PHLPost, Mandaluyong, Taguig bag KWF seal

KWF will formally award the seal to Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost), as well as Mandaluyong City and Taguig City LGUs for prioritizing use of the country’s national language Filipino in respective official transactions, communication and correspondence, noted the commission’s linguistic specialist Jomar Cañega. (Photo: Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino/Facebook)

MANILA — A government-owned and -controlled corporation and two local government units (LGUs) will receive this week the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) seal of excellence in public service (‘Selyo ng Kahusayan sa Serbisyo Publiko’).

KWF will formally award the seal to Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost), as well as Mandaluyong City and Taguig City LGUs for prioritizing use of the country’s national language Filipino in respective official transactions, communication and correspondence, noted the commission’s linguistic specialist Jomar Cañega.

“Those awardees demonstrated the highest compliance with EO 335 series of 1988,” he said.

EO 335 enjoins the public sector to use Filipino in official transactions, communication and correspondence.

Using Filipino helps promote unity and peace for national progress by hastening public understanding and appreciation of government initiatives nationwide, EO 335 stated.

The 1987 Philippine Constitution sets Filipino as the country’s national language.

“For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English,” the Constitution said.

Awarding the seal of excellence is among activities for nationwide celebration of the annual National Language Month (‘Buwan ng Wika’) in August.

According to Cañega, various public entities that availed of KWF’s training on official correspondence vied for the distinction of being the seal’s 2017 recipients.

He said KWF assessed such entities’ use of Filipino in official transactions, communication and correspondence to determine this year’s recipients.

“For the first time, LGUs are among recipients of the seal,” he noted.

KWF commenced awarding its seal of excellence in 2016 to help further promote Filipino.

The seal’s 2016 recipients were PHLPost and National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Cañega said.

That makes PHLPost a two-time awardee already, he added.

Should PHLPost receive the seal over five consecutive years, he said this agency will be included in the Hall of Fame KWF will establish for promoting compliance with EO 335.