Teach kids to speak Filipino, KWF urges parents

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor, Philippine News Agency

FILE: Scenes at Molino Elementary School in Bacoor, Cavite as learners are welcomed on the first day of classes on Monday (Aug. 22, 2022). (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)

MANILA – The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) called on parents, especially mothers, to take an active role in teaching their children to speak Filipino, warning that the national language is at risk of being overshadowed by English.

In a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview on Tuesday, KWF Chairperson Marites Barrios-Taran said the decline in Filipino fluency among children is alarming, citing reports from parents that their kids struggle to speak the language.

She emphasized that the most effective way to preserve Filipino and other native languages is through daily use, beginning at home.

“Wala pong ibang magmamahal sa wika natin kung hindi tayo lamang (No one else will love our language except us),” she said.

“Ang wika kasi ay namamatay kapag hindi po iyan nagagamit at iyan po ay isa sa pinakamalaking hamon at panganib ng ating wika na ang atin pong mga kabataan ay talagang mula paggising po ang naririnig ay wikang banyaga, wikang Ingles (Language dies when it is no longer used and that is biggest challenge and danger to our language that our youth, from the moment they wake up, are surrounded by English,” she added.

She urged families to make Filipino or native languages their primary mode of communication in the household.

Even small gestures—such as replying “magandang umaga” instead of “good morning”—can help children become more comfortable using the language, she said.

Barrios-Taran also encouraged the use of Filipino and native languages in public spaces such as schools, markets, churches, and government offices.

“If we don’t use it, no one else will persevere in using it,” she said.

The KWF’s campaign comes amid concerns that globalization and the dominance of English in media, education, and social interaction are diminishing the everyday use of Filipino among younger generations.