GROUP 4 (BSES - 1B) Readings in the Philippine History

Gacusan, Angel F.
Bautista, Earl Martin S.
Gacusan, Angel F.
Bautista, Earl Martin S.
Gacusan, Angel F.
Bautista, Earl Martin S.
Gacusan, Angel F.
Bautista, Earl Martin S.
Gacusan, Angel F.
Bautista, Earl Martin S.

ALIBATA AS PRE-SPANISH NATIONAL WRITING SCRIPT

I. Introduction
Alibata was known and believed to be the ancient or national writing script of the
Philippines, that contains the vowels and consonants that the late Filipinos learned,
Isaac Taylor, a historical writer, claims that Alibata is a derivation of ancient scripts such
as Vengi, Assam and Chalukya that originated from the Eastern coast of India, however
Baybayin already existed by then. Baybayin is the proper term for this ancient script
and it means “to spell”. Alibata was introduced by Professor Paul Versoza in 1914, to
reference the native Filipino writing script. According to a book entitled “An
Introduction to Baybayin (2009)”, Versoza made the term ALIBATA in the New York
Library, Manuscript Division way back 1914, and had his basis on Maguindanao (Moro)
alphabet “alif” and “bet” and Arabic alphabet arrangement to have an alternative term
for the native writing script of the Philippines even after being aware of Baybayin.

Alibata was used in the early 14th century to the late 19th century when the
Spaniards started colonizing the Philippines. Spanish influence has introduced the
modern Roman alphabet. Nonetheless, alibata was still recognized to have the same and
accurate meaning as Baybayin. Countrymen acknowledge the word ‘alibata’, however it
was proven wrong and merely a coined term by Professor Versoza’s idea to refer to the
Filipino alphabet. As the times passed by, Filipinos learned and realized, Baybayin is the
correct and original term in the pre-colonial language. Montenegro (2021) claims that
Baybayin is the actual and mainly used language in the Pre-Spanish Era of some
ethnic-linguistic groups belonging in Luzon and Visayas.

Alibata is a proven misnomer and yet it is already a part of the Filipino vernacular and
it is difficult to dismiss the mentioned word. Since the term Alibata has been used in
print materials and was part of academia during the nationalistic era of the Philippines
in the mid to late 20th century. Even so, it does not change the fact that Baybayin is the
original term for the National Writing Script of the Philippines. And the present
generation has the vocal and enough evidence to acknowledge, and share, the accurate
writing script which we know and learned, Baybayin.

II.Differentiate between Alibata and Baybayin

Baybayin and Alibata are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they
have some differences in their historical and cultural contexts:

● Baybayin is derived and influenced from Indic and Javanese scripts and is
universally recognized by Filipino scholars that it was the language used
by the natives during the pre-colonial times of the archipelago.
● Alibata was a term coined by Paul Rodriguez Verzosa in 1914. He based
this term on the Arabic alphabet alif, ba, and ta from the Maguindanao
Moros and was turned into Alibata afterward.
:
● The term “baybayin” comes from the tagalog root word baybay which
means “to spell”
● While the term “Alibata” was based on the Arabic alphabet alif, ba, and ta
from the word alphabet.

● Baybayin contains five vowels (a, i/e, o/u), and 14 consonants (ba, ka
da/ra, ga, ha, la, ma, na, nga, pa, sa, ta, wa, ya). And the Baybayin script
has no relation in any or even to the arrangements in the Arabic alphabet.
● Alibata is a long-disputed terminology with an unfounded basis of its
legitimacy, and proven a merely coined term.

● To correct the misconceptions, the Spaniards found a distinct civilization

in the Philippines, and the Filipinos already used Baybayin for their
writing system or script, over a century before their arrival.

● Further reason and evidence, Alibata is a wrong term since there is no

clear or strong evidence that pre-colonial Filipinos derived Baybayin from
the Arabic language.

III. How does Alibata debunk?

Many Historians and Writers have studied about Alibata, and there is no single
strong claim nor evidence existed that the term Alibata was correct all along. Alibata is
just a term and it does not have any further background related to the national script of
the country. According to a statement in a published book entitled “An Introduction to
Baybayin (2009), before Alibata was introduced to the nation, Baybayin already existed
and was used by late Filipinos in the pre-colonial era. Alibata is just a term made by
 Professor Paul Versoza and the term does not have any strong link or relation to the
writing system. Rather, it was introduced by the concept of Versoza’s, to refer the
Pre-Spanish National Writing Script to Alibata based on his motive and idea as regards
to his admiration to other cultures’ names of their alphabet or writing system.

Countrymen recognized the word Alibata and that was undeniable, however with a
lot of claims sprouted, it was indeed wrong. A lot of people, even Educators and
Professors, speak and voice out that Alibata is an incorrect term. It was even stated by
an official of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), that the term
Alibata is incorrect, and we should only refer the Writing script into Baybayin which
was used throughout the Pre-colonial era. The exact claim by the NCAA was, “The
Philippines’ ancient alphabet is actually called the “Baybayin," not "Alibata ". It was a
strong claim by Dr. Edwin Antonio, head of the National Committee northern cultural
communities of the NCCA, that Baybayin is the accurate term to use for the ancient
Alphabet of the Philippines and not to indicate it further as Alibata (David, 2017).
Educators were even said to promote and develop the knowledge of the young about
the correct term of the National Writing Script which is Baybayin, since it is the only
name of the ethnic alphabet of our country, just like Dr. Edwin Antontio broadcast that
Baybayin was ours and never borrowed.

REFERENCES:
Cabuay, C. 2009. An Introduction to Baybayin. Retrieved from:
https://books.google.com.ph/books?hl=en&lr=&id=VVfGAQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP5&
dq=alibata+&ots=Wegi8uyPen&sig=JfeLNyGG1uosTFo5ch5er5XM-lU&redir_esc=y#v=o
nepage&q=alibata&f=false

David, C. (2017). ‘Alibata’ is incorrect, says NCAA. Retrieved from:

https://bayanihannews.com.au/2017/04/02/alibata-is-incorrect-says-ncca/

Eligio. 2007. Alibata or Baybayin. Retrieved from:

https://www.wowparadisephilippines.com/alibata-or-baybayin.htm

Metro Scene Magazine. 2021. How Are Alibata and Baybayin Different? Metro Scene
Magazine.
Retrieved from:
https://www.metroscenemag.com/2021/08/how-are-alibata-and-baybayin-different.ht
ml?m=1&fbclid=IwAR1jzumhUIStsZPjoRb4cmQ4PFvbV6XVcf6XSDvduab-9Ab_8dk9m1
KiE20#google_vignette

Montenegro, J., C. 2021. How are Alibata and Baybayin different? Retrieved from:
https://www.metroscenemag.com/2021/08/how-are-alibata-and-baybayin-different.ht
ml
Morrow, P., Morrow, K. (2016) Baybayin, The Ancient Script of the Philippines. Retrieved
from http://paulmorrow.ca