Lapid wants disaster-related announcements translated to Tagalog, regional languages

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Lito Lapid has filed a bill that would require government agencies to translate all disaster-related announcements and advisories to Tagalog and other regional languages or dialects.

Under Senate Bill No. 1539, government agencies are mandated to “convert in an easily understandable form and translate to Filipino and any other appropriate regional language/s or dialect/s all their announcements, advisories, press releases, issuances and any other information relevant to such disaster or emergency.”

“Nais nating ang lahat ng impormasyon ukol sa mga kalamidad ay madaling maunawaan, lalo na ng ating mga kababayan sa iba’t ibang rehiyon,” Lapid said in a statement on Friday.

(We want all disaster-related information to be language-accessible and readily-comprehensive, especially to speakers of our regional languages and dialects).

He said the government’s aim to keep the public well-informed and prepared for impending disasters “fall short of its objective because not all could understand English or Tagalog.”

This, as he pointed out that most government announcements and advisories regarding disasters or calamities are delivered either in English or Tagalog. 

If signed into law, Lapid said his proposed measure would ensure that information relating to impending calamities or emergencies such as those on epidemics, outbreaks, social amelioration program, emergency assistance and other social protection measures would be converted into an easily understandable form and translated to Tagalog or the appropriate dialect.

The bill would also require the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) to “render the necessary technical assistance and expertise to the government agencies and local government units and monitor their compliance to the duties mandated by the Act.”

/MUF