When I read their remarks I remembered that a group of Filipino university professors, scholars and linguists, including two National Artists for Literature, recently filed a petition in the Supreme Court to stop teaching of English as the second language in schools. They challenged a presidential directive issued in May 17, 2003, and its implementation by the Department of Education, mandating that English be used as the medium of instruction for math and science beginning with the third grade, and for all subjects in secondary schools. They claimed it’s unconstitutional. So far, the high tribunal has not acted on their plea.

There is really nothing wrong with teaching English to Filipino students as a second language, together with the national language (Filipino or Tagalog or Pilipino). There is everything to gain. And the decision is very, very timely.

Look at it this way. English is essential for those hoping to compete in the globalized world. While most Filipinos are convinced that English mastery leads to better job opportunities, et cetera, et cetera, national proficiency in the language has declined by 10 percent over the last 20 years, according to a 2006 survey by the Social Weather Stations.

The sad truth is that the Philippines is being left behind by China and other Asian neighbors, not to mention other nations in Europe and South America, in English proficiency, the sciences, math and information technology. These countries have started to teach their children English at ever younger ages.

According to a report of Newsweek in its latest issue, the British Council’s prevailing model is to ensure that students gain Basic English proficiency in primary school and then use it as a language of study in secondary School.

This model is much evident in Europe. In Austria and Norway 90 percent of primary school students study English; in Spain more than 80 percent; in South America, Colombia and Chile have implemented ambitious programs to boost English skills. Here in the Philippines, English has been mandated by a presidential directive (as mentioned above) as the medium of instruction for math and science beginning in third grade, and for all subjects in secondary schools. But, strangely, some Filipino savants want to stop young Filipinos from learning English.

And now, believe it or not, no country in the world today can compare with China in the teaching of English. It is there that you find the world’s largest number of students learning English. (Oh, by the way, a very dear friend, Nieves Epistola, professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines, pioneered in teaching English to Chinese students in Beijing, before China caught the English bug.)

Of course, many are learning Mandarin, but the number of those speaking Mandarin pales to the number of those learning English. In China alone, some 175 million people are now studying English in the formal education system. And it is estimated that two billion will be studying it by 2010.

From China, let us go to our nearby neighbors in Asia. In South Korea many are suffering from a profound case of English fever. It boasts of at least 10 "English villages" where children can practice their language skills. And there is even an internet company that offers English courses for fetuses in the womb!

Taiwan has also been caught by the English bug. Three million students now study English, and, following South Korea’s lead, Taiwan is also opening an "English village."

In Japan, English is increasing its lead over other languages like Mandarin, French and German. In 2005 alone, there were some 3.6 million high school students studying English. And in 2006, Tokyo created 100 "super English high schools" where core classes are taught exclusively in English.

In Europe, English has become the lingua franca. From 2002 to 2005 the numbers of German primary school students studying English soared from 16 to 47 percent; and in Greece they have doubled from 44 to nearly 90 percent.

"English," says David Noonan, a Hong Kong-based expert in teaching English as a second language, "will remain the dominant global language for at least the next 50 years because of its pre-eminent position as the language of science, technology, tourism, entertainment, and the media."

Once more, in mighty China, more and more people there are heading to English classes wherever they can find them!

And here in the Philippines, alas, we may be left behind in the global march to English proficiency, if those university savants, linguists, educators, writers and two National Artist awardees, who all speak and write and teach in English – are allowed to stop the teaching of English to young Filipinos, and to prevail in their blind language nationalism.