REACHING for peak humor and relatability within the Bedan community, the word "omsim"— an inversion of the Filipino word mismo, meaning "exactly" in English is widely used within the campus to communicate different responses. While it is entertaining, to say the least, it seems Bedans, more so the Filipino youth, fail to speak beyond the five-letter word. Really? Omsim!

The Cultural Mouth

It seems inevitable that what was once predominant in our culture and everyday life gets replaced with progression; speaking English gives an edge in your career growth. It is also embedded in our media and entertainment consumption, as seen in the recent interest of major Filipino Networks to broadcast and release content from different countries and languages like South Korea and the United States. This coupled with our parents' mindset that children who speak English well bones better with the connotation of speaking Filipino only relate to being poor or disadvantaged. 

Miss mo?

As we celebrate Buwan ng Wika, let us ponder why we have let our language step so far back that we need a celebration to reignite its importance. It begs the question of our nature in seeing its value only when it is scarce. The Filipino language continues to suffer the pains of being victimized by convenience over pride. Demoted for casual conversations and shunned from situations of opportunities and growth, yet patronized in occasions of relatability and appeal to an audience. In the end, we can never outgrow our roots. While few, national celebrations like the Buwan ng Wika and the National Literature Month give hope that the Filipino language is here to stay.

Maybe omsim isn't too bad if we think deeply about it. It's a step in the right direction, showing proof that the Filipino language continues to evolve and adapt to the niche of its users. As students, we can innovate and recalibrate our cultural mouth. If possible, choose to give speeches in Filipino instead; take our Filipino courses seriously. We can even integrate the language into our events, programs, and activities. The possibilities are endless, and so is our potential.

Yes, we can unlearn culture, even heritage, but we can never outgrow genetics. What's ironic about it all? The article promoting regrowing our roots in the Filipino language is not written in such a way. True? Omsim!