The Solution

We don't have to rely on our inept government to save our beloved language as it is biased in favor of Tagalog. But I'm glad President Arroyo understood the importance of English when she reinstated it as the medium of instruction in public schools.

Another language related news:

Well, it may come as a surprise to many that a lot more people are now batting for saving our native languages. Not just the Save our Language through Federalism. And they are the ones who are also batting for constitutional change and the adoption of the federal system.

Well, for one, I got a Yahoo mail from Manny (Mon Ramirez), which stated that "We, the non-Tagalogs, majority of the people of the Philippines have our own district mother tongues, our own district languages. We have no commonality with Tagalog."

Manny adds - Tagalog is not even prescribed as the national language in the 1987 Constitution. Instead, Section 7, Art. XIV states that the official language is Filipino as it shall be developed taking into account then other languages of the Philippines …

To impose Tagalog on the non-Tagalog peoples is not acceptable. It is divisive, not unifying, Manny added.

Solfed's Khalid points out that the problem comes after Dr. Jose Rizal, when the emergence of Tagalistas and their witting or unwitting form of cultural domination. It was wrong to speak another Philippine language in the classroom (1960-90s).

"Fortunately, there are people here in the Philippines, organizations like Solfed and Dila (to mention just a few) who made us aware of a Tagalog dominant culture to the detriment of the other regional cultures."

"There is even now an interpretation that the Katipuneros were only interested in a Tagalog Republic. Araneta, Lacson, et all, here in Negros Island, did not necessarily communicate and align themselves with Aguinaldo when they (Araneta and Lacson) took over the Spanish garrison here in Bacolod," Philip pointed out.

Source

We won't die out that easily. Here are more excerpts:

In various parts of the country, there has been a growing movement to save our native language. The point - when you destroy the ethnolinguistic tongue of the people, you destroy their soul, i.e. their culture disappears, so with their history.

That is why, in the Caraga Region, Dr. Dacudao reported, disc jockeys of radio stations, have started to use Butuanon and Cebuano in their commentaries and their programs.

And, yes, they also had the National Anthem translated into Butuanon. And the dwindling number of Butuan residents and natives speaking their mother tongue, have considerably risen.

"And, the more notable result - we are communicating with one another more effective," Dr. Dacudao pointed out. And, yes, he is aided by Taylor Calo who had recently helped organize the Antique SOLFED that is reviving interest in the Kinaray-a. That had touched Antique Governor Sally Zaldivar-Perez, also Regional Development Council chair, who recently astonished a lot of people when she and Rep. Janette Garin (1st District, Iloilo) paid tribute to their native tongue by using it in their public speeches during an RDC meet.

Source

I think it would help if the government allows teaching of Bisaya in Bisaya-speaking areas, Hiligaynon in Ilonggo areas, etc.,etc.