The Philippine National Language [Part 2 of 3 series]

The Clearing Point

R. CHAM G. ZUÑIGA VI, Ll.B., MLGM, Ph.D.

The Philippine National Language

[Part 2 of 3 series]

In 1987, the New Constitution introduced many provisions for the language. In whole, Article XIV provides that:

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.

Subject to provisions of law and as the Congress may deem appropriate, the Government shall take steps to initiate and sustain the use of Filipino as a medium of official communication and as language of instruction in the educational system.

Section 7. For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English.

The regional languages are the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein.

Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted on a voluntary and optional basis.

Section 8. This Constitution shall be promulgated in Filipino and English and shall be translated into major regional languages, Arabic, and Spanish.

Section 9. The Congress shall establish a national language commission composed of representatives of various regions and disciplines which shall undertake, coordinate, and promote researches for the development, propagation, and preservation of Filipino and other languages.

In order to develop and enrich the Filipino language, Republic Act No. 7104 was enacted creating the Commission on the Filipino Language to undertake, coordinate and promote researches for the development, propagation and preservation of Filipino and other Philippine languages. It also has the following functions:

Formulate policies, plans and programs to ensure the further development, enrichment, propagation and preservation of Filipino and other Philippine languages;

Promulgate rules, regulations and guidelines to implement its policies, plans and programs;

Undertake or contract research and other studies to promote the evaluation, development, enrichment and eventual of Filipino and other Philippine languages. This will include the collation of works for possible incorporation into a multi-lingual dictionary of works and phrases from other languages now commonly used or included in the lingua franca;

Proposed guidelines and standards for linguistic forms and expressions in all official communications, publications, textbooks and other reading and teaching materials;

Encourage and promote, through the system of incentives, grants and awards, the writing and publication, in Filipino and other Philippine languages, of original works, including textbooks and reference materials in various discipline;

Create and maintain with in the Commission a Division of Translation which shall encourage through incentives undertake and vigorously support the translation into Filipino and other Philippine languages of important historical works and cultural traditions of ethnolinguistic groups, laws, resolutions and other legislative enactment's, executive issuance's, government policy statements and official documents, textbooks and reference materials in various disciplines and other foreign materials which it may deem necessary for education and other purposes;

Call on any development, bureau, office, agency or any instrumentality of Government or on any private entity, institution or organization for cooperation and assistance in the performance of its functions, duties and local levels;

Conduct at the national, regional and local levels, public hearings, conferences, seminars and other group discussions to identify and help resolve problems and issues involving the development, propagation and preservation of Filipino and other Philippine languages;

Formulate and adopt guidelines, standards and systems for monitoring and reporting on its performance at the national, regional and local levels; and submit to the Office of the President and to Congress an annual progress report on the implementation of its policies, plans and programs;

Perform such other activities which are necessary for the effectiveness exercise of the above mentioned powers, functions, duties and responsibilities.

On May 13, 1992, the commission issued Resolution 92-1, specifying that Filipino is the indigenous written and spoken language of Metro Manila and other urban centers in the Philippines used as the language of communication of ethnic groups. Written in Filipino, the resolution reads:

Ito ay ang katutubong wika, pasalita at pasulat, sa Metro Manila, ang Pambansang Punong Rehiyon, at sa iba pang sentrong urban sa arkipelago, na ginagamit bilang wika ng komunikasyon ng mga etnikong grupo. Katulad ng alinmang wikang buhay, ang Filipino ay dumaraan sa proseso ng paglinang sa pamamagitan ng mga panghihiram sa mga wika ng Pilipinas at mga di-katutubong wika at sa ebolusyon ng iba’t ibang baryedad ng wika para sa iba-ibang sitwasyong sosyal, sa mga nagsasalita nito na may iba’t ibang sanligang sosyal, at para sa mga paksa ng talakayan at matalisik na pagpapahayag.

It could be viewed that both the 1973 and 1987 Constitution, and CFL Resolution No. 92-1 supra, did not categorically identify the Filipino language as Tagalog.

(for feedbacks, the author may be reached at mailto:chamzun@yahoo.com)