1973 Constitution
ART. XV, SEC.3. (3) Until otherwise provided by law, English and Pilipino shall be the official languages.
What is the ‘Pilipino’ language? This constitutional provision does not refer to ‘one of the existing native languages’ as in the 1935 constitution. Quezon had justified the selection of Tagalog on the exclusivity of the provision – ‘based on one the existing native languages.
This is where the provisions of the 1935 and 1973 constitutions differ. Exclusivity to one language was no longer mandated in 1973. It would follow that since the ‘Pilipino’ official language of the 1973 Constitution does not mention a ‘national language based on one of the existing native languages’, then Tagalog cannot lay claim as the sole language referred to, as was the case in the 1935 Constitution.
Finally, we come to the 1987 Constitution.
ART. XIV Education. Science And Technology, Arts, And Culture, And Sports.
SEC.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…
SEC.7. …The regional languages are the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein…
Apparently, there has been a shift from the purely monolingual language ideology of the 1935 Constitution to a national language based on multiple languages ideology in the 1973 and 1987 Constitutions. The National Language Commission (Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino) was mandated to ‘initiate and sustain the use of Filipino as a medium of official communication and as language of instruction in the educational system’. However, thus far the preference for Tagalog over the other Philippine languages has been overwhelming. There has been no convincing result recognizing the non-Tagalog languages.
The provision ‘the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein’ has not been satisfactorily implemented either.
The foremost way that we can correct the situation on the way that Tagalog is being sugar-coated as ‘Filipino’, and the confusion it results in, and the way it leads non-Tagalogs to regard their indigenous languages degradingly, is to teach their indigenous languages as subjects in schools, replacing some of the overhyped ‘Filipino’ subjects taught in Tagalog.
Teaching the regional languages such as Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Naga Bicolano, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, and so on, not only protects them from extinction but also promotes an atmosphere wherein people see the regional languages as legitimate and therefore encourages their incorporation into ‘Filipino’. (Send comments and suggestions to mabuhibisaya2017@gmail.com)/PN
