Buwán ng Wikà: Why Do We Celebrate This?

This journal tries to introduce Buwán ng Wikà as a significant month-long celebration to honor the Philippine National Language while at the same time, encouraging everyone to also give stronger attention to various indigenous languages referred to, in the current Constitution, as the Regional Languages.

What Paves the Way to the Adoption of a National Language?

The idea behind the Philippines' Buwán ng Wikà can be traced far back during the American occupation from 1898 to 1946.

First, let's take a quick review on how the American rulers came to the Philippines. There was a Spanish-American War in 1898. United States won the war but the Treaty of Paris of 1898 became part of the peace process between the declining empire (Spain) and the rising one (United States). This treaty includes the victor's acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America.

At that time, President William McKinley had no interest in acquiring the Philippines but his people in the navy saw a potential in Manila Bay as an outpost to enhance their influence in the Far East. Some American legislators, businessmen, and Protestant Church leaders were threatened about European interests in China. Manila appealed to them as a base from which American interests in China can easily be defended. Along with that, the British and Japanese governments were in favor of the United States to keep the Philippines.

Were Filipinos Incapable of Running Their Own Country?

Outside the Philippine archipelago, specifically United States, Britain, and Japan, they believed that Filipinos have no education, training, or experience in running their own government. What a strong prejudicial expression coming from the then global powers!

Probably having lack of platform and chaotic internal politics among Philippine natives brought the Filipinos into its unfortunate and unsuccessful defense as the international politics tilts towards another form. After long deliberation and lack of representation (a.k.a. silencing) among the Filipinos, United States then decided Philippines to be its own colony.

American soldiers started to teach children in the Philippines and they forced the locals to speak English to them. They opened a handful of schools in Manila and ordered lots of textbooks in the Spanish language. They believed that Spanish is the common language but later realized that less than 5 percent of the population could speak Spanish. The books were useless to the most parts of the archipelago.

On January 21, 1901, the Act No. 74 was enacted by the United States Philippine Commission. This establishes the Department of Public Instruction for the Philippine Islands, along with guidelines on how to run the American education system. Section 14 states that:

The English language shall, as soon as practicable, be made the basis of all public school instructions, and soldiers may be detailed as instructors until such time as they may be replaced by trained teachers.

However, at least two Filipinos who studied under American teachers became thought leaders in their own rights. First is Carlos P. Romulo, a close friend of General Douglas MacArthur, author, and world traveler. Another is Luis Taruc, a socialist and guerilla leader of the Hukbalahap (Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon) against the Japanese occupants of the Philippines. Both of them were aware of the condescending attitude that the colonizers held towards Filipinos. Romulo was quite gentle in critiquing the American teachers but Taruc openly stated that education system in schools was established as part of the colonial rule of American imperialism.

Furthermore, Taruc pointed out that the American styles of teaching did not result in growth of native Filipino literatures. Locals were made to feel ashamed and unworthy if they stick to their own languages, culture, and traditions.

The Treaty of Manila of 1946 ended the American occupation in the Philippines and the United States recognized the sovereign Philippines. It was signed on July 4, 1946.

As a Newly Independent Country, Linggó Ng Wikà is Observed in the Philippines

On March 26, 1946, President Sergio Osmeña signed Proclamation No. 35, designating the period from March 27th to April 2nd of each year "National Language Week". In local vernacular, it is referred to as "Linggó ng Wiká". April 2nd was chosen as the end date because it is Francisco Baltazar's birthday anniversary. Baltazar was a poet, litterateur of the Tagalog language, the renowned author of "Florante at Laura".

There is a drawback, however, in observing Linggó ng Wikà during the later days of the month of March up to the first two days of April each year. Such is outside the school year which prevents the participation of schools in its celebration. To address this concern, President Ramon Magsaysay signed Proclamation No. 186 on September 23, 1955. It declares the period from August 13 to 19 of every year as National Language Week. The significance of August 19 being the birthday of Manuel L. Quezon who became known as the Father of the National Language.

Tagalog as the Strongest Contender Towards the Basis of Adopting a National Language

Prior to Philippine Independence period, Commonwealth Republic President Manuel L. Quezon declared Tagalog as the basis for the national language. He signed the Executive Order No. 134 prescribing the adoption of the national language based upon one of the existing native tongues.

He appointed a Chairman, a member and Secretary, and 5 other members of the Institute of National Language (INL). They shall observe the conditions and proceedings in adopting a national language.

The Executive Order declares that the National Language institute has come to a conclusion that Tagalog is unanimously chosen as the basis of the "adoption of the national language" based not only from the conviction of the INL but from the opinions of Filipino scholars and patriots of various origin and different education backgrounds.

During that period, they found Tagalog to have been used and accepted by the greatest number of Filipinos especially in Manila where the seat of power is situated while the local newspapers, publications, and individual writers use Tagalog in their categorical views and expressions.

Since the establishment of the Philippines as a country, 80 years past, the distinct identity of its national language have gone a long and winding road.

There was a time during President Ferdinand E. Marcos' presidency when another Constitution was proclaimed, and thus the Article on General Provisions of the 1973 Constitution mandates that English and Pilipino shall be official languages while still calling for taking steps towards the development and formal adoption and a common national language to be known as Filipino.

These leaves us a question on how to distinguish between Tagalog and Pilipino. Potentially, the discussion on Pilipino versus Tagalog deserves another time and place as it might be irrelevant in contemporary times. The Marcos Constitution is already phased out.

The Philippine 1987 Constitution Declares Filipino as the National Language

The 1987 Constitution, written during President Corazon C. Aquino's administration, declares Filipino as the national language while Filipino and English are the official languages. This constitution mandates that Filipino is to be developed from all local languages of the Philippines.

Through Proclamation No. 1041, signed by President Fidel Ramos on July 15, 1997, the original week-long days of Linggó ng Wikà was extended to the full month of observance. It declares August as Buwán ng Wikà (language month).

Thus, the celebration of language month in the Philippines is highly encouraged among academic communities and mainstream media.

Are Contemporary Leaders Successful in Uniting the Philippines Through Its National Language Mandate?

There is a major confusion throughout the local and international discourse regarding Filipino versus Tagalog to be one and the same. One may have varying explanations coming from different Filipino thinkers, depending on whether they are born and raised in Manila, in any Tagalog provinces, in northern Luzon, in the Bicol region, in the Visayan islands, or in Mindanao.

In a similar manner, it is interesting to compare the Tagalog versions of both official rulings: the 1987 Constitution versus the Proclamation No. 1041 of 1997.

Apparently Proclamation 1041 is published only in Filipino (or Tagalog). The constitution mentions the terms "wikang pambansâ" (national language) as well as "wikang panrehiyon" (regional language) from sections 6 up to 9 of article XIV; whereas Proclamation 1041 also used the term "wikang pambansâ" (national language), along with other identifiers like "katutubong wikang pambansâ" (indigenous national language), and "katutubong wikang panlahát" (indigenous language for all).

It is ironic to see how different administrations of different times wish to unite the country through a national language, but as leaders in the collective sense, they fail to identify what local terms to use when they mean to say "national language", which is a foreign label. Is President Ramos more accurate when he used "katutubong wikang panlahat" referring to Filipino language as "indigenous language for all"?

Buwán Ng Wika: A Time to Contemplate on Philippine Languages, Explain the Culture, and Reconnect With Your Filipino Roots

Despite the hiccups, we at Aralin World encourage everyone to join the Philippines in observing Buwán ng Wikà every August each year. This is the time when we may air out our concerns on Philippine languages, understand the culture, and reconnect with your roots if part of your ancestry is Filipino.

Task

Reply with 'buwan ng wika 2026' if you're interested in participating in Aralin World's Virtual Get Together for this year's Buwán ng Wikà. Block your calendar for August 14, Friday at 10:30 AM (US East Coast time).

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