Law Summary
Preservation of Legal Validity of Spanish Documents
- A significant number of important government documents remain in Spanish and are yet to be officially translated into English or Pilipino.
- These documents retain legal significance pending their translation.
Recognition of Spanish Language as Part of National Heritage
- Spanish is acknowledged as a valuable part of the Philippine national heritage.
- The Philippines shares this linguistic heritage with the Hispanic community of nations.
Presidential Decree Declaration and Effectivity
- Presidential Decree No. 155 officially recognizes Spanish as an official language in the Philippines for certain purposes.
- This recognition specifically applies to important government documents written in Spanish that have not been translated into English or Pilipino.
- The decree ensures the continued legal admissibility of such documents.
- It was promulgated by President Ferdinand E. Marcos under his constitutional authority and related proclamations and orders.
- The law took immediate effect upon issuance on March 15, 1973.