Northeastern Mindanao Colleges

Surigao City

College of Teacher Education

ELT7: Language Programs a Policies in Multilingual Societies

Language in Education Policy Evolution in the Philippines

1. Spanish Colonization

 The colonizers implemented the use of Spanish in teaching. Philippine Spanish was

the language of commerce, law, politics and the arts during the colonial period.

2. Education under the Americans

 After the Spanish-American War, the US Government sent the Thomasites to the Philippines.

They made it a point to teach English to the Filipinos.

3. Education under the Commonwealth

 An organized effort to develop a common national language was stared in comb lance with the

mandate of the 1935 constitution

 To help counteract the American cultural influence among the Filipinos, President Quezon greatly
encouraged the revival of native culture as well as desirable Filipino values Code of Ethics).

Education under the Japanese

 Nippongo and Culture were aggressively propagated. They were offered as compulsory courses in schools
and were included in civil service tests
 The Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Imperial Forces ordered the prohibition of the use of English
and the Filipino people's reliance upon Western nations particularly the United States and Great Britain
 The Filipino language bloomed. It was used as the official language of the country in teaching Philippine
History and Character Education (Executive Order No. 10 signed by Pres. Laurel).

Dept. Order No. 25, s. 1974

Pilipino and English shall be used as media of instruction, the use allocated to specific subjects in the
curriculum as indicated in Department Order No. 25, s. 1974

On the basis of this survey results, as well as the recommendations of the Soriano Committee and the
National Board of Education and in consonance with the constitution of 1973. the Bilingual Education Policy was
enunciated officially in Department Order No. 25, series 1974, on June 19, 1974 by the Secretary of Education and
Culture, in order to develop a bilingual nation competent in the use of English and Pilipino. Bilingualism in the
schools is defined operationally as the separate use of English and Pilipino as media of instruction in certain
subject areas from Grade I to 4th year High School. The subject areas are divided into Pilipino Domain or Pilipino
Block and English Domain or English Block.

PILIPINO DOMAIN

1.Social Studies

2.Social Sciences

3.Character Education

4. Work Education

5.Health Education
6.Physical education

ENGLISH DOMAIN

1. Science

2.Mathematics

3. Arts & Music

In organizing a bilingual program for the elementary school, in compliance with the DEC Order No. 25, series 1974,
it needed the following:

 A modified time table

1987 Constitution

The Language provision in the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines which are embodied in Article
XIV, Sec. 6 and 7 provide the legal basis for the various language policies that are being implemented in the
country.

The ratification of the above-mentioned constitution resolved the issue on what the national language is,
since the 1935 and 1973 Philippine Charters were not clear about this.

The provision are as follows:

Section 6. The national language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall be further developed and
enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other languages Subject to provisions of law and as the Congress
may deem appropriate, the Government shall take steps to initiate and sustain the use of Filipino as a medium of
official communication and as language of instruction in the educational system.

Section 7. For purposes of communication and instruction. the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino
and, until otherwise provided by law, English.

The regional languages are the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of
instruction therein. Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted on a voluntary and optional basis

"Pilipino" was changed and approved into "Filipino" during this constitution.

Department order no. 53 s. 1987 Constitution

The 1987 policy of Bilingual education. - Aims for achievement of competence in both Filipino and English
language.

Goals of Bilingual education policy:

1. Enhance learning through two languages to achieve quality education. "Ang Filipino at English ay gagamiting
midyum ng pagtuturo, na ang gamit ay naangkop sa mga tiyak na asignatura." (Dr. Lourdes Quisumbing. DepEd
Secretary 1986-1990)

2. Propagate Filipino as language of literacy. - Use Filipino as language of Instruction.

3. Develop Filipino as linguistic symbol of national unity and identity. - On June 7, 1940, the Philippine National
Assembly passed Act No. 570 declaring that Filipino would be considered an official language effective on July
4,1946.

4.Cultivate and elaborate Filipino as language of scholarly discourse.

DECS Order No. 11 s. 1987

In Pursuant to Section 3 of Republic Act No. 8190 otherwise known as "An Act Granting Priority To Resident of the
Barangay, Municipality or City Where The School Is Located, in the Appointment Or Assignment Of Classroom
Public School Teachers"

A. Teacher - refers to a person who meets the minimum requirements for the position as required by law and the
standards set by the Department who does actual teaching in classrooms and other learning centers

B. Applicant - refers to a person who holds a valid certificate of registration/professional license as a teacher from
the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) seeking to be appointed to a leacher I Position.

C. Qualified applicant - refers to a person who meets the evaluation and selection criteria as prescribed by the
Department of Education (DepEd), and who is in the registry of the Schools Division and is a bona fide resident.

D. Bona fide resident - refers to a qualified applicant who is, prior to appointment, resident for a period of at least
six (6) months of a particular barangay, municipality, city or province where the school is located, as evidenced by
legal documents to be identified by the Department.

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 335 S. 1988

Signed August 25, 1988 by Pres. Cory C. Aquino

Enjoining all departments/bureaus/ offices/ agencies/ instrumentalities of the Government to take such steps as
are necessary for the purpose of using Filipino Language in official transactions, communications, and
correspondence. All departments/bureaus/offices/ agencies/instrumentalities of the government are enjoined to
do the following:

1. Take steps to enhance the use of Filipino in all official communications transactions and correspondence in their
respective offices, whether national or local

2. Assign one or more personnel, as may be necessary, in every office to take charge of all communications and
correspondence written in Filipino:

3. Translate into Filipino names of offices, buildings, public offices, and signboards of all offices. divisions or its
instrumentalities, and 11 so desired, imprint below in smaller letters the English text;

4. Filipinize the "Oath of Office for government officials and personnel;

5. Make as part of the training programs for personnel development in each office the proficiency in the use of
Filipino in official communications and correspondence.

To implement such objectives, the Institute of Philippine Language were ordered to formulate and implement
programs and projects, which includes:

1. Information campaign on the importance and necessity of Filipino as an effective instrument for national unity
and progress

2. Translation into Filipino of this Executive Order, as well as government terms to be utilized as reference
materials for all offices.

3. Training of all government officials and personnel in the use of Filipino

4. Monitoring of the implementation of this Order and submitting periodic progress report of implementation to
the Office of the President of the Philippines thru the Department of Education, Culture and Sports

5. Taking into account other strategies for the full implementation of the objectives of

this order.
The Language Policy of the Commission on Higher Education (Higher Education Act of 1994)

 Signed in 1994 as Republic Act No. 7722, also called as Higher Education Act of 1994"
 Created the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
 States that CHED shall be independent and separate from DECS and attached to the office of the
 President only for administrative purposes only.
 CHED covers both public and private institutions of higher education as well as degree

granting

 programs in all post-secondary educational institutions, public and private.

The following are the guidelines vis-a-vis medium of instruction:

1. Language courses, whether Filipino or English, should be taught in that language.

2. At the discretion of the HEI, Literature subjects may be taught in Filipino, English or any other language as long
as there are enough instructional materials for the same and both students and instructors/professors are
competent in the language.

3. Courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences should preferably be taught in Filipino.

• Executive Order No.210 (May 17, 2003)- "Establishing the Policy to Strengthen the Use of the English Language
as Medium of Instruction in the Educational System"

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo came up with EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 210, "ESTABLISHING THE POLICY
TO STRENGTHEN THE USE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM," this was issued on May 17, 2003. In pursuance to this Order, DepEd Memorandum No. 181 s. 2003 was
disseminated to the field of education

DepEd Memorandum No.81, s. 2003-English language be used as medium of instruction

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policies. - The following policies are hereby established:

A. English shall be taught as a second language, starting with the First Grade.

B. As provided for in the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum, English shall be used as the medium of
instruction for English, Mathematics and Science from at least the Third-Grade level.

C. The English language shall be used as the primary medium of instruction in all public and private
institutions of learning in the secondary level, including those established as laboratory and/or experimental
schools. and non-formal and vocational or technical educational institutions. As the primary medium of
instruction. the percentage of time allotment for learning areas conducted in the English language is expected to
be not less than seventy percent 70%) of the total time allotment for all learning areas in the secondary level.

SECTION 2. Institutions of Higher Education.

Institutions of higher education. including State Colleges and Universities SUCs. Are hereby encouraged to
adopt the use of the English language as the primary medium of instruction in the tertiary level. The CHED shall
adopt measures to promote and encourage the use of the English language as the primary medium of instruction
in the tertiary or higher education level.

The policies being illustrated above elucidate the appropriate guidelines of what specific grade / level
should English language being use during instructions and as medium of instruction