A professor from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in Laguna developed a board game that transformed language classes from traditional lectures into interactive play.

In other words, a breakthrough board game underscoring PH rich language diversity.

A Breakthrough of Dr. Liwanag

The invention earned the prestigious Gawad Julian Cruz Balmaseda, an award presented by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF).

Dr. Mariyel Hiyas C. Liwanag, a faculty member of the UPLB Department of Humanities, developed Isabuhay: Isang Larong Disenyo para sa Diskurso ng mga Wikang Filipino as part of her Ph.D. dissertation. Her work earned her the 2025 Gawad Julian Cruz Balmaseda and a cash prize of Php100,000.

The Gawad Julian Cruz Balmaseda is a prestigious award recognizing outstanding theses and dissertations across various fields, all written in Filipino.

Dr. Liwanag introduces Isabuhay

Drawing from her research and experiences as a teacher, learner, and gaming enthusiast, Liwanag created Isabuhay, a tabletop game designed to make discussions on Filipino languages more engaging and compelling for students.

How to play Isabuhay

In an article written by  Juvelle P. Villanueva of “Horizon,” Liwanag shared that Isabuhay started as a passion project in 2017 and was continuously refined through test runs with her students.

The game is designed for four players, each assigned a unique role: guro (teacher), mananaliksik (researcher), tagapagtaguyod ng wika (language promoter), and ahensya (agency).

Players take turns after the gamemaster draws an event card, which features historical and contemporary issues affecting language vitality. Each role comes with specific skills that contribute to the gameplay.

Liwanag emphasized that Isabuhay is a cooperative game rather than a competitive one.

Rediscovering Philippines’ rich linguistic diversity through Isabuhay

The objective is for players to work together to sustain around 180 Philippine languages and establish bahay-wika (language centers) across the map before the game ends.

Through this game, Liwanag aims to highlight the importance of collective efforts in promoting linguistic human rights and preserving the Philippines’ rich linguistic diversity.

Liwanag envisions Isabuhay as more than just an enjoyable game—it is also a tool to raise awareness about the state of Philippine languages. “The Philippines is rich in languages, but many are endangered or at risk of extinction,” she explains.

Future for Isabuhay

Currently, she is in the process of securing copyright and preparing for the game’s official release.

Recognizing the need for more free interactive resources for language teachers, Liwanag hopes to make Isabuhay available as an open educational resource that anyone can download, print, and play—positioning it as a true game-changer in Filipino language education.