ANGELES CITY-- Governor Lilia Pineda on Saturday recited a Kapampangan poem she composed herself and dedicated to the people of Pampanga.
On Saturday’s celebration of "Aldo ning Amanung Sisuan (Day of the Native Kapampangan tongue)" at the Holy Angel University Theater in this city, Pineda recited the poem entitled "Pampanga Kung Pakamalan."
She went on to deliver the poem as:
“Probinsya kung beitan/Mipnung lugud kung tatangalan/Keka kakung ibie ngan/Serbisyu ku’t karangalan;
Ing kakung kapasalamatan/King Ginung minie at miglalang/King pusu ku maglapo/Uling keya yang pigkaluban/Dakal a bendisyun at kalam/Iting pakamalan kung lalawigan;
Anya ngeni Kapampangan/Mitmung tula at sikanan/King mabilug a yatu/Kekang igulisak/Memalen ku Pampanga/At metung a tune Kapampangan.”
The governor and Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also stood as witnesses as five Kapampangan writers were crowned as poets laureate of Pampanga.
Renato Alzadon, the Ari ning Parnaso or king of Kapampangan poets, and Romeo Rodriguez, the Prinsipe ning Parnaso or prince of Kapampangan poets, put golden laurel crowns on each of the poets, who knelt and bowed their heads as Pineda and Arroyo watched.
The new poets laureate are Ma. Teresa Magtuloy-Evangelista of Sasmuan; Ma. Teresa Sanchez of Tolosa of the City of San Fernando; Adora Gigante Ferrer of Angeles City; Gaudencio Sagum of Candaba; and Bernardo Aguirre (a.k.a. Anac ning Arenas) of Arayat.
Aguirre, who is based in Australia, was represented by a relative.
With their coronation, the new poets laureate join other similarly titled Kapampangan writers in an exclusive group called Kolehiyo da ring Poeta Laureado, headed by Alzadon.
In her speech, Pineda exhorted the audience to be proud of their language and culture.
Earlier, Pineda and Arroyo toured the museum of the Center for Kapampangan Studies, with Center Director Robby Tantingco and Center consultant Lord Francis Musni, providing annotation.
Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan of Angeles City and Mayor Jomar Hizon of Bacolor, as well as Board Members Monina Laus and Trina Dizon, joined Pineda and Arroyo in the tour. (Robby Tantingco)