Deepening Student Love for Filipino Language and Heritage

MGC New Life Christian Academy students brought the Buwan ng Wika celebrations to life through an exciting lineup of interactive games and creative contests that celebrated Filipino culture from August 11 to September 8, 2025.

Anchored in the theme “Ang Paglinang ng Filipino at Katutubong Wika: Makasaysayan sa Pagbuo ng Bansa,” this month-long celebration sought to deepen the students’ appreciation and love for the Filipino culture and language.

Primary Years students engaged in a variety of cultural activities that highlighted Filipino traditions, including storytelling, native dances, games, and creative tasks such as coloring flags, making fans, and crafting ethnic-inspired decorations. The celebration then culminated with a potluck of Filipino dishes and student performances in singing, poetry, and trivia.

“Filipino culture is best understood when it is lived out in simple, everyday actions. Through these moments, our students [did] not only learn about Filipino culture—they lived it,” said Maria Joana Palamos, the Primary Years Filipino Subject Leader.

Meanwhile, throughout August, the Junior High School (JHS) flag ceremonies and homeroom periods were fully conducted in Filipino and featured popular Filipino games, such as Bugtong and Pinoy Henyo, and a quiz bee program, “WikaMo, Panalo Mo!”

Additionally, the JHS students showcased their talents in the “WikaKo: Tinig, Titik, at Talino” contest series, which included “SalitAng Ginto: Kwento Ko, Wika Ko,” a storytelling contest in the form of digital reels or vlogs, and “Sulóng Baybayin: Sining ng Ating Ugat,” a voluntary Baybayin art creation contest.

During their Filipino classes, JHS students worked on creative outputs such as poem writing, photo reflections, slogan-making, and comparative reporting and documenting. Selected works of students were then displayed in a gallery walk along the fifth-floor hallway, giving a glimpse of the students’ creativity.

As part of sustaining the celebratory spirit, “SALINLAHI,” Filipino enrichment classes for JHS students will be held every Wednesday after class, accommodating up to 10 students per batch under the guidance of their respective Filipino teachers.

JHS Filipino Subject Leader Darlyn Villanueva remarked, “Filipino is both [an] identity and [a] gift. It is not just a subject, but a way of expressing love for the nation, respect for different cultures, and faith in God.”