<div dir="ltr"><h1 class="">Policies on the use of the Filipino language</h1>
<p class="">Take a look at some of the main Filipino language
policies currently in place that aid government institutions to uphold
and propagate the national language</p>
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<a title="" id="popover-author" class="" style>
Nigel Tan</a>
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Published 2:44 PM, Aug 16, 2014 </div>
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Updated 2:44 PM, Aug 16, 2014 </div>
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<p id="ext-gen2539"><br><img id="AECD3855FD5E4D1180363FFBF76DBB02" src="http://assets.rappler.com/1E2C8CA2A254424B83E48FBA09545170/img/AECD3855FD5E4D1180363FFBF76DBB02/rappler-iq-150x150.jpg" class="" style="float: left; margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px; display: block;" border="0">
MANILA, Philippines – The 1987 Constitution clearly defines Filipino as
the country's national language. It also acknowledges that Filipino is
evolving, and that it shall be developed and enriched on the basis of
other existing dialects and languages.</p>
<p>The Constitution also directs the government to take steps that will
initiate and sustain the use of Filipino as the medium of official
communication and as a language of instruction in the educational
system.</p>
<p>What exactly has been done to carry out this constitutional duty? Let
us take a look at some policies currently in place that aid government
institutions in upholding and propagating the national language.</p>
<p><img style="display: inline;" id="6D0CE3437E404729911131B66DB14816" src="http://assets.rappler.com/612F469A6EA84F6BAE882D2B94A4B421/img/214E7D04B4284CA9BE8B184DAB7C249B/policies-use-of-filipino-language-20140816_214E7D04B4284CA9BE8B184DAB7C249B.jpg" class="" alt="" border="0"></p>
<p><strong>1987 Constitution</strong></p>
<p>Sections 6 to 9 of Article XIV outline the main language policy in
the country. Section 6 of the Article is already mentioned above.</p>
<p>Section 7 states that for the purposes of communication and
instruction, Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English are
the official languages of the Philippines. In addition, other native
Philippine languages – particularly those that are not Tagalog – shall
be auxiliary official languages and shall serve as auxiliary medium of
instruction in the regions they are spoken.</p>
<p>Section 9 mandates the foundation of a national language commission
tasked to undertake, coordinate, and promote researches for the
development, propagation, and preservation of Filipino and other
languages. Pursuant to this section, the <em>Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino</em> (Commission on the Filipino Language) or KWF was created in 1991. </p>
<p><strong>Executive Order 335</strong></p>
<p>Seeking to further the use of Filipino in official transactions and
communications, President Corazon Aquino ordered in 1988 all government
departments, bureaus, offices, agencies, and instrumentalities to take
steps in using the Filipino language in transactions, communications,
and correspondence.</p>
<p>This executive order also assigns personnel in every office who will
be in charge of all communication and correspondence written in
Filipino.</p>
<p>It also tasks government entities to translate names of offices,
divisions of instrumentalities, and even oaths of office into Filipino,
and to make proficiency in the use of Filipino in official
communications and correspondences as part of personnel training
programs.</p>
<p><strong>KWF Resolution 1-92</strong></p>
<div class=""><img style="display: inline;" id="B35380149E5A4D68AB2444B9C25DEA2F" src="http://assets.rappler.com/612F469A6EA84F6BAE882D2B94A4B421/img/B35380149E5A4D68AB2444B9C25DEA2F/kwf-logo-20140815_93fb789e80cd419eb3ad6fe99fcf97fb.jpg" class="" alt="" border="0"></div>
<p id="ext-gen2246">The KWF passed in 1992 a resolution adopting a
working description of Filipino for the purpose of accomplishing
Commission tasks. It describes Filipino as the native language spoken
and written in the National Capital Region and other urban centers in
the Philippines, and is used as the language of communication between
ethnic groups.</p>
<p>Filipino, as with any living language, is recognized to be in the
process of development via loans from other Philipine languages and
non-native varieties of the language for various social situations,
among speakers of different backgrounds, and for topics of conversation
and scholarly discourse.</p>
<p>Due to the fact that there are 8 major native languages in the
Philippines whose speakers outnumber Tagalog users, the notion of a
Tagalog-based national language has long been the center of an ongoing
argument regarding the national language of the Philippines, with
debates dating as far back as 1937 when Tagalog was declared the basis
of the national language.</p>
<p><strong>Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) Order 81</strong></p>
<p><span style="line-height:1.5">In 1987, the DECS released the
"Alphabet and a Guide for Spelling in the Filipino Language," laying
down the letters of Filipino alphabet and rules on spelling.</span></p>
<p>According to the order, the Filipino Alphabet is composed of 28
letters – the original 26 letters of the English alphabet, plus letters Ñ
and Ng. The order also details how the letters should be read.</p>
<p>It also discussed grammar and spelling in the Filipino language –
rules regarding diction, spelling, translation, how and when to use
loanwords, syllables and syllabication of words, and the use of dashes,
commas, and accents.</p>
<p><strong>Bilingual Language Policy</strong></p>
<p>The Bilingual Language Policy in the country's education system seeks
to attain Filipino and English competence at a national level through
their use as media of instruction at all levels.</p>
<p>The policy aims to propagate Filipino as a language of literacy, to
cultivate and develop Filipino as a language of scholarly discourse, and
to further its development as a national language. The policy also
states that regional dialects shall also be used as auxiliary media of
instruction and the initial language for literacy when needed.</p>
<p>DECS earlier issued this policy in 1974, along with DECS order No.
25, which allotted Filipino as the medium of instruction for social
sciences, arts, physical education, home economics, practical arts and
character education subjects. In turn, English is the medium of
instruction for mathematics and science and technology.</p>
<p>With the signing of the 1987 Constitution, Filipino and English are mandated to be used as media for instruction.</p>
<p><strong>College General Education Curriculum's language policy.</strong></p>
<div class=""><img style="display: inline;" id="CD3B9236CB664D5DBC5AFA3CFFAC43B9" src="http://assets.rappler.com/612F469A6EA84F6BAE882D2B94A4B421/img/A50FC65D7CE543BDB232EBB1115326A0/ched-20140624_A50FC65D7CE543BDB232EBB1115326A0.jpg" class="" alt="" border="0"></div>
<p id="ext-gen2384">The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) issued in
1994 the New General Educational Curriculum (GEC) under CHED Memorandum
Order 59.</p>
<p>The GEC requires Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to have at
least 9 units of Filipino language courses. In addition, to coordinate
with the Department of Education (DepEd)’s Bilingual Education Policy,
language courses, whether Filipino or English, should be taught in that
language. Courses in Humanities and Social Sciences should preferably be
taught in Filipino.</p>
<p>Furthermore, at the discretion of HEIs, literature subjects may be
taught in Filipino, English, or in any other language so long as there
are enough instructional materials, students, and instructors competent
in the language. A revised Syllabi of Filipino courses 1, 2, and 3 was
issued in 2007 under CMO 54.</p>
<p>The CHED has been under fire by proponents of the Filipino language
and language education since CMO No. 20 s. 2013 was issued, which
outlined a new revised GEC set for 2018 that contained no Filipino
language courses. Filipino language education proponents<a href="http://www.rappler.com/nation/61234-tanggol-wika-general-education-college%20" title="No Filipino subjects in college Tanggol Wika opposes CHED memo">
accused CHED of failing to intellectualize Filipino and that the new
GEC would displace thousands of Filipino professors and instructors</a>. </p>
<p>CHED defended its decision by stating that the planned new GEC will
work in conjunction with the K-12 program and that many remedial
courses, like Filipino and English, will be taught in senior high school
years, thereby making them redundant in college. CHED also pointed out
that Filipino’s status as a medium of instruction in higher education
courses shall not be affected. The CHED also noted that Filipino faculty
members aren’t the only ones affected by the new GEC, as literature,
mathematics, humanities, and social sciences courses were also removed.</p>
<p>In July 2014,<a href="http://www.rappler.com/nation/64708-congress-transition-fund-k-to-12" title="Congress considers fund to help workers affected by K to 12 "> the House of Representatives committee asked the CHED to report how many educators will be affected by the K-12 system</a> as a prerequisite to a proposal to fund displaced education workers.<strong><br>
</strong></p>
<p><strong>K-12 program and the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB MLE)</strong></p>
<p>DepEd launched in 2011 the K-12 program, which <span style="line-height:1.5">became law only in 2013. </span>Along
with other curricular and policy reforms introduced, the K-12 program
sought to build proficiency through language via MTB MLE, introduced in
2012. The mother tongue or first language refers to languages or
dialects first learned by a child and with which the child identifies
with.</p>
<p><span style="line-height:1.5">MTB-MLE aims to develop Filipino and
English proficiency by starting basic education with the first language
of learners. Starting in kindergarten up to Grade 3, the medium of
instruction shall be in the mother tongue of the students. Beginning in
Grade 1, Filipino and English will be taught as subject areas.</span></p>
<p>Come Grades 4 to 6, DepEd shall formulate a mother tongue transition
program in which English and Filipino are introduced as media of
instruction so that by Junior High School and Senior High School, the
two can become the primary languages of instruction.</p>
<p>Initially, there were 12 regional languages under the MTB MLE
program: Tagalog, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Iloko, Bikol, Kapampangan,
Maguindanaoan, Meranao, Pangasinense, Bahasa Sug (Tausug), Chabacano and
Waray.<a href="http://www.rappler.com/nation/33619-mother-tongue-languages-k12" title="DepEd adds 7 mother tongue languages in K to 12"> In July 2013, Ybanag, Ivatan, Sambal, Aklanon, Kinaray-a, Yakan, and Surigaonon were added to the program.</a> <strong>–</strong><strong style="line-height:1.5"> Rappler.com</strong></p>
<p><strong>Sources: </strong><em><a href="http://www.gov.ph/constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines-article-xiv/%20" title="1987 constitution article xiv">1987 Constitution: Article XIV</a>,<a href="http://www.gov.ph/1988/08/25/executive-order-no-335-s-1988/" title="Executive order no 335 s 1988">Executive Order No. 335 s. 1988</a>, <a href="http://www.deped.gov.ph/index.php/issuances/deped-orders/1987?limit=20&limitstart=60%20" title="DepED orders 52 and 54 series of 1987">DepEd: DECS order 52 and 54 s. 1987</a>,</em> <em>DECS order 81 s. 1987</em>,<em> <a href="http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?igm=3&i=217%20" title="Language policies in the Philippines">NCCA: Language Policies in the Philippines</a>,<a href="http://wika.pbworks.com/w/page/8021710/Resolusyon%20Blg%2092-1" title="Commission on the Filiino Language resolution 1 92">Commission on the Filipino Language Resolution 1-92</a>, <a href="http://www.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no-10533/%20" title="Republic act no 10533 ">Republic Act No. 10533</a>, <a href="http://www.gov.ph/2013/09/04/irr-republic-act-no-10533/%20" title="Republic act no 10533 implementing rules and regulations">Republic Act No. 10533 Implementing Rules and Regulations</a>, <a href="http://www.gov.ph/k-12/#RA10533%20" title="About K to 12">About K-12</a>, <a href="https://www.rappler.com/%20http:/www.ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/CMO-No.59-s1996.pdf%20" title="CMO no 59 s 1996">CHED Memorandum Order No 59 s. 1996</a>, <a href="http://www.ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/CMO-No.54-s2007.pdf%20" title="CMO No 54 s 2007">CHED Memorandum Order No 54 s. 2007</a>, <a href="http://www.ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/CMO-No.20-s2013.pdf%20" title="CMO No 20 s 2013">CHED Memorandum Order No. 20 s. 2013</a>, <a href="http://www.ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2014/temp/CHED-Statement-on-Filipino.pdf%20" title="ched press statement: on the removal of filipino and filipino teachers from the new general education curriculum ">CHED Press Statement On The Removal of Filipino and Filipino Teachers from the New General Education Curriculum</a>. </em>Catacataca et al.: <em>Wikang Filipino: Kasaysayan at Pag-Unlad. </em>Commission on the Filipino Language: <em>Patakarang Pangwika: Mga Batas, Kautusan, Pahayag at Kapasyahan Tungkol sa Wikang Filipino.</em></p>
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