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WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO STUDY THE MOTHER TONGUE?

Language is what connects us all.

As various civilizations flourished in the world, language was one of the most important elements.

It allows people to understand one another and share knowledge.

It also connects us and enables interaction with different people.

According to the Summer Institute of Linguistics International, there are over 7,000 languages in the world.

But how many official languages are there in the Philippines?

Based on the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the Philippines has two official languages: Filipino and English.

Filipino is considered the national language, while English is used in official documents, government writings, and educational subjects.

However, if we examine the history of our country, each region has its own language and dialect.

There are eight major languages in the Philippines: Tagalog, Ilocano, Pangasinense, Kapampangan, Bikolano, Hiligaynon, Cebuano, and Waray.

These languages also aid in better communication, especially within regions.

For instance, when the mother tongue is used, lessons are more easily understood and effectively taught in schools.

One example is how the Catholic Church spread Christianity in the country using the book *Doctrina Cristiana*, where various prayers were translated into Filipino.

In 2013, the Department of Education passed Republic Act 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. This act includes Section 4, which adds Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) to the DepEd K-12 curriculum.

This law mandates that lessons be taught using the students’ native language from Kindergarten to Grade 3.

The aim is to make learning easier for children through their mother tongue.

However, there is now talk about the impact of removing the Mother Tongue program.

But many education experts believe that the mother tongue is still essential for effective learning, especially since some languages in the country are at risk of extinction.

According to the UP Department of Linguistics, in 2022, 35 of the country’s 175 languages are already extinct, while 11 more are endangered.

Some of the extinct languages include Agta of Abra and Isabela, as there are no remaining speakers of these languages.

This is why other countries try to save their endangered languages by creating dictionaries, while others are rigorously teaching them to children.

Languages not only convey messages but also reflect our history and culture.

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