JMJ Marist Brothers

Notre Dame of Marbel University

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

Lesson 3: Language – in - Education Policy Evolution

Executive Order No. 335 s.1988 • The Language Policy of the Commission on
Higher Education (Higher Education Act of 1994)

Kicking it Off
Lesson 2 presented and discussed Dept. Order No. 25, s. 1974, Department
Order No.53, s.1987 Constitution (The 1987 Policy of Bilingual Education), and DECS
Order No.11, s.1987 (An Act Granting Priority to Residents of the Barangay,
Municipality or City where the School is Located, in the Appointment or Assignment of
Classroom Public School Teachers). This week, Lesson 3 tackles two other Language-
in- Education policies. So, read on…

Processing the Matter

Executive Order No. 335 s.1988

The 1987 Constitution, Article XIV, Section 7 states that “for purposes of
communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and,
until otherwise provided by law, English.”

Executive Order No. 335, signed by President Corazon C. Aquino on August 25,
1988, enjoins 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. This order is
practically a reiteration of several orders and memoranda issued by President Ferdinand
E. Marcos; e.g. Executive Order No. 96 (October 24, 1967) decreeing that all government
edifices, buildings and offices be named in Pilipino (now Filipino), Memorandum Circular
No. 172 (March 27, 1968) directing strict compliance with Executive Order No. 96 and the
use of Pilipino in official letterheads and for oaths of office of all government officials and
personnel; and Memorandum Circular No. 384 (August 17, 1970) requiring all
government offices to assign personnel who will take charge of official correspondence
in Pilipino (Filipino).

The specific instructions of the Order are: (1) to take steps to enhance the use of
Filipino in official transactions, communications and correspondence in their respective
offices, national and 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 edifices, and signboards of
offices, divisions or its instrumentalities, and if so desired, imprint below in smal ler letters
the English text; (4) Filipinize the “Oath of Office” for government officials and personnel;
and (5) make as part of the training programs for personnel development in every office
the proficiency in the use of Filipino in official transaction s, communications and
correspondence.
 JMJ Marist Brothers
Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

The Commission on the Filipino Language (CFL), a government office in charge of

the development and propagation of the national language, under the Office of the
President (R.A. No. 7140, s. 1991), is instructed with the full and effective implementation
of the objectives of the Order. The CFL replaced the Institute of Philippine Languages
(1987-1991) which, in turn, replaced the former Institute of National Language (1937-
1987). The CFL is also one of the cultural agencies attached to the Department of
Education, Culture and Sports (DECS).

For the implementation of the Order the CFL was directed to formulate and
implement programs and projects which include: (1) information campaign on the
importance and necessity of Filipino as an effective instrument for national unit and
progress; (2) translation into Filipino of Executive Order No. 335 as well as government
terms and phrases to be utilized as reference materials for all offices; (3) training of all
government officials and personnel in use of Filipino; (4) monitoring of the implementation
of the Order and submitting periodic progress report of implementation directly to the
office of the President of the Philippines or thru the Department of Education, C ulture and
Sports (DECS); and (5) taking into account other strategies for full implementation of the
objectives of the Order.

The Order does not prohibit the use of English in official communications and
correspondence, for the Constitution provides that Filipino and English are the official
languages of the country. However, the regional languages can be used as auxiliary
languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein, but shall
not replace Filipino and English.

All government departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities,

government-owned or controlled corporations included, are not only expected to take the
necessary measures to promote the use of Filipino in their official transactions,
communications and correspondence, in their respective offices and jurisdiction to
accomplish the objectives of the Order but also to internalize such objectives; and officials
and employees are expected to be proficient in Filipino through seminars, worksh ops,
and other forms of training.

For the speedy and effective implementation of the Order, the CFL has prepared and
published the necessary materials which include: (1) Patnubay sa
Korespondensya (1983 and 1987 editions); (2) Alpabeto at Patnubay sa Ispeling ng
Wikang Filipino; (3) Salin sa Filipino ng mga Tanggapang Pampamahalaan; (4) Mga
Katawagang Pampamahalaan; (5) Diksyunaryo ng Wikang Filipino; (6) Manwal sa
Korespondensya Opisyal, and several other publications.

The Language Policy of the Commission on Higher Education (Higher Education

Act of 1994)

In 1994, Republic Act No. 7722, creating the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED) was signed. This Act which is known as the “Higher Education Act of 1994”
provides that the CHED shall be independent and separate from the DECS and attached
to the Office of the President for administrative purposes only. Its coverage shall be both
public and private institutions of higher education as well as degree-granting programs in
all post-secondary educational institutions, public and private.

One of the first steps undertaken by CHED was to update the General Education
Curriculum (GEC) of tertiary courses leading to an initial bachelor’s degree covering four
 JMJ Marist Brothers
Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

(4) curriculum years. This was done to make the curriculum more responsive to the
demands of the next millenium.

The requirements of the new GEC are embodied in the CHED Memorandum Order
(CMO) No. 59, s. 1996. Listed under miscellaneous of this CMO is its language policy
which is as follows:

In consonance with the Bilingual Education Policy underlined in DECS Order No. 52,
Series of 1987, the following are the guidelines vis-a-vis medium of instruction, to wit:

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.

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

Summing Things Up
Present and future teachers should contribute to the attainment of the
objectives of the different policies governing language use in Philippine
classrooms despite the challenges faced in the implementation.

REFERENCES

Catacataca, P. (n.d.). The use of Filipino in of f icial transactions, communication and

correspondence. Retrieved f rom https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-
3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-dissem inationscd/language-and-
translation/the-use-of -f ilipino-in-of f icial-transactions-comm unication-and-correspondence/

Espiritu, C. (n.d.). Language policies in the Philippines. Retrieved f rom http://gwhs-

stg02.i.gov.ph/~s2govnccaph/subcomm issions/subcommission-on-cultural-
disseminationscd/language-and-translation/language-policies-in-the-philippines/