Politics · Philippines Bureau
Duterte urges protection of Filipino language amid AI advancement
Vice President Sara Duterte has called for greater attention to preserving Filipino as the national language as artificial intelligence and digital technologies reshape communication. Duterte, who previously served as education secretary, made the appeal during the country's observance of the Filipino language month.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte warned against neglecting Filipino as the country's national language in the face of rapid technological and artificial intelligence development. Speaking on Monday, Duterte stressed that Filipino should not be overlooked as digital transformation accelerates across the region and globally.
Duterte, who held the education portfolio from 2022 to 2024, raised her concerns as part of the Philippines' broader celebration highlighting the national language. Her remarks underscored the risk that indigenous and national languages face in an increasingly AI-driven world where English and other major languages dominate digital platforms and applications.
The Vice President's intervention reflects broader concerns across Asia about language preservation in the digital age. Education officials and linguists have flagged how artificial intelligence systems are predominantly trained on English-language data, potentially marginalizing regional and national languages in technological development.
Duterte's position as former education chief lends weight to her advocacy for linguistic preservation. Her call suggests the government may need to strengthen policies ensuring Filipino remains viable and relevant as technology reshapes how Filipinos communicate, learn, and work in coming years.