Only 4 in 10 or 38% of Filipinos said they prefer the use of local language as medium of instruction for Grades 1 to 3, according to a poll commissioned by the Senate.
The survey found 88% agreed to use only Filipino or Tagalog in teaching, while 71% choose English.
The poll, which interviewed 1,200 Filipino adults last September, was commissioned by Senate Basic Education Committee Chairperson Win Gatchalian.
Across major island groups and the National Capital Region (NCR), the Filipino language received the highest percentage in NCR at 97%, followed by 89% in Visayas, 87% in Mindanao, at 84% in Luzon.
Based on the respondents’ social class, the groups ABC (88%), D (90%), and E (70%) all preferred Filipino.,
In a statement, Gatchalian urged the review of the mother tongue-based multilingual education or M-T-B-M-L-E as mandated by the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or the K to 12 Law.
“Batay sa nakikita natin sa kakayahan ng ating mga paaralan at sa sentimyento ng ating mga kababayan, kinakailangang pag-aralan kung ano ang mga susunod na hakbang natin sa paggamit ng mother tongue,” Gatchalian said.
“Kung ipagpapatuloy man natin ang polisiyang ito, kailangan nating tugunan ang mga hamong kinakaharap nito,” he added.
According to the said law, local languages should be mainly used in teaching and assessment of students from kindergarten to Grade 3.
However, based on the Senate hearing in 2022, only 72,000 educators were trained for the implementation of the M-T-B-M-L-E, far from the target of 305,000. GB/Report from Patrick Lastra
