Exclusive - Ph Language Chief to Miss Universe Bet Maxine Medina: 'Buwisit Na Buwisit Ako Doon Eh'

It has been more than a month since the Miss Universe pageant was held in the Philippines. However National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario still cannot hide his frustration over Philippine bet Maxine Medina's refusal to tap an interpreter and make use of our own language.

Alamario insisted that the beauty queen's answer could have made better sense to everyone if she chose to use Filipino instead, as well as encourage the use of national language.

"Binigyan na nga ng pagkakataong magsalita sa Filipino, nag-English pa rin," Almario, also the Philippine's Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino chair, said.

"Buwisit na buwisit ako doon eh," he said.

"Nasayang 'yung pagkakataon, 'yun na sana, kahit di siya nanalo, at least narinig 'yung Filipino sa buong mundo. Hindi pa naririnig eh."

It was during an interview for an upcoming international conference on translation and translation studies on March 1, that Almario was asked about his opinion regarding the pageant. The interviewer asked if Almario thinks Medina could have made a different impact if she spoke in Filipino.

"Kahit di siya nanalo, magkakaroon ng ibang kahulugan 'yung kanyang sinabi. Kahit sabihing kabobohan 'yung kanyang sinabi di ba, 'yun 'yung sinasabi? kahit kabobohan 'yun, kung sinabi niya in Fiipino, mayroong magiging quality 'yun na... mapahahalagahan natin," he said.

During the pageant on January 30, Medina was given a translator for the question and answer portion of the pageant. However, despite the translator provided who interpreted the question to Medina, she decided to speak in English.

"The last 10 years of being here in the world is that I saw all the people being in one event like this in Miss Universe, and it's something big to us that we are one, as one nation, we are all together,"

Maxine answered after being asked what she thought was the most significant change in the world in the last ten years.

Source: TNP, Rappler