Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino , 1610 Jose P. Laurel street, San Miguel , Manila -Philippines
The Commission for the Filipino language issued a board resolution dated April 12, 2013 .
Board Resolution 13-9 series 0f 2013 :
Click to access Resolution-13-19.pdf
This is to “promote the country’s official and modern name which reflects its history and development as a nation,” added the document, which is making rounds in social media nearly a month before Buwan ng Wika in August.
Telegrafos 2 -centavo stamp( Filipinas)
Telegraph stamp issued during Emilio Aguinaldo regime
The resolution also urges that the name “Filipinas” be gradually introduced into seals, letterheads, notes and other official documents.
Pilipinas sign
Firms and institutions using the name “Pilipinas” will also be encouraged to spell it as “Filipinas” instead.
Philippine islands- United States of America stamp issued in 1934- 4 peso demonimation showing the seal of Manila
The KWF noted, however, that the change will not be mandatory, especially for entities established before the letter “F” has been introduced in the Filipino alphabet.
It added, however, that all organizations that will be created after the implementation of the resolution, should carry the name “Filipinas.”
Adding context to the resolution, the KWF in its website linked the new policy to a piece by its chairman, National Artist Virgilio Almario.
Netizens shocked by the Board Resolution
Most of the netizens , social media people and ordinary Filipinos were shocked by the board resolution reverting back the name Pilipinas to Filipinas . Filipinas is the country’s name used during the Spanish period in reference to King Philip 2 of Spain and Philippine islands during the American regime until the early republic.
Lope K. Santos ( Pilipinas )
Lope K. Santos ( September 25, 1879 – May 1, 1963) – pioneered the Filipino grammar and orthography . He was featured in Philippine stamp on April 26, 1978 definitive issue
F in the Filipino alphabet
“Previously there was no letter “f” in our alphabet, hence the use of Pilipinas. So ngayon, dahil 28 letters na rin ho ‘yung ating alpabeto, kasama ‘yung letter ‘ñ ‘and ‘ng,’ at may ‘f’ na rin, ini-encourage nila, binabalik na nila ‘yung paggamit ng ‘Filipinas,’” , noting the change in the spelling would be implemented slowly in Philippine stamps, letterheads, notepads and other instrumentalities.
Additional Expenses
Most of the netizens and ordinary people said that the change from Pilipinas to Filipinas would entail a lot of additional expenses like changing the company letterheads , signage and doing transactions with the outside world. The central bank (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) and the national state university (Unibersidad ng Pilipinas). Due to the cost needed to comply with the resolution, the commission suggests a gradual transition—use up all letterheads and notepads bearing the “Pilipinas” mark and order new batches reflecting the change.
Filipinos are already accustomed to the word ” Philippines” when they are referring to the country ( English speakers) , Pilipinas for (Filipino speakers )and Filipinas ( Spanish speakers) . I hope that the habit of changing the country’s name will be the last one. Otherwise , we expect another change in about 50 years-time ? Just like the vanishing street names of Manila- Do you still remember Gastambide, Lepanto , Morayta, Isaac Peral , Oriente, Condesa
For comments and suggestions :
Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino
Address: Ika-2 Palapag, Gusaling Watson, 1610 Kalye J. P. Laurel, San Miguel, Lungsod ng Maynila 1005
Telephone numbers . (632) 73-625/24 736-2519 708-6972 fax 516-0347
Email: komfil.gov@gmail.com o i-click para sa inyong mensahe
Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino: http://www.kwf.gov.ph/
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Advocacy, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Filipinas, Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino, National Artist Virgilio Almario, nationalism, Philippines, Pilipinas, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas | 4 Comments »
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