The basic right to speak one's native tongue!

Finally, the Hamilton Class US Coast Guard Cutter renamed BRP Gregorio del Pilar, dubbed as the Philippine Navy’s “newest and largest” ship, arrived at the Manila Harbor and was welcomed by no less than President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III (with his official family in tow) and Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice-Admiral Alexander Pama in formal ceremonies. I can understand why Vice-Admiral Pama is feeling excited these days, after all, it’s been quite some time now since the Navy got a large vessel like this.

However, I’m sorry if I don’t sing hosannas to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program under the Aquino administration, because acquiring a naval vessel that was brand new when I was still in college isn’t modernization in my book. I looked up the dictionary for the meaning of “modern”, and the closest answer says “belonging to the modern era or relating to a recently developed fashion or style.” Here we are, complaining that we are getting second hand helicopters for the PNP, but we beam with pride in acquiring an old 44-year-old Coast Guard cutter!

As Marichu A. Villanueva aptly wrote in her “Commonsense” column last Wednesday, “The AFP Modernization Act, which Congress passed into law in 1995 was supposed to modernize the military in 15 years at a total estimated cost of P331 billion that would be raised partially from annual budget allocations and proceeds from the sale of military-owned lands. Having once headed the military as AFP chief of staff, former President Fidel Ramos started the ball rolling for the AFP modernization program.”

But we all know that this program was stalled to the detriment of the AFP, thanks to too much politics and corruption. If I had it my way, I would never have sold Fort Bonifacio, but give it as a long term lease for businessmen to develop so that after the long term lease were over, the AFP would benefit from the income that Fort Bonifacio could generate. This program only showed what kind of poor sighted political leaders we elected into office.

For many years now, I have been batting for the Navy to acquire fast crafts like the SuperCats that ply between Cebu and Bohol because these can be built locally (which could bring more jobs for Pinoys here at home) and fitted with all sorts of weaponry that the Navy needs. But then our Navy’s top brass wanted a huge high seas vessel that we could ill-afford. So instead of having at least four or five new super fast vessels, we only get one big ship. That means its coverage is very limited.

Worse of all, in times of battle, a huge ship is a bigger target and therefore much easier to sink. But never mind, we got it already and despite its inclusion in the Philippine Navy, it doesn’t make the navy fall into the modern category. Meanwhile I gathered that P-Noy has a submarine among his wish list. If you ask me, what we need are surface craft that can go at high-speed even in shallow waters... a sub is something we don’t need at this point where we are still considered a third world country.

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The month of August has been dubbed as “Buwan ng Wika” and last Sunday, another paper came up with a headline story about four Filipino-American workers who won their discrimination lawsuit against the Bon Secours Health System, a hospital based in Baltimore, Maryland. Apparently, these health workers were speaking in Tagalog, which violated the “English-only” policy of the hospital. The hospital had the nurses, Corina Yap, Ana Rosales, Hacelle Natano and Health unit coordinator Jazziel Granada, dismissed for this violation. So they filed the case for discrimination and won!

Indeed this is a victory for Freedom of Expression, after all, one of the most basic human rights is the right to speak one’s own native tongue. I’m just surprise why Bon Secours (translated from French means Good Help), which is a Catholic organization imposed such a restriction. I know Bon Secours well enough as my own first cousin, Dr. Victoria Segura, is one of the top officers of Bon Secours in Richmond, Virginia. She’s a doctor of Medicine who joined this religious organization and I’m sure that those rules on speaking only the English language were designed to ensure proper communication with patients. But then, the Fil-Ams won their case.

I’m writing this piece also as a reminder to teachers in Metro Manila who even fine their students who speak in Cebuano and not in Tagalog. Years back when my daughter studied at the Ateneo, she told me that her teachers scolded her for speaking in Cebuano. A few days ago ANC came up with a query whether English or Tagalog should be the official language of Congress. Rep. Sergio Apostol wanted English because Congress represents the majority of the Filipino people who are not Tagalog speakers!

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