Why do Visayans foremost want the national language be driven out?
This is the foremost question every Filipino would like to ask to a Visayan, if ever they are given the utmost opportunity to do so. Sometimes, they would shy away from doing this, because the national language issue is very sensitive and could turn into something very explosive and an acrimonious debate for most Visayans.
This is the solid explanation for those who espoused Tagalog nationalism
and the nihilistic Tagalista ideology. Let us do role reversals so that you can begin to get the point here. Let us just say for a moment that Bisaya is the national language of the Philippines. Then, the Bisaya language and culture would now be imposed in Tagalog speaking lands especially in their own schools and in all important governmental institutions. Tagalogs will then be expected to learn Bisaya very fluently, and should sing the national anthem in Bisaya with the greatest zeal. In return for the Tagalog peoples’ loyalty of the Bisaya national language, the Visayans will then ban the Tagalog language, culture and history from being taught in their very own Tagalog speaking schools. And then to add insult to injury,Visayans will now make funny and comical stereotypes (especially on national TV) about the Tagalog language and culture by equating it to the language of maids, bus boys, houseboys, construction workers, and “promdis”. Not only that, the taxes extracted from Tagalogs will then be used to propagate, enrich, and preserve the Bisaya national language, but nothing in return will be done to enrich the Tagalog language and culture. Then Bisayista or Bisaya nationalist would now begin to pass laws criminalizing anyone who sings the national anthem not in Bisaya. What do you think would happen in Tagalog speaking lands? How would you feel about it, if you were on their shoes? Would you be very angry? Of course, there will be riots in Tagalog speaking regions. It even created a national controversy when Visayans just merely translated the national anthem from Tagalog to Visayan. The Visayan version of the national anthem was just being sung in Visayan speaking regions only and never in Tagalog speaking lands. How much more if the Visayan language and the Visayan national anthem are sung and imposed in Tagalog speaking schools and in their regions? What do you think would happen to their regions? This is what is what is happening in most non-Tagalog regions through out the Philippines especially in the Visayas and Mindanao area. The national government is imposing Tagalog in non-Tagalog regions.
Theimposition of the Tagalog language and culture in non-Tagalog regions
is a very unfair practice. Why? Because of these factors:
1.)There is no reciprocity among Tagalog speaking regions to learn
non-Tagalog language, culture, and history, but Tagalogs are allowed
to impose their language, history, and culture in non-Tagalog
speaking regions.
2.)Tagalogs are allowed to teach their own language, their own culture,
and their own history in Tagalog speaking regions, but non-Tagalog
language, culture, and history are banned in their own non-tagalog
speaking regions for no apparent reason at all.
3.) The propagation, preservation, and enrichment of the Tagalog national
language was done at the taxes of Tagalog and non-Tagalog people alike. But nothing has been to propagate, preserve, and enrich the non-Tagalog languages and cultures through out the archipelago. It is the foreign NGOs and the foreign Christian missionaries who are doing so, but the government has never sponsored any non-Tagalog dictionary until now. Ironically, China being a communist nation has been recently been congratulated by UNESCO for the promotion, preservation, and protection of its ethnic languages. But the Philippines being a democratic country and one of the original signatories of the Universal Declaration of Human rights promotes nothing else but Tagalog. It believes in this mantra: “Ang Filipino/Pilipino ay hindi Tagalog kundi hango siya sa iba’t ibang wika ng Pilipinas.” This is just a ploy to project an image of
fairness that the Filipino language does accept equal influences from other ethno linguistic group in the Philippines. But Filipino is just renamed and neutral term for the Tagalog language, so that the government can be very efficient in its Tagalization campaign of the entire Philippine archipelago.
4.)To propagate, preserve and enrich Tagalog is considered “nationalism” or “patriotism”, but if non-Tagalogs do equally as what the Tagalogs do to their own language, it is considered regionalism, secessionism, and parochial aspirations.
5.) The singing of the national anthem other than Tagalog criminalizes anyone through Republic Act No.8491 or the National Flag Law - even though this is sung in one’s very own linguistic homeland. This is in complete violation of the freedom of speech clause in the Philippine constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which guarantees protection on the mother languages.
6.) Native Tagalog speakers don’t require themselves to learn any language of non-Tagalogs, but Non-Tagalogs are required and expected to learn the Tagalog language. In other words, there is no reciprocity on the native Tagalog speakers.
7.) The imposition of the national language has led to the vulgarization of the mother languages, since the Philippine government promotes ONLY the Tagalog language hidden under the neutral name Filipino language. Non-Tagalog languages and the cultures they represent have been treated with contempt. The Tagalog nationalists have a very hostile attitude exhibited towards mother language advocates by equating them as having secessionist and regionalist
agenda in mind.
8.) Filipino, which is the neutral name for Tagalog , is the only language recognized by the Philippine government. The rest of the Philippine languages are demoted as mere dialects. Some people confuse a language from a dialect. A language is distinct while a dialect is just a variation of a language. Just like Batangueno Tagalog, Metro manila Tagalog, Filipino or Pilipino, or Bulakeno Tagalog, Marinduque Tagalog are just dialects of one language which is Tagalog. But Tagalog,Cebuano,Ilokano,Hiligaynon,Waray-Waray,Kapampangan,
Bikol,Pangasinan,Maranao,Maguindanao,Kinaray-a,and Tausug are not dialects of Filipino / Pilipino but languages in their own right.
The national language has been a very controversial issue for most Visayans. This has not been truly accepted. The majority of Visayans want the national language removed and disestablished from the system, because it creates unfairness for one is privileged at the expense of others. The Visayan language, which has been the native language and the lingua franca in the majority of the Visayas and Mindanao regions, has constantly been banned in the schools and the governmental institutions. What seems to be wrong with the Visayan language, history, and culture that it could never be taught or gain a foothold in their very own schools? Basically, it is being marginalized for no apparent or sensible reason at all.
English should be maintained as the neutral leveler tongue, since no one speaks it native in the country, so everyone starts from scratch. Then the 12 major regional languages in the Philippines should be made official, because it already represents the empowerment of 98 percent of the Filipino people. An institute shall be created to preserve all the languages of the archipelago which are not
considered major languages. The Tagalog national language should be dislodged and disestablished for good, because it seeks to privileged an ethno linguistic group at the expense of others. As a result, non-Tagalogs are placed on a linguistic disadvantage. You can just see how non-Tagalogs especially Visayans are constantly being mocked in national television, because of their strong accents. Tagalistas believe this is fair game to mock a language and culture that has been the native language and lingua franca of the majority of the Filipino people especially in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Not only that, it is also a language that is also spoken by 1/3 of the people of Masbate, parts of Romblon, and parts of Mindoro.
The establishment of the national language in the country has created animosity and resentment among the Filipino people, because one is privileged at the expense of others. The Philippine national government does not promote any culture and language other than Tagalog, but this is hidden under the neutral name Filipino. You may sometimes wonder, “Why do Visayans speak in English to native Tagalog speakers when talking to them when in Visayan speaking lands?” Because, the English language seeks to remove the privilege
accorded to native Tagalog speakers, and then non-Tagalogs and Tagalogs could now come together as equals. English from a non-Tagalog point of view is a neutral language. The privileging of he Tagalog language has led to an air of cultural superiority among its native speakers. As a result, non-Tagalog language and culture is constantly being mocked and viewed as inferior or with contempt.Visayans for quite a long time now really want the national language be driven out of their lands. It is a constant reminder of their second class citizenship status even in their own linguistic backyard. The national language may not be removed today or tomorrow, but when they have finally driven out the national language for good in their own regions, then this is truly the time when Visayan speakers could now begin to flourish and be progressive as a nation. You may wonder, “Why?” You can never truly flourish and be empowered in life, if you are constantly being reminded directly or indirectly that you possess a language and culture that is inferior from the rest, because one is being privileged at your expense.Hope this article has provided you with a bird’s eye view and greater understanding as to why Visayans want to remove the national language from the archipelago for good. It is the utmost desire of every Filipino to be ONE with his compatriots, but it should never be done through subjugation and cultural disrespect. This so called “national unity” came at a very huge price paid by non-Tagalogs. How? It is through the constant and unrelenting marginalization of their unique cultures and languages through out the whole archipelago by the Philippine government who is supposed to protect and look after the best interest and genuine welfare of the majority of its own people. Always remember this: The end never justifies the means it was ever achieved. We can never be truly united, if ever we don’t respect diversity in this country. Diversity should not be feared, but it should be acknowledged and be encouraged as a foremost tool towards national unity and development. When the national language is finally removed or dislodged from its present stature, this is truly the time when all Filipinos can now see eye to eye as equals, and then they can finally all say, “YES INDEED WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD TO BE CALLED FILIPINOS!” This will then be the beginning of the renewal of the Filipino nation.
by joemaxkiamco
Why do Visayans foremost want the national language be driven out?
i'm a proud Filipino..
Originally Posted by bugztronic
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