Exit Essay: Save the Filipino Language by Renz Perez

1. Exit Essay: Save the Filipino Language
By Renz E. Perez
The Filipino language plays a huge part in the lives of the
countrymen. It is the heart and soul of the country as it
symbolizes oneness in words, speech, and thought. Language is
something one continuously learns as he/she grows up. Truly, a
country’s language paves way for bigger and better opportunities
that will benefit everyone. But what will happen to this optimistic
view of the future if the means of learning one’s language is taken
away from him? This has been one of the hottest issues present in
Philippine society today – the exclusion of the Filipino subject
in the tertiary level.
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has already released a
revised general education (GE) curriculum that implements the
dropping of the mandatory Filipino subjects on the tertiary level.
The CHED memorandum order on the new curriculum notes that the
integration of GE courses in senior high school – Grades 11 and 12
– has created a window for the revision of the current curriculum
in colleges. According to CHED, the revision of the curriculum
aims to promote the development of a student’s intellectual
competency, personal and civic competency, and practical skills.
CHED also claims that the Filipino subjects taken under the K to
12 program are sufficient given that students already have 108
hours under the said subject in Grade 11 alone. “The proposed GEC
strips away remedial courses, those that duplicate subjects in
Grades 11 and 12, and introductory courses to the disciplines,”
CHED explained in CMO 20-2013.
The new curriculum includes the following core courses:
Understanding the Self; Readings in Philippine History; The
Contemporary World; and Mathematics in the Modern World. Also
included are Purposive Communication; Art Appreciation; Science,
Technology and Society; and Ethics. It requires three courses on
the Arts & Humanities; Social Sciences & Philosophy; and
Mathematics Science and Technology clusters. It also mandates the
three- unit Life and Works of Rizal course. As a whole, the number
of GEC units has been reduced from the current 63-51 units down to
36 units for all college students.
The revision of the curriculum has met various violent
reactions and oppositions from stakeholders, linguists, academics,

2. and even students themselves. Movements from different
universities concerned are currently in motion in order to fight
for the life of the Filipino subjects in the tertiary level. David
San Juan (2014), a professor in De La Salle University- Manila,
pointed out that while the memorandum stated that the optional
provision for the teaching of the courses in Filipino dilutes its
purpose as most universities in the country uses English as its
default language. In addition to the statements of oppositions,
the Kagawaran ng Filipino of the Ateneo de Manila University avers
that “Hindi lamang midyum ng pagtuturo and Filipino. Isa itong
disiplina. Lumilikha ito ng sariling larang ng karunungan na
nagtatampok sa pagka-Filipino sa anumang usapin sa loob at labas
ng akademya.” UP DFPP also reacted on the revision of the
curriculum expressing, “Ang pagtatanggal ng siyam na yunit ng
Filipino sa kolehiyo ay isang anyo ng karahasang pangkamalayan.
Nilulusaw nito ang pagpapahalaga sa kasaysayan at kabihasnang
tanging Filipino ang makakapagpaliwanag.”
On a personal account, being a student myself makes me think
twice about the revision of the GE curriculum in college. Through
the years of my schooling, the Filipino language has been one of
the most important factors that shaped me as a person. It is the
language I use at home, in school, and nearly in everywhere I go
every day. I couldn’t stress even more the fact that I am a Filipino
living in the Philippines. I grew up in a family that treasures
the native language of the Philippine culture. Hearing about the
mandatory exclusion of the Filipino subjects in college irks me
mostly because I cannot see the point if it is really necessary to
remove the Filipino language when in fact; it plays a big role in
the development of the country. Resorting to dropping these
subjects in favor of others, let alone its mere deletion, is
senseless. There are far more ways to address the issue of the
student’s incompetence and the revised curriculum is not one of
them. It is a shameful act to kill the nurturing of the native
language. We are Filipinos and our language is something we should
be proud of – something that we must treasure. Save the country
from senseless actions by fighting for the life of the Filipino
subjects. It is not impossible to oppose such acts if all
countrymen are united towards achieving one goal. The time to act
is now – before it is all too late.