Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino
Encyclopedia
The Commission on the Filipino Language ' onMouseout='HidePop("6416")' href="/topics/Cebuano_language">Cebuano
: Komisyon sa Pinulongang Filipino; Ilocano: Komision iti Pagsasao a Filipino; Kapampangan
: Komisyun king Amanung Filipinu; Pangasinan
: Komisyon na Salitan Filipino; Waray: Komisyon ha Pinulungan nga Filipino) is the official regulating body of the Filipino language
and the official government institution tasked with developing, preserving, and promoting the various local Philippine languages
. It was established in accord with the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines
. In October 2008, José L. Santos, a native of Hagonoy, Bulacan
, was appointed chairman of the Commission, succeeding Ricardo María Duran Nolasco.
The Commission, created by Republic Act No. 7104, signed on August 14, 1991 by Former President Corazón Cojuangco Aquino
, replaced the Institute of Philippine Languages (IPL) which replaced the Institute of National Language (INL) by virtue of Executive Order No. 117 issued by President Aquino in January 1987. The INL, established in 1937 by Commonwealth Act No. 184, s. 1936, is the first government agency to initiate the development of the Philippine national language.
passed Commonwealth Act No. 184, s. 1936, establishing an Institute of National Language (INL) . On January 12, 1937, Former President Manuel Luis Quezón y Molina
appointed the members to compose the INL. By virtue of Executive Order No. 134 issued and signed by President Quezón on December 30, 1937, approved the adoption of Tagalog as the basis of the national language, and declared and proclaimed the national language based on Tagalog, as the national language of the Philippines. In 1938, the INL was dissolved and replaced with the National Language Institute (NLI). Its purpose was to prepare for the nationwide teaching of the Tagalog-Based National Language
by creating a dictionary and a grammar book with a standardized orthography. In the School Year of 1940-41, the teaching of the National Language
, with its new standardized orthography, was set by law in the fourth year of all high schools in both public and private schools throughout the country. The Tagalog-Based National Language was taught in school only as one of the subject areas in 1940 but was not adapted as the medium of instruction. During World War II, the Japanese encouraged the use of the National Language rather than English in the schools. The Tagalog-Based National Language was, therefore, propagated not only in education but also in mass media and in official communication. The census for 1948 reported that 7,126,913 people or 37.11% of the population spoke the language, representing an increase of 11.7% from the 1939 figure of 4,068,565. Of these seven million people, 47.7% learned it as a second language.
, a fact acknowledged by former Commissioner, Ricardo María Duran Nolasco, and with an impoverished technical and scientific vocabulary, at that, which relies heavily on foreign borrowings and, often, constructions. It is often left to the universities to develop their own respective terminologies for each field, leading to a lack of uniformity and general public disuse.
It is argued that current state of the Filipino language is contrary to the intention of Republic Act (RA) No. 7104 that requires that the national language be developed and enriched by the lexicon of the country's other languages. However, Resolution 92-1, which defines the national language as "the language spoken in Metro Manila and other business centers of the country", does not necessarily run counter to RA No. 7104.
Cebuano language
Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
: Komisyon sa Pinulongang Filipino; Ilocano: Komision iti Pagsasao a Filipino; Kapampangan
Kapampangan language
The Pampangan language, or Kapampangan , is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pampanga, the southern half of the province of Tarlac and the northern portion of the province of Bataan. Kapampangan is also understood in some barangays of...
: Komisyun king Amanung Filipinu; Pangasinan
Pangasinan language
The Pangasinan language or Pangasinense is one of the twelve major languages in the Philippines....
: Komisyon na Salitan Filipino; Waray: Komisyon ha Pinulungan nga Filipino) is the official regulating body of the Filipino language
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
and the official government institution tasked with developing, preserving, and promoting the various local Philippine languages
Philippine languages
The Philippine languages are a 1991 proposal by Robert Blust that all the languages of the Philippines and northern Sulawesi—except Sama–Bajaw and a few languages of Palawan—form a subfamily of Austronesian languages...
. It was established in accord with the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines
Constitution of the Philippines
The Constitution of the Philippines is the supreme law of the Philippines.The Constitution currently in effect was enacted in 1987, during the administration of President Corazon Aquino, and is popularly known as the "1987 Constitution"...
. In October 2008, José L. Santos, a native of Hagonoy, Bulacan
Hagonoy, Bulacan
Hagonoy is a 1st class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2007 NSO census, it has a population of 126,329 inhabitants distributed in 25,900 households. It is the birthplace of Former Senator Blas F...
, was appointed chairman of the Commission, succeeding Ricardo María Duran Nolasco.
The Commission, created by Republic Act No. 7104, signed on August 14, 1991 by Former President Corazón Cojuangco Aquino
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
, replaced the Institute of Philippine Languages (IPL) which replaced the Institute of National Language (INL) by virtue of Executive Order No. 117 issued by President Aquino in January 1987. The INL, established in 1937 by Commonwealth Act No. 184, s. 1936, is the first government agency to initiate the development of the Philippine national language.
History
The 1st National Assembly of the Philippines1st National Assembly of the Philippines
The First National Assembly of the Philippines was the meeting of the legislature of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, from November 25, 1935 until August 15, 1938.-Sessions:...
passed Commonwealth Act No. 184, s. 1936, establishing an Institute of National Language (INL) . On January 12, 1937, Former President Manuel Luis Quezón y Molina
Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel Luis Quezón y Molina served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. He was the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines...
appointed the members to compose the INL. By virtue of Executive Order No. 134 issued and signed by President Quezón on December 30, 1937, approved the adoption of Tagalog as the basis of the national language, and declared and proclaimed the national language based on Tagalog, as the national language of the Philippines. In 1938, the INL was dissolved and replaced with the National Language Institute (NLI). Its purpose was to prepare for the nationwide teaching of the Tagalog-Based National Language
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
by creating a dictionary and a grammar book with a standardized orthography. In the School Year of 1940-41, the teaching of the National Language
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
, with its new standardized orthography, was set by law in the fourth year of all high schools in both public and private schools throughout the country. The Tagalog-Based National Language was taught in school only as one of the subject areas in 1940 but was not adapted as the medium of instruction. During World War II, the Japanese encouraged the use of the National Language rather than English in the schools. The Tagalog-Based National Language was, therefore, propagated not only in education but also in mass media and in official communication. The census for 1948 reported that 7,126,913 people or 37.11% of the population spoke the language, representing an increase of 11.7% from the 1939 figure of 4,068,565. Of these seven million people, 47.7% learned it as a second language.
The first members of the commission (1937)
- Jaime C. de VeyraJaime C. de VeyraJaime Carlos de Veyra, a Resident Commissioner from the Commonwealth of the Philippine Islands; born in Tanauan, Province of Leyte, Philippine Islands, born November 4, 1873; attended public and private schools; was graduated from the College of San Juan de Letran in Manila in 1893; studied law,...
(Samar-Leyte Visayan), Chairman - Santiago A. Fonacier (Ilocano), Member
- Filemon Sotto (Cebu Visayan), Member
- Casimiro F. Perfecto (Bicol), Member
- Felix S. Salas Rodriguez (Panay Visayan), Member
- Hadji Butu (Moro), Member
- Cecilio López (Tagalog), Member and Secretary
Criticism
One major criticism of the Commission is that it does not really do its job in developing the Filipino language. This is grounded in the fact that Filipino was essentially TagalogTagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, a fact acknowledged by former Commissioner, Ricardo María Duran Nolasco, and with an impoverished technical and scientific vocabulary, at that, which relies heavily on foreign borrowings and, often, constructions. It is often left to the universities to develop their own respective terminologies for each field, leading to a lack of uniformity and general public disuse.
It is argued that current state of the Filipino language is contrary to the intention of Republic Act (RA) No. 7104 that requires that the national language be developed and enriched by the lexicon of the country's other languages. However, Resolution 92-1, which defines the national language as "the language spoken in Metro Manila and other business centers of the country", does not necessarily run counter to RA No. 7104.
See also
- Language policyLanguage policyMany countries have a language policy designed to favour or discourage the use of a particular language or set of languages. Although nations historically have used language policies most often to promote one official language at the expense of others, many countries now have policies designed to...
- Philippine languagesPhilippine languagesThe Philippine languages are a 1991 proposal by Robert Blust that all the languages of the Philippines and northern Sulawesi—except Sama–Bajaw and a few languages of Palawan—form a subfamily of Austronesian languages...
- Filipino alphabetFilipino alphabetThe Modern Filipino alphabet , otherwise known as the Filipino alphabet , is the alphabet of the Filipino language, the official national language and one of the two official languages of the Philippines...
- Filipino orthography
- Visayan Academy of Arts and LettersVisayan Academy of Arts and LettersThe Visayan Academy of Arts and Letters is a Philippine language regulator whose aims are to preserve and to develop the Cebuano language. In this regard, the Commission on the Filipino Language shares the same mission....
External links
- Official website
- Republic Act No. 7104, ChanRobles Law Library
- The Language Planning Situation in the Philippines, by Andrew Gonzalez, FSC