GLAM Wiki Conference Philippines 2024/Report/Flory Arce Florendo

On the first day of the conference, around 7 - 8 am we took our breakfast at Ciudad Fernandina Hotel and we received our Vigan passport. After that, we started the Wiki Takes Vigan photo walk session which we have given the opportunity to visit and took photos at Baluarte and Safari Gallery and on different establishments, place, locals, etc. In the afternoon, we conduct series of lectures presented by different professionals but before that Mr. Paolo Mar A. Chan, Head – NMI began his welcoming remarks and present the National Museum of the Philippines. He discussed the importance of preserving our cultural identity that’s why we have National Museum where it can served as a store house of our cultural identity. Our duty is to promote and preserves our natural culture and educate people about it specially the young ones. Mr. Sakti Pramudya, Senior Partnership Manager, East South East Asia and Pacific (ESEAP), Wikimedia Foundation. States his keynote address though it is only presented through video presentation, highlighted that culture is the sole of knowledge and we must use our knowledge and pass it down to the next generation. Another presenter, Prof. Danilo M. Gerona - Director, Center for Partido Studies Partido State University - Goa, Camarines Sur shared about The Founding of the Villa Fernandina in Vigan. The last presenter, Fr. Edmundo C. Castañeda, Jr. – President, St. Ferdinand College -City of Ilagan Vicar General of the Diocese of Ilagan shared his topic about Linguistic Hospitality: The Risk of Translating Fr. Fernandez’s 1867 Ibanag-Spanish Dictionary into Ibanag-English for Contemporary Use. He is an advocates of preservation the Ibanag Languages and cultural heritage. During his lecture, I learned again about the importance of writing and translation. When we write, we tend to be a history teller and captured a bigger picture of the world. Contemporary translation help us to preserve our old materials or languages, failed to do so, languages will die. According to Fr. Castañeda, translation is never final but an endless task; translation as working through (like if you are translating it is like putting life again to people or to the works alive).

On the second day of the conference, informative topics, lectures, experiences on participating wiki events and workshop is being presented. Mr. Herbert Kikoy shared his journey upon joining the Wiki Loves Folklore where he captured different events specially festivals and faces of people and he also shared techniques on capturing photos. The next presenter, Ms. Khate B. Martinez shared his study about Walking in Maligcong Rice Terraces: Tracing Pathways of Support. It is about tracing where we started at looking how and why we started. Mr. Elmer Montejo talks about Katilingban ug Sugbuanun: Community and the Cebuano in the Digital World. Mr. Mark Kineth Casindac shared his proficiency about macro photography. Maffeth Sto. Tomas discussed about the Wiki Loves Philippines. Mr. Jerome M. Hipolito discussed how wiki integrates on research and glocal knowledge. The eight Architecture and Engineering students from University of Nueva Caceres shared their experiences on how they started as a wiki editors. They also designed a mini workshop about transcribing, proofreading and validating a manuscripts.

On the third day of the conference, the GLAM team went to Ilocos Norte and held another outreach activities. We visited the Malacañang of the North and Paoay Church. The awarding of Certificate of Participation also held in front of the Malacañang of the North.

I am forever grateful that I was being part of the GLAM Wiki Conference Philippines 2024. I learned a lot new things after attending the 3 days conference. The GLAM help me more understand the importance of preserving our cultural identity, history, and languages.