Philippines has diverse languages, each has its own beauty and uniqueness. One of which is the Ilokano language.

The Ilokano homeland is in the provinces of Ilocos Region namely Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, and some parts of Pangasinan. But because of migration, significant communities of Ilokanos can also be found in other nearby provinces and throughout the United States of America such as in Hawaii.

On the official website of Ethnic Groups of the Philippines, Ilokano is classified as a stable language which means there are 1,000 or more speakers. In fact, there are some 9.1 million people speaking the language, the website reveals.

Apayao Vice Governor and GUMIL Filipinas President said there is a need to protect and safeguard Ilokano as a language and as a mother tongue. (JND/PIA La Union)

To further safeguard and promote the Ilokano orthography, there is a recognized and one of the most active groups of Ilokano writers nationwide called Gunglo dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano iti Filipinas or GUMIL Filipinas.

Incorporated and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, GUMIL Filipinas works on providing a forum in which Ilokano writers can undertake common and cooperative efforts to improve their craft of writing literary, historical, research and other works while enriching Ilokano literature and cultural heritage as phases of the national identity, among others.

The group’s most recent activity was in time for the celebration of International Mother Language Day on February 21. The GUMIL Filipinas, in partnership with GUMIL Ilocos Sur Chapter, jointly conducted an Ilokano Orthography and Journalism Seminar at the University of Northern Philippines in Vigan City. It was attended by about 100 media practitioners, public information officers, and Mass Communication students in Ilocos Region.

Dubbed as Innadal 2020, the one-day seminar-workshop featured renowned Ilokano writers, editors, and journalists as speakers on basic Ilokano orthography, translation, and journalism.

GUMIL Filipinas President Remy Albano informed that their group regularly conducts the said seminar in provinces wherein Ilokano is used as a language.

During his stint as the president of the organization, he shared that Ilocos Sur is the third province where Innadal was held, next to the provinces of Isabela and Abra, respectively.

“There is a need to protect our culture, traditions, and language,” Albano said in Ilokano.

Aside from Innadal, the group organizes other activities for the promotion of the language to include participation to book fairs, conduct of Ilokano writing contests, and holding of annual national convention, among others.

Albano also shared that for this year, their annual convention named 'Dap-ayan' will be held from April 17 to 19 in Batac City, Ilocos Norte.

Hundreds of GUMIL Filipinas officers and members from the different provincial chapters in the country including abroad will convene during the three-day gathering.

“The Dap-ayan 2020 will be a venue again for lectures, writing workshops, writing contests, giving of commendation of accomplishments and honoring the outstanding Gumilianos and other accomplished writers for their contribution to the association and the Ilokano language in general,” he shared.

GUMIL Filipinas was organized on October 19, 1968 in Baguio City with the prominent writer, Arturo M. Padua, then municipal mayor of Sison, Pangasinan, as its first president.

The first officers of the group took their oath of office before President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

As a solid group, the GUMIL Filipinas shall carry on with its vision to safeguard Ilokano as a language and as a mother tongue. (JCR/JND/PIA La Union)