Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 134)
Commonwealth Act No. 184 was enacted to carry out the constitutional mandate contained in Section 3, Article XIII of the Constitution, enjoining the adoption of a national language based on one of the existing native tongues of the Philippines.
The members appointed were Jaime C. de Veyra (Chairman), Santiago A. Fonacier, Filemon Sotto, Casimero F. Perfecto, Felix S. Salas Rodriguez, Hadji Butu, and Cecilio Lopez (Secretary).
The Institute concluded that among the Philippine languages, Tagalog most nearly fulfills the requirements of Commonwealth Act No. 184 and should be used as the basis of the national language.
The Institute was fulfilling the mandate contained in Section 3, Article XIII of the Constitution which enjoins the adoption of a national language based on one of the native tongues.
No, the adoption of Tagalog as the national language does not affect the requirement that instruction in public schools shall primarily be conducted in the English language as stated in the Ordinance appended to the Constitution.
Executive Order No. 134 was promulgated on December 30, 1937, and declared the national language based on Tagalog to take effect two years from that date.
The proclamation took effect two years after its promulgation on December 30, 1937, which means it became effective on December 30, 1939.
Manuel L. Quezon signed as President of the Philippines and Elpidio Quirino as Secretary of the Interior.
The selection of Tagalog was supported by Filipino scholars and patriots of diverse origins and beliefs who unanimously favored Tagalog as the basis for the national language.
Section 7 of Commonwealth Act No. 184 empowers the President to adopt the national language based on the Institute's recommendation, which is why the Executive Order was issued approving Tagalog as the national language's basis.