BAYBAYIN scripts on street signs and food labels? Why not, when it’s the writing system that Filipinos’ ancestors used. 

Baybayin, a traditional, syllabic Philippine writing system, should be declared the National Writing System of the Philippines, according to Sen. Loren Legarda. 

Legarda has filed Senate Bill 1866, which seeks the wider use of Baybayin so that future generations could get to know this as well. 

According to Legarda, the government should recognize the country’s traditional writing systems. These are objects of national importance and considered national cultural treasures, she said. 

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Baybayin should be named the national writing script, she said.

“Hence, it should be promoted, protected, preserved, and conserved for posterity for the next generation,” she said in her explanatory note to the bill.

What is Baybayin? 

Baybayin is a pre-colonial writing system used by early Filipinos. 

This has 17 cursive characters or letters representing either a single consonant, vowel, or a complete syllable. 

Using Baybayin 

According to the Senator, Baybayin should be promoted by: 

• requiring all manufacturers of locally produced food products to inscribe Baybayin scripts and their translation on the containers or labels
• mandating local government units to include Baybayin scripts in their signage for street names, public buildings and facilities, and other public service establishments
• requiring newspaper and magazine publishers to include a Baybayin translation of their official name
• directing the appropriate government agency to distribute reading materials about Baybayin in public and private schools and in government and private agencies
• calling on government and private agencies and offices to instill awareness of the declaration of Baybayin as the national writing system through the conduct of staff training 

Protecting the script 

The bill tasks the National Commission for Culture and the Arts to protect, preserve, and conserve Baybayin as a National Cultural Treasure. 

The NCCA, along with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Education, and Commission on Higher Education, are also directed to come up with the rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of the measure

The bill does not set any penalties for the failure to use Baybayin as prescribed. 

Two similar bills to protect and promote Baybayin are pending in the House of Representatives.