KWF urges lawmakers, professionals to speak Filipino

MANILA, Philippines — The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) is urging English speaking lawmakers and professionals to love the Filipino language, noting these people are not fond of using the national language in their daily discourse. 

KWF chairman and National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario said there is something wrong in the appreciation of Filipino lawmakers and professionals for the national language and this needs to be addressed. 

Almario said it is ironic that lawmakers and professionals, who have enough knowledge of Filipino, seem to barely use it compared with the masses. 

“May anomalya (there’s anomaly) somewhere in consciousness ng (of) educated Filipinos, ‘yan ay kailangang malunasan (that needs to be addressed). Ang taongbayan hindi ganun, ang mga edukado natin ang may problema (the masses aren’t like that, the educated ones have the problem),” Almario said. 

He said lawmakers and professionals are proud of their proficiency in English, even when committing mistakes in speaking the second language, and are afraid of committing mistakes when speaking in Filipino.

“Marami kang makikitang mga abogado na mali-mali ang Ingles at kahit judge ay mali-mali ang Ingles, pero pinagmamalaki nila ang kanilang Ingles, pero natatakot sila na magkamali sa Filipino. Mayroon na ring mga tao na matigas ang ulo at ayaw ng Filipino (There are lawyers and judges whose English is not correct, yet they are proud of it. But they are afraid to commit mistake when speaking in Filipino. There are people who are stubborn and don’t like the Filipino language),” he said. 

“Marami tayong mga kababayan na hindi interesado sa Filipino – 99 percent nang mga nandun sa Senado ay hindi interesado sa Filipino. Kasi kung interesado sila, matagal na official language ang Filipino (We have many countrymen who are not interested in the Filipino language – 99 percent of those in the Senate are not interested in Filipino. If they were interested, the Filipino language would have long been the official language),” he added. 

Almario was referring to previous proposals seeking the use Filipino language in all discussions in the House of Representatives and the Senate, and come up with a law that will require the use of the national language. 

While he clarified that he does not see anything wrong with lawmakers and professionals who are fluent in English, Almario said they should not forget their first language as it served as a bridge in any conversation. 

The Philippines is observing the “Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa” every August following the siging of Proclamation 1041 by former president Fidel Ramos.

The celebration coincides with the birthday of former president Manuel Quezon, the “Ama ng Wikang Pambansa.”