Pursuant to Proclamation No. 1041, August is celebrated in the Philippines as Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa (National Language Month). The month-long nationwide activities are led by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), with the theme “Wikang Filipino: Mula Baler Hanggang Buong Pilipinas.’’ The celebration coincides with the 400th anniversary of the Municipality of Baler, Aurora Province, as declared by Proclamation No. 1696. Baler is the birthplace of Manuel Luis Quezon, Father of the National Language.

The 2009 Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa aims to highlight the importance of the National Language to our national identity and culture and promote it as a medium of communication. It aims to advance the use of Filipino as a language for teaching and literature and in cultural discussions, and emphasize its role as an effective instrument for the economic stability of our nation. Each week of the month of August will focus on a specific topic, namely, “The Filipino Language: An Important Tool to Exhibit Valor, Excellence, and Industry for Freedom,’’ August 1-7; “Filipino Language:

Key to National Identity,’’ August 8-15; “Filipino Language: Instrument toward Effective Communication and for Teaching Language and Literature,’’ August 16-22; and “Filipino Language: From Baler to Batanes and Tawi-Tawi,’’ August 23-31.

In celebrating Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa, we also commemorate the struggle of our forefathers for the freedom that laid the groundwork for the development of a national language embracing our common aspirations and uniting us as a people despite the geographic divide. We are drawn to appreciate the Filipino language as enriched by words from various cultures. And we celebrate the many regional languages of the Philippines that co-exist with, and continue to contribute to the creation of, an intricately woven, rich, and continually evolving medium of oral and written communication that we call Filipino.

Our national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal said, “Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika, daig pa ang malansang isda’’(He who does not love his own language is worse than a smelly fish).

May his words serve as a constant reminder to all of us that we owe it to our future generations to keep our National Language alive by using, enriching, and making it responsive to the needs of the times, while preserving what makes it distinctly Filipino.