Fifteen students of Ilocano ancestry graduated from the first Ilocano language immersion program in Hawaii, called the iLAING (Ilocano Language Acquisition and Immersion for the New Generation), at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu, Hawaii on 17 May 2015.

The iLAING is a project initiated by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu with its partner organizations: the FilCom Center, Candonians of Hawaii, Offices of Ilocos Sur Representative Eric Singson and Candon City Mayor Ericson Singson, and sponsors Etrata Foundation, Philippine Airlines and Western Union.

The three-month Ilocano language course ran from March to May 2015 with University of Hawaii Ilocano language program professor Dr. Aurelio Agcaoili designing the syllabus and serving as the primary instructor. The top five students, whose names will be announced at a future date, will then undertake a ten-day immersion trip to the Philippines, particularly in Ilocos Sur, in June this year.

“The idea for this project was born from my simple desire for today’s Filipino American youth to be more engaged in our efforts to cultivate awareness and appreciation of Filipino culture and heritage”, Consul General Gina A. Jamoralin said in her remarks. “After all, it would be our 3rd and 4th generation Filipino Americans who will take the helm of leading of our community, and who will be the next movers and shakers not just in Hawaii, but in the United States.”

The program included remarks from the Consulate General’s partner organizations and iLAING’s major sponsors, as well as the graduates, who all expressed pleasure for the success of the activity and the hope for similar language courses in the future.

To entertain the audience, the students sang and danced to popular Ilocano songs such as Pamulinawen and Ilocano translation of the popular children’s song Bahay Kubo (END).