Antiqueños urged to preserve Kiniray-a language

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique -- Senator Loren Legarda on Wednesday urged Antiqueños to “promote, preserve and conserve (the) Kiniray-a” language.

Speaking during the first anniversary celebration of the installation of the language marker, the senator said that of the 130 languages in the country, the Kiniray-a language is distinct and should also be promoted as a tourism attraction.

“Antique is the host of the first language marker because of Kiniray-a,” said Legarda, who initiated the project last year.

The senator proposed a walking tour from the language marker to other tourism and historical sites around Antique’s capital town, San Jose de Buenavista, as a way to promote the language. The tour will include the old capitol, which is now being converted into a museum.

Kiniray-a, the local language in Antique based on research, is one of the oldest languages in the country, especially on Panay island.

Meanwhile, Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao said the province is taking pride at hosting the 10-feet stainless steel language marker, being a tangible representation of the recognition of the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) of Kiniray-a as an old language.

She also gave instruction to the Provincial Tourism Office to make sure that the marker is always illuminated so that the people could come and take a look at it even in the evening.

Tourism officer-in-charge Cheryl Lynn S. Quanico also explained that the language marker, which was designed by sculptor Luis “Junyee” Jr., was like a bamboo pole.

“The language marker has been designed like a bamboo pole being then the medium of writing of the early inhabitants,” Quanico said.

Inscribed on the marker is the “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Bayan” written by Andres Bonifacio, who fiercely fought for the country’s freedom with a bolo. (PNA)