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Get Rid Of The "Ayaw Ko Ng Ingles" Culture In The Philippines

In the past, the Philippines used to be known for quality English because it was once an American colony during the Commonwealth Period. On July 4, 1946 we saw the Philippines become a truly independent republic. Sad to say but the Philippines has already lost its edge with Filipinos who were once known to speak English well in all of Asia. In the past, a lot of Asians had a hard time with English and Filipinos were able to beat them and it created a competitive advantage for the Philippines where neighboring countries will go to study in the Philippines to learn better English. 

The problem soon escalated with my best estimate - during the term of the late Corazon Aquino. While I wouldn't call the late Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. a hero but he used English more than Tagalog. After the fall of the Marcos Years the Imperial Manila system got further developed. The whole revolution of ultranationalism became a bigger issue. Even before that, we've had the late Carlos P. Garcia who advocated for the "Filipino First" policy. Unfortunately, the continued use of the "Filipino First" policy hasn't helped the Philippines but it led to failure instead. Today, that has also caused the rise of the phenomenon of Tagalistas or the Elite Tagalog mentality.

The result of the rise of the Elite Tagalog Mentality led to a deterioration of the quality of English among Filipinos. Many of them decide that in the name of nationalism that Tagalog must be prioritized over English. As a result, it has led to to the "Ayaw Ko Ng Ingles" or "I hate English" culture in the Philippines. What's noticeable that a lot of Filipinos can't even get their everyday English done right because of too much priority over Tagalog. Like, did I ever tell you that local networks are now dubbing almost every foreign show in Tagalog? While I can understand that non-English foreign shows get dubbed in Tagalog but why dub all the English shows in Tagalog? That has greatly compromised the quality of Filipino English. It's like Carabao English has become more recognized than properly spoken English in the Philippines.

What makes these Elite Tagalistas annoying is that they have their high pride in their Tagalog. They mock anyone who can't speak Tagalog properly. Worse, they have this habit of saying, "Ano? Hindi ka makaintindi ng Tagalog? Pa-Ingles Ingles ka pa?!" which is translated as, "What? You can't understand Tagalog? You're always speaking in English!" All the while, they may be shouting, "PENOY PRAYD!" to any Filipino who wins a singing contest abroad (then maybe flip their stance if it wasn't a Tagalog Pinoy) or enjoy music by Filipino artists which are in English, watching concerts by Filipino artists rendered mostly in English, they're reading from instruction manuals written in English or they may be watching imported shows for all we know. I mean, those idiots shouldn't be acting like they aren't using anything that's not born out of foreign influence or anything that's not Filipino made. Like let me ask me ask them again when you were installing your appliances at home were the instruction manuals primarily written in Tagalog or in English?

Some of them tend to say, "Well we're not America or England." all the while, many of them continue to brag that OFWs are the new heroes. It's hypocritical considering this fact. Didn't they say they wanted to uphold the Tagalista mentality? Since many of them think that foreigners are evil then shouldn't they return back to work in the Philippines and not in a foreign land? They can go ahead and say that they're working in other countries in act of  "invading" other countries in an act of conquest for Imperial Manila. In reality, OFWs bow down before a foreign boss on a foreign land while foreign investment in the Philippines means bowing down a foreign boss who's under the control of their land. Also, don't they even realize that when they go to work as OFWs that they are the foreigners in other countries? Don't tell me that Filipinos aren't foreigners in other countries? What? Is the world only meant to be occupied by Filipinos and everyone who's not a Filipino is a foreigner? That's just idiotic in several levels because if they say they hate foreigners but aren't they foreigners in other people's countries? Well go back to the Philippines where they are not foreigners. 

Like it or not, the Philippines' problem is not only because it adheres to the fantasy of self-industrialization but also it refuses to fix those language barriers between them and other nations. Whether you like it or not the world doesn't speak Tagalog. Today's prevalent languages are now English and Mandarin. It's high time to prioritize English over Tagalog and start offering alternative foreign language courses. As said enough is enough! Tama na! Why are we sacrificing English just to uphold the Tagalista mentality which won't help Filipinos in the international community? Don't expect foreigners to learn Tagalog just for the Tagalistas. No, while some of them may want to learn to speak Tagalog as another language but they don't need it. Filipinos need to polish their English and learn some other widely used foreign languages as part of educational reform. 

Comments

  1. I think this is really true, especially when it comes to die-hard Tagalogs who promote "ultranationalism". They would always call Filipinos (especially Visayans) who are fluent in English as "ingleseros" and "ingleseras", which I find really annoying. BTW, your blog really speaks out and means a lot that I became interested to it!

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  2. True!
    Specially those Tagalogs and Tagalists alike, and their brainwashed subjects towards Tagalism and Tagalization of the NON-Tagalog Nations.

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  3. True!
    Specially those Tagalogs and Tagalists alike, and their brainwashed subjects towards Tagalism and Tagalization of the NON-Tagalog Nations.

    For me as a NON-Tagalog, I want the imposition of Tagalog in the educational institution to be removed from all NON-Tagalog Regions. Let tagalog remain and be taught only in their own region.

    While us NON-Tagalog Nations should only learn our respective Ethnic's Mother Tongue along with the real and genuine ethnically neutral and non-biased bridge language, i.e. English. WE NON-Tagalog Nations does NOT need to learn the Language of the Tagalog Nation. we don't need it. we only need our individual Ethnic Nations' Mother Tongue and English as bridge language for inter-ethnic communication within or outside the country.

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  4. Sorry but I have to disagree here. Yeah, Tagalog and any other Filipino languages are not important outside Philippines, but it is important for us Filipinos. I know it's the whole "it's our own language" thing but that's the point. Our language is one of our remaining cultural identity yet why do people here seemingly take it for granted? =/

    About the whole Tagalog being taught outside non-Tagalog regions thing, Tagalog is the STANDARDIZED Filipino language (kind of like the mainland Filipino dialect). I'm not being high and mighty about being a Tagalog person but that's the fact. If you can't accept the fact that Tagalog is being taught in your region, then how will we ever unite as Filipinos if you guys can't even cooperate (I don't even see why this is an issue...other countries have different dialects too but they have to at least learn the mainland language, though they also speak in their own dialect).

    Have to admit though, this is one of the articles I disagree with. It's just... is it wrong to promote our own language? I mean, other countries aren't fluent in English but why are they successful? (I'm not going to name them because you know what those countries are). Does speaking English to be globally competitive will really improve our nation? I'm not against in speaking English but with the kids here nowadays, they don't even know our language anymore.

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    1. yet you hide in anonimity...there are more visayan speakers in the philippines than tagalog speakers...the centralist tagalista empire succeeded in balkanizing the other ethnic languages...yes, english should have been the bridge language of the filipinos...look at how far we've fallen from being the best esl speakers in asia or the world.
      and you're a fopdoodling tommyrot

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  5. i'd celebrate if the said contestant will deny that he's a filipino and say that he's from tha philippines and another ethnic group aside from tagalog...hehehe!

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