Manila: Akbayan Partylist Rep. Chel Diokno has introduced a bill that mandates the translation of Philippine laws with penal provisions into Filipino, Bisaya, and Ilokano, aiming to dismantle existing language barriers.
According to Philippines News Agency, House Bill No. 3863, referred to as the ‘Batas sa Sariling Wika’ Act, aims to amend the Revised Administrative Code of 1987. This amendment would necessitate translations of laws into the three major Philippine languages, which represent the country’s four largest ethnolinguistic groups: Tagalog (26 percent), Bisaya (14.3 percent), Ilokano (8 percent), and Cebuano (8 percent).
If the bill is passed, new laws with penal provisions must be translated within 90 days. Additionally, existing laws with penal provisions, such as the Revised Penal Code, Labor Code, RA 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act), Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act, Safe Spaces Act, and the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, among others, will need to be translated within five years.
The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) is designated as the primary authority for translations, while the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) will handle the publication of these translations in the Official Gazette and ensure their online availability.
Rep. Diokno emphasized the importance of accessibility, stating, “How can we expect ordinary citizens to follow the law if it’s written in a language they can’t understand? A worker in Mindanao shouldn’t need a lawyer or translator to understand the Labor Code; a mother in Ilocos should be able to read the Anti-VAWC law in her native tongue.”
He further highlighted the necessity of making laws comprehensible to ordinary citizens in their local languages to reduce the risk of misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Diokno also noted that this proposal aligns the Philippines with its Southeast Asian neighbors, where countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste draft and enforce laws in their native languages.
