Senator Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla said language and history are the keys to national unity, and should be at the center of national discourse not just during the month of August.
Padilla stressed this today, August 30, as August - the month when the Philippines marks its national language and history - draws to a close.
"Iisa ang sentimyento ng lahat: paano natin mapagbubuklod ang ating bansa? (Everyone has the same sentiment: How do we bind the nation together? Ang sagot ay pagkakaroon ng isang tinig, isang boses, isang pagkakakilanlan sa pamamagitan ng isang pambansang wika (The answer lies in having one voice through one language)," Padilla said a privilege speech delivered in today’s plenary session.
"Bilang napapanahon sa pagbibigay-pugay sa ating mga bayani, sa ating kasaysayan, sa ating bayan, tangkilikin at pagyamanin natin ang pambansang wika (As we pay homage to our heroes and our history, let us enrich our national language). Huwag po sana nating kalimutan ang aral ng kahapon na umaayon sa tunguhin ng ating gobyerno sa ngayon na unity o pagkakaisa (Let us not forget the lessons of the past, along with our government's efforts toward unity)," he added.
Padilla noted more than 80 years have passed since the national discourse focused on our national language - dating back to the Philippine Commonwealth under President Manuel Quezon.
Under our current 1987 Constitution, he noted it is but proper to use Filipino as an official medium of communication, as well as the language used in our educational system.
Yet, Padilla said the evolution of our national language continues.
"At dahil buhay ang wika, patuloy rin itong lumalago: mula sa pagkakaiba ng sosyolek, sumusulpot din ang varayti tulad ng jejemon, bekimon, conyo at salitang balbal (Since our language is alive, it continues to evolve - from sosyolek to jejemon, bekimon, conyo and balbal). Alam nating lahat na malaki ang impluwensya ng social media at pop culture sa dynamic na pagbabago ng wika (We also know that social media and pop culture influence our language)," he said.
"Samantala, ang ating mga kabataan ay hirap na umintindi ng Filipino, at halos ginagapang na ang subject na ito dahil sa karaniwang Ingles ang kanilang kinamulatan at kadalasang naririnig (But meanwhile, our young Filipinos have difficulty understanding Filipino, because they have been exposed to English)," he added.
Because of this, Padilla reiterated his push for Senate Bill 451 that ensures Philippine History as a separate subject in the high school curriculum, to awaken nationalism among the youth.
He, likewise, pushed for the passage of Senate Bill 228, or the equal use of Filipino and English in government documents, to give Filipinos a better chance of understanding the government's actions and decisions.