What is the pre-colonial word for "Kumusta" (Hello) in Tagalog?

 By

Dayang Marikit

Philippine History Professor

(Kumusta) is derived from the Spanish phrase (Como Estas?) which translates to (How are you?). In Tagalog this would translate to (Na pa'ano ka na?).

• During pre-colonial times, the earliest type of greeting that was recorded is (Swasti), which was written on the Laguna Copperplate Inscription. This was dated to be from 900AD, or 1,100 years ago. This greeting was adopted from Hinduism.

• The second greeting was (Salamat), which is derived from the Islamic greeting (Salaam). This is also related to (Shalom), which is a Hebrew greeting. However, in modern times (Salamat) simply translates to "Thank You" in Filipino. In our neighboring countries of Malaysia and Indonesia, (Selamat) is still a greeting.

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Visayas, Mindanao internet to get boost

By Francis Earl Cueto, Manila Times

THE Marcos administration plans to improve the internet connection in Visayas and Mindanao with the help of mega-billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink satellite communications network.

Information and Communications Secretary Ivan John Uy on Monday said Starlink is ideal for such an upgrade because it uses low-orbit satellites.

"The scope of coverage is far greater and can reach areas that can't be reached or are hard to reach," Uy said in a press briefing.

He said telecommunications companies or telcos usually find it hard to set up in "missionary routes" or areas that have few users.

A network of low-orbit satellites like Starlink's is ideal for such a venture, he said.

"So far, the coverages are [in] the northern part of the Philippines and not much in the southern part where we badly need satellite connectivity. That is why a new satellite might be launched that would cover central Philippines," Uy said.

He did not say if the project will be handled by the government or a private firm, but that it is targeted to be done by the end of the year.

Uy said that right now he is reviewing the projects of the agency since there are numerous problems that need to be dealt with first.

Among them is the strengthening or reviving of the free public WiFi.

"We are studying it; we have to sit down and work on it. There are many and different issues that need to be resolved first," he said.

The free WiFi project has been saddled with problems, including the nonpayment to the subscriptions for connectivity, and hardware and contractor issues.

Uy vowed that the DICT "will continue to make the free public WiFi more effective."

DoT chief kicks off listening tour

By Tricia Antido, Manila Times

On her first day in the office, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco personally visited the offices and greeted the employees of the Department of Tourism (DOT). Photo from Facebook page of the Philippines Department of Tourism. 

On her first day in the office, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco personally visited the offices and greeted the employees of the Department of Tourism (DOT). Photo from Facebook page of the Philippines Department of Tourism.

TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco will start her "listening tour" this week to see and hear the concerns and challenges faced by regional offices of the Department of Tourism (DoT) and stakeholders.

She emphasized that the goal of the Department of Tourism is to help the economy rise and recover.

Garcia-Frasco thanked DoT personnel for their warm welcome and gave assurances that all stakeholders will be given equal opportunities through the tourism program that will be made available nationwide.

Speaking before undersecretaries, directors, division chiefs and employees on Monday, July 4, 2022, Garcia-Frasco vowed to address the tourism issues brought on by the pandemic, noting that the sector was one of the hardest-hit industries in the Philippines. She said that under her term, the department will give attention to tourism sites, promotion of local products as well as Filipinos. The Tourism department will also prioritize reaching all regional offices and their partners in local government units.

"I have full trust in the workforce of the Department of Tourism because you have been forged in the fire of the pandemic. We've been through it, we have survived, and we have thrived. There is no other challenge that we could not possibly surmount. And so, I ask for your support, I ask for your unity, I ask for your commitment to the Filipino people, that our brothers and sisters may be given equal economic opportunities through tourism programs that are made available in sites, provinces, cities, municipalities nationwide," she said.