The Philippine Trial Lawyers Association, Inc. (PTLA) has formally requested permission from the Supreme Court to conduct courtroom proceedings in the Filipino language throughout the month of August to mark Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa (National Language Month).
PTLA President Atty. Pete Principe submitted the organization’s June 1 resolution to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo in a letter dated July 8, 2026. The petition aims to harmonize judicial activities with the annual national celebration established under Proclamation No. 1041.
According to the association, the proposal complements the current administration’s strategy of utilizing the national language to strengthen economic initiatives. The group pointed out that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. regularly delivers official directives and speeches in Filipino, a language understood by roughly 92% of the country’s population.
In his communication to the top magistrate, Principe emphasized the prominence of the language:
“Tagalog is the nucleus of Filipino National Language and is known as the major native tongue and widely recognized as the leading language out of around 176 languages all over the country,” Principe remarked in his letter.
The PTLA supported its petition by citing the judiciary’s expanding adoption of the language. Principe observed that Chief Justice Gesmundo has frequently integrated Filipino into his official remarks, referencing his addresses during the 2026 Independence Day ceremony in Caloocan City and the 18th graduation rites of the Bulacan State University Law School.
The group also noted the positive feedback received by Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando when he spoke in both English and Filipino at the same university’s 20th graduation exercises.
Furthermore, the organization drew comparisons to the ongoing Senate impeachment trial, where the use of the vernacular has reportedly boosted civic interest. PTLA Secretary General Atty. Yolando Lim highlighted this trend:
“Noticeably, viewers are now strongly hooked on TV due to the very effective use of Tagalog by the prosecution and the defense panels. Even the Senator Judges switch Tagalog and English effectively for the benefit of the public,” Lim said.
The PTLA anchored its appeal on Sections 6 to 9 of Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution. These constitutional mandates establish Filipino as the national and official language for communication, require the Constitution to be translated into major regional dialects, and direct Congress to form a commission dedicated to preserving linguistic heritage.
The lawyers’ group maintained that permitting Filipino in courtrooms this August would celebrate the national language month while advancing the constitutional goal of integrating the native tongue into public affairs.