It's Buwan ng Wika.

I'm proud to be a Filipino. I've been to a number of countries and whenever someone asks me my nationality, I always tell them I'm a Filipino. In fact, when I studied abroad, I taught some of my friends how to speak Filipino. But the sad thing is, I am not that fluent in speaking Filipino because when I was in school, even teachers themselves are not that good in the dialect (I'm from a non-Tagalog region). And Tagalog was not always used in school. So, one time when I joined a Bible study in Filipino, I felt sleepy because I am having a difficulty in understanding the theological terms. I just wish that schools will emphasize the importance of speaking and appreciating the languange and not solely encourage students to comply to the curriculum.

Hello eden! Let's make it general when we say "Proud to be a Filipino". It's okay if we are not fluent in Tagalog... As long as we acknowledge our identity we are in. Have a self study or self improvement if you want to speak in Tagalog fluently. Good day to you!

Of course, you don't have to be fluent in tagalog just to be proud of being FIlipino, at least know it's history. besides, there's a lot of Filipinos who's so good in tagalog but wants to migrate abroad and doesn't want to come back to the Philippines. there should be a motivation or an event that would filipinos more proud in a world wide scale.

Thats what you think, but I think otherwise.

It's a fun month. I enjoyed being out of the classroom, doing something else with my classmates, extra credit opportunity even if you lose, I miss my high school days.

I'm not happy that school kids celebrate it meaninglessly for the sake of good grades. It is fun but it's not that educational or meaningful culturally. God bless.

What do you mean by not ready?

I think kids there are concerned with grades because they will be in trouble if they didn't do good in school. When I was a kid I always worry about my grade because my parents have high expectations from me. i felt the pressure when I was a kid.

I agree with with you.

Maybe it's time for you to learn more about the Filipino. I don't know how you would do it but you should try.

I guess these school activities will has become a big part of our lives since most of us participate or experience these things when we were kids. It has become more of a school tradition which eventually becomes part of our culture as well but the sad thing is that kids don't really care about what these things meant. Now it is mostly extra credit for the most part, and also the fun of being out of class participating in these activities, especially with friends.

What? Everyone knows Marcos was a dictator and not a hero. He wasn't on the hero pictures sold by random retailers in school. I admired Marcos's infrastructure because it worked and not his dictatorship. Nobody likes dictatorship. As a kid like you said, I know very little truth about the world like the Balangiga Massacre, the British introduced us to the English language and not the Americans, President Aguinaldo ordered the assassination of Andres Bonifacio, Aguinaldo's men also killed Antonio Luna, Our first hero is a Muslim,etc, etc, etc and other things I didn't learn when I was still in school. I hope the older folks around me knew much more. What are the truths I haven't learned yet? Please tell me more so I can be proud of you. I even know some American, and Mexican history. In the Philippines, in elementary and in high school, the history were not really complete if not summarized, most of it is hidden and forbidden in school for they might change our views about our country. I am interested in the truth you were saying so please enlighten me. have a nice day.

yeah I guess it stays with us for some time, the meaningless dances, rhyming poetries,etc, etc, etc, and then we will realize that we didn't know what they were for but that is unlikely to be the concept of it unless discussions like these are brought up again or someone reminds us that it actually meant something. Even elders care less about the history but their children's grades and how to impress their teachers.

To me, forced and encouraged are the same thing. First, the teachers give you the incentive of extra credit, it is only a once a year activity, your parents will tell you to join for they are extra credit, then your friends also tell you to join(peer pressure), and like you said its part of the final grading so all in all its required. Required means it has to be done so technically it is forced unless willing. Well, it is fun I have participated in these activities when I was in high school. You had some good points, about discovering talent though but that was obvious, thank you anyway.