ANGELES City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. said traffic signages in the Kapampangan language will be put up in the city's major thoroughfares in September.
"Bilang Angeleños, mumuna tamu dapat managuyod king kultura at salitang Kapampangan (As Angeleños, we should be the first ones to advocate culture and use of the Kapampangan language)" Lazatin said, urging his constituents to promote and preserve the Kapampangan culture and language.
This move is the first-ever in Angeles City, as well as in Pampanga province-wide, pursuant to a City Ordinance establishing Kapampangan as an official language of Angeles City and institutionalizing its use in all sectors, alongside existing national and official languages.
According to Angeles City Tourism Officer-in-Charge Anneleen Antonio-Sugui, the layouts for the Kapampangan traffic signages are already finished.
The signages are already in the printing process, and once done, will be installed right away at the city's major thoroughfares in McArthur Hi-way and Fil-Am Friendship Circumferential Road.
The Kapampangan signages will be put beside the existing English signages.
“Mayor Lazatin is pushing for the safety of Kapampangan culture, but he also wants the safety of our other kababayan motorists and vehicles plying the area," Antonio-Sugui said.
Aside from this initiative to preserve, safeguard, revitalize, and promote the use of Kapampangan in the city, Lazatin has also urged the City Council led by Vice Mayor Vicenta Vega-Cabigting in January 2021 to hold their session in Kapampangan language at least once a month.
In February, the City Council has begun reinforcing the use of Kapampangan, sending out resolutions written in the Amanung Sisuan, or mother tongue.
The 76 day care centers in the city have also been instructed by Lazatin through a letter to use Kapampangan language as the medium of instruction at least three hours per week once face-to-face classes resume.
Meanwhile, the Serbisyong May Puso news program of the Angeles City Government, airing now for a year, has been using Kapampangan language as a medium in its on-cam reporting.
Lazatin also asked help from media entities such as TV, radio, and print outlets, to raise awareness about the Amanung Sisuan, in order to make sure that the next generation of Kapampangans can carry the city’s culture and language.