Which DepEd Order declared Regional Language as Auxiliary language?

• A. DepEd Order no. 5 s. 1975
• B. DepEd Order no. 52 s. 1987
• C. DepEd Order no. 25 s. 2002
• D. DepEd Order no. 32 s. 2013

Answer: (B)

Using regional languages as auxiliary language in education signals a policy shift to support learners by explaining concepts in their own languages while continuing to use the national languages as the primary mediums of instruction. The order issued in 1987 makes this explicit, stating that regional languages may be used as auxiliary language in schools and classrooms. This recognition helps learners grasp new ideas more easily and builds foundational literacy before or alongside instruction in Filipino and English. It also set the stage for later reforms that further expanded the role of regional languages in schooling, culminating in the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education approach in the following decades. Other DepEd orders from different years address different policy areas, so they do not establish this specific use of regional languages.