BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND BILINGUAL
EDUCATION POLICY (BEP) PROGRAMS
Bilingualism is used to describe the two languages
of an individual. Specifically, it refers to the ability of
an individual to use two languages. On the other
hand, diglossia is a term that is use to refer to the
use of two languages in the societal level. Fishman
(1980, in Baker, 2006) characterizes diglossia as
the presence of a majority and a minority language
in a specific geographical area where each
language is used for a specific purpose, audience,
and context.
INDIVIDUAL BILINGUALISM
Situation 1
Diglossia and bilingualism together
Everyone in the community uses the
majority and the minority language. For
example, the majority language is used
for education and government while the
minority language is used in the family
and local neighborhood
Situation 2
Diglossia without bilingualism
One group of participants speaks
one language, while the other
group speaks a different
language.
Situation 3
Bilingualism without diglossia
Most people are bilingual and
does not restrict the use of any
language to a specific purpose or
context.
Situation 4
Neither bilingualism nor diglossia
A linguistically diverse community
was forced to convert into a
monolingual one.
Phillippines has two official languages: English and
Filipino. English, also known as the "global
language," is commonly used for formal and
business communication, while Filipino is
recognized as the national language. Such status
afforded to these two languages were first reified in
the bilingual education policy promulgated in 1974
when the Department of Education (DECS )
at that time mandated the use of English and Filipino
as the media of instruction for both primary and
secondary schools.
In 1987, the advocacy of pursuing a
"bilingual nation, competent in both Filipino
and English" (Gonzales & Sibayan, 1988)
was strengthened by the 1987 Constitution,
identifying Filipino as the language of
instruction in the subjects of Filipino and
Araling Panlipunan, and English as LOI/MOI
for Math and Science.
The Philippine Bilingual Education Policy (BEP)
Consistent with the 1987 constitutional mandate and a
declared policy of the National Board of Education (NBE) on
bilingualism in the schools (NBE Resolution No. 73-7, s-
1973) the Department of Education, Culture and Sports
(DECS) promulgated its language policy
The policy was first implemented in 1974 when DECS
issued Dept. Order No. 25, s. 1974 titled, "Implementing
Guidelines for the Policy on Bilingual Education."
Bilingual education in the Philippines is defined operationally
as the separate use of Filipino and English as the media of
instruction in specific subject areas. As embodied in the
DECS Order No. 25, Pilipino (changed to Filipino in 1987) shall
be used as medium of instruction in social studies/social
sciences, music, arts, physical education, home economics,
practical arts and character education. English, on the other
hand is allocated to science, mathematics and technology
subjects. The same subject allocation is provided in the 1987
Policy on Bilingual Education which is disseminated through
Department Order No. 52, s. 1987.
The policy is as follows:
a. The policy on Bilingual Education aims at the
achievement of competence in both Filipina and
English at the national level, through the
teaching of both languages and their use as
media of instruction at all levels. The regional
languages shall be used as auxiliary languages
in Grades I and II. The aspiration of the Filipino
nation is to have its citizens possess skills in
Filipino to enable them to perform their
functions and duties in order to meet the needs
of the country in the community of nations.
b. The goals of the Bilingual Education Policy shall be:
1. enhanced learning through two languages to achieve quality education as called for by the
1987 Constitution;
2. the propagation of Filipino as a language of literacy;
3. the development of Filipino as a linguistic symbol of national unity and identity,
4. the cultivation and elaboration of Filipino as a language of scholarly discourse, that
is to say its continuing intellectualization; and
5. the maintenance of English as an international language for the Philippines and as a non-
exclusive language of science and technology
c. Filipino and English shall be used as media of instruction, the use allocated to
specific subjects in the curriculum as indicated in the Department Order No. 25, s.
1974,
d. The regional languages shall be used as auxiliary media of instruction and as
initial language for literacy, where needed.
e. Filipino and English shall be taught as language subjects in all levels to achieve
the goals of bilingual competence.
f. Since competence in the use of both Filipino and English is one of the goals of
the Bilingual Education Policy, continuing improvement in the teaching of both
languages, their use as media of instruction and the specification of their functions
in Philippine schooling shall be the responsibility of the whole educational system.
g. Tertiary level institutions shall lead in the continuing intellectualization of Filipino.
The program of intellectualization, however, shall also be pursued in both the
elementary and secondary levels.
h. The Department of Education, Culture and Sports shall cooperate with the National
Language Commission which according to the 1987 Constitution, shall be tasked with
the further development and enrichment of Filipino.
i The Department of Education Culture and Sports shall provide the means by which
the language policy can be implemented with the cooperation of government and non-
government organizations.
j. The Department shall program funds for implementing the Policy, in such areas as
materials production, in-service training, compensatory and enrichment program for
non-Tagalogs, development of a suitable and standardized Filipino for classroom use
and the development of appropriate evaluative instruments.
THANK YOU
SO MUCH
