- History
- Middle East
- Revitalizing History
The Philippines’ language system emerged from a long history of colonial rule, internal diversity, and the growing dominance of English in education and economic life. As English became more closely tied to mobility and overseas employment, Filipino and indigenous languages lost institutional ground, with serious consequences for national cohesion and long-term development. Constitutional reform and stronger mechanisms for enforcing language policy offer a path to protect national heritage while preserving the practical advantages of English proficiency.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Mikhail Roshan Tupaz is a senior majoring in International Relations and double-minoring in Linguistics and Modern Languages. His research interests include the role of language policy in the creation of a national identity, particularly in the Philippine case, the possible avenues for linguistic justice and revitalization in the modern world, and the nascent dialogues of Pan-Asianism and the creation of national identity in the late nineteenth century, with relation to the Philippine Revolution.
RELATED SOURCES
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Mikhail Roshan Tupaz, “Reforming Philippine Language Governance: How Language Parity Can Revive Filipino Nationhood,” Hoover Institution, Hoover History Lab Policy Brief no. 2505, October 2025.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Policy in Brief by the Hoover History Lab analyzes contemporary global policy challenges, offering insights and providing possible solutions through a historical lens.
