WILMA PH Training Program kicks off, runs until November 30

The Wikisource Loves Manuscripts Philippines (WILMA PH) Training of Trainers Program Year 2 officially opened at PAGCOR Hall, Balatas, Naga City, highlighting the vital role of archiving, digitization, and digital repatriation in preserving cultural heritage and valuable manuscripts.

Dr. Sakti Pramudya, Senior Partnership Manager of the Wikimedia Foundation for the ESEAP region, lauded the PhilWiki Community for sustaining its Wikisource campaign. The initiative has led to the formation of the UNC Wiki Club, the development of Bikol and Tagalog editions of Wikisource, and collaborations with GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) institutions across the country.

Historian and author Jose Fernando Obias, known for his 2019 book English-Standard Bikol Vocabulary, delivered a lecture on Philippine scripts, the 17th-century Bicol language, and Marcos de Lisboa’s Vocabolario de la lengua bicol. He also shared examples of rare manuscripts from his collection, underscoring how the local language has evolved through the centuries.

Dr. Alma Kay Abarientos, University Librarian at the James O’Brien, SJ Library of Ateneo de Naga University, reflected on how digitization enables broader access to local materials and deepens one’s appreciation of cultural identity.

Former Camarines Sur representative and Naga City mayor Sulpicio Roco Jr., a social anthropologist who worked at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), reminded participants that while honoring the past is vital, it is equally important to look ahead and embrace progress.

Writer and academician Dennis Gonzaga, head of the Naga City Culture and Arts Coalition, emphasized the need to democratize resources and commended the PhilWiki Community’s direction. He also urged language advocates to adapt to changing times rather than being overly rigid about traditional spelling and grammar.

Jerome Hipolito, an associate professor at Central Bicol State University of Agriculture and supporter of the CBSUA Wiki Education Program, praised the resource speaker’s discussion. He also shared about CBSUA-Calabanga COE’s Banwaan Project, which gathers local stories to help understand the community’s memory, and emphasized Wikimedia’s role in preserving local knowledge.

The WILMA PH Training of Trainers Program aims to develop a pool of trainers who will work with GLAM institutions in building an accessible online repository of manuscripts through training, tutorials, and mentorship.

The activity is spearheaded by the Philippine Wikimedia Community, Bikol Wikipedia Community, and Nueva Caceres Heritage Movement, Inc., in partnership with the City Government of Naga and the UNC Wiki Club, in response to the call for digitizing old publications.