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Language Planning and Filipino Why Filipino Is "Filipino"?

it is only the name of the National Language that has been changed and called "Filipino." The citizen and the culture remain "Filipino." One continues badgering: Who ordered such continued use of "Pilipino"? One will be unable to point to anyone in particular. It had been broadcast like gossip or rumor, likely an opinion coming from this or that professor of thierʻs at University of the Philippines or Philippine Normal University or De La Salle University and which they treated as the great and lawful truth.

The said state of affairs provide the reason why I also called the story of "Filipino" is more a product of personal opinion, or personal opinion that has prevailed or been made to prevail as if it were a Supreme Court rendering, and often improbable when scrutinized according to how the National Language has historically turned out. Which, as it intends it to mean, is that up to now there is no written history of "Filipino--even if there actually is--despite what is being taught as "linguistic history" in colleges and universities.

The said state of affairs may likewise be considered as the reason for the continued and unruly opposition to the propagation of the "Filipino" language, and the lack of energy and effort towards the higher objectives of national language planning. It is in any document on language that has been released for use by teachers of "Filipino." Neither has it been heard of any discussion regarding the educational and linguistic objectives of the said definition. And even more so, it has never been heard of it being used in order to show the difference of "Filipino" from Pilipino or from Tagalog, and why it must be regarded as the National Language.

Up to now, the National Language is called "Filipino" because it is the provision of the 1987 Constitution. Even the supposed exponents of language, especially the teachers, are unable to understand the qualities and conditions outlined by Resolution No. 13-39 for "Filipino" to be considered the National Language. Up to now, many call it "Pilipino" apart from the fact that many hope and believe that it is "Pilipino" in form and content. That is why up to now, the enemies of the National Language, like the Defenders of indigenous Languages of the Archipelago (DILA), insist on principle that "Filipino" has been changed to conceal its being Tagalog.

How can teachers and exponents of language explain or elucidate "Filipino" as the National Language if they have not comprehended the qualities and conditions outlined under Resolution No. 13-39? How can they defend "Filipino" against the ignorance being merchandised by the opponents of the National Language? And thus it is the teachers and exponents of the National Language who should in all necessity peruse and examine the following "myth." Let us begin.

LANGUAGE NATIONALISM

The unified decision arrived at in the 1934 Constitutional Convention to choose a native language to become a basis for the National Language is a product of nationalist and counter-colonialist advocacies. This was still noticeable in the sentiments of nationalist political leaders despite the failure of the Revolution of 1896 and despite the successful colonization under the United States. Believe it or not, helping this along was the opinion itself of American educators and politicians which said: one, that it was not practical and it was expensive to impose the use of English as the national language of education in their colony; second, that their democratic and egalitarian ideals demanded that it be so under their proclaimed policy of "Filipinization." Still, however it must reserve the admiration for the nationalist caliber of the likes of Felipe R. Jose, Wenceslao Q. Vinzons, Norberto L. Romualdez, Tomas Confesor, and other convention delegates who voted to reject the hoped-for proclamation of either Spanish or English as national language If they were muscled or bribed into such position by President Manuel L. Quezon is no longer important. Their initial role in pushing for a native language becoming the National Language is more important.

It must also remembered, however, that the delegated to the 1934 Constitutional Convention could not agree on what native language was to be declared the national language. Right at the first discussions, or through Felipe R. Joseʻs formal address on 13 August 1934, Tagalog had been the seeded candidate among the native languages. But this was opposed by the delegates who wanted their own languages to be proclaimed. The Tagalistasʻ primary opponents were the delegates pushing for Sebwano and Ilokano. These delegates split the ranks of language nationalism in 1934, once again in 1972, and up to the present, and are even more so behind the federalist proposition for national politics.

This opposition to Tagalog as national language has since been suspected as the result of extreme regionalism. It could be. It might also be considered as an underhanded maneuver for English. Groups such as DILA continue to oppose "Filipino"--especially through the campaign saying that "Filipino" is killing the native language. They are prepared to eschew all reason why Tagalog is worthy as basis for the National Language and they will close their eyes to the successes of Pilipino/Tagalog as the national language of communication and education because they dream more of expertise in English if it is not true that they consider English more as their own language. Right now they even posture as earnest promoters of MTB-MLE while exerting a lot of effort to strengthen English as the teaching language from elementary onwards and to take away the native languages from under the charge of the KWF. The wealthy and educated, meanwhile, take up the cudgels on their behalf while waving the flag of "globalization" in order to suppress any nationalist policy, especially the likes of "Filipino" as the National Language.

References:

Almario, V. S. (2015) Language Planning and Filipino, Komisyon Sa Wikang Filipino

Kilates, M. L. (2015) Language Planning and Filipino, Commission on Filipino Language