OPINION

Salvador B. Malig: Amazing hispanista

SUNDRY STROKES by Rosalinda L. Orosa
The Philippine Star 12/28/2002

Never mind the arrogant peninsulares and insulares, exceptions granted; never mind the arrogant mestizos and mestizas, exceptions likewise granted, who think the Philippines still a colony of Spain, and consequently, its people their lackeys. Despite such patronizing attitude or perhaps because of it, Salvador B. Malig, Jr., Ph.D. unwaveringly determined to learn and master the Spanish language, and succeeded to an incomparable degree.

In doing so, Dr. Malig may not even have wished to be pragmatic or practical in his academic effort to gain command of the Spanish language which is the second most widely spoken in the world. In this regard, H. Jackson Brown, Jr. urges the reader in Life's Little Instruction Book, Rule 138: "Learn Spanish. In a few years, more than thirty-five percent of all Americans will speak it as their first language."

It might be presumed Dr. Malig learned Spanish, quite simply, because of his inherent love for languages ó as will be seen more clearly further on.

A native of Macabebe, Pampanga, Dr. Malig went to Manila to earn a B.S. degree cum laude, major in English and Pilipino from the Arellano U. He continued his studies in Madrid, finishing with a diploma in Languages and Spanish Culture, and an MA in Spanish, then earned a doctorate in Spanish Literature from the UP.

As though these degrees and diploma were not enough academic attainments, Dr. Malig obtained more diplomas and certificates – a Diploma for Aptitude in English from the official School of Languages in Madrid and a Certificate of Proficiency in English from Michigan and Cambridge Universities.

Ever widening his linguistic knowledge, he took courses in French in Madridís Center of Linguistic Studies and in the U. of Lille in France, courses in German and Italian in Madrid, and a course in Portuguese and Portuguese Culture in the Center for International Languages in Lisbon, Portugal.

The intellectually curicous Dr. Malig took some unusual courses in Madrid; e.g. formacion de Fomadores, a Linguistic and Literary Investigative Course, and a Course in Textual Commentaries. The study of most of the courses was made possible through scholarships. From the Institute of Spanish Culture, he earned the title Master in Spanish and assisted in the doctoral program of Madrid U. He further took in Madridís Institute of Ibero-American Cooperation a course in Investigative Literary Linguistics. With a scholarship from the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation, he took a course for professors in Spanish at the International University Menendez Pelayo.

For those who have followed Dr. Malig's academic trail thus far, his solid training and extraordinary preparation eventually led him to teach Spanish at the Arellano U., English at Mindsor College, Madrid. He has served as head of studies and professor of English and Spanish in Madridís Center for Linguistic Studies, professor of Pilipino, French and Spanish at the Ateneo U., and professor of French, Spanish and Portuguese at the UP. At present, Dr. Malig is professor of Spanish at the Instituto Cervantes in Manila.

He has given several leotures on art and culture at various local universities, translated into Pilipino.

La Familia de Pascual Duarte, a novel by the late Nobel Prize winner for lierature Camilo Jose Cela, and served as editor-in-chief of the Manila Chronicleís now extant Spanish supplement. He was elected president of SOPHIA (Society of professors, hispanistas, researchers and friends of the Spanish language).

The foregoing academic background of the unassuming Dr. Malig was read by Jose Luis Bernacer Valor, professor of Spanish at Instituto Cervantes, during the recent ceremonies attendant to the admission of Dr. Malig as member of the Academia Filipina de la Lengua Española which Jose R. Rodriguez heads as director. At this point, one inevitably concludes that Dr. Malig's admission to the organization was long overdue in the light of his outstanding, indeed, incredible qualifications as hispanista.

In this regard, it is far more meritorious to learn Spanish by dint of study and hard work than to learn it from birth in a Spanish-speaking household.

Present at the rites, besides Mr. Rodriguez, were Ambassador Tomas Rodriguez Pantoja, Alexis Melchor Santaren Suarez who gave the invocation, Juan Andres de Moral who represented Director Javier Galvan and Guillermo Gomez Rivera, emcee.

Dr. Malig's highly illuminating response was on the tremendous legacy of Spain to his native Pampanga.