{
"path": "/a/3mkoebgenqj23-why-tagalog-and-filipino-are-two-distinct-languages",
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"title": "Why Tagalog and Filipino Are Two Distinct Languages",
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "For decades, we have been stalled by the claim that the Filipino language is just \"Tagalog imperialism\". We hear it everywhere, but it is based on a misunderstanding. Filipino was agreed upon by representatives from across the archipelago; it is a separate language, not a rebranded version of Tagalog."
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Let us look at the facts."
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"level": 2,
"plaintext": "I. The 1986 deliberations"
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"plaintext": "According to the 《Record of the Constitutional Commission》 〈Volume IV, R.C.C. No. 71〉 dated September 01, 1986, 〈Volume IV, R.C.C. No. 78〉 dated September 09, 1986, and 〈Volume IV, R.C.C. No. 79〉 dated September 10, 1986, the Filipino language was clearly defined as the living national lingua franca of the Filipino people and it was based on Tagalog as spoken in Metro Manila—or what is formally called the \"Manileño dialect of the Tagalog language\" (not the entire Tagalog language)."
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.blockquote",
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"plaintext": "… there is a living lingua franca which can be called Filipino. It is that lingua franca that is used by citizens of the Philippines who use different native languages or dialects. So, if a Cebuano and an Ilocano meet each other in any place of the Philippines, they would use this lingua franca, which we call Filipino. We call it Filipino and not Pilipino because it is not exactly Tagalog, because Tagalog is a pure form. In fact, Pilipino, according to linguists who attended our hearings, is even purer than Tagalog because it tries to coin words which are not really used."
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": ""
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
{
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"plaintext": "—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 78"
}
]
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "In a later session …"
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.blockquote",
"content": [
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
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"plaintext": "… the committee reiterates its stand that there is a living lingua franca which we can call Filipino. According to linguists, I think we should listen to them because not one of us here is a language expert. Filipino is not based on Tagalog or Pilipino alone, but it has incorporated the contributions of other Philippine languages and dialects, as well as Spanish and English."
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "…"
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
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"plaintext": "the committee contends that Filipino is a lingua franca that has evolved through the decades — spoken, especially by non-Tagalogs when they speak with their countrymen who are from other regions or language groups."
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": ""
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
{
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"plaintext": "—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 79"
}
]
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.heading",
"level": 3,
"plaintext": "Filipino versus Pilipino"
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.blockquote",
"content": [
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
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"plaintext": "\"Filipino\" with an \"F\" is an expansion of Pilipino. It is the name for the lingua franca that has naturally evolved throughout the country. It is not purely based on Tagalog. It has incorporated words from other Philippine languages and dialects as well as from English and Spanish."
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": ""
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
{
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"plaintext": "—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 79"
}
]
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{
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"plaintext": ""
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{
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"plaintext": "Note: I suggest reading the linked sources as there is no room to quote every key detail of their discussions."
},
{
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"plaintext": ""
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.heading",
"level": 2,
"plaintext": "II. Description by the Commission on the Filipino Language"
},
{
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"plaintext": ""
},
{
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"image": {
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.blockquote",
"content": [
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Ito ay ang katutubong wika, pasalita at pasulat, sa Metro Manila, ang Pambansang Punong Rehiyon, at sa iba pang sentrong urban sa arkipelago, na ginagamit bilang wika ng komunikasyon ng mga etnikong grupo."
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": ""
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
{
"index": {
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"features": [
{
"uri": "http://wika.pbworks.com/w/page/8021710/Resolusyon%20Blg%2092-1",
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"plaintext": "—Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, Resolusyon Blg. 92-1"
}
]
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "It roughly translates to: [Filipino] is the native language, spoken and written, in Metro Manila, the National Capital Region, and in other urban centers in the archipelago, which is used as the language for communication by various ethnic groups."
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": ""
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.heading",
"level": 2,
"plaintext": "III. Filipino and Tagalog are used separately officially"
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
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"plaintext": "As per the Philippine 1987 Constitution, the National language of the Philippines is Filipino, and it is also one of two official languages—the other being [Philippine] English."
},
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
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"features": [
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"uri": "https://www.deped.gov.ph/2012/02/17/do-16-s-2012-guidelines-on-the-implementation-of-the-mother-tongue-based-multilingual-education-mtb-mle/",
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"plaintext": "The Department of Education and the Department of Foreign Affairs listed Tagalog as one of eight Major Languages of the Philippines."
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.blockquote",
"content": [
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "There are also eight (8) major languages spoken by majority of the Filipinos: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Kapampangan, and Pangasinense."
},
{
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"plaintext": ""
},
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
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"features": [
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"uri": "https://chongqingpcg.dfa.gov.ph/site-map/phl-basic-informaton",
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],
"plaintext": "—Philippine Consulate General in Chongqing, China, Department of Foreign Affairs"
}
]
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "The distinction is clear between the Filipino and Tagalog languages. The Filipino language is the National language and one of two Official languages of the Philippines, while the Tagalog language remains as a regional language spoken by the Tagalog ethnic group and in the Tagalog region (today's Regions III (some parts), IV-A, IV-B, and NCR)."
},
{
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{
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"level": 2,
"plaintext": "IV. The F, J, V, Z connection"
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"plaintext": "This is a very important point that is often ignored due to misconceptions. There is a common myth that the letters F, J, V, Z were only added to accommodate foreign borrowed words."
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"plaintext": "That is simply not true."
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"plaintext": "The truth is that these letters were added because those sounds already exist in Philippine languages. These are not \"foreign\" sounds; they are Filipino sounds that Tagalog just happened to lack."
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"plaintext": "F: exists in B'laan, Ibanag, Ifugao, Itawis, Kalinga, T'boli, Tëduray"
}
},
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"plaintext": "J: is in Boholano (a dialect of the Cebuano language), Ibanag, Tausug, and many other languages and dialects in Mindanao and Sulu"
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"plaintext": "V: exists in B'laan, Ibanag, Ivatan, T'boli"
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"plaintext": "Z: is in Ibanag, Itawis"
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"plaintext": "If the Filipino language were truly just 「Tagalog with a new name」, then these letters would have existed in it all along. Their inclusion is proof that Filipino is an evolved, shared language meant to give every Philippine language an equal stake in our National language and identity."
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"plaintext": ""
},
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"level": 3,
"plaintext": "How about C, Ñ, Q, and X?"
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Now, we can say that these specific letters were added to accommodate foreign words adopted into Filipino."
},
{
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"plaintext": "Ñ: clearly comes from Spanish"
}
},
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"plaintext": "C, Q, X: were added to accomodate scientific, technical, and untranslatable foreign words"
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"plaintext": "Together, the Filipino language serves as a bridge between the over 200 languages and dialects across the Philippine archipelago, as well as a bridge to the cultures around us and the rest of the world."
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"level": 2,
"plaintext": "V. There are six vowels in the Filipino language"
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"plaintext": "This is another very important distinction that is often ignored. While the Tagalog language uses a five-vowel system, the Filipino language uses six. The sixth vowel is the Filipino schwa, represented by the letter ë (an e with two dots above, or patuldok in Filipino)."
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"plaintext": "There are no Tagalog words with this vowel sound, but it exists in many other Philippine languages and dialects, such as:"
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"plaintext": "Agutaynën (Palawan)"
}
},
{
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"plaintext": "Bikolano (dialects found in Buhi, Iriga, Miraya, and Southern Catanduanes in the Bicol region)"
}
},
{
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"plaintext": "Ibalóy (Benguet)"
}
},
{
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Iloko (Ilocos Region)"
}
},
{
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Isnëg (Apayao)"
}
},
{
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Itnëg (Abra)"
}
},
{
"content": {
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Kankanáëy (Mountain Province)"
}
},
{
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Kapampangan (Western dialects in Pampanga)"
}
},
{
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Kinaray-a (Antique, Iloilo)"
}
},
{
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"plaintext": "Mamanwa (Agusan, Surigao)"
}
},
{
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Mëranáw (Lanao)"
}
},
{
"content": {
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Pangasinënse (Pangasinan)"
}
},
{
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Sambal (Zambales)"
}
},
{
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"plaintext": "Tëduray (Maguindanao)"
}
}
]
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "In total, the Filipino alphabet has 28 letters plus the schwa vowel sound, while the traditional Tagalog Abakada only has 20."
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{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "At this point, the evidence is clear that the Filipino and Tagalog languages are distinctly different. The Filipino language is a truly National language, while Tagalog remains—as it always has been—a regional language."
},
{
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"plaintext": ""
},
{
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"level": 2,
"plaintext": "VI. Borrowed versus adopted words"
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"plaintext": "The natural and regional Tagalog language is strict. Its short-lived variant, Pilipino (with a \"P\"), was even more rigid—that it was dubbed \"purist\". Its supporters famously invented complex new words that almost no one actually used, like \"salumpuwit\" (en: butt-catcher). In that system, any word from a foreign language or another Philippine region had to be forced into a translation or transliteration; even native Tagalog speakers felt alien to this purist variant. I can still remember us laughing at these invented words in school and all the jokes that came with them."
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"plaintext": "In the Filipino language, this is not the case. An untranslatable word can be adopted exactly as it is or transliterated. Once it enters our vocabulary, it stops being \"borrowed\"—it becomes a Filipino word. In addition, words from our over 200 languages and dialects no longer need to have their spelling or pronunciation \"bastardized\" because, as we have seen, the Filipino alphabet can handle them all."
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"plaintext": "Here are a few examples"
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"plaintext": "a. Teacher"
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"plaintext": "Filipino: teacher, titser, guro"
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"plaintext": "Filipinized English: titser"
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"plaintext": "Pilipino: salumpuwit, upuan"
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{
"content": {
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"plaintext": "Tagalog: upuan"
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{
"content": {
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"plaintext": "Tagalized Spanish: silya (from silla)"
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{
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"level": 2,
"plaintext": "VII. The Filipino language is not the first of its kind"
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{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Most emotional and/or political arguments against the Filipino language stem from a lack of information and an unwillingness to look at the facts. But there is one fundamental misunderstanding fueling this debate that I have observed: the assumption that Filipino is the only language of its kind in the world."
},
{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Filipino belongs to a category called \"planned languages\". These are languages intentionally developed to unite diverse ethnic groups under one National identity. Here are at least seven other famous examples:"
},
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"children": [
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
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"plaintext": "Bahasa Indonesia (1945): united over 1,300 ethnic groups"
}
},
{
"content": {
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
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"index": {
"byteEnd": 23,
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"plaintext": "Bahasa Malaysia (1963): chosen as the unifying language of a multi-ethnic federation"
}
},
{
"content": {
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
{
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"byteEnd": 17,
"byteStart": 0
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],
"plaintext": "Esperanto (1887): created to be an International auxiliary language"
}
},
{
"content": {
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
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"index": {
"byteEnd": 21,
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],
"plaintext": "Modern Hebrew (1948): revived a dead language and painstakingly planned to become the National language of Israel"
}
},
{
"content": {
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
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"index": {
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"byteStart": 0
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],
"plaintext": "Nynorsk (1885): developed to give Norway a separate linguistic identity outside of Danish influence"
}
},
{
"content": {
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"facets": [
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"index": {
"byteEnd": 15,
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"plaintext": "Swahili (1964): a unifying language for Kenya and Tanzania"
}
},
{
"content": {
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
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"index": {
"byteEnd": 12,
"byteStart": 0
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}
],
"plaintext": "Urdu (1947): the National language of Pakistan"
}
}
]
},
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"plaintext": "In fact, if you read the 1986 Constitutional Commission transcripts (linked earlier), Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia were mentioned repeatedly as examples. While our first attempt at a National language started in 1937, it was not until the 1987 Constitution that we finally agreed and united under a language that represents every Filipino."
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"plaintext": "VIII. Myth: Filipino was only approved by Tagalogs"
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"plaintext": "The most common assumption and argument used to push division instead of unity is the myth that non-Tagalogs were ignored or never consulted. This claim is at the core of the Tagalog language \"imperialism\" narrative, but according to the records of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, there is simply no truth to it."
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{
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"plaintext": "The transcripts show that the commissioners were fully aware of regional sensitivities. They did not debated based on assumptions; they did actual studies and met with the people."
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"plaintext": "Madam President, we consulted many language experts on this matter, and they said that even before the 1973 Constitution was promulgated, there was already a language evolving which we can rightfully call Filipino — a lingua franca that incorporates different words from several Philippine languages."
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"plaintext": "—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 71"
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{
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"plaintext": "This reminder was further stressed."
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"plaintext": "The committee would also like to point out that the resource persons we consulted were not Tagalogs only but mostly non-Tagalogs; namely, Dr. Ernesto Constantino and Dr. Consuelo Paz who are Ilocanos; English Professor Teresita Maceda who is a Cebuana; Dr. Bonifacio Sibayan, an Ilocano; Dr. Andrew Gonzales, a Pampangueño, Professor Jesus Ramos, a Bicolano and Professor Anicia del Corro, a Pampangueña."
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{
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"plaintext": "…"
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{
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"plaintext": "Madam President, I would also like to mention that our committee is composed of an Ilocano, Commissioner Bennagen; three Ilonggos, Commissioners Treñas, Gascon and Guingona; one Kapampangan, Commissioner Tan: one Maguindanao, Commissioner Uka; a Cebuana-Tagala, Commissioner Quesada: a Pangasinense, Commissioner Rosario Braid: and two Tagalogs, Commissioner Rigos and this Representation."
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{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "What we are stressing here is that consultations with non-Tagalogs have not been wanting in the process of consolidating the committee's proposal on language. We exhort our fellow Commissioners not to go by the premises of prewar times."
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"plaintext": "—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 79"
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"plaintext": "There were also public hearings."
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"plaintext": "Madam President, the committee contends that Filipino is a lingua franca that has evolved through the decades — spoken, especially by non-Tagalogs when they speak with their countrymen who are from other regions or language groups."
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"plaintext": "English remains the favorite language of the elite, whether Tagalog or non-Tagalog for obvious reasons. But we are referring to the masses of our people — the ones we came in contact with in our public hearings. They are the ones who say, \"Sain kayo maglakad tapos dini?\" instead of the purist saying \"Saan kayo magtutungo pagkatapos dito?\" But we understand what they mean when they say, \"mas guapo giud ang bana ko sa bana mo\" or \"guapa kuno ang kanyang amiga\" o \"yawa kawatan pala ang soltero\" or \"huwag ka man magtapo sa road\" or \"mayroon pa ngani.\" These speakers of the lingua franca throughout the country make themselves clearly understood because consciously or unconsciously, they use words that most Filipinos can comprehend."
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},
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"plaintext": "—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 79"
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "To wrap things up, let us go through what we now know about the Filipino language:"
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"plaintext": "It is evolved and continually evolving: It is the standardized variety of Tagalog as spoken in Metro Manila (a.k.a. Manileño dialect of the Tagalog language) and other urban centers in the Philippines, it is not based on the entirety of the Tagalog language"
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"plaintext": "It is representative: It was decided, approved, and legalized by many non-Tagalog linguists, lawmakers, and experts from across the country"
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"plaintext": "It is historical: It has been our lingua franca far longer than most of us Filipinos realize"
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"plaintext": "It is inclusive: It has been incorporating words from more than 200 Philippine languages and dialects since before its recognition"
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"plaintext": "It is superior than Tagalog and the purist Pilipino: It has 28 letters plus the schwa vowel sound, while Tagalog and Pilipino (with a \"P\") remains limited to five vowels and the 20-letter Abakada"
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"plaintext": "We have also learnt that planned languages are a global success story. From Bahasa Indonesia to Modern Hebrew, the model works and it will work for us too. We just need to stop pulling each other down and start helping our language evolve."
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"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "Finally, we have learnt that being \"based on\" another language does not make them the same. Just as Esperanto is distinct from the Germanic and Romance languages it started on, Filipino is also distinct from Tagalog and its purist variant, Pilipino (with a \"P\")."
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{
"$type": "app.offprint.block.text",
"plaintext": "There is no question for me that Filipino and Tagalog are two distinct and separate languages, with the former already diverged from the latter."
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"plaintext": "Final word"
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"plaintext": "The 1986 Constitutional Commission did its job. They consulted experts, linguists, and regular Filipinos from every corner of the archipelago to ensure everyone had a voice. The declaration of Filipino as our national language—and the creation of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (en: Commission on the Filipino Language)—was a choice made by all Filipinos, for all Filipinos. We were united then in that vision; we must not fail our ancestors now."
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"plaintext": "Our ASEAN neighbours are living proof that a unified language drives progress. We must stop the endless debates and misinformation, and focus on evolving the Filipino language together so it can carry us forward. Ikaw ba ay makikiisa para sa kinabukasan ng mga Filipino?"
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"plaintext": "If this work has informed, been useful, or saved you time, please consider sending a tip. 🙇🏽 Your support keeps this sustainable. 🖖🏽"
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"plaintext": "〈Why Tagalog and Filipino Are Two Distinct Languages〉 © 2026 by Yohan Yukiya Sese Cuneta · Yelosan Publishing is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, except where noted."
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"description": "Debunking, once and for all, the myth that Tagalog and Filipino languages are one and the same.",
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"textContent": "For decades, we have been stalled by the claim that the Filipino language is just \"Tagalog imperialism\". We hear it everywhere, but it is based on a misunderstanding. Filipino was agreed upon by representatives from across the archipelago; it is a separate language, not a rebranded version of Tagalog.\nLet us look at the facts.\n\nI. The 1986 deliberations\nAccording to the 《Record of the Constitutional Commission》 〈Volume IV, R.C.C. No. 71〉 dated September 01, 1986, 〈Volume IV, R.C.C. No. 78〉 dated September 09, 1986, and 〈Volume IV, R.C.C. No. 79〉 dated September 10, 1986, the Filipino language was clearly defined as the living national lingua franca of the Filipino people and it was based on Tagalog as spoken in Metro Manila—or what is formally called the \"Manileño dialect of the Tagalog language\" (not the entire Tagalog language).\n> … there is a living lingua franca which can be called Filipino. It is that lingua franca that is used by citizens of the Philippines who use different native languages or dialects. So, if a Cebuano and an Ilocano meet each other in any place of the Philippines, they would use this lingua franca, which we call Filipino. We call it Filipino and not Pilipino because it is not exactly Tagalog, because Tagalog is a pure form. In fact, Pilipino, according to linguists who attended our hearings, is even purer than Tagalog because it tries to coin words which are not really used.\n\n—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 78\nIn a later session …\n> … the committee reiterates its stand that there is a living lingua franca which we can call Filipino. According to linguists, I think we should listen to them because not one of us here is a language expert. Filipino is not based on Tagalog or Pilipino alone, but it has incorporated the contributions of other Philippine languages and dialects, as well as Spanish and English.\n…\nthe committee contends that Filipino is a lingua franca that has evolved through the decades — spoken, especially by non-Tagalogs when they speak with their countrymen who are from other regions or language groups.\n\n—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 79\nFilipino versus Pilipino\n> \"Filipino\" with an \"F\" is an expansion of Pilipino. It is the name for the lingua franca that has naturally evolved throughout the country. It is not purely based on Tagalog. It has incorporated words from other Philippine languages and dialects as well as from English and Spanish.\n\n—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 79\n\n👉🏽 Note: I suggest reading the linked sources as there is no room to quote every key detail of their discussions.\n\nII. Description by the Commission on the Filipino Language\n\n> Ito ay ang katutubong wika, pasalita at pasulat, sa Metro Manila, ang Pambansang Punong Rehiyon, at sa iba pang sentrong urban sa arkipelago, na ginagamit bilang wika ng komunikasyon ng mga etnikong grupo.\n\n—Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, Resolusyon Blg. 92-1\nIt roughly translates to: [Filipino] is the native language, spoken and written, in Metro Manila, the National Capital Region, and in other urban centers in the archipelago, which is used as the language for communication by various ethnic groups.\n\nIII. Filipino and Tagalog are used separately officially\nAs per the Philippine 1987 Constitution, the National language of the Philippines is Filipino, and it is also one of two official languages—the other being [Philippine] English.\nThe Department of Education and the Department of Foreign Affairs listed Tagalog as one of eight Major Languages of the Philippines.\n> There are also eight (8) major languages spoken by majority of the Filipinos: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Kapampangan, and Pangasinense.\n\n—Philippine Consulate General in Chongqing, China, Department of Foreign Affairs\nThe distinction is clear between the Filipino and Tagalog languages. The Filipino language is the National language and one of two Official languages of the Philippines, while the Tagalog language remains as a regional language spoken by the Tagalog ethnic group and in the Tagalog region (today's Regions III (some parts), IV-A, IV-B, and NCR).\n\nIV. The F, J, V, Z connection\nThis is a very important point that is often ignored due to misconceptions. There is a common myth that the letters F, J, V, Z were only added to accommodate foreign borrowed words.\nThat is simply not true.\nThe truth is that these letters were added because those sounds already exist in Philippine languages. These are not \"foreign\" sounds; they are Filipino sounds that Tagalog just happened to lack.\n- F: exists in B'laan, Ibanag, Ifugao, Itawis, Kalinga, T'boli, Tëduray\n- J: is in Boholano (a dialect of the Cebuano language), Ibanag, Tausug, and many other languages and dialects in Mindanao and Sulu\n- V: exists in B'laan, Ibanag, Ivatan, T'boli\n- Z: is in Ibanag, Itawis\n\nIf the Filipino language were truly just 「Tagalog with a new name」, then these letters would have existed in it all along. Their inclusion is proof that Filipino is an evolved, shared language meant to give every Philippine language an equal stake in our National language and identity.\n\nHow about C, Ñ, Q, and X?\nNow, we can say that these specific letters were added to accommodate foreign words adopted into Filipino.\n- Ñ: clearly comes from Spanish\n- C, Q, X: were added to accomodate scientific, technical, and untranslatable foreign words\n\nTogether, the Filipino language serves as a bridge between the over 200 languages and dialects across the Philippine archipelago, as well as a bridge to the cultures around us and the rest of the world.\n\nNo Parking Sign in Atok by Leeheonjin dedicated to the Public Domain.\n\nV. There are six vowels in the Filipino language\nThis is another very important distinction that is often ignored. While the Tagalog language uses a five-vowel system, the Filipino language uses six. The sixth vowel is the Filipino schwa, represented by the letter ë (an e with two dots above, or patuldok in Filipino).\nThere are no Tagalog words with this vowel sound, but it exists in many other Philippine languages and dialects, such as:\n- Agutaynën (Palawan)\n- Bikolano (dialects found in Buhi, Iriga, Miraya, and Southern Catanduanes in the Bicol region)\n- Ibalóy (Benguet)\n- Iloko (Ilocos Region)\n- Isnëg (Apayao)\n- Itnëg (Abra)\n- Kankanáëy (Mountain Province)\n- Kapampangan (Western dialects in Pampanga)\n- Kinaray-a (Antique, Iloilo)\n- Mamanwa (Agusan, Surigao)\n- Mëranáw (Lanao)\n- Pangasinënse (Pangasinan)\n- Sambal (Zambales)\n- Tëduray (Maguindanao)\n\nIn total, the Filipino alphabet has 28 letters plus the schwa vowel sound, while the traditional Tagalog Abakada only has 20.\nAt this point, the evidence is clear that the Filipino and Tagalog languages are distinctly different. The Filipino language is a truly National language, while Tagalog remains—as it always has been—a regional language.\n\nVI. Borrowed versus adopted words\nThe natural and regional Tagalog language is strict. Its short-lived variant, Pilipino (with a \"P\"), was even more rigid—that it was dubbed \"purist\". Its supporters famously invented complex new words that almost no one actually used, like \"salumpuwit\" (en: butt-catcher). In that system, any word from a foreign language or another Philippine region had to be forced into a translation or transliteration; even native Tagalog speakers felt alien to this purist variant. I can still remember us laughing at these invented words in school and all the jokes that came with them.\nIn the Filipino language, this is not the case. An untranslatable word can be adopted exactly as it is or transliterated. Once it enters our vocabulary, it stops being \"borrowed\"—it becomes a Filipino word. In addition, words from our over 200 languages and dialects no longer need to have their spelling or pronunciation \"bastardized\" because, as we have seen, the Filipino alphabet can handle them all.\nHere are a few examples\na. Teacher\n- Filipino: teacher, titser, guro\n- Filipinized English: titser\n- Tagalog: guro\n\nb. Computer\n- Filipino: computer, kompyuter\n- Filipinized English: kompyuter\n- Tagalog: (untranslatable)\n\nc. Chair\n- Filipino: chair, silya, upuan, salumpuwit\n- Pilipino: salumpuwit, upuan\n- Tagalog: upuan\n- Tagalized Spanish: silya (from silla)\n\nUniversala Esperanto Asocio by esperanton under the Openclipart license.\n\nVII. The Filipino language is not the first of its kind\nMost emotional and/or political arguments against the Filipino language stem from a lack of information and an unwillingness to look at the facts. But there is one fundamental misunderstanding fueling this debate that I have observed: the assumption that Filipino is the only language of its kind in the world.\nFilipino belongs to a category called \"planned languages\". These are languages intentionally developed to unite diverse ethnic groups under one National identity. Here are at least seven other famous examples:\n- Bahasa Indonesia (1945): united over 1,300 ethnic groups\n- Bahasa Malaysia (1963): chosen as the unifying language of a multi-ethnic federation\n- Esperanto (1887): created to be an International auxiliary language\n- Modern Hebrew (1948): revived a dead language and painstakingly planned to become the National language of Israel\n- Nynorsk (1885): developed to give Norway a separate linguistic identity outside of Danish influence\n- Swahili (1964): a unifying language for Kenya and Tanzania\n- Urdu (1947): the National language of Pakistan\n\nIn fact, if you read the 1986 Constitutional Commission transcripts (linked earlier), Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia were mentioned repeatedly as examples. While our first attempt at a National language started in 1937, it was not until the 1987 Constitution that we finally agreed and united under a language that represents every Filipino.\n\nVIII. Myth: Filipino was only approved by Tagalogs\nThe most common assumption and argument used to push division instead of unity is the myth that non-Tagalogs were ignored or never consulted. This claim is at the core of the Tagalog language \"imperialism\" narrative, but according to the records of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, there is simply no truth to it.\nThe transcripts show that the commissioners were fully aware of regional sensitivities. They did not debated based on assumptions; they did actual studies and met with the people.\n> Madam President, we consulted many language experts on this matter, and they said that even before the 1973 Constitution was promulgated, there was already a language evolving which we can rightfully call Filipino — a lingua franca that incorporates different words from several Philippine languages.\n\n—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 71\nThis reminder was further stressed.\n> The committee would also like to point out that the resource persons we consulted were not Tagalogs only but mostly non-Tagalogs; namely, Dr. Ernesto Constantino and Dr. Consuelo Paz who are Ilocanos; English Professor Teresita Maceda who is a Cebuana; Dr. Bonifacio Sibayan, an Ilocano; Dr. Andrew Gonzales, a Pampangueño, Professor Jesus Ramos, a Bicolano and Professor Anicia del Corro, a Pampangueña.\n…\nMadam President, I would also like to mention that our committee is composed of an Ilocano, Commissioner Bennagen; three Ilonggos, Commissioners Treñas, Gascon and Guingona; one Kapampangan, Commissioner Tan: one Maguindanao, Commissioner Uka; a Cebuana-Tagala, Commissioner Quesada: a Pangasinense, Commissioner Rosario Braid: and two Tagalogs, Commissioner Rigos and this Representation.\nWhat we are stressing here is that consultations with non-Tagalogs have not been wanting in the process of consolidating the committee's proposal on language. We exhort our fellow Commissioners not to go by the premises of prewar times.\n\n—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 79\nThere were also public hearings.\n> Madam President, the committee contends that Filipino is a lingua franca that has evolved through the decades — spoken, especially by non-Tagalogs when they speak with their countrymen who are from other regions or language groups.\nEnglish remains the favorite language of the elite, whether Tagalog or non-Tagalog for obvious reasons. But we are referring to the masses of our people — the ones we came in contact with in our public hearings. They are the ones who say, \"Sain kayo maglakad tapos dini?\" instead of the purist saying \"Saan kayo magtutungo pagkatapos dito?\" But we understand what they mean when they say, \"mas guapo giud ang bana ko sa bana mo\" or \"guapa kuno ang kanyang amiga\" o \"yawa kawatan pala ang soltero\" or \"huwag ka man magtapo sa road\" or \"mayroon pa ngani.\" These speakers of the lingua franca throughout the country make themselves clearly understood because consciously or unconsciously, they use words that most Filipinos can comprehend.\n\n—MR. VILLACORTA, Vol. IV, R.C.C. No. 79\nSee KWF Linguistic Atlas of the Philippines (Overview).png for high resolution.\n\nSummary\nTo wrap things up, let us go through what we now know about the Filipino language:\n- It is evolved and continually evolving: It is the standardized variety of Tagalog as spoken in Metro Manila (a.k.a. Manileño dialect of the Tagalog language) and other urban centers in the Philippines, it is not based on the entirety of the Tagalog language\n- It is representative: It was decided, approved, and legalized by many non-Tagalog linguists, lawmakers, and experts from across the country\n- It is historical: It has been our lingua franca far longer than most of us Filipinos realize\n- It is inclusive: It has been incorporating words from more than 200 Philippine languages and dialects since before its recognition\n- It is superior than Tagalog and the purist Pilipino: It has 28 letters plus the schwa vowel sound, while Tagalog and Pilipino (with a \"P\") remains limited to five vowels and the 20-letter Abakada\n\nWe have also learnt that planned languages are a global success story. From Bahasa Indonesia to Modern Hebrew, the model works and it will work for us too. We just need to stop pulling each other down and start helping our language evolve.\nFinally, we have learnt that being \"based on\" another language does not make them the same. Just as Esperanto is distinct from the Germanic and Romance languages it started on, Filipino is also distinct from Tagalog and its purist variant, Pilipino (with a \"P\").\nThere is no question for me that Filipino and Tagalog are two distinct and separate languages, with the former already diverged from the latter.\n\nFinal word\nThe 1986 Constitutional Commission did its job. They consulted experts, linguists, and regular Filipinos from every corner of the archipelago to ensure everyone had a voice. The declaration of Filipino as our national language—and the creation of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (en: Commission on the Filipino Language)—was a choice made by all Filipinos, for all Filipinos. We were united then in that vision; we must not fail our ancestors now.\nOur ASEAN neighbours are living proof that a unified language drives progress. We must stop the endless debates and misinformation, and focus on evolving the Filipino language together so it can carry us forward. Ikaw ba ay makikiisa para sa kinabukasan ng mga Filipino?\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nIf this work has informed, been useful, or saved you time, please consider sending a tip. 🙇🏽 Your support keeps this sustainable. 🖖🏽\n\n\n\n---\n\n\nCover image: Socrates Address by Belgian artist Louis Joseph Lebrun, 1867 by Louis Le Brun (1844–1900) is in the Public Domain.\n\n〈Why Tagalog and Filipino Are Two Distinct Languages〉 © 2026 by Yohan Yukiya Sese Cuneta · Yelosan Publishing is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, except where noted."
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