Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 1881)
Republic Act No. 1881 amends Section One of Republic Act No. 709 and declares the teaching of Spanish obligatory in all universities and colleges, public and private, in the Philippines.
All public and private universities and colleges in the Philippines are affected and required to teach Spanish as prescribed by the law.
Students in these courses are required to complete at least twenty-four units of Spanish without increasing the number of years required to complete their course.
The curriculum must include Mabini's Memorias de la Revolucion Filipina, a compilation of outstanding speeches from the Congress of the First Philippine Republic, and a compilation of great poems by Filipino poets such as Jose Rizal, Cecilio Apostol, Fernando Ma. Guerrero, Jose Palma, Claro M. Recto, Jesus Balmori, Manuel Bernabe, Flavio Zaragoza Cano, Pacifico Victoriano, among others.
The compilation is to be undertaken by the Secretary of Education, the head of the Spanish department at the University of the Philippines, and the head of the Spanish department in any private university chosen by the Secretary of Education.
No, Spanish is optional for foreign students as stated in the Act.
No, students who have obtained units in other foreign languages prior to the approval of this Act to satisfy foreign language requirements can continue studying those languages instead of Spanish until their requirements are fulfilled.
The Act took effect beginning with the school year 1957-1958.
No, the Act requires the completion of the Spanish units without increasing the current number of years required for course completion.
The inclusion aims to highlight the Philippine historical and national identity through Spanish literature, strengthening patriotism and nationalism among students.