KWF fetes former director and important 20th century writer and scholar

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 





The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) celebrated the life and works of its former director and important writer-scholar Julian Cruz Balmaseda this 28 January 2026 at the auditorium of the Philippine Information Agency, Quezon City.



Julian Cruz Balmaseda (1885–1947), whose 141st birth anniversary is observed today, is an important writer and scholar whose works in Filipino captured the spirit and essence of a precarious time in Philippine history.



With a writing career spanning the recently-ended Spanish occupation and the aftermath of World War II, Balmaseda wrote about Filipino life in a wide spectrum ranging from the patriotic to the romantic and personal.



According to sources, Balmaseda penned about 820 poems and 44 plays. Some of his books of poetry include Ang Bayan ni Plaridel (1913), Pangarap Lamang (1915), and Naku, ang Maynila! (1923–1924). KWF, under its Aklat Bayan program, reissued Naku, ang Maynila! in 2015.



His plays and stories like Sangkuwaltang Abaka (1922) and Ang Tala ng Bodabil (1936–37) have been restaged and adapted into films.



As a scholar of Philippine literature, his important works include Ang Tatlong Panahon ng Tulang Tagalog (1938) and Ang Dulang Pilipino (1947).



Balmaseda, originally from Orion, Bataan, was a teacher, municipal clerk, and government employee. He served as director of the National Institute of Language (now known as KWF) from 1938–1947.



Since 2015, KWF has been paying tribute to Balmaseda by staging the Gawad Julian Cruz Balmaseda during his birth anniversary. The award recognizes outstanding theses and dissertations written in Filipino as a contribution to the intellectualization of the national language.



Winners for this 2026 are Darwin Plaza (thesis) of Ateneo de Naga University and Ferdinand P. Jarin (dissertation) of De La Salle University.



KWF also launched Dr. Lovella Gamponia-Velasco’s Ubbog Ti Asin: Kuwento at Kuwenta ng mga Babaeng Mannurat ng Nueva Viscaya. Gamponia-Velasco won the Gawad Balmaseda for her dissertation in 2017.










Aktibong dumalo ang Tagapangulo ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) na si Atty. Marites A. Barrios-Taran, kasama ang Fultaym Komisyoner Benjamin M. Mendillo sa K-10 Curriculum Implementers’ Summit na isinagawa noóng 15 Enero 2026 sa Rizal Park Hotel, Manila. Layunin ng pagtitipon na pagtibayin, talakayin, at pag-ibayuhin ang pagpapatupad ng K-10 Kurikulum sa buong bansa.



Nagbigay ng mahalagang mensahe si Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara at binigyang-diin nito ang papel ng mga tagapagpatupad ng kurikulum sa paghubog ng makabuluhan, ingklusibo, at makabansang edukasyon. Hinikayat niya ang mga guro, administrador, at katuwang na institusyon na magkaisa, makipagtulungan, at magsulong ng dekalidad na sistema ng pagkatuto.



Nakiisa rin sa summit sina G. Gerson Marvin M. Abesamis, Director IV ng Bureau of Learning Delivery, Atty. Ester A. Funtalan, OIC, Office of the Director III ng BLD, at G. Jerome T. Buenviaje, Assistant Secretary ng Learning System Strand. Aktibo silang nagbahagi ng pananaw, naglatag ng mga polisiya, at nagpaliwanag ng mga estratehiya kaugnay ng epektibong implementasyon ng K-10 Kurikulum.



Ipinakita ng K-10 Curriculum Implementers’ Summit ang sama-samang pagkilos ng mga pinunὸ, eksperto, at institusyon upang paunlarin ang edukasyong Pilipino.

The 700 Club Asia’s Peter Kairuz and Wife Christine Launch New Podcast Helping Couples Mend, Build Stronger Marriages

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The 700 Club Asia host Peter Kairuz and his wife Christine launch a new weekly video podcast, “Beyond Small Talk,” designed to help couples navigate the joys and challenges of lasting relationships. The pilot episode drops on February 7, 2026.

Produced by CBN Asia, the inspiring podcast creates a safe space for couples to talk about the common and often-ignored aspects of marriage couples face—offering clarity, practical tips, and biblical guidance.

“We are going to talk about a variety of topics, like conflicts, communication, money matters, in-laws, and many other interesting aspects. We are going to share the things that we have learned in our own marriage, like how to keep your marriage strong and ablaze,” Peter shared.

Drawing from years of ministry experience and lessons learned in their own marriage journey, Peter and Christine aim to help long-time couples, newlyweds, and singles hoping to marry better understand God’s intentional design for marriage through deep, candid, yet relatable conversations.

“We would like to invite you to join us! Whether you are married, or you are planning to enter a lifelong commitment, come and watch! Don’t miss the first episode,” Christine added.

Mend your marriage, one conversation at a time.

Catch the “Beyond Small Talk” Marriage Podcast starting February 7 on Spotify and CBN Asia’s YouTube channel, with new episodes airing every Saturday at 7:00 p.m. For updates, follow @CBNAsia and @The700ClubAsia on social media.

AirAsia MOVE’s intra-Asean initiatives recognized at 35th ASEANTA Awards

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

 

CEBU, PHILIPPINES, 27 January 2025 – AirAsia MOVE (MOVE), Asia’s Best Travel Booking App, has been awarded the Best ASEAN Marketing & Promotional Program award at the 35th ASEANTA Awards for Excellence, held in Cebu City, Philippines.

Presented by the ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA), the award recognizes MOVE’s ‘Travel More for Less’ campaign, a multi-market initiative across Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines designed to promote intra-Asean travel and discovery of hidden gems in the region.

Nadia Omer, CEO of AirAsia MOVE said, “Our 'Travel More for Less' campaign was built on the belief that Asean’s true beauty lies in its undiscovered corners. With nearly 80% of travellers currently concentrated in just 10% of global destinations, our mission at MOVE is to rebalance the scales of tourism. By shifting the focus to hidden gems, we are not just changing how people travel, we are supporting local communities and enabling more people to discover Asean on a deeper level.

It is a profound honour to be recognized by ASEANTA at our home base, as we continue to build a digital travel ecosystem that belongs to, and serves, the people of Asean and beyond.”

The campaign brought community storytelling to the forefront, uniting content creators from Asean countries in collaboration with tourism boards and hotel partners. Supported by key innovations and products such as the Asean Explorer Pass subscription, SNAP! Flight + Hotel bundles, in-app chat groups, and Discover ASEAN site to drive year round travel and build communities of travellers. 

 

Behind this campaign, a key strength of MOVE also lies in its strong on-the-ground presence across Asean, with dedicated teams based in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. These local teams collaborate closely across markets to weave meaningful Asean connectivity, ensuring campaigns are not only regionally cohesive, but also locally relevant, culturally grounded, and impactful for communities.

Photo caption: (Middle) Maria Lourdes Japson, Country Representative of MOVE Philippines, together with Yizhen Fung, Head of Strategic Partnerships of MOVE, proudly accepted the award at the ASEANTA Excellence Awards yesterday.