us that there is only one world and no one can exist by himself.  All things are interconnected)," she added.

"Social distancing" of Professor Yol Jamendang of the Ateneo de Manila University, came in second. 

"Contact tracing" of Professor Alvin Romeo Peña of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, placed third.

"Ayuda," "blended learning," "quarantine," "testing," "virus," "webinar," and  "2020," were among the top 10 "Salita ng Taon" chosen by the Filipinas Institute of Translation (FIT).

According to FIT, the top 10 words became words of mouth and part of the Filipinos' rich discourse this year.

"Inilalarawan nito ang naging karanasan natin sa nagaganap na pandemya at higit sa lahat, nagbibigay ng mga impormasyong kailangang linawin kaugnay ng pandaigdigang karanasang pangkalusugang ito (It describes our experience with the ongoing pandemic, and above all, provides information that needs to be clarified amid the ongoing global health crisis)," it added.

Sawikaan started in 2004 as a language competition. It is organized by the Filipinas Institute of Translation.