Language Workshop: Intro to Baybayin with John NL Leyson

Baybayin GLOKAL: Write Any Name in an Ancient Script

Future-forward Baybayin

A One-Hour Masterclass at ECHO London 2026 – SALO-SALO: Come Together (A British Filipino Home)

Imagine writing your name in an ancient Filipino script… not only yours, but any name, from any corner of the world!

Meet Baybayin GLOKAL, the ancient script of the Philippines, now with room for every name.

In this hands-on session you will write a name, your own or a loved one’s, in Baybayin on natural craft paper, beautifully framed to hang in your home. And thanks to Baybayin GLOKAL, even names the original script could never spell, like Sofia or Zander can now be written in full.

Presented by Voice ESEA in collaboration with the London Filipino Centre. Gain a fresh perspective on how a centuries-old script is evolving to belong to Filipinos across the diaspora.

This one-hour masterclass begins with traditional Baybayin, before opening up to something new. You will discover Baybayin GLOKAL, a future-forward evolution of the script that adds the sounds modern and international names require, letting the writing system travel the world without losing its roots.

Understand the 4 Simple Rules of Baybayin and learn the foundational forms and strokes for proper writing. Then meet the new GLOKAL characters, the additions for sounds like F, V and Z, and put it all into practice by creating your own framed piece to take home.

The workshop is headed by Baybayin Master John NL Leyson, a graduate of Fine Arts, Major in Visual Communication from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. He is a pioneer of Baybayin advocacy in Manila and London, and currently serves as President of Baybayin Buhayin, Inc., the premier Baybayin advocacy organisation, established in 2010. He is the author of Anatomya ng Baybayin (Anatomy of Baybayin Script): Contribution to the Modern Study of the Philippine Scripts Through Visual Explorations, published and released in London in late 2025, and the creator and designer of Baybayin GLOKAL, developed in collaboration with Ric Patriarca.

Take-Home Kit (included in the workshop fee):

• 101 Baybayin Booklet
• Baybayin Fonts (Traditional and GLOKAL, for PC and Mac)
• Baybayin Chart (Traditional and GLOKAL)
• Baybayin Bookmark
• Baybayin Sticker

Duration: 1 hour