Texting contest on ZTE truth telling launched

BAGUIO CITY - Who is telling the truth in the raging NBN scandal? The Filipinas Institute of Translation, Inc. (FIT) launched a context not to know if it was President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo or his cohorts or Jun Lozada who are the truth tellers but why is truth important. The contest entitled "Katext Mo sa Katotohanan" would be a dalit poetry-writing contest using texting. FIT has sponsored similar contests in the past using dalit (traditional poetic form consisting of four monorhyming lines of eight syllables each) and other traditional Filipino forms like tanaga and diona, said Joey Baquiran of FIT. This subtle take on the NBN-ZTE scandal calls on texters to write a dalit on the value and importance of telling the truth. Here is National Artist Rio Alma's take on the truth telling dalit: "Ang tunay na Filipino/ Nagsasabi ng totoo/ Naglilingkod sa totoo/ Ilalaban ang totoo." Another example is: Ang sugat ay kung tinanggap/ Di daramdamin ang antak/ Ang aayaw at di mayag/ Galos lamang magnanaknak." It is highly metaphorical and conveys an insight on human life and experience, Baquiran said. "Writers and poetry enthusiasts can join the contest, which has a very contemporary theme—the value of telling the truth. Writing poems is an effective way of expressing communal feelings and at this time in our national life, communal action," Baquiran said. Contestants can text their poems at 0915-7832810 or email them at dalitext@yahoo.com. Poems must strictly follow the dalit rhyme and meter. Cut-off time is at 5 p.m. every Friday. Weekly winners gets a prize of P2,000. Consolation prize winners will receive certificates. For details, call 9221830. - GMANews.TV