The Knee Jerk Reaction
Any discussion on Filipino vs. English as the national language has always struck a nerve, as I have been brought up using these two languages interchangeably, and have experienced being labeled “un-nationalistic” by some.
As with the other people of my generation, I, too, was brought up with the words: “Ang di marunong magmahal ng sariling wika ay higit pa sa amoy ng malansang isda.”
The education system and culture in Metro Manila reinforced this belief — that shame is the only natural reaction for not being able to speak the Filipino language as fluently as what is expected.
Flashbacks
In 1937, the Philippines declared Tagalog as the national language — this, despite the fact that there were 172 native languages and dialects in the Philippines, and the fact that more people spoke Cebuano at that time.
But the country was just enjoying the beginnings of independence, and there was a great need to rediscover the “real Filipino identity;” thus, enforcing and promoting one common language became a prime agenda. Tagalog was chosen, and it was a victory for the then Tagalog President, Manual Quezon.
And back again
The national language has undergone many transformations — from being renamed Pilipino in 1961, and later to Filipino in 1987. There were also at least two major changes in the alphabet alone.
Despite this rapid evolution, the banking, academe, and even government sectors in the Philippines still use English as the primary language, even if Filipino is the language (or lingua franca) of choice in the Metro Manila based broadcast stations. And yes, majority of the Cebuanos still consider English, over Filipino, as their 2nd language.
Strong Filipino language advocates abhor any non-use of the Filipino language, and pronounce the use of English as a primary evidence of neocolonialism and disregard for the Filipino identity.
A personal view
National language has always been closely associated with nationalism. It is, after all, one of the few things which we were taught as the unique representation of the identity nation. The valiant heroes and former Presidents of our country also have given documented importance on the use of the native tongue.
But the term national language is a misnomer. Being designated by the government, Filipino is actually more an official language than a national one. A national language cannot be forced to a nation. For a national language to be embraced, it must be the de facto, not the de jure. A national language should be what the people actually use to communicate.
Using neocolonialism as a reason not to use a language that is not considered “native” is like giving a total disregard to the history of the Philippines. Our country has been, since the beginning of time, a melting pot of diverse cultures. The Philippine tradition, language, and norms are the result of a colorful blend of the cultures of our visitors, inhabitants, and yes, even our colonizers. Embracing a culture and embedding it into an existing one is not a sign of disrespect to our country — it is a sign of sensitivity and understanding to other cultures, and the wisdom and prudence to adapt those we find suitable.
Language diversity is a key aspect of our heritage. It is one of our biggest strengths, and should not be stifled but rather developed. We are in the position to reap the economic and social benefits of who we actually are.
The sooner we accept the linguistic duality of our nation, the more we can concentrate on being real Filipinos. Because above all things — above language, physical appearances, attitude, norms, and even above citizenship — true nationalism does not lie on what our tongues speak, but what our hearts utter.
"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."
– The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines
you write very well chette
i like your articles
very crispy, juicy, mind and heart-bombarding reflective thinking.
Write more, so that generations of writers and readers will truly appreciate and gear for the knowledge-based society.
My dream of having a nation of readers is becomming lucid.
hoist missed ka na nang pinoy joomla!
– g
wala lang fouh……… :o
“true nationalism does not lie on what our tongues speak, but what our hearts utter.”
Day, ano ba ang maibibigay ng pagmamahal na walang aksiyon? Hindi dapat hanggang pakiramdam lang, dapat may gawa.
Kailangan ng bansa ng isang wika na magbibigay komunikasyon sa lahat ng rehiyon sa bansa. Naiintindihan ko rin ang punto mo na parang nasasagasaan ang ibang wika, tulad ng Cebuano, Ilokano o Chabakano. Pero kasi pagdating sa bagay na ito kailangan talagang may magpaparaya. Hindi kasi “simple want” ang pambansang wika, “Necessity” talaga siya… Kailangan siya sa pagbuo ng bansa.
Bisaya ako. Kung papipiliin ako kung English o Tagalog. Tgaalog ang pipiliin ko dahil mas madali siyang matutunan. Pareho lang kasi ang pamilya ng wikang bisaya at tagalog. naku, kapag english kailangan talagang aralin yon ng mga sampung taon bago ka maging bihasa. Linguistic is one of the intelligence. Others are spatial, intrapersonal, numerics, physical… Harapin na lang natin ang katotohanan na hindi lahat ng tao ay may mataas na lingusitic capability para makagamit ng English.
“Embracing a culture and embedding it into an existing one is not a sign of disrespect to our country — it is a sign of sensitivity and understanding to other cultures, and the wisdom and prudence to adapt those we find suitable.”
May bad culture kasi at may good culture. Siguro kailangan rin nating magbasa ng libro tungkol sa Prehistoric Philippines para makita mo ang kultura bago tayo nasakop. Alam mo ba nang dumating dito ang mga espanyol may nakita silang ilog na nilulutangan ng ginto. Ang ganid na espanyol nagtanong sa mga katutubo, “Amigo, why aren’t you mining that gold. It’s wealth!” Sagot ng mga katutubo. “Bakit naman namin ‘yan kakalkalin kung hindi namin kailangan. Kukuha lang kami ng husto sa amin. Huwag naman sobra-sobra.” Kitam, hindi matakaw at ganid ang orihinal na Pinoy.
Hindi naman perpekto ang sinaunang kulturang pinoy pero positibo ito. nang sinakop tayo, nawalan na siya ng tsansang mag-evolve. Hindi mo ba napansin na halos lahat ng mga nasyong nasakop nang ng Espanya pulubi… tingnan mo ang mga latin america, ang mexico, ang Pinas.. Namana kasi ng mga bansang ito ang kompadrinong kultura ng espanya. Tingnan mo ang sistemang kompadrino sa politika natin.
Tama namang magbigay tayo ng galang sa kultura ng iba, pero dapat muna nating kilatisin kung makakabuti ba ito o makakasama sa atin. Ang pinoy kasi sunggab lang ng sunggab. Hindi nag-iisip. Kung ano ang bago ngayon, hala hila na. Dapat marunong rin tayong sumabi ng THANKS BUT NO!
Huwag naman tayong basta makontento sa tira-tira. Huwag natin silang hayaang subuan ng kahit ano. Hindi lang tayo basta magbigay ng respeto, humingi din tayo ng respeto galing sa kanila.
GIRL, paano tayo makokontento kung marami sa mga kababayan natin ang gutom, mangmang, alipin? Mga maling kultura ang nagpasadlak sa atin sa kinasasadlakan ngayon. Marami talaga tayong kailangang baguhin. kailangan talaga ng kultural na rebolusyon.
Girl, don’t just aim for good things, aim for the best. Siguro nga kaya tayo pulubi dahil madali tayong makontento…
thank you for the info but ms. chette i would like to know:
why do cebuano language do not consider as our filipino National language? plz help me in this article for my research…thank you.
si pgma nga po ay lumabag sa phil. constitution when she declared the executive order to use the english language in schools, globalization? inuuto lang tayo ng mga nasa first world countries ;)
Geez, that’s unbeleivlabe. Kudos and such.
why do we not consider cebuano as the national language that infact most of the pinoys are cebuano???? plz help me… its my rsearch and im really curious :'(
what is the role of language in the culture of the Filipino?
ilove it ive learn alot nice job!!
I love this……..