MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:

ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND

CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

MODULE VI-IX
LANGUAGE POLICY AND PLANNING

MODULE DESCRIPTOR:
This module covers the Language policy and planning, Prescriptivism and the
equality of languages and Written and spoken language. It includes different
activities that will enhance the student’s knowledge after the discussions.

NOMINAL DURATION:
This module’s timeframe is from February 22 – March 17, 2021.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of this module you MUST be able to:
1. List some of the societal issues that arise when more than one
language is widely spoken in a country.
2. Learn about the role of governments in establishing language policies
— such as bilingual education and language immersion—and in
protecting endangered languages.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. Listed some of the societal issues that arise when more than one
language is widely spoken in a country.
2. Learned about the role of governments in establishing language
policies— such as bilingual education and language immersion—and in
protecting endangered languages.

1|Page
 MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND
CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

INFORMATION SHEET 6-9.1

Learning Objectives
After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:
1. List some of the societal issues that arise when more than one
language is widely spoken in a country.
2. Learn about the role of governments in establishing language policies
— such as bilingual education and language immersion—and in
protecting endangered languages.

Language planning is the development of policies or programs designed to direct or

change language use, as through the establishment of an official language, the
standardization or modernization of a language, or the development or alteration of a
writing system.

LANGUAGE POLICIES IN THE PHILIPPINES

1. Spanish Colonization
Romanized letters were introduced
 The Decree in 1550 - issued by Carlos I in Valladolid in 1550 (June 7) and
reissued in July 17. It demanded the teaching of Castilian in the Spanish
colonies which was issued before the colonization of the Philippines.
 Instructions in 1596 - the king of Spain (Felipe II) sent to Tello, Governor of
the Philippine colony, an instruction which stated that learning of indigenous
languages by the friars was inadequate for missionary, instead the friars
should teach Spanish to natives.
 The Decree in 1603 - the above two decrees required the teaching of the
Spanish language, but at the same time the Crown government demanded of
friars to learn indigenous languages probably because some of friars were
reluctant or incompetent to master indigenous languages
 The Decree in 1634 - Felipe IV issued a decree demanding that the colonial
government should teach Spanish to all the natives. The previous decrees
stated that the Spanish teaching should be given to natives who were willing
to learn, not to all the natives.
 The Decree in 1686 - Carlos II issued a decree in which he complained that
former decrees (issued in 1550,1634 and 1636) had not been observed and
stated there would be punishment if not observed.
 The Decree in 1792 - A similar type of decree was issued by Carlos IV in
which he evoked the previous decrees (May 10, 1770; November 28, 1772;
November 24, 1774) .In compliance with decrees issued by the home

2|Page
 MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND
CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

government, the colonial government also issued several laws concerning

language policies. Compared to the royal decrees, those laws presented
more concrete methods. But they were equally ignored by friars.
 The Ordinance 1768 - Governor Solís issued the following law on October
19, 1752, later it became Ordinance 52 in 1768. This ordinance asked the
establishment of schools and prohibited any other language than Spanish in
schools. It stated that official jobs could be given to those speaking Spanish
as an incentive to learning of Spanish.
 Education Act in 1863 - prescribed that Spanish was to be the sole medium
of instruction in order to facilitate the need to learn Spanish, so that literacy in
Spanish appeared to be the major purpose of the curriculum. To this end, the
decree provided that natives who could not speak, read and write Spanish
five years after its issuance were not to be permitted to hold salaried
government positions. This was the major motivation to induce the Filipinos to
study the language.

Failure of the Spanish Language Education

The reasons of the failure of the Spanish language education was multifaceted, some
of them being enumerated as follows:

a. The Philippines is geographically distant from Spain, so royal decrees were

not so forceful as in the homeland.
b. In order to prevent the impact of independence of Latin Americans, the
authority wanted the natives to be barred from news form outside, therefore,
being hesitant to spread the Spanish language.
c. The decrees being originally oriented for Americans, did not fit the realities in
the Philippines.
d. A lack of funds was another reason. Expenses for education were largely
defrayed by the clergy, not by the national treasury.
e. There were generally no incentives for natives to learn Spanish.
f. The Spaniards were forbidden to live in the native village except friars,
therefore, natives had few
g. chances to practice Spanish.
h. Even though the colonial government planned to spread the Spanish
language, the friars in villages and towns wanted to monopoly the tools of
communication and ensure their own power base. The friars were
categorically opposed the spread of Spanish.

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|Page
 MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND
CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

3. Education under the Commonwealth

An organized effort to develop a common national language was stared in
compliance 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).

4.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).
5. Article XIV, Sec. 6 and 7 of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the
Philippines
 provided the legal basis for the various language policies that are being
implemented in the country
 resolved the issue on what the national language is, since the 1935 and 1973
Philippine Charters were not clear about this.

6. The Philippine Bilingual Education Policy (BEP)

 promulgated by DECS in accordance to the 1987 Constitution and a declared
policy of the National Board of Education on bilingualism Consistent with the
1987 constitutional mandate and a declared policy of the National Board of
Education (NBE) on bilingualism in the schools (NBE Resolution No. 73- 7,
s.1973)
 it was first implemented in 1974 when DECS issued Dept. Order No. 25, s.
1974 titled,

“Implementing Guidelines for the Policy on Bilingual Education.”

 Bilingual education in the Philippines is defined operationally as the
separate use of Filipino and English as the media of instruction in specific
subject areas. Filipino is used as medium of instruction in studies/social
sciences, MAPEH, home economics, practical arts and character education.
English, on the other hand is allocated to science, mathematics and
technology subjects
 aims at the achievement of competence in both Filipino and English at the
national level, through the teaching of both languages and their use as media
of instruction at all levels.
 regional languages shall be used as auxiliary languages in Grades I and II
4|Page
 MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND
CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

The goals of the Bilingual Education Policy

1. enhanced learning through two languages to achieve quality education as
called for by the 1987
2. Constitution;
3. the propagation of Filipino as a language of literacy;
4. the development of Filipino as a linguistic symbol of national unity and
identity;
5. the cultivation and elaboration of Filipino as a language of scholarly
discourse, that is to say its continuing intellectualization; and
6. the maintenance of English as an international language for the Philippines
and as a non-exclusive
7. language of science and technology.

7. Executive Order No. 335

 signed by then Pres. Corazon Aquino on August 25, 1988
 it enjoined all departments/bureaus/offices/agencies/instrumentalities of the
government to take such steps as are necessary for the purpose of using the
Filipino language in official transactions, communications, and
correspondence.
 it was issued on the belief that the use of Filipino in official transactions,
communications and correspondence in government offices will result to a
greater understanding and appreciation of government programs, projects
and activities throughout the country, thereby serving as an instrument of
unity and peace for national progress.

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 official communications,
transactions and correspondence in their respective offices, whether national
or local;
2. Assign one or more personnel, as maybe necessary, in every office to take
charge of communications and correspondence written in Filipino;
3. Translate into Filipino names of offices, buildings, public edifices, and
signboards of all offices, divisions or its instrumentalities, and if so desired,
imprint below in smaller 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 each
office the proficiency in the use of Filipino in official communications and
correspondence. The Commission on the Filipino Language, formerly Institute
of Philippine/National Language, is ordered to formulate and implement
programs and projects for the full and effective implementation of the
objectives expressed in the Executive Order.

5|Page
 MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND
CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

8. The Language Policy of the Commission on Higher Education

 In 1994, Republic Act No. 7722 also called as the “Higher Education Act of
1994”, creating the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was signed.
 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.
 CHED updated the General Education Curriculum (GEC) of tertiary courses
leading to an initial bachelor’s degree covering four (4) curriculum years. This
was done to make the curriculum more responsive to the demands of the next
millennium.
Guidelines
 Language courses, whether Filipino or English, should be taught in that
language.
 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.

9. K-12 program and the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB

MLE)
 The K-12 program sought to build proficiency through language via MTB
MLE, introduced in 2012. The mother tongue or first language refers to
languages or dialects first learned by a child and with which the child
identifies with.
 Kindergarten-Grade 3 – Mother Tongue is the medium of instruction
 Grade 1 - Filipino and English will be taught as subject areas
 Grades 4-6 - mother tongue transition program in which English and Filipino
are introduced as media of instruction
 Junior High School and Senior High School – English and Filipino will become
the primary languages of instruction.

Update (02/21/2017)
House Bill No. 5091 “An Act to Strengthen and Enhance the Use of English as
the Medium of Instruction in the Educational System”
Former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo wants to strengthen
and enhance the use of the English language as the medium of instruction (MOI) in
the educational system, from the preschool to the tertiary level. Under House Bill
6|Page
 MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND
CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

5091, English shall be taught as second language, starting with the First Grade and
shall be used as the MOI for English, Mathematics, and Science from at least the
Third-Grade level. But the Filipino language shall continue to be the medium of
instruction in the learning areas of Filipino and Araling Panlipunan, according to the
bill.

Task Sheet 6-9.1

Title: Exercise your Mind
Performance Objectives:
Now that you learned a lot from the topics discussed you should be
able to write a reflective essay discussing about your own belief on the topic
stated. You should be able to impart own experiences as examples to
support your opinion. While you’re on it, include on your reflection the its
significance to your life and others.
Supplies: Notebook/ Paper, Pen

Equipment: PC and Printer (optional)

Activities:

1. Watch the videos from the link below and give insights about the
language planning and policies that we have in the Philippines.

- The language planning and policies in the Philippines aims for the
development of language use. My insights about this is solely revolving
around the concept of change and progress. I firmly believes that resiliency
and courage runs to our blood and is already marked to our race hence, as
of these times, our own culture is being dominant. Despite the fact that the
native Filipinos had faced a lot of terrible situations and suffered from
extreme oppression, they still able to fought back against the language that
invaders had tried to inflict among the Filipino people. It stands as the main
proof how dedicated we are as Filipinos in terms of making change and
striving for progress. After the colonization period, we independently made
our own country's language planning and policies which has led to an
extensive communication and language development. The manipulative and
deceptive system of the invaders had propelled the native Filipinos to stand
their ground to resist slavery in their own land. They were empowered by
their own free will which led them to recognize their rights. With all of my
insights about language planning and policies in the Philippines, I can
confidently conclude that we, Filipinos are the heirs of the past and bound
to inherit what we treasure to the future hence, everything is in our own
hands, we should not allow ourselves to be condemned of the future. The

7|Page
 MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND
CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

languages we speak and is being used right now is one of the most
treasured gift of the past and we, people at the present time are the ones
who responsible to its development

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4_JKx_e3AQ

https://www.youtube.com/results?
search_query=language+planning+and+policy+in+the+philippines

https://www.youtube.com/results?
search_query=language+planning+and+policy+in+the+philippines

2. How will you describe the history of language policy in the Philippines?
- I can say that the history of language policy in the Philippines is indeed a
fundamental lesson that all Filipino people must take cognizance about. It is
indisputable that we, Filipinos in the present times have inured with a life
that is filled with less challenges and difficulties compared to what the native
Filipinos suffered during the colonization period. George Santayana, an
American philosopher said, " Those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it". This line mainly depicts the reality that if people
will remain ignorant, the past would just probably repeat itself. As everyone
knows, the experiences of the native Filipinos under the rule of invaders
were dreadful and no one will ever wanted to experience the same thing
again. Our country was deprived of rights to run its own government, speak
and use the native language and live the lives in accordance to what every
individual prefers. Through these facts, it serve as a reminder for everyone
that we should learn from the past and use its valuable lessons to make
progress. Since the Filipinos have successfully attained the independence,
we finally have our own official languages hence, we are bound to flourish
what we have acquired for the profound benefits of the future. The history of
language policy that I firmly describe as a fundamental lesson has been a
proof of how important does this part of the past to be inculcated to the
minds of every Filipino.
3. Describe the changes happened in the language of the Philippines from
the Spanish colonization to the present time.
- Before the Philippines have its own language education policy, the Filipino
people were forced to acquire foreign languages including Spanish, English
and Nihongo. To describe the changes happened in the language of the
Philippines from the Spanish colonization to the present, I can say that our
native language is worth fighting for. During the Spanish colonization, there

8|Page
 MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND
CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

are decrees that required the teaching of Spanish to all the natives. These
decrees are clear manifestation of the manipulative and deceptive system
enforced by the Spaniards. There are some even threats for those natives
who would not follow the ordinance including the deprivation of official jobs
and permissions to hold governmental positions. After the Spanish-
American War, the government of the United States sent the Thomasites to
the Philippines to teach their language among the Filipinos. Compared to
the language education under the Spaniards, this change is undoubtedly
better. The education under the Commonwealth give rise to the revival of
the native culture as well as desirable Filipino values. Filipino language
became more bloomed during the education under the Japanese as the use
of English had been prohibited. After this, the Philippines provided legal
basis for various language policies under the 1987 constitution. As of these
times, Philippine Bilingual Education Policy remains dominant. This policy
reflects how dedicated Filipinos are to strive for language development.
Concludingly, all the changes happened from the colonization up to the
present is worthy to experience as it taught us the value of resistance.
4. What are the reasons of the failure of the Spanish language education
was multifaceted?
- Despite the fact that the Spaniards had tried to inflict their language to the
natives, they still failed to do make it become prevalent. There are several
reasons why Spanish language education was multifaceted. It includes the
geographical problem as the Philippines is distant from Spain hence, the
decrees were not enforced. Also, one of the reasons is that the Latin
Americans prohibit the news outside the Philippines therefore the Spanish
language failed to be spread. As the Americans are the ones who originally
oriented about the decrees, they find it not fitted in the realities.
Furthermore, lack of funds stand as one of the problems in the dispersion of
Spanish language and also the absence of incentives for natives to learn.
Spaniards were forbidden to live in the native village and lastly, there is no
chance for the natives to practice Spanish. With all these reasons, it led to
the failure of the Spanish Language Education in the Philippines.
5. What are the goals of bilingual Policy in the Philippines?
- The Bilingual Education Policy is interwoven with several goals that all for
the purpose of language and communication development. The goals entail
the learning enhancement of two languages in order to achieve quality
education as what is written in the 1987 Constitution. Also, one of the goals
of this policy is the propagation of Filipino as a language of literacy.
9|Page
 MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND
CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

Moreover, it aims for the development of Filipino as a linguistic symbol of

national Identity. Lastly, the Bilingual Education Policy aims for the
cultivation of Filipino as a language and for the maintenance of English as
an international language for the Philippines and as an non-exclusive
language of both science and technology.

Assessment Method:
Performance Criteria Checklist

Performance Criteria Checklist 4-5.1

Criteria 5 4 3 2 1
To what extent did your output satisfy the
following?
The response/solution is complete and appropriate.
Ideas are presented accurately and orderly.
Supporting details and examples are sufficient.
Highly influential and realistic due to the use of factual
details.
Grammar and word choice are correct and
appropriate.
The output presented is original and free of
plagiarism.
TOTAL (Highest= 30 pts.)

5 pts. 4 pts. 3 pts. 2 pts. 1 pt.

Needs
Very Good Good Average Improvement
Repeat
The The The The The
expected expected expected expected expected
output is output is output is output is output is not
accomplishe accomplishe accomplishe accomplishe accomplishe
d and the d and the d and the d but some d and/or
objectives objectives objectives of the none of the
are satisfied are satisfied are satisfied. objectives objectives
well. The well. The The output are not are fulfilled.
10 | P a g e
 MODULE IN ENGLISH 2:
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND
CALAPAN CITY, INC. SOCIETY

output also satisfied. The

output also also satisfied
satisfied output also The output
satisfied all well some of
most of the doesn’t also doesn’t
of the criteria the criteria
criteria satisfy well satisfy
enumerated. enumerated.
enumerated. the criteria enough the
enumerated. criteria
Well done! Extra effort
Continue enumerated.
Continue is needed.
doing a No need to
doing a Try to
good job. repeat. Need to
great job. improve
Improve Improvemen repeat the
Challenge other skills
other skills t is activity or
yourself by on the
on the expected on accomplish
doing much criteria
criteria the next equal task.
greater. enumerated.
enumerated. outputs.

11 | P a g e