A House bill (HB) seeking to promote the country’s indigenous writing systems was unanimously approved on third and final reading Monday afternoon, Nov. 28.

(Lucia Macedo/ Unsplash)

With 251 "yes" votes, zero "no" votes, and zero abstentions, HB No.6069 finally hurdled the plenary after the conduct of nominal voting. Deputy Speaker and Davao City 3rd district Rep. Isidro Ungab announced the result of the voting.

The measure, known as the proposed Philippine Indigenous and Traditional Writing Systems Act, seeks to “generate greater awareness of indigenous and traditional scripts of the Philippines and engender wider appreciation of their significance and beauty... as part of our cultural treasures".

"While these writing systems are being revived again, it is becoming vulnerable and in danger of misrepresentation and alteration due to technological advancements. Proper and official recognized standardization, publication, and documentation must be established in order for the writing systems to sustain its intrinsic characteristics,” Tingog Party-list Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre, two of the principal authors of the bill, said.

House Speaker and Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez is also an author.

“It is the declared policy of the State to foster the preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution of a Filipino national culture based on the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression. To this end, the State shall promote, protect, preserve, and conserve the Philippine indigenous and traditional writing systems as a means to inculcate patriotism and social consciousness among the citizenry,” HB No.6069 read.

Aside from the inclusion of the indigenous writing systems in subjects, the bill also mandates the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and local governments (LGUs) to conduct activities that promote awareness of the writing systems, particularly during "Buwan ng Wika" and similar occasions and events.

The conduct of seminars, conferences, conventions, symposia, and other elevant activities on writing systems indigenous to a particular region is also provided for under the bill.

The measure also requires government agencies to ensure record-keeping of relevant documents and preservation of oral evidence on the writing systems.

It specifically mandates the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to be the lead agency in promulgating policy guidelines on the promotion of the writing systems.