Language in the Philippines: An Overview

Language, our primary tool of thought, perception and expression, is at the heart
of who we are as individuals. It is arguably clear that languages are constantly changing,
sometimes into entirely new varieties, leading to subtle differences in how we present
ourselves to others. People cannot live without language as fish cannot live without water.
That is, the fish is in the water and water is in the fish; likewise, human is in the language
and language is in human. Besides, there are diverse views to the origin of language, its
acquisition and/ or learning and the pertinent policies and implementation in a given
country. For fortune or pity, some countries are monolingual, others bilingual;
multilingualism is for many countries in the world who were colonized. In this regard,
multilingualism so often is seen as a handicap to development. However, multilingualism
needs to be developed as strength and achievement, not criticized as a failure. In a
relationship, diversity breeds individual search for identity, control, status and similar
quests of life. It must be clear that such differences are inevitable to bring attitude
differences and the resultant identity conflict. We will try to pinpoint key notions with
regard to language and society, language diversity and development, language policy and
development and language attitude and development in their respective order.
Is Spanish spoken in the Philippines?
From 1565, the Philippines were under Spanish colonial administration for 300 years;
Spanish was the official language during that time. According to the 1935 Constitution,
Spanish was reinstated as an official language alongside English, but it was relegated
to an “optional and voluntary language” in 1987.
Although just approximately 0.5 percent of the Philippines’ 100 million people speak
Spanish, it still has the highest concentration of Spanish speakers in Asia.
However, the roots of Spanish have not totally left the Philippines, as a third of the
Filipino language is made up of 4,000 “loan words” derived from Spanish words. This
heritage is clear from the start, as the word “hello” (kumusta) is derived from the
Spanish phrase “how are you?” (cómo está).
Official languages of the Philippines
Filipino and English are the Philippines’ two official languages. Filipino is a native
language based on Tagalog; English has official status due to the Philippines being a
colony of the United States between 1898 and 1946.
Schools and the media largely use Filipino; it is the lingua franca that binds the
country’s various linguistic communities together. English is widely used in government,
newspapers, and publications.
Filipino (Tagalog)
Tagalog is a member of the Austronesian language family’s Central Philippine branch
and serves as the foundation for the Filipino language, the Philippines’ national
language. Cebuano, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), and the Bisayan (Visayan) languages are
closely related to Tagalog. About 14 million native Tagalog speakers live in central
Luzon and parts of Mindanao, making them the Philippines’ second biggest language
and cultural community.
Another 25 million people use Filipino (a Tagalog-based language), which is
increasingly used in literature, radio, and the press, as well as in government and
education. Tagalog grammar is known for its complicated verbal system, which includes
three forms of passive phrases.
Are Filipino and Tagalog the same?
The Filipino language is similar to Tagalog – but not exactly the same. Filipino is a
modernized variant of Tagalog that incorporates aspects of other Philippine languages
as well as Spanish, English, Chinese , and Malay, but the two are mutually intelligible
and the names are often used interchangeably.
Tagalog became the Philippines’ national language in 1937 when Congress decided to
include a native language among the officially recognized languages. Tagalog was the
most widely used language in Manila at the time, making it an obvious choice in the
eyes of Congress – though the decision is still seen as controversial by Cebuanos, who
make up a larger proportion of the population than Tagalogs.
When the Constitution was changed in 1973 under dictator President Ferdinand
Marcos, Tagalog was renamed Filipino, and Congress began to develop a new version
of the language. In 1987, Filipino was granted official language status.
Marcos’ efforts to build a “new civilization” included the transition of Tagalog into the
Filipino language. Part of this effort involved adding features from other languages, such
as replacing supposedly “aesthetically unpleasing” Tagalog terms with replacement
words that sounded better. The alphabet was changed to include the letters c, f, j, x and
z, and certain words’ spellings were modified to better represent their pronunciation.
English
A brief overview and history of the English language in the Philippines
Since the Americans colonised the Philippines, English has been the primary medium of
instruction in schools and institutions. Since then, teaching of the English language has
improved as Filipinos have recognized the need to learn English in order to engage with
Westerners for commercial and tourism purposes.
The Philippines has a worldwide reputation for English fluency, with the majority of its
inhabitants speaking the language at some level. English has always been one of the
Philippines’ official languages, and more than 14 million Filipinos speak it. It is the
principal medium of instruction in education, as well as the language of trade and law.
English language proficiency is an asset to the country that has boosted the economy
and even helped the Philippines surpass India as the top call center destination in the
world in 2012. Due to the relatively more affordable but high-quality English as a
Second Language (ESL) programs available locally, the number of foreign English
learners is on the rise.
Other major languages in the Philippines
Cebuano (Bisaya)
The Cebuano language, also known as Bisaya or Sugbuhanon, is a member of the
Austronesian language family’s Western, or Indonesian, branch. Around 18.5 million
people in the Philippines speak the Bisaya language; its speakers can be found in
eastern Cebu, Negros, western Leyte, the Camotes Islands, Bohol, and the northern
and western coasts of Mindanao.
Cebuano shares many similarities with the Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) and Waray-Waray
languages, and it is frequently classed with them as a Visayan (Bisayan) dialect.
Cebuano speakers make up nearly a fifth of the Philippine population and are the
country’s second largest ethnolinguistic group. Despite its widespread use, Cebuano is
rarely employed as a literary language, however, it is used in newspapers and cinema.
Ilocano
Ilocano – often spelled Ilokano or Ilokan and also known as Iloco – is the Philippines’
third most-spoken native language. With the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century,
the Ilocano settled in the Ilocos region, a short coastal plain in northwestern Luzon. As
the population grew, they migrated to neighbouring provinces, the southern Philippine
island of Mindanao, and Hawaii.
The Ilocanolanguage is closely connected to those spoken in northern Luzon and is part
of the Austronesian language family. There are around 10 million Ilocano speakers in
total. Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and La Union, the three largest Ilocano provinces, are
among the Philippines’ most densely populated places.
Hiligaynon (Ilonggo)
Hiligaynon, also known as Ilonggo, Binisaya or Inilonggo, is spoken by around 9.1
million people in the Philippines, primarily in Western Visayas and Soccsksargen. The
majority of Hiligaynon speakers originate from the Hiligaynon ethnic group.
The Hiligaynon language belongs to the Bisayan language family and is more distantly
linked to other Philippine languages. After Cebuano, Hiligaynon is the second most
spoken language in the Visayas.
The Hiligaynon language is primarily found in the Western Visayas – in Iloilo, Guimaras,
Negros Occidental and Capiz – as well as in Soccsksargen’s South Cotabato, Sultan
Kudarat, and North Cotabato.
The Language provision in the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines
which are embodied in Article XIV, Sec. 6 and 7 provide the legal basis for the various
language policies that are being implemented in the country.
The ratification of the above-mentioned constitution resolved the issue of what the
national language is since the 1935 and 1973 Philippine Charters were not clear about
this.
The provisions are as follows:
1. Section 6. The national language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall
be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other
languages.
2. For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the
Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English.
The Philippine Bilingual Education Policy (BEP)
Consistent with the 1987 constitutional mandate and a declared policy of the
National Board of Education (NBE) on bilingualism in the schools (NBE Resolution No.
73-7, s.1973) the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) promulgated its
language policy.
The policy was first implemented in 1974 when DECS issued Dept. Order No. 25, s.
1974 titled, “Implementing Guidelines for the Policy on Bilingual Education.”
Bilingual education in the Philippines is defined operationally as the separate use of
Filipino and English as the media of instruction in specific subject areas. As embodied
in the DECS Order No. 25, Pilipino (changed to Filipino in 1987) shall be used as
medium of instruction in social studies/social sciences, music, arts, physical education,
home economics, practical arts and character education. English, on the other hand is
allocated to science, mathematics and technology subjects. The same subject
allocation is provided in the 1987 Policy on Bilingual Education which is disseminated
through Department Order No. 52, s. 1987.
The policy is as follows:
The policy on Bilingual Education aims at the achievement of competence in both
Filipino and English at the national level, through the teaching of both languages and
their use as media of instruction at all levels. The regional languages shall be used as
auxiliary languages in Grades I and II. The aspiration of the Filipino nation is to have its
citizens possess skills in Filipino to enable them to perform their functions and duties in
order to meet the needs of the country in the community of nations.
The goals of the Bilingual Education Policy shall be:
1. enhanced learning through two languages to achieve quality education as called for
by the 1987 Constitution.
2. the propagation of Filipino as a language of literacy.
3. the development of Filipino as a linguistic symbol of national unity and identity;
4. the cultivation and elaboration of Filipino as a language of scholarly discourse, that is
to say its continuing intellectualization; and the maintenance of English as an
international language for the Philippines and as a non-exclusive language of science
and technology.
Filipino and English shall be used as media of instruction, the use allocated to specific
subjects in the curriculum as indicated in the Department Order No. 25, s. 1974.
The regional languages shall be used as auxiliary media of instruction and as initial
language for literacy, where needed.
Filipino and English shall be taught as language subjects in all levels to achieve the
goals of bilingual competence.
Since competence in the use of both Filipino and English is one of the goals of the
Bilingual Education Policy, continuing improvement in the teaching of both languages,
their use as media of instruction and the specification of their functions in Philippine
schooling shall be the responsibility of the whole educational system.
Tertiary-level institutions shall lead to the continuing intellectualization of Filipinos. The
program of intellectualization, however, shall also be pursued at both the elementary
and secondary levels.
The Department of Education, Culture and Sports shall cooperate with the National
Language Commission which according to the 1987 Constitution, shall be tasked with
the further development and enrichment of Filipino.
The Department of Education Culture and Sports shall provide the means by which the
language policy can be implemented with the cooperation of government and non-
government organizations.
The Department shall program funds for implementing the Policy, in such areas as
materials production, in-service training, compensatory and enrichment program for
non-Tagalogs, development of a suitable and standardized Filipino for classroom use
and the development of appropriate evaluative instruments.
Guidelines for the implementation of the 1987 Policy on Bilingual Education are
specified in the DECS Order No. 54, s. 1987. Among these are the need to
intellectualize Filipino and the concrete steps suggested towards its realization.
DECS Order No. 11 s. 1987 - was issued in the pursuance to Section 3 of Republic Act
No. 8190 known as “An Act Granting Priority to Residents of the Barangay, Municipality
or City where the School is located, in the Appointment or Assignment of Classroom
Public School Teachers”.
Executive Order No. 335
On August 25, 1988, then President Corazon Aquino signed Executive Order No.
335 enjoining all departments/bureaus/offices/agencies/instrumentalities of the
government to take such steps as are necessary for the purpose of using the Filipino
language in official transactions, communications, and correspondence. The order was
issued on the belief that the use of Filipino in official transactions, communications and
correspondence in government offices will result to a greater understanding and
appreciation of government programs, projects and activities throughout the country,
thereby serving as an instrument of unity and peace for national progress.
 All departments/bureaus/offices/agencies/instrumentalities of the government are
enjoined to do the following:
1. Take steps to enhance the use of Filipino in official communications, transactions and
correspondence in their respective offices, whether national or local;
2. Assign one or more personnel, as maybe necessary, in every office to take charge of
communications and correspondence written in Filipino;
3. Translate into Filipino names of offices, buildings, public edifices, and signboards of
all offices,
divisions or its instrumentalities, and if so desired, imprint below in smaller letters the
English text; Filipinize the “Oath of Office” for government officials and personnel;
Make as part of the training programs for personnel development in each office
proficiency in the use of Filipino in official communications and correspondence.
The Commission on the Filipino Language, formerly the Institute of
Philippine/National Language, is ordered to formulate and implement programs and
projects for the full and effective implementation of the objectives expressed in the
Executive Order.
The Language Policy of the Commission on Higher Education
In 1994, Republic Act No. 7722, creating the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED) was signed. This Act which is known as the “Higher Education Act of 1994”
provides that the CHED shall be independent and separate from the DECS and
attached to the Office of the President for administrative purposes only. Its coverage
shall be both public and private institutions of higher education as well as degree-
granting programs in all post-secondary educational institutions, public and private.
One of the first steps undertaken by CHED was to update the General Education
Curriculum (GEC) of tertiary courses leading to an initial bachelor’s degree covering
four (4) curriculum years. This was done to make the curriculum more responsive to the
demands of the next millennium.
The requirements of the new GEC are embodied in the CHED Memorandum Order
(CMO) No. 59, s. 1996. Listed under miscellaneous of this CMO is its language policy
which is as follows:
In consonance with the Bilingual Education Policy underlined in DECS Order No.
52, Series of 1987, the following are the guidelines vis-a-vis medium of instruction, to
wit:
1. Language courses, whether Filipino or English, should be taught in that language.
2. At the discretion of the HEI, Literature subjects may be taught in Filipino, English or
any other language as long as there are enough instructional materials for the same
and both students and instructors/professors are competent in the language.
Executive Order No. 210, issued on May 17, 2003, aims to strengthen the use of the
English language as a medium of instruction in the educational system of the
Philippines. The order emphasizes the importance of English proficiency in enhancing
the competitiveness of Filipino students in the global arena and ensuring their success
in various fields. It sets forth policies to promote the effective teaching and learning of
English across all levels of education, from primary to tertiary. Additionally, the order
directs government agencies, educational institutions, and stakeholders to collaborate in
implementing programs and initiatives that support the development of English
language skills among students and educators.
DepEd Memorandum No. 81, s. 2003, titled "English Language to be Used as Medium
of Instruction," emphasizes the use of English as the primary medium of instruction in
Philippine schools. Below are the summary and aims of this memorandum:
Summary:
1. The memorandum emphasizes that English should be the medium of instruction for
Science, Mathematics, and Technology subjects from Grade 3 onwards.
2. The use of English as the medium of instruction aims to enhance students'
proficiency in the language and to better prepare them for global competitiveness.
3. It also encourages teachers to conduct classes and activities in English to help
students become more fluent and confident in using the language.
Aims:
1. To improve students' proficiency in English: By using English as the medium of
instruction, students are exposed to the language more frequently, which helps them
develop better communication skills.
2. To enhance global competitiveness: English proficiency is crucial in today's globalized
world. By strengthening English language skills, students are better equipped to
compete internationally.
3. To prepare students for higher education and employment opportunities: Many higher
education institutions and job opportunities require proficiency in English. Using English
as the medium of instruction prepares students for these future endeavors.
4. To standardize language instruction: By implementing English as the medium of
instruction for specific subjects, the memorandum aims to provide consistency in
language instruction across schools and regions.