In the ongoing balancing act between Filipino and English, national language advocates often argue that the widespread use of English undermines Filipino identity. However, this debate misses the real problem: the Philippine government’s indecision and lack of strategic vision have stalled both languages.
Filipinos have invested decades in English, not just in school, but in the workplace, diplomacy, overseas employment, and global culture. For millions, English is no longer a “foreign” language but a professional and reasoning tool as natural and spontaneous as Tagalog. Our BPO industry, OFW competitiveness, academic research, and startup ecosystem all run in English. Ignoring this reality in favor of idealistic hopes about language and nationalism is not only inefficient—it’s irresponsible.
Meanwhile, Filipino, largely based on Tagalog, remains stagnant. The government talks about it extensively as the “national language,” but does little to develop it into a language of science, law, or innovation. It thrives in conversation, media, and cultural expression—precisely where it is most at home—but stagnates in formal and academic use. Worse, the consequence of policy confusion is a generation that is less fluent in both English and Filipino.
Some argue that promoting English threatens national identity, but countries like India and Singapore prove the opposite. Both have embraced English as the language of education, business, and science without losing touch with their culture essence.
India, despite its colonial past, has used English to empower its citizens, enhance its literature, and unify a linguistically diverse population.
Singapore, on the other hand, through deliberate bilingual education, has turned English into a bridge between communities while preserving native languages like Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin. In both nations, English fluency and cultural pride coexist—and even strengthen one another.
It’s time we stop treating this conundrum between English and Pinoy identity as a zero-sum game. We can affirm Filipino identity while mastering English. We must. Global competitiveness now relies on precise, articulate, and confident English, especially in science, technology, international relations, and economics. Countries like India and Singapore have demonstrated that cultural pride and English fluency can coexist, even reinforce one another.
The Philippines should take the cue.
1. Reaffirm English as the primary language of instruction in science, mathematics, law, and commerce. These fields demand clarity, precision, and access to the latest global knowledge, most of which is published in English. By using English as the main language in teaching in these areas, we ensure that Filipino students and professionals are prepared to compete internationally and engage with the best available resources and research.
2. Invest in training teachers in English proficiency, particularly in public schools. Teacher fluency directly impacts student fluency. Strengthening English skills among teachers, especially in public schools where resources are often limited, ensures fair access to good education and helps bridge the language gap between elite and marginalized communities.
3. Let Filipino flourish organically in its natural domains—arts, media, and culture—without artificially forcing it into technical areas where it is not yet equipped. Filipino excels in emotional, cultural, and everyday expression, and it should be nurtured in these fields where it naturally thrives. Forcing it prematurely into specialized academic or technical domains without careful planning and development risks creating confusion rather than progress and undermines both languages in the process.
Language is a tool—but it is also a weapon. In a fast-changing and competitive world, the nations that thrive are those that use language powerfully not just to preserve identity but to shape global discourse, lead innovation, and unlock economic power.
Holding on to old divisions between English and Filipino and between globalism and nationalism does nothing but hold us back. The truth is, being fluent in English doesn’t make us any less Filipino—it expands, adapts, and asserts our national character more powerfully on the world stage. We don’t need to fear English; we need to own it—with confidence, competence, and purpose.
It’s time for the government to stop hedging and start leading. Make English mastery a national priority, not an afterthought. Equip every Filipino—not just to speak to the world, but to lead it.
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