Multilingual Pinas

"The Philippines is a multilingual nation. But up to now, we only see English and this Tagalog, self-styled as "Filipino" being the language of literacy and the academe in our schools. What about our Cebuano, Ilocano, Bicol, Kapampangan, Hiligaynon? Why schools are continually repressing the use of these languages in their respective regions when in fact, they are as capable as Tagalog self-styled as Filipino? Actually, what we are producing in these regions are graduates who are literate more in Tagalog and English than in their native languages. What a shame! Foreigners would be puzzled: How come you are an Ilocano but you can not read and write Iloco properly? How come you are a Pampango but you don't know a bit of Pampango literature?"

found this on a forum. it's another idea i've long toyed with. i even thought of someday starting a sort of dictionary/thesaurus website for all Filipino languages wherein each vernacular can be translated into all the others. perhaps it can be promoted in the domestic academe and cultural entities. i think it's an idea that really needs a serious look by our educational institutions. after all, language is a treasure.