Following the 24-hour Wiki Loves Manuscripts Philippines (WILMA PH) basic training course on transcribing, proofreading and validating of Wikisource pages held from the first week of June toward mid-July this year, the 40-hour advanced Wikisource workshop commenced last July 20 with the 2-day Bikol Wikisource Training of Trainers (TOT) at City Hall Conference Room in Naga City.
The Philippine Wikimedia Community Inc. (PhilWiki Community) User Group, in partnership with the Bikol Wikipedia Community and the Nueva Caceres Heritage Movement Inc. (NCHMI), organized the pilot activity of Wikisource Loves Manuscripts (WILMA) in the Philippines, and is committed in supporting the preservation of intangible heritage through this local digital resource initiative.
Held last weekend, the opening program of the WILMA PH training attracted around 40 participants from the University of Nueva Caceres – College of Engineering and Architecture, Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges – Center for Rinconada Culture and Arts, representatives from the City Youth Officials of Naga City, and Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA)-Calabanga – College of Education.
Sakti Pramudya, Senior Partnerships Manager for East, South East Asia, and Pacific (ESEAP) of the Wikimedia Foundation, from Indonesia via Google Meet, extended his heartfelt congratulations to the PhilWiki Community for successfully conducting the first WILMA workshop in its base in Naga City. He commended the organization’s efforts for preserving and safeguarding the region’s valuable heritage on Wikisource.
Images: Irvin Sto. Tomas (CC BY-SA 4.0)
On behalf of Mayor Nelson Legacion, city administrator Elmer Baldemoro welcomed attendees with enthusiasm. While city councilor Jose Perez, chair of the Sangguniang Panglunsod Committee on Culture and Arts, inspired the participants to preserve the intangible heritage particularly the Bikol language.
Bikol Wikipedia contributor Ramon Olaño, Jr., president of Sumaro Bikolnon and co-founder of Bikol Wikipedia Community, shared his more than 15 years of experience in building a free resource on the local knowledge in the Bikol language.
The PhilWiki Community is the first Wikimedia affiliate in the world to implement the initiative following the conclusion of the WILMA Learning Partner Networks training program. The initiative aims to digitize old manuscripts and help build the Philippine language editions of the project.
The training is extended to the Bisdak Wikimedian Community, a PhilWiki Community affiliate in Cebu headed by Elmer Montejo, focusing on the use of the Cebuano language in the sharing of free knowledge. Further, a workshop on building the Ilokano edition of Wikisource is among the sessions at the GLAM WikiConference happening in Vigan, Ilocos Sur on September 20-22, 2024.
Architect Josenia Merencillo, president of the Nueva Caceres Heritage Movement Inc. (NCHMI), shared the organization’s efforts in preserving the tangible and intangible heritage through their collaborations with the city government and other cultural organizations including PhilWiki Community through the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) Philippines program. Former city councilor Badette Roco shared her experience in event organization and in community participation.
Project lead Irvin Sto. Tomas, one of the pioneer WILMA Learning Partner Networks collaborators, shared the aims of the program: to develop a pool of competent trainers, engage GLAM staff to strengthen their capacity, and collaborate with heritage, language, and cultural organizations to build an open library on Wikisource.
Further, he provided lectures on Wikisource modules, and introduced the month-long Proofreading Challenge offering tips on contributing to Wikisource as well as ensuring safety in the digital platform.
Before the end of the 2-day session, participants from each participating educational institutions shared their impressions.
Maffeth Opiana-Sto. Tomas, founding member and current president of PhilWiki Community expressed her gratitude to the participants, Nueva Caceres Heritage Movement Inc., the Naga City Government, and to the Wikimedia Foundation for providing support.
Spreading the Spirit of Free Knowledge 