School campuses are decorated in traditional Filipino decorations and iconic symbols are displayed serving as a reminder of the unique things surrounding us, we often take for granted. During this month, more subjects are taught in Filipino.

Our rich traditions, games, songs, dances and language are also fun and exciting. The baro't saya is the national dress of the Philippinesįor as long as I can remember - Filipinos clamour with excitement about all things imported or “galing abroad”- toys, shoes, music, clothing and, homaygash, the food!!īuwan ng Wika was created to remind students that our heritage is something to be celebrated.

But in 1997, President Fidel Ramos thought, “Teka lang parang bitin ata to…” then declared the entire month of August as a time to dedicated lessons to our country a month to revive nationalism and love for our language. Once upon a time, Buwan ng Wika was just “Linggo ng Wika” a week long celebration of our country and its rich abundance in language. Shucks, common! - Ipagdiwang natin ang wikang Pilipino! Why, with television shows, infamous YouTube clips (don’t even get me started on the trashy toy reviews), radio hits and lessons in school, all being taught in English, it is no mystery why most students are being tutored for Filipino subjects more than math!

You sound silly.” Oddly enough, all my children were born in the Philippines, and like other young citizens the elements of our culture remain alien to them. “What? I do not understand you.” or “He he he. They laugh because they think we are kidding. Here’s another fact: When we speak Filipino at home, our kids giggle. I am a Filipino after all, yet I failed to fully integrate myself in our country during my younger years. My broken, bulol Tagalog still doesn’t cut it. Today though, I struggle as a mother raising my children in the Philippines not being fully equipped with the tools I need to communicate properly with others. While raised abroad, it was never my priority to learn Tagalog, and even when we moved back home to the Philippines in my teen years, I still never felt like I needed to immerse myself in our country’s language. Here’s the truth I am a Filipino, yet Tagalog is hardly my second language.

Sample programs for buwan ng wika