23/08/2026
BAYBAYIN TAKES CENTER STAGE AS LEARNERS AND YOUTH REDISCOVER PHILIPPINE CULTURAL HERITAGE
KIDAPAWAN CITY, August 22, 2026 — In celebration of Buwan ng Wika 2026, the Alpha Phi Omega Philippines - Epsilon Tau Chapter 0519, Alpha Phi Omega - Epsilon Tau Alumni Association #67, and BAHANDI IP Youth Builders partnered together for the conduct of BAYBAYIN: Pagpupugay sa Katutubong Pamana at Kulturang Pilipino, a Heritage Promotion and Cultural Education Activity, held at RBA Sabulao Memorial Elementary School (RBASMES) on Saturday morning.
The two-hour activity, which started at 9:00 a.m., brought together Indigenous Peoples (IP) youth, non-IP youth, young adults, and Junior High School students for an educational and cultural learning experience centered on Baybayin, one of the Philippines' ancient writing systems.
Serving as resource speaker/lecturer was Mr. Allan Torres Camba, MA, RPA, an educator, anthropologist, Registered Professional Archaeologist, author, and founder of the Academy of Cultural Education (ACE). He is the author of Baybáyin: A History of a Writing System and Its Cultural Revival and a cultural heritage advocate who promotes greater appreciation of Philippine history, identity, and Indigenous knowledge through education and public engagement.
The lecture-workshop featured discussions, demonstrations, hands-on writing activities, games, and cultural sharing designed to introduce participants to the history and significance of Baybayin while encouraging greater appreciation of Philippine cultural heritage.
Organizers emphasized that the activity was not only intended to teach participants how to write Baybayin but also to encourage young people to become more conscious of their cultural identity and the responsibility of preserving heritage.
For IP children and youth participants, the activity also provided an opportunity to reflect on the importance of preserving their own Indigenous languages, traditions, knowledge systems, and cultural identities. Meanwhile, non-IP participants were encouraged to appreciate the diversity and shared heritage of the Filipino people.
200 SCHOOL SUPPLY KITS DISTRIBUTED
Adding significance to the activity was the donation and distribution of 200 school supply kits to the learners of RBASMES.
The school supplies were generously provided by Mr. Allan Torres Camba, together with his wife and children, as an expression of their support for education and child/youth development. Brothers and sisters from APO-Epsilon Tau Chapter and APO-ETAA helped in the distribution of said school supply kits.
The gesture complemented the day's cultural learning, underscoring the value of combining heritage education with meaningful acts of service.
The activity reflected the organizers' shared belief that cultural preservation and youth empowerment are interconnected. By providing young people with both knowledge and opportunities, communities can help nurture a generation that is not only proud of its heritage but also willing to take an active role in protecting and promoting it.
As Buwan ng Wika continues to remind Filipinos of the importance of language and cultural identity, the Baybayin Lecture-Workshop offered a timely message that our heritage lives not only in what we inherit from the past, but in what we choose to learn, preserve, and pass on to the next generation.
The APO - Epsilon Tau Chapter 0519 and APO - ETAA #67 expressed its appreciation to Mr. Allan Torres Camba and his family, BAHANDI IP Youth Builders, the participating learners and youth, Ma'am Marcelina Arcadio, RBASMES School Head, teacher-facilitators, APO brothers and sisters, and all individuals who contributed to the successful conduct of the activity.
