Australian parents taught Filipino words while bonding with their Pinoy kids

“Kumusta ka? Kumain ka na ba?”

In just one day, 15 sets of Australian parents learned how to speak some basic Filipino words and phrases together with their adopted Filipino children in an event organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney to celebrate the Philippine’s Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa (Month of National Language).

On August 17, The Philippine Embassy in Australia gathered together adopted Filipino children aged three to 13 along with their Australian parents for an interactive Filipino language lesson aimed at teaching them Filipino words they can use at home and in an outdoor setting.

According to the Filipino community news site The Filipino Australian, the parents and their children were taught salutation phrases like “Kumusta po (How are you)?”, “Anong pangalan mo (What’s your name)?” “Ako si… (I am…)” and Filipino words for colors, food, and other common objects.

While their Australian parents were learning how to greet visitors in Filipino, the young children had the time of their lives making fun shapes with modeling dough as they learned common Filipino words and phrases associated with body parts.

A census commissioned by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2006 and published in 2008 revealed that Filipino ranks as the eight non-English language spoken in Australian homes, coming ahead of the German or Deutsch language.

Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis lauded the success of the event, which was the second presentation prepared by the Philippine Embassy for the Australian parents and their adopted Filipino children.

“We are very happy that the Australian parents of the children are very supportive and they take extra efforts to nurture an awareness of Filipino culture and heritage in their adopted children,” she said.

Last June, Philippine diplomatic officials in Sydney gathered the parents and their children at the embassy to introduce them to objects related to Filipino culture and history such as the Philippine flag and Filipino heroes.

The children were also introduced to traditional Filipino games such as patintero, sipa, sungka, palo-sebo, and pabitin during the event. — Xianne Arcangel/KBK, GMA News