Marilyn Cahatol

Elementary students arrive for the first day of classes at President Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School in Quezon City on June 16, 2025.
President Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School, one of Quezon City’s largest learning institutions, reported at least 8,500 enrollees for School Year 2025–2026.

 Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Back to School 2025

Francis Orcio

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175379081759420250616-school-opening-corazon-aquino-qc-MD-11.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Elementary students arrive for the first day of classes at President Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School in Quezon City on June 16, 2025. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — As the nation prepares to mark Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa 2025 this August, the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) raised alarm over the possible extinction of 32 out of 135 indigenous languages in the Philippines.</p><p>The commission warned that cultural identity is at risk if native tongues continue to be neglected in both education and daily use.</p><p>During a press conference Tuesday, the KWF formally launched this year’s month-long celebration with the theme &quot;Paglinang sa Filipino at katutubong wika: makasaysayan sa pagkakaisa ng bansa.&quot;</p><p>KWF Commissioner Benjamin Mendillo Jr. underscored the need to protect and promote not only the national language but also the country’s rich diversity of indigenous languages, which he described as vessels of cultural wisdom and national identity.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/5/deped-classes-in-kinder-to-grade-3-will-be-taught-in-filipino-and-english-1139">DepEd: Classes in Kinder to Grade 3 will be taught in Filipino and English</a></div><p>&quot;Kapag nawala na iyong wikang katutubo natin, mawawala iyong talinong bayan natin. Mayroon pong talino ang mga katutubo na hindi po makikita sa mga anak natin na mga halimbawang may kulturang Ingles,&quot; said Mendillo.</p><p>He said indigenous wisdom is deeply embedded in native languages and their extinction would mean erasing parts of the Filipino identity.</p><p>Mendillo also expressed strong opposition to Republic Act 12027, a newly passed law that removes the use of the mother tongue as the medium of instruction from Kindergarten to Grade 3 due to a supposed lack of materials.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/13/teachers-group-concerned-after-mother-tongue-bill-lapses-into-law-2005">Teachers&#x27; group concerned after &#x27;mother tongue&#x27; bill lapses into law</a></div><p>He revealed that a petition has already been filed before the Supreme Court to challenge the measure.</p><p>&quot;Ang gusto po nilang labanan dito ay pagkitil ng mother tongue sa education system dahil sa kakulangan sa materyales. Ako ay tutol doon sa RA 12027,&quot; Mendillo stated.</p><p>The commissioner said that Filipino itself is a combination of native languages and cannot thrive without them.</p><p>&quot;Ang mga katutubong wika ay kung tutuusin ay mga wikang Pilipino rin. Kapag nawala ito, mawawala yung ating kasarinlan, ating identidad bilang isang bansa,&quot; he said.</p><p>He cited examples from other Asian countries like Japan, Korea, and Indonesia that maintain strong usage of their national languages in all sectors including media and education, unlike the Philippines which leans heavily on English.</p><p>&quot;Kaya ang panawagan natin ay dapat ang ating ginagamit sa pang araw-araw na talakayan, diskurso, pagpapalitan ng kuro-kuro, opinyon, kahit sa midya, dapat lagi nating pinalalawig ang paggamit ng wikang Filipino at katutubong wika,&quot; he urged.</p><p>Addressing the rise of Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang and the dominance of English on digital platforms, Mendillo acknowledged the dynamic nature of language, but urged parents to model proper usage of Filipino at home.</p><p>&quot;Ang panawagan ko sa mga magulang, lagi nating panatilihin iyong disente at eleganteng paggamit ng wikang Pilipino. Dapat hindi mawala yan,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Kapag nakita nilang ginagamit yan sa ating mga tahanan, lalong lalakas at lalong mape-preserba natin ang wikang Filipino,&quot; he added.</p><p>Meanwhile, KWF President Arthur Casanova welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), noting that much of it was delivered in Filipino.</p><p>He said that the use of Filipino made the President’s message more accessible to the general public.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BHjJ56NwEus?si=GmWWlJ6Qp-IjaMKc" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) has raised alarm over the possible extinction of 32 out of 135 indigenous languages in the Philippines.</p>

The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) has raised alarm over the possible extinction of 32 out of 135 indigenous languages in the Philippines.

KWF urges preservation of mother tongues amid education policy shift

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KWF urges preservation of mother tongues amid education policy shift

Francis Orcio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 29, 2025 08:51 PM PHT

Read More:

Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino

SONA

KWF

Mother Tounge

Filipino

PBBM

RA 12027

Buwan ng Wika

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