1 month ago
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MANILA, Philippines — A university in Laguna is under fire for a policy requiring its entire community to speak in English.
On Monday, the University of Cabuyao said it was implementing their "English Only Policy," to "uphold academic excellence and global competitiveness."
"Effective on this date, all official transactions, classes, and interactions within the university must be conducted exclusively in English, both in written and spoken communication. This policy applies to students, faculty, staff, and all university personnel to cultivate a strong English-speaking environment," the announcement from the university's officer-in-charge Librado Dimaunahan read.
"We encourage everyone to fully support this initiative as we strive to produce globally competent graduates," he added.
The new policy sent a firestorm of criticism on social media.
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"As a student specializing in the Filipino subject, it's not globally competitive if our own language is hard for students to understand, even when they are speaking in the language they grew up with and are most familiar with," Marcuz Red Tevez wrote in Filipino at the comment section of the announcement.
"We should first focus on honing the skills of students and the youth to understand the Filipino language, so that communication between everyone becomes clearer," he added. "If we want to be globally competitive, we should call on those in charge to fix the education system so we aren't left behind. We're already falling behind, and now you want to leave students even further behind due to misunderstandings among themselves."
"If you want a globally competitive and world-class curriculum, teach your students how to think for themselves. Teach them how to stand up for what is right while being vigilant on facts," commented Justin Ruaya. "You're teaching them to be slaves, not thinkers."
"Isn't this perspective a reflection of a colonized mindset? Proficiency in a particular language is not a prerequisite for cultivating world-class students. Take Japan, for example, where excellence in education is achieved without prioritizing fluency in a foreign language," wrote Eyon.
"In my opinion, the 'English-only policy' doesn't quite fit with our Filipino culture. While English is undeniably important—it helps us connect with the rest of the world and opens doors to opportunities—I believe that our own language should never be overlooked or overshadowed. As Filipinos, our language is a huge part of who we are. It reflects our culture, our values, and our identity as a people. When we prioritize English over Filipino, we risk losing a piece of ourselves," wrote Hao En Cheng.
"Let's not enforce a law that cannot be enforced on everyone, especially to our honorable politicians," wrote Marlon Alcantara Marasigan.
The university's Facebook post triggered 41,000 reactions as of Tuesday, along with 13,000 shares.
