International Journal of Language and Linguistics 2020; 8(6): 240-245 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ijll doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20200806.11 ISSN: 2330-0205 (Print); ISSN: 2330-0221 (Online) Evaluation of the Philippine National Foreign Language Program in Public Secondary Schools Jocelyn Dr Andaya, Tina Amor Buhat, Ana Marie Calapit, Glenne Delos Trinos, Rosa Ligaya Domingo, Wenda Fajardo, Ayette Ferriols, Riza Gusano, Anna Maria Patricia Santos, Samuel Soliven Department of Education (DepEd), Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD), Manila, Philippines Email address: To cite this article: Jocelyn Dr Andaya, Tina Amor Buhat, Ana Marie Calapit, Glenne Delos Trinos, Rosa Ligaya Domingo, Wenda Fajardo, Ayette Ferriols, Riza Gusano, Anna Maria Patricia Santos, Samuel Soliven. Evaluation of the Philippine National Foreign Language Program in Public Secondary Schools. International Journal of Language and Linguistics. Vol. 8, No. 6, 2020, pp. 240-245. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20200806.11 Received: March 27, 2020; Accepted: April 22, 2020; Published: November 4, 2020 Abstract: The study evaluated the implementation of the Philippine National Foreign Language Program (Special Program in Foreign Language [SPFL]). A descriptive research design was employed to identify the following: (1) the profile of SPFL students and graduates and (2) the graduates’ current status; (3) the teachers’ and school heads’ assessment of the program and (4) the difference between the two; and (5) the challenges encountered in the implementation of SPFL. The current study found varied reasons for unemployment among graduates, but there was a consensus among student- and graduate-participants that the program is satisfactory in terms of its objectives and curriculum. Teachers reported to have encountered serious problems in SPFL implementation while the principals described the problems as only moderately serious. A model for implementing the SPFL curriculum was then developed based on the results of the study. This includes four main agents of implementation: administrators, teachers, learners and support groups, each with respective tasks to practice. Keywords: Foreign Language, Implementation Practices, Curriculum Model 1. Introduction The vast development brought about by modern technology, specifically communication technology, has caused significant influx in the number of international, business, and social communication transactions [3, 13]. This, in turn, highlights the importance of foreign language as one of the primary engines of globalization. Effective communication is key to sustaining an interconnected world, making foreign language skills the “ultimate 21 st century social skill [12]” and global competency. But more than its contribution to the development of global citizenship, the ability to use a foreign language offers many personal benefits to the language learners themselves. The World Economic Forum [14] identifies tolerance as one of the affective advantages to foreign language learning as it fosters perspective-taking skills and cultural intelligence or the ability to understand and be flexible to different world views, hence allowing for easy transition to and engagement in varied new situations. Multilingual learners, furthermore, have been consistently found to be more cognitively advanced displaying creativity, problem-solving, divergent thinking, and social skills [9]. Parallel to this, Abbott (2018) [1] reports that academic gains in all learning areas or subjects are experienced by students who participate in foreign language programs. In light of the personal and societal significance of foreign language education, the Philippine Education Department (DepEd) put forth the Special Program in Foreign Language (SPFL), which is anchored on various legal bases – the most relevant of which is Republic Act 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 [7, 15]. DepEd Memorandum No. 560, s. 2008 launched the SPFL in public and private secondary schools, which were encouraged to offer the following foreign languages: Spanish, French, and Japanese in 2009; German in 2010; Chinese Mandarin in 2011; and Korean in 2016 [4, 5, 15]. The objective of the SPFL is to prepare students for higher education and employment with competence in a foreign language, and to engage in meaningful interactions in a