Naga City Science High School Entry - Tigsik:Pagsalingoy sa Lengwaheng Bikolnon

This is the official entry of NAGA CITY SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL for the Doon Po Sa Amin Learning Challenge, a project where teachers and students of Smart Schools Program (SSP) partner schools are encouraged to use computer and Internet technologies to generate web-based information and educational materials about their respective communities.

“Tigsik: Pagsalingoy sa Lengwaheng Bikolnon“ is the official entry of Naga City Science High School for the Second DPSA Learning Challenge. It falls under Language and Literature category. This study aims to bring in a form of Bicolano literature that is truly a local color that of no match for any other: Tigsik.

Like most cultures, Bicolanos have one distinguishing feature known only to them. Tigsik which is another literary genre has been present in the Bicolano culture for generations. It has become a way of life to the people of the region, an outlet, a form of expressing feelings when speech is difficult, a satirical way of calling the attention of people who are not doing their jobs well and a pastime for when all you want is a moment to lay back and relax, of course with a hefty dose of laughter.

In an interview conducted with Mr. Jose Fernando Obias, one of the Bicolano writers, he mentioned that Tigsik writing has no specific beginning whatsoever; there has been no record of where it started or who were the person behind. Quite simply, it just bounded forward and was passed on from generation to generation through the families – mother passed to daughter, father passed to son. It is even generalized that tigsik is an inheritance from the highest ancestors of our deepest roots.

In another interview with Mr. Francis Peñones Jr., another bikolano writer he said that Tigsik started way back pre Spanish period as evidenced by its form of writing and shows how metaphorical and witty bikolanos are.

While it is true that tigsik is a distinguishing trait of Bicol literature, it, too, is now slowly vanishing, with the technological advances and the use of English as a universal language.

This community-based research intend to find ways on which the literary wonder could resurface once again, suggest new and better means to nurture tigsik and not just to be appreciated by Bicolanos, but by Filipinos as well.