Panganiban - Concise English-Tagalog dictionary

At the start, in 1941, the suggestions and aid of Dr. Eufronio M. Alip proved useful. The interest displayed and the critical suggestions of Rev. Fr. Evergisto Bazaco, O.

P., in the preparation of the letter "A" helped the author to a great extent in finding a "foothold" so-to-speak. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 8, 1941, the manuscript, completed until letter "C", evacuated with the author to the Barrio of Bungkalot, Tanauan, Batangas. The author's advisers became the old people of the barrio and transient evacuees. From March, 1942, Mrs. Fidela C. de Panganiban, the author's mother; Mrs.

Consuelo T. Panganiban, the author's better-half; and Mrs. Leonila L. Torres, acted as advisers and consultants, although very little work was done. In 1943, back in the city, the author availed himself of the many suggestions and advices of Maj. Jose M.

Hernandez, P. A., Mr. Antonio Zacarias, and Dr. Eufronio M. Alip. In 1944, after an interview with Director Lope K.

Santos of the Institute of National Language, the manuscript (though at this time had reached until letter "M") was revised with a new organization of material. Director Santos and Mr. Julian Cruz Balmaseda provided the author with valuable suggestions at this time. After the first bombing of the Port of Manila by the Americans in September, 1944, the author and Ms family evacuated to Tanauan, Batangas. Work on the manuscript became more intensive. The late Dr.

Brigido Carandang, believed to have been killed by the Japanese early in 1945, made it a habit to look in at the author at work, to read the manuscript and ridicule some entries. The good doctor's ridicule helped the author a great deal in improving the work. When, after 'Christmas of 1944, the Japanese airfield at Lipa and the railroad station at Tanauan became the object of daily air-raids by the Americans, the author and his family evacuated with the manuscript to Barrio Wawang Balili, near Lake Taal, within sight of Taal Volcano and Tagaytay City on the famous ridge of Cavite. Once again, the author had a chance to consult natural "Tagalists", among them the barrio headman Mang Atong Salisi; Mr. Dionisio Atienza, an ex-teacher; and various other persons, natives and evacuees. The manuscript was on letter "S" when the 11th Airborne Division of the U.S.

Army landed paratroops on Tagaytay and the author was called upon by local guerrillas to act as Liaison Officer in meeting the paratroopers. In February, 1945, the massacre of the towns of Santo Tomas, Tanauan, and Lipa, by the Japanese occurred. With thousands of other evacuees, the author, with his manuscript carefully packed under one arm and food for a few days under another, fled across hills and forests to Cabuyao, Laguna, guarded by a guerrilla band captained by the gallant Remigio Maiquis who had the presence of mind to hide under some bushes the Royal typewriter (specially equipped with Tagalog accents) on which the author wrote the manuscript. When the Japanese burned and razed the barrio of Wawang Balili to the ground, among the few things saved from the barrio was the said typewriter. Back in Manila by March, 1945, work on the manuscript was resumed with the constructive suggestions of Mr. Teodoro L. Teodoro L.

Valencia, while the author worked for PCAU 20, and later, for the Military Censorship Detachment, USAFFE. The manuscript was completed by June, 1945. At this time, Mr. Arsenio R. Afan saw the manuscript which had reached over 1, 400 pages. Mr.

Afan was instrumental in interesting Dr. Jose M. Aruego of the University Publishing Company who asked for an abridgment of the work in order to produce a lowpriced vocabulary. The manuscript had to be rewritten, therefore, to meet the requirement of the publishers, and in this preparation the help of Mrs. Antonia H. Villanueva proved very valable.

When, finally, the manuscript went to press, the proofs were gone over by Director Lope K. Santos, Mr. Marcelo P. Garcia, Mr. Leonardo Dianzon, and Mr. Paner. Mrs. Mrs.

Paulina Flores Hidalgo and Miss Aurea Mercado went over the final printed sheets for errata which are corrected in this second printing. As may be seen, hundrds of people had a hand in the preparation of this small vocabulary. To all these people, the author hereby expresses his thanks and acknowledges sincerely their aid, without which this book could not have found itself published in the way it is.
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