The Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Palawan passed a resolution pushing the Filipino language as a medium for teaching among higher education institutions. Sponsoring the resolution, Provincial Board Ex-Officio Member Clarito Prince Demaala IV explained that it aims to maintain the sense of patriotism among Palaweños especially the youth and students. This in wake of the Supreme Court decision upholding the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Circular No. 20, which requires the removal of Filipino as subject for college.
“Ito pong resolution na ito ay regarding sa Memorandum Circular ng CHED na nagtatanggal ng pagtuturo ng Filipino subjects sa colleges dahil nagkakaroon daw ng redundancy sa K-12 program na meron ng Filipino subject and pagdating ng college tinatanggal na. This resolution intends to preserve our sense of patriotism sa atin pong Filipino language,” said Demaala during 119th regular Sangguniang Panlalawigan session, November 27, 2018.
“Ang request lang po natin na sana sa ating probinsya ay alam po na na-lift na ang Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), Memorandum Circular No. 20 is in effect na po ngayon na anytime they can imparse yung memoradum order at baka next year wala nang subject na Filipino. So ang request natin… ang ating mga eskwelahan in a tertiary level, in a simple way, sana po gamitin nila ang wikang Filipino as a medium sa ibang subject po,” Demaala further explained. However, Demaala said that the usage of Filipino in teaching will not be difficult for it will not require Tagalog translation of technical and scientific terms.
“Hindi naman kelangan i-translate ang scientific terms into Filipino, paro sana po pagdating ng college, hindi makalimutan yung way kung anuman po tayo,” he added. However, Palawan State University (PSU) College of Arts and Humanities (CAH) Dean Restie Allan Puno, said the General Education subjects can be taught in both languages as affirmed by the CHED. “As to Filipino as medium of instruction in college, there is already a provision in the CHED memo which was affirmed by the Supreme Court that General Education courses maybe taught either in English and Filipino. Actually, the General Education courses are designed in both languages. It can be taught either in English and Filipino.
However, Filipino can still be taught depending on the discretion of the universities and colleges,” he said. For Biology student Kelven Endrico using Filipino language in their class should be a big “No-no” to him, stating that some of their subjects are too technical to be discussed in Tagalog. “In my case po, Biology major ako so, marami pong terms na magagamit lang at mauunawaan through English terms or a lot of times Latin terms sa scientific. Honestly, hindi po sya applicable or effective rather sa aming course.
Mahirap na po kasi yung course, mas mahihirapan pa po kung Filipino ang medium,” he said. Angelika Cathedral, a Mass Communication student at Palawan State University, said that Filipino language in classes will not define an individual’s patriotism and partisanship for the country. She added that it is also a good strategy to improve skills in the universal language. “Hindi naman po kasi ito (Filipino language) yung makakapag-define na may pakialam ka sa bansa mo. Kung Filipino language na tayo (medium of teaching in classes) maapektuhan yung ibang kurso sa kolehiyo at mababawasan yung knowledge natin about sa universal language natin,” she explained.