HomeThe PASCHR Journalvol. 2 no. 2 (2019)

Language: The Soul of Culture and Heart of Identity

Felicidad P Galang-Pereña

 

Abstract:

This poem from multi-awarded Filipina writer, Lualhati Bautista, respected for her edgy realism and exploration of Philippines’ social issues in fiction, came out in her Face Book wall last Father’s Day with a dedication to all fathers who give justice to their names (Pagpupugay hindi lang sa tatay ko kundi sa lahat ng mabuting ama sa mundo). But her sentiment can very well be applied to Language and its crucial importance to culture and identity, which is really the crux of the unrest caused by the recent dismissal by the Philippine Supreme Court of the petitions by civil society challenging the declaration of the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Memorandum Order (MO) 20 Series of 2013 as valid and official.