TSU’s Dr. Francelle L. Calub Champions Language Revitalization on the International Stage

Tarlac State University-College of Arts and Social Sciences Faculty Member and Head of the Volunteerism Management Department, Dr. Francelle L. Calub, served as one of the foreign speakers at an International Webinar titled International Experts Sharing Meeting organized by Go Study Global Education on August 7, 2026, held via Zoom.

With the theme "Bridging Differences through Language: From Language Vitality to Community-Based Revitalization," Dr. Calub emphasized that language is more than a means of communication, as it carries a community's identity, memory, knowledge, and sense of belonging.

Dr. Calub discussed how individuals may sometimes hesitate to speak for fear of being judged for their accent, grammar, or diction. She also explained how language ideologies and power relations can place local and Indigenous languages at a disadvantage when dominant languages are associated with education, employment, and opportunities.

Highlighting the Ayta Mag-Antsi community, Dr. Calub shared how language vitality research revealed challenges in intergenerational transmission, limited learning materials, and the increasing exposure of younger speakers to dominant languages.

She stressed the need to move beyond merely identifying a language's condition toward concrete, community-driven action. "Vitality helps us see. Revitalization helps us act," Dr. Calub emphasized.

She encouraged students and community members to take part in language revitalization through everyday actions: "Use it, value it, and pass it on." These include speaking local languages at home, listening to elders, responsibly documenting language and stories, creating content using local languages, and providing spaces for their use in schools and communities.

Dr. Calub concluded her presentation by highlighting three commitments: "Preserve, Communicate, Respect." She called for the preservation and use of local languages, confident communication without losing one's identity, and respect for different accents, languages, and ways of speaking, free of prejudice.

Her participation in this international engagement highlighted Tarlac State University's commitment to international academic engagement, inclusive communication, cultural preservation, and community-based initiatives.