Philippine National Language History

• A national language was a difficult choice to make.
• The process of choosing a national language has been long and complicated.

1934

• Due to the separation of the islands and the number of languages, the national language was hotly debated at the Constitutional Convention of 1934.
• Many delegates agreed that one of the country's existing languages should become the national language.
• Pro-English advocates believed Filipinos would benefit from proficiency in English, thus opposed the language proposals..
• A group that cared about its own language became stable.
• Lope K. Santos suggested grounding the national language in one of the Philippines' existing languages.
• Manuel L. Quezon, then President of the Commonwealth Government, seconded the proposal.

1935

• President Quezon's amendment led to the language provision in Article XIV, Section 3 of the 1935 Constitution.
• Congress would take steps to develop a national language based on one of the existing native languages.
• Until the law dictates, English and Spanish would remain official languages.
• There was much debate about which language to use as a basis for choosing the national language.
• Norberto Romualdez of Leyte wrote Commonwealth Act No. 184, which established the Institute of National Language.
• The main task was to "study dialects in general for the purpose of developing and strengthening a national language based on one of the existing languages according to accepted and spoken framework, mechanism, and literature."
• The Institute's study chose Tagalog as the basis for the national language.
• The Tagalog language met the standards they set should be:
  • Language of the center of government
  • Language of the center of education
  • Center of trade language
  • Language of great literature

1937

• President Manuel L. Quezon proclaimed Tagalog as the basis of the National Language on December 30, 1937.
• Tagalog was selected based on the recommendation of the Institute under Executive Order No. 134.

1940

• The national language based on Tagalog began to be taught in public schools two years after the passage of Executive Order No. 134.

1946

• When Americans granted independence, Tagalog and English were declared official languages on Philippine Independence Day, July 4, 1946.

1959

• The name of the national language was changed on August 13, 1959.
• From Tagalog, it became Pilipino by virtue of Department Order No. 7, issued by Jose E. Romero.
• The use of Filipino was highlighted and widespread during this time.
• The Filipino language was used in government offices, buildings, and documents such as passports.
• The language was used in schools and in mass media such as newspapers, television, radio, magazines and comics.
• Many still opposed Tagalog as the basis.

1972

• There was another heated debate at the 1972 Constitutional Convention regarding the language issue.
• The language provisions in the 1973 Constitution, Article XV, became the basis for discussions.
• "The National Assembly shall take steps to develop and formally adopt a common national language to be known as Filipino."
• Filipino was first used as a new term for the national language of the Philippines.
• The National Assembly did not formally approve Filipino as dictated by the Constitution.

1987

• The 1987 Constitution was ratified by the Constitutional Commission formed by former President Cory Aquino and the implementation of the use of the Filipino Language.
• Article XIV, Section 6 states regarding language:
  • "The national language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it develops, it shall be further enriched on the basis of existing languages ​​in the Philippines and other languages."
• Former President Corazon Aquino fully supported the use of Filipino in government through Executive Order No. 335, series of 1988.
• The order "instructs all departments, bureaus, agencies, and instrumentalities of the government to take the steps necessary to use Filipino in official correspondence, communication..."