Helping to preserve indigenous Filipino language and culture

A third-year international PhD student in Linguistics from the Philippines, Orlyn Joyce Esquivel has a deep passion for preserving endangered Philippine languages, helping to document and revitalize the indigenous dialects among native Filipinos. She hopes to become a professor, dedicating herself to sharing knowledge, and inspiring others to value and preserve linguistic and cultural diversity, particularly in the Philippines.

Orlyn is the two-time recipient of the Dr. Teresita V. Ramos Endowment for Philippine Languages, Literature, Culture, and Filipino American Studies. This is an excerpt from her letter to donors.

I am deeply grateful for your generosity in funding the scholarship that supports my work on the Ayta Magbukun language documentation project. Your contribution has had a profound impact, not only on my academic journey, but also on the preservation of the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Ayta Magbukun communities in the Philippines.

Every summer, I have been able to conduct fieldwork in Bataan, Philippines, and live among the Ayta Magbukun community. This project aims to document the language practices of both adult and child language users while fostering community involvement in creating materials for documentation and revitalization. Although I do not have familial ties to the Ayta Magbukun community, I have built lasting relationships through years of immersion and collaboration. Living among community members has taught me invaluable lessons about resilience, cultural pride and the importance of shared experiences, such as communal food sharing and household tasks.

This scholarship has also allowed me to conduct more fieldwork in Bataan, Philippines, during the summer of 2024. I collaborated closely with community members in Mariveles – both children and adults.

While this project remains ongoing, your support has been crucial in bringing me closer to achieving the goal of preserving these indigenous cultures and languages. Your commitment to my education inspires me to continue striving toward a more inclusive and equitable future for marginalized communities in the Philippines.

Thank you for making this work possible and for helping me take meaningful steps toward my research and goals in linguistics. The Ayta Magbukun community in Mariveles also extends their heartfelt gratitude for your support!