Bilingual Education/

The Bilingual
Education Policies
in the Philippines
Presented by: Domingo, Edith
Layhot, Erica
The Philippines, a multilingual society, has a bilingual education
policy aiming for competence in Filipino and English, using
them as media of instruction while also promoting regional
languages in early grades, with the goal of national unity and
international engagement.
What is bilingual education?

Bilingual education is an educational approach where students

are taught in two or more languages, rather than solely in one
language.
What is bilingual education policy?

Bilingual education policy aims to foster competence in two

languages, often a national language and another language of
importance, through their use as media of instructions at all
educational levels.
History and Development of Bilingual Education in
the Philippines

 Pre-1974: English was the primary medium of instruction in the

Philippines since the establishment of the public education
system by the Americans in 1901.
 1973 Constitution: The 1973 Constitution declared English and
Filipino as official languages and mandated the development of
Filipino as a national language.
History and Development of Bilingual Education in
the Philippines

 1974 Implementation: The Department of Education, Culture

and Sport (DECS) issued Department Order No. 25, s. 1974,
titled “Implementing Guidelines for the Policy on Bilingual
Education,” which formally established the bilingual education
program.
 1987 Policy: The 1987 Policy on Bilingual Education,
disseminated through Department Order No. 52, s.1987,
maintained the same subject allocation as the 1974 policy, with
Filipino for social studies, music, arts, physical education,
home economics, practical arts, and character education, and
English for science, mathematics and technology.
History and Development of Bilingual Education in
the Philippines

 1994: The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) issued in

1994 the New General Education Curriculum (GEC) under
CHED Memorandum Order 59, requiring Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs) to have at least 9 units of Filipino language
courses.

 2017: The Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-

MLE) policy was implemented, mandating the use of mother
tongues as the medium of instruction in early primary years.
 Key Features of Bilingual Education in the
Philippines

1. Dual Language Approach: The policy stipulates that English is used

for teaching science and mathematics, while Filipino is used for all
other subjects.
Goals of the Policy:
 Enhance learning through two languages to achieve quality education
 Promote Filipino as a language of literacy and a symbol of national
unity.
 Cultivate Filipino as a language of scholarly discourse.
 Maintain English as an international language and a language of
science and technology.
 Key Features of Bilingual Education in the
Philippines

2. Language Allocation: The BEP formalized through Department

Order NO. 25, mandates the use of Filipino and English as the
primary languages of instruction in both elementary and secondary
schools.
Filipino used as the medium of instruction for subjects like social
studies/social sciences, music, arts, physical education, home
economics, practical arts and character education.
English used as the medium of instruction for science, mathematics
and technology subjects.
 Key Features of Bilingual Education in the
Philippines

Purpose: The BEP aim to achieve competence in both Filipino and

English, promote Filipino as a language of literacy and national unity
and maintain English as an international language and language of
science and technology.

3. Gradual Transition: The Philippines’ bilingual education policy,

implemented in 1974 and revised in 1987, aims to achieve
competence in both Filipino and English, with Filipino as the national
language and English as a language of wider communication, using
both as media of instruction.
Goals and Objective of Bilingual Education in the
Philippines

1. Promoting National Unity

 Enhanced Learning – the policy aims to improve learning outcomes

by utilizing two languages, Filipino and English, as media of
instruction.
 Propagation of Filipino – the policy seek to promote Filipino as a
language of literacy, making it a symbol of national unity.
 Cultivation of Filipino – it aims to cultivate and elaborate Filipino as
a language of scholarly discourse, encouraging its intellectualization.
 Goals and Objective of Bilingual Education in
the Philippines

 Maintenance of English- the policy recognizes the importance

of English as an international language for the Philippines,
particularly in science and technology.
 Regional Languages – used as auxiliary languages in Grades I
and II to facilitate the learning process.
 Implementation – Filipino and English are used as media of
instruction, with specific subjects taught in each language as
outlined in Department Order No. 25, s. 1974.
 Goals and Objective of Bilingual Education in the
Philippines
2. Developing English Proficiency

 Enhanced Learning: The policy aim to improve learning outcomes by

using two languages as mandated by the 1987 Constitution.
 Filipino Language Development
a. Literacy – the policy seeks to promote Filipino as a language of literacy,
enabling Filipinos to read, write, and communicate effectively in their
national language.
b. National Identity – it aims to develop Filipino as a symbol of national
unity and identity, fostering a sense of belonging and shared culture.
 Goals and Objective of Bilingual Education in the
Philippines
c. Scholarly Discourse – the policy seeks to cultivate and
expand the use of Filipino as a language of scholarly discourse,
encouraging its use in academic and intellectual pursuits.
 English Language Proficiency
a. International Language – The policy recognizes and maintains
English as an international language for the Philippines, ensuring that
Filipinos are equipped to participate in the global community.
b. Science and Technology – it also acknowledge English as o
non-exclusive language of science and technology, facilitating access to
knowledge and innovation.
 Goals and Objective of Bilingual Education in
the Philippines

 Implementation
a. Filipino and English are used as media of instruction, with the
allocation of subjects to specific languages as indicated in
Department Order No. 25, s. 1974.
b. Regional languages are used as auxiliary languages in Grades
I and II.
Goals and Objective of Bilingual Education in the
Philippines

3. Preserving Cultural Heritage

 Achieving Quality Education – the Bilingual Education Policy,
mandated by the 1987 Constitution, aims to enhance learning through
the use of languages to achieve quality education.
 Promoting Filipino as a Language of Literacy – the policy
emphasizes the importance of developing Filipino as a language of
literacy, which is crucial for unity and identity.
 Developing Filipino as a Linguistic Symbol – the policy aims to
develop Filipino as a linguistic symbol of unity and identity, fostering a
sense of belonging and shared cultural heritage.
Goals and Objective of Bilingual Education in the
Philippines
 Cultivating Filipino as a Language of Scholarly Discourse – the
policy seeks to cultivate and elaborate Filipino as a language of
scholarly discourse, promoting its use in academic and intellectual
pursuits.
 Preserving Philippine Culture – by promoting the use of both
Filipino and English, the policy aims to preserve Philippine culture and
heritage, while also preparing students for a globalized world.
 Developing Multilingual, Multiliterate and Multicultural Students –
the policy aims to produce students who are multilingual, multiliterate
and multicultural, equipped to thrive in a diverse and interconnected
world.
Goals and Objective of Bilingual Education in the
Philippines
 Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) – the
MTB-MLE approach, which uses the mother tongue as a medium of
instruction, is also implemented to build a strong foundation in the
student’s first language, promote cognitive development and foster
academic success.
 Language Development – the policy emphasizes language
development, establishing a strong foundation in the student’s first
language and promoting the development skills in both Filipino and
English.
 Cognitive Development – by using multiple languages, the policy aims
to enhance cognitive development and promote the transfer of skills
across languages.
Goals and Objective of Bilingual Education in the
Philippines

 Academic Development – the policy aims to achieve competencies

in each subject, ensuring that students are well-prepared for higher
education and the workforce.
 Socio-cultural Development – the policy promotes pride in one
culture and language, fostering a sense of identity and belonging.
 Recent Developments and Reforms

Mother Tongue-Based Education Act of 2013 ( RA 10533) mandates

the use of learners’ mother tongues as the primary medium of
instruction in Kindergarten to Grade 3, transitioning to Filipino and
English gradually. This law, also known as the K-12 Act, introduced
MTB-MLE as a core element of new K-12 basic education system.
Recent Development:
A recent law, Republic Act No. 12027, amended RA 10533, allowing for
optional implementation of the mother tongue as a medium of
instruction in monolingual classes.
 Recent Developments and Reforms
K to 12 Curriculum (2013) enacted through Republic Act No. 10533,
aims to enhance the Philippine education system by extending basic
education to 12 years, including kindergarten, and has influenced
bilingual education policies by emphasizing mother tongue-based
instruction in early grades. This law, known as the K-12 extended
basic education from 10 to 12 years, incorporating kindergarten and
adding two years of senior high school.