RJMarmol.com – Since 2008.

Ako'y Pinoy na Mayroong Sariling Wika

—


In observance of “Buwan ng Wika”, the following article was written entirely in Filipino and will take exception from my blog language policy.

<== Pindutin upang patugtugin ang "Ako'y Isang Pinoy"

Ikinalulungkot kong medyo huli na ang sanaysay na ito. Plinano kong isulat ito sa unang linggo ng Agosto ngunit sa dami ng mga pangyayaring dala ng BJE MOA, naisantabi ko ito at halos nawala na rin sa isip ko. Mabuti na lang at napaalala ito ng aking anak habang nag-eensayo kami para sa kanyang pagtula at pag-awit sa pampaaralang selebrasyon nila ng “Buwan ng Wika”.

Nakatutuwang isipin na malayo-layo na rin ang narating ng ating wika — simula ng magdeklara ng pambansang wika hanggang sa mga ipinatupad na pagbabago dito upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng panahon. Ipinagmamalaki ko at ipinagbubunyi ang patuloy na pagiging “buhay” ng ating wika. Bagama’t laganap ang Ingles sa maraming babasahin, lalo na sa internet, marami pa rin akong napapansing aktibong gumagamit ng wikang Filipino. Maliban dito, ang pagiging “buhay” ng ating wika ay kapansin-pansin din sa patuloy na pagdagdag ng mga salita upang maiangkop ang ang ating wika sa kumbensyonal na Ingles. Ginagawa ito sapagkat maraming aklat at iba pang uri ng babasahin ang nakasulat sa Ingles at kailangan nating tugunan ito ng karapat-dapat at eksaktong pagsasalin sa Filipino. Sa ganitong paraan lamang natin masisiguro na hindi tayo malilimitahan pagdating sa pagpapalawig ng ating kaalaman.

Marahil marami rin ang naniniwala na may aspeto ng ating wika na nanganganib sapagkat ang bagong henerasyon ay hindi na gaanong nakikipagtalastasan sa purong Filipino. Marami sa kanila ay namulat at nasanay na sa pagta-Taglish o ang pagsasalita ng halong Filipino at Ingles. Kung ako ang tatanungin, wala akong nakikitang dapat na ikapangamba pagdating sa isyung ito. Sapagkat kung hihimayin natin, ang katotohanan ay ganito: ano man ang sabihin o paniwalaan ng iba, ang wikang Filipino ay isang malalim at di-maipagkakailang integral na bahagi na ng pagiging Filipino. Sa aking paniniwala, anuman ang marating, saan man dalhin ng pagkakataon, ano mang wika ang kailanganing pag-aralan o gamitin bunsod ng pangangailangan, matibay ang pagtitiwala ko sa di matatawarang pagmamahal ng isang Filipino sa kanyang sariling wika. Maliban dito, naniniwala rin ako na matagal ka mang hindi makapagsalita ng Filipino — sa anumang kadahilanan, hindi kailanman malilimutan ang tamis at ligaya na dulot na salitang kumukumpleto o bumubuo sa iyong pagkatao.

Ikaw na Filipino na kasalukuyang nagbabasa nito, binabati kita ng maligayang “Buwan ng Wika”. Ipagbunyi natin ang wikang Filipino at ang lahing sinasagisag nito.

Ako’y isang Pinoy sa puso’t diwa. Ako’y Pinoy na mayroong sariling wika. At, oo — ikaw rin.

* * *

Ang sumusunod na bidyo ay alay namin ng aking anak para sa buwan ng wika. Ipagpaumahin ninyo ang pag-i-Ingles. Ang aking anak ay baylingwal. Sa Ingles sya nagsasalita kapag nasa loob ng bahay at Filipino naman paglabas ng pinto. Ito ay dahil mas madaling natututo ang mga batang higit sa isang wika ang alam gamitin. Isa itong istratehiya sa pagtuturo at hindi dahil sa mas pinapaboran namin ang Ingles — isang paglilinaw lamang para sa mga nagtataka. Ikinalulugod ko rin na sa murang edad nya ng tatlo ay batid na niya ang kahalagahan ng sariling wika at madalas rin nyang sabihin na mas gusto nya  ang wikang Filipino.

● About Me
Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera Marmol aka RJ Marmol profile picture

I’m RJ Marmol — writer, musician, and independent creator based in Manila.

I write songs, essays, and books about the messy overlap between money, overwhelm, creativity, identity, and rebuilding. Much of my work circles around what happens when life stops feeling manageable — and how we try to think clearly, make decisions, and keep moving anyway.

I’m also the author of Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur, a nonfiction book published under Steady Hand Press. The paperback edition is listed under my full publishing name, Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera.

On the music side, I release work as HeyRJ. On the writing side, this site is where I gather my books, essays, notes, and whatever I’m building next.

Music

HeyRJ is my sonic soul project. I create raw, minimalist-style and deeply personal music interpretations that feel like a late-night conversation with your truest self.

By blending lo-fi acoustic textures with poetic honesty, my work explores love, loss, grief, healing, and the quiet in-betweens of life. Each song is a letter — a journal entry — a gentle companion for when the world feels too loud or too quiet.

While my catalogue began with intimate cover renditions, my work is increasingly being shaped by original writing, drawing from years of poems, lived questions, and emotional survival.

“Stuck Home Syndrome” released on March 20, 2026 is my first original 20-track album written during a period when time felt compressed and days began to blur into each other. The songs came from sitting with thoughts that had nowhere else to go — unfiltered, repetitive, and sometimes uncomfortable. It’s a concept album that isn’t built around singles or polish. It’s closer to a continuous inner monologue, recorded with minimal production and very little ornamentation and meant to be listened to as one cohesive body of work. The goal wasn’t to resolve anything, only to document how it felt while it was happening.

On May 29, 2026 I released new original singles – “Rapturous”, “Uh Huh”, “Look At You”, “All That” and “Blew Print”. I continue to release both original and cover songs and intend to so for as long as I can so check back every once in a while — you might. just find something you’ll like.

For business inquiries relating to music, email me at: heyrjmusic[at]gmail[dot]com or my personal email at: rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com.

Books

Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur

A nonfiction book about what debt does to the mind — and how to begin functioning again when financial stress has made everything feel blurred, urgent, and overwhelming.

Rather than treating debt only as a financial math problem, the book explores the emotional and cognitive realities of financial distress: shame, decision fatigue, avoidance, panic, relationship strain, and the difficulty of making sound decisions while mentally depleted.

Published under Steady Hand Press. It’s available worldwide in ebook and paperback formats on Amazon. Bookstores and libraries can also be order it wholesale via Ingram.

Contact

For book-related inquiries, media requests, bookstore questions, or discussion-group invitations, you can reach me through the contact page on this site or send me an email to rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com or hello[at]steadyhandpress.com

● Recent Articles