Our language is also a gift. And like every precious gift, it becomes more meaningful when we share it.
(June 11 2026) Philippine Flag waving, while the construction workers busy working at the top of the ongoing construction building in Quezon City, ahead of the observance of the Philippine Independence Day. Photo/Analy Labor
There was something especially heartwarming about celebrating Buwan ng Wika at the Fatima Day Care Center.
Watching the little children dressed in colorful Filipino attire, surrounded by their parents and teachers, reminded me that love of country does not always begin with grand speeches.
Sometimes, it begins with a child learning a Filipino song, tasting a traditional delicacy for the first time, or proudly wearing a barong, baro’t saya or an outfit representing one of our many cultural communities.
The booths offering different Filipino food were more than decorations for a school celebration. They became little classrooms where children could discover the richness of the country they call home.
This is why we celebrate Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa.
In 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos issued Proclamation 1041 declaring August of every year as Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa. The proclamation recognizes our national language as an important instrument for communication, understanding, unity and national development.
Our commitment goes even deeper. Republic Act 7104, which created the Commission on the Filipino Language, declares it a policy of the State to promote the development and enrichment of Filipino while recognizing and preserving the other languages of the Philippines.
This is important because celebrating the Filipino language should never mean forgetting Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Bikolano, Waray and the many other languages spoken by our people. They are all threads in the beautiful fabric of our national identity.
Language is also an expression of generosity.
Every time a grandmother patiently teaches her grandchild an old Filipino word, she gives something that money cannot buy. Every time parents teach their children the songs, stories, recipes and traditions they inherited from their own parents, they are passing on a priceless gift.
I saw that same generosity at the Fatima Day Care Center. Parents gave their time to prepare their children. Teachers lovingly organized activities and explained our traditions. Families shared food. Behind every booth and every smiling child were people who generously contributed their time, effort and talent so that another generation could understand what it means to be Filipino.
Perhaps this is the deeper meaning of Buwan ng Wika.
We celebrate not merely because the government has declared August a special month for our national language. We celebrate because language carries our memories. Through language, we tell our children where they came from. Through language, we express “pagmamahal,” “malasakit,” “bayanihan” and “pag-asa,” values that define the generosity of the Filipino heart.
The Bible reminds us in 1 Peter 4:10: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others.”
Our language is also a gift. And like every precious gift, it becomes more meaningful when we share it.
As Buwan ng Wika comes to a close, may we continue to speak our languages, teach them to our children, and preserve the stories behind them.
Because when we give our children our language, we give them more than words.
We give them roots. We give them identity. We give them home.
