By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) should still include Filipino and Panitikan subjects in college education curriculum.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III
(Senate of the Philippines / Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Despite a recent Supreme Court (SC) ruling favoring its exclusion as required subjects, Pimentel believes that Filipino and Pantikan should remain the general education curriculum for tertiary students.
"Marami pa tayong puwedeng matutunan sa mga sekreto na ating sariling wika at sa ganda at lalim ng ating panitikan. Hindi natatapos ang pag bubuklat ng mga sekretong ito at ang patuloy na pagkabighani sa ganda ng ating panitikan (We have more to discover from our own language and our literature. Uncovering these secrets is unending)," Pimentel said in a text message on Friday.
"Puwedeng-puwede pa sana na maituloy ito sa lebel ng kolehiyo. Dapat ibalik ng CHED ito sa core curriculum sa kolehiyo (This can be pursued at college level. CHED should reinstate Filipino and Panitikan in the core college curriculum)," he added.
While maintaining the importance of the national language, Sen. Joel Villanueva, on the other hand, said its inclusion in the college curriculum to avoid redundance.
"Ang ating wikang Filipino at Panitikan ay napakahalaga sa paghubog ng ating kaisipan bilang Pilipino. Magandang pag-igihin at palakasin ang pagtuturo nito sa elementary at high school at pag-isipan mabuti ang curriculum na ipapaloob kung isasabatas ang pagtuturo nito sa kolehiyo (Filipino and Panitikan are important in shaping our attitude as Filipino citizens. The teaching of the Filipino language and literature is better sustained and strengthened among elementary and high school students, while we should study carefully should it be included in the college curriculum through legislation)," Villanueva said in a separate statement.
"Ito ay upang hindi maging paulit-ulit, bagkos ay mapalakas at mapaigting ang pagmamahal natin sa ating wika at panitikan (This is to avoid repetition of subjects, but to strengthen our love for our own language and literature)," he added.
Villanueva, however, maintained that he will support measures on the proposed inclusion of Filipino in the college education.
The SC recently lifted the 2015 temporary restraining order disallowing the CHED which directed, through a memorandum, the exclusion of Filipino and Panitikan as core subjects from the general curriculum of college courses.
Aside from Filipino and Panitikan, Philippine Constitution would also be excluded from the core subjects in college.
The SC decision came as it also upheld the constitutionality of the government's K to 12 education program, which included the three subjects in Grades 1 to 10, and senior high school.