The ongoing debate – Filipino vs. English as language of instruction
I know, it probably will never end – there will always be advocates of either camp, and maybe both arguments will have merits.
The debates for or against English as the medium of instruction – these will continue for as long as we are Filipinos. Our history and immersion in the foreign cultures will forever haunt us, and make an indelible ink in our identities as Filipinos.
But enough of my philosophizing… I share here an article by William Esposo of ABS-CBN, about “The English language as Pinoy psychological crutch”.
“Somehow, I am led to believe that our current hang-up with English arises from a people’s shallow and confused appreciation of its nationality and history.”
Esposo adds three insights from educators who are using Filipino in their communications. And I have to say, they all make sense. (Read the full article.)
But do you agree? Is Mr. Esposo’s claim valid that English is a psychological clutch?
Tags: English, Filipino, medium, instruction, language, Philippines
25 Comments
I think the medium is not really that important anymore. What matters really most is the way the teachers teach and their competence at teaching.
We could use any language or medium that we want, but if the method of teaching is still “spoon-feeding” and does not promote critical thinking etc. then education becomes useless.
I totally agree with Dr. Consuelo J. Paz’s comment on Mr. Esposo’s article. Very well said Dr. Paz! The country’s priority right now is to TEACH! and to do it in the easiest way possible for the pilipino speakers to understand…in PILIPINO! ESL or English as a Second Language will be an optional course for anybody who wants to learn a foreign language.
i’m cofused. which is better to make an argumentative essay?? english or filipino as medium of instruction in high school students?? pls…..i need your reply and opinions why you choose either filipino or english…thanks (you can send it to my e-mail ad: passion_yearner@yahoo.com)
really, this would be our topic too..hmm,, i think i’m on both sides, it says, only medium of instructions ryt? we can always hav other options.;) negatve, well, it’s not too good using foreign language, so greedy of us. just pass by, off to find facts for our debate too. this is useful. ;D
i’m also confused on whether which i’m going to agree with… and i wouldn’t be worrying about it if not for an essay ;(
It’s not psychological. It’s cultural. It cannot be denied that for nearly 50 years we were able to at least absorb some americanization. Another thing is politicis. Most of our politicians debate in English, our constitution is written in English, court hearings are done in English.
The answer is obvious. It should be English. If you say that English is a hypocrisy, then Filipino is far more hypocritical. Filipino, as we all know, is 99% Tagalog. Complain about imperialism? Tagalog Imperialism!
Who is Espinosa, a TAGALOG F O B? Fresh off the BOAT thinkers are Filipinos who think that Filipino or Tagalog represents all Filipinos. Cebuanos and Ilocanos DO NOT THINK SO! And, there is a growing amount of people who are getting sick and tired of TAGALOG. Or an FOB language. Use English. Tagalog does not represent the history of the peoples in the Visayas, Mindanao, and Norther Luzon.
The people who say English is a crutch, are people who speak English with a “terrible” accent and have made fun of. Instead of trying any “accent-reduction” classes, they turn to the “I’m brown-tagalog-bullshit” propoganda.
Typical FOB reaction NOYPETES. Man, no wonder American born Filipinos are ashamed of you.
Filipino’s who THINK that Filipino/Tagalog represents the Ilocano history, Cebuano history, Zamboanga history, are F O B’s. You people probably speak ENGLISH with an asian accent that NOBODY understands. So, you use “we are Pilipino”,,,,,,IT IS “F”ilipino. See, you can’t even pronounce the “F’s” and “P’s”.
Maybe, the people of Metro Manila should use Tagalog, and the rest of the country use English and or Spanish. Tagalog sounds very barbaric to the Western ear.
different people have different points of view in all matter..about this debate..i prefer to use both language as a medium of instruction in the philippines.
gusto ko lang magkomento sa mga sinulat ni JC pasaway….
Laking Antique ako. (Kinaray-a, dong!) and it’s ok for me to use Tagalog than English. Bakit? Dahil madaling matutunan ang tagalog. It comes from the same Sanskrit family of language sila ng Kinaray-a, Cebuano, Illonggo, Ilokano. Ang English masyadong malayo -Germanic family na- kaya mahirap… Kita mo naman, ang Marimar ni Marriane Rivera pinapanood yan kahit sa kasulok-sulokan ng Pilipinas dahil naiintindihan ng lahat ang Tagalog. Hilahin mo ang mga tricycle driver sa baryo niyo para manood ng Betty la Fea o LOst at baka tulugan ka lang…. Mabuti kong mahila mo.
ANG KARUNUNGAN AY PARA SA LAHAT!
Dapat talagang ituro ang mga leksiyon sa bernakular, but since it’s a tedious task dahil nga napakaraming wika sa Pinas, hindi na siya praktikal. Dito na papasok ang pambansang wika. , ang wikang gagamitin nating pangkomunikasyon sa buong Pilipinas. Bisaya ako and I should vouch for a visayan language kaso nga ang kapitolyo kasi ng Pinas sa Luzon at established na ang Tagalog. Para palitan yon magbubuwis na naman tayo ng limang dekada para mabago ang sistema. Sayang na oras din yon.
MGA UTAK NG MAMAMAYAN ANG MAGPAPAGALAW NG BAYAN! Ang mga kapitbahay nating Japan, Korea, Tsina, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand. Lahat sila yan hindi gumagamit ng sariling wika sa pagtuturo kaya tingnan mo mas maunlad sila kaysa sa atin. Ang dunong mas madaling pumasok sa utak nila kasi nasa komportableng wika…… Ay aba naman ang Pinoy, English talaga. Ibig sabihin bago mo maintindihan ang sinasabi ng guro, aakyat ka muna sa bundok. Iiintindihin mo muna ang ibig sabihin ng salitang english bago mo maintindihan ang ideya. Ang daming proseso.
Baka sabihin mong mabuti nga yon, challenge…. Naman dong, ilang dekada nang English ang ginagamit sa pagturo sa eskwelahan, eto nasa kangkungan pa rin tayo. Alipin ka pa rin. Taga-serbisyo ng ibang lahi.
Mabuti at matalino ka. Maiintindihan mo ang English. Paano naman ang iba. LUmabas ka naman sa village niyo, makihalubilo ka naman sa ibang tao. Pumunta ka doon sa tiyangge, doon sa sabungan, sa kusina niyo kay manang kusinera. Sumakay ka sa jeep. Para malaman mong halos lahat ng Pilipino ay dumudugo ang ilong kapag magsalita ng English. I ‘ll bet you’re a Cebuano working in Fuente Street… It’s legendary that Cebuanos’ English is good, but ilang porsyento ba talaga ng mga cebuano ang marunong mag-English. I won’t be shocked if it’s only the elite and the upper middle-class. Paano naman ang proletariat class. Paano ang masang Cebuano? Bigyan niyo naman sila ng pagkakataon na umunlad. Huwag naman kayong makasarili.
Bisaya kasi tayo kaya parang pinapapapili tayo sa dalawang demonyo. Filipino (Tagalog) vs English. Kung papipiliin ba naman ako sa dalawa, eh di ang less evil na lang -ang tagalog! kahit papaano pinoy pa rin yon. Wika ng mga kadugo ko. Wika ng mga taong kasamang umiyak ng mga kanunuan ko nang binaboy tayo ng mga Kastila, Kano at hapon.
You said, “Tagalog sounds barbaric to a western ear?” GOSH Ka NAMAN!!!!! Mas barbaric kayang tingnan ang brown kalabaw na trying hard maging puti.
AND YOU SAID… “Man, no wonder American born Filipino are ashamed of you.” DONG NAMAN! Nag-aaabuso ka na. Huwag mo namang insultuhin ang mga taong gustong ibuwis ang oras, ang pagod, ang dugo, ang buhay para sa bayang sinilangan. Kahit araw-araw akong kakain ng kangkong dito sa Pinas, titiisin ko yon dahil kailangan ako dito ng mga kababayan ko. Huwag mo namang insultuhin ang mga sakripisyo ko. Kahit ba mas malaki ang kikitain ko sa labas, kahit lahat na ng buwaya mabibigyan ng posisyon sa gobyerno, kahit pa maging dalawang daang piso ang isang dolyares, kahit pa magkadelubyo, hindi ko iiwan ang pinas. Magpupursige ako. Hindi ko iaasa sa gobyerno o simbahan ang ikakaunlad ko. Magtitiis ako kahit lahat pa ng mundo ang magsasabing wala ring magagawa ang munting pawis ko. Sabihin mo, DAPAT BA AKONG IKAHIYA? Mamamatay akong mas nakataas ang noo kaysa sa yo.
‘Ika nga ni Renato Constantino. The colonization of the Philippines did not ends when the Americans gave us our independence. It’s evil is still alive today -the INFERIORITY COMPLEX! dong, sad to say, you are miseducated.hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha………
WELL, ang haba naman ng drama ko, isa lang pala ang gusto kong sabihin…..WALA AKONG INFERIORITY COMPLEX dahil maganda ako….bwahahahahhahahahah
HAY NAKU MAY CLERICAL ERROR ANG FIRST MESSAGE KO. THIS IS WHAT I MEAN…. Ang tsina, japan, korea, vietnam, malaysia at thailand ay gumagamit ng sariling wika sa kanilang mga paaralan…..
yon ang ibig kong sabihin…
At itong pasaway na gloria arroyo na dapat nang bitayin sa salang treason, nagsabing dapat i-english lahat na subject kasi iyon ang edge natin sa mga neighbors natin… Hay naku, BPO jobs lang yata ang gustong ibigay sa atin.. Ay, mataas ang standard ko… dapat industry, siyensiya, subsidized na agrikultura, manufacturing, sining na world class… dapat ganito.
Incidentally, it’s psychological CRUTCH. A clutch is a part of a transmission.
Matagal na nating ipinagdidiinan na masmakabayan tayon kapag Tagalog o Bisaya o anumang wikang regional ang gamit natin. Madalas din natin pagusapan ang halimbawa at pagusad ng mga bayan sa paligid natin na gumagamit ng kanya-kanyang mga wika. Ngunit, ang tukuyin natin ay ang bansa natin na kasalukuyang nabubuhay hindi sa sikap sa sariling bansa ngunit sa dugo at pawis nang mga kabayan nating halos ibenta na ng ating pamahalaan. OFW remittances ang buhay natin! Sa ayaw atin o hindi, kailangan na kailangan ng ating mga mamamayan humusay sa salitang pandaigdig at ito, an narito na rin lang, ay Inggles. Huwag na tayong magkunwari’t maglokohan tungkol sa pagpapakabayan. Pagkain, bahay, lupa, gamot, pag-aaral: lahat ito ay dulot ng kakayahang magsalita sa wikang Inggles.
public schools should use english as the medium of education..dati,isa ang pilipinas sa mga bansang maraming magagaling mag-englis,pero ngayon,bka nsa dulo na tau..kailangang ibalik un!!right??
salamat po mimi.
magdedebate po kasi ako bukas tungkol sa “palaging pagsalita ng wikang ingles sa paaralan.” Opposition po kasi ako.
Marami po akong nakuhang puntos na ididiin ko sa debate namin bukas. salamat rin sa ibang pro-english because then, maka-praktis ako ng pag-rebut sa mga puntos ninyo
salamat po
no comment………….
…trip lng………
mag bsa lng ako ng mga comment.
..kc my debate kmi s filipino bkas..
nhhrapan dn ako mkaisip ng mgandang word pra hnd ako mhnapan ng butas.
..nka kha rn ako ng information………
tnx a lot……
vioavril_badgirl@yahoo.com
add nyo ko s fs nyo….nothing…..i jst want…………..
..i prefer to speak in english.!..why?..because it is a universal language. it is important in all bussines ,etc. specially now that we’re facing a global crisi..how can we deal with that if we dont even know how to speak in english.
..if you will think about some tribes here in the philippines, they dont even know how to speak tagalog. If that tribes will try to study they can know how to communicate well..and it is on how the teachers teach well,,ryt??
umm…..will you help me i’m one of the debater of our school we argue that we will use english or not this is our topic but they deny that if we will use english forever we will forgot our own language….they are such an stupid plzz will you help onegai……atashi wa daishte onegai….umm i forgot to say that i’am a japanese that’s why will you plz help me
hahaha… mimi galing makipag debate, miski aq0uh suggest q0uh filipino. i most prefer with it. mas guz2 q0uh ring mamatay ng nakataas ang n0o paRah Sah vBanSzaH q0uhng bayan q0uh kaysa mamatay kah nakataas ang n0o m0uh sa ibang bansa…
wAg nAting gawing tanga ang mga ta0..
tulungan natin sila dbah mimi??
hehehehe…^_^
..add ny0 rin aq0uh..
CruzerCee@elm.com
enxz!!!
kailangan natin ang mga taong may prinsipyong
katulad ng kay mimi…
we live in a rapidly changing world, a world changing so fast that we
must be competetive now, enough to adopt the changes in our environment
today….. and i’m refering to english language… but we are still
Filipino…and Tagalog is our natvelanguage… remember that.
4 Me its better To use Filipino Because in this language we can fully understand what other want to tell us and it also depend on the people you communicate if he/she better to understood english you must use the language she/he talks too…hehe peo pnakamaganda qnG anUh TrIp MuH Un gAmitin Muh,,,,uN Lang..
@ Camille
Maybe Tagalog is YOUR native language. It is not the native language for most Filipinos. Anyway, I agree that English should be given emphasis.
I had written an entry about why I strongly disagree with Filipino as a medium of instruction and of governance. I hope a few people get to read it.
http://ihategameswithballs.blogspot.com/2009/02/being-filipino-and-imperialism-at-home.html
Or maybe we can just bring back Spanish seriously and have it implemented at gunpoint. Let’s have TWO official languages at the statewide/national level: English & Spanish. Then we limit Tagalog to its native provinces (Bulacan, Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, etc). You can say it’s a stepping stone to federalism, but that’s the right direction to preserving our many cultures and languages.
Some might cry out being “unpatriotic”, but to begin with, we really have no “Filipino Identity” to speak of. What we have – as Arthur emphasizes in his article – is a Tagalog hegemony masquerading as Filipino. We don’t respect nor recognize our native cultures.
Let’s look at other models. In Spain, local languages are made co-official in their repective communities: Basque in the Basue Countries & Navarra, Catalan in Valencia & Catalunya, and Galician in Galicia). IN addition, these communities are recognized as NATIONALITIES as well. South Africa has ELEVEN official languages: Afrikaans (related to Dutch), English, IsiNdebele, IsiXhosa, IsiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, SiSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga. Equatorial Guinea has FOUR official languages: Fang, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Strangely, it was never a colony of Portugal. If Equatorial Guinea can make such language official, why can’t we?
And goddammit, the next time somebody uses the D-word to refer to our native tongues, I’ll have him shot.