‘Removing Filipino subject unconstitutional’

3rd on Thursday said the exclusion of Filipino as a core subject in college is unconstitutional.

6 of the Constitution, which states that “the Government shall take steps to initiate and sustain the use of Filipino as a medium

as language of instruction in the educational system.”

He issued the statement in reaction to a Supreme Court (SC) decision that ruled that Filipino and Panitikan (Philippine Literature) may now be excluded from the core subjects in college as it upheld the constitutionality of the controversial K-to-12 Law.

“We can see these days among the youth the lack of grasp of the Filipino language and by removing this as a core subject in college or any other school level, I fear this would deteriorate even further,” Sotto said.

The Senate chief added that the Filipino language should be preserved and strengthened.

Famed writers and members of the academe also assailed the SC decision.

Lualhati Bautista slammed the high court for not giving any importance to literature and the Filipino language.

( Justices of the Supreme Court, you really think that Filipino and literature do not have much worth? That it is more important to study and enhance English literature? I hope you remember that our country’s long history and past were written in Filipino. Or do you want them to be left unwritten so the next generation would not know about it?)” Bautista, a Palanca awardee, said.

Bautista also defended the uniqueness of the Filipino language, saying it is “rich and beautiful.”

National Artist for Literature

the ruling.

“State of the Nation with Jessica Soho,” Almario, chairman of the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, argued that the Filipino language should be used from the lowest to the highest level of education.

“This is a way for a language to be cultivated,” he added.