<P> In 1959, the language became known as Pilipino in an effort to dissociate it from the Tagalog ethnic group . The changing of the name did not, however, result in universal acceptance among non-Tagalogs, especially Cebuanos who had previously not accepted the 1937 selection . </P> <P> The 1960s saw the rise of the purist movement where new words were being coined to replace loanwords . This era of "purism" by the SWP sparked criticisms by a number of persons . Two counter-movements emerged during this period of "purism": one campaigning against Tagalog and the other campaigning for more inclusiveness in the national language . In 1963, Negros Occidental congressman Innocencio V. Ferrer took a case reaching the Supreme Court questioning the constitutionality of the choice of Tagalog as the basis of the national language (a case ruled in favor of the national language in 1970). Accusing the national language as simply being Tagalog and lacking any substantial input from other Philippine languages, Congressman Geruncio Lacuesta eventually lead a "Modernizing the Language Approach Movement" (MOLAM). Lacuesta hosted a number of "anti-purist" conferences and promoted a "Manila Lingua Franca" which would be more inclusive of loanwords of both foreign and local languages . Lacuesta managed to get nine congressmen to propose a bill aiming to abolish the SWP with an Akademia ng Wikang Filipino, to replace the balarila with a Gramatica ng Wikang Filipino, to replace the 20 - letter Abakada with a 32 - letter alphabet, and to prohibit the creation of neologisms and the respelling of loanwords . This movement quietened down following the death of Lacuesta . </P> <P> The national language issue was revived once more during the 1971 Constitutional Convention . While there was a sizable number of delegates in favor of retaining the Tagalog - based national language, majority of the delegates who were non-Tagalogs were even in favor of scrapping the idea of a "national language" altogether . A compromise was reached and the wording on the 1973 constitution made no mention of dropping the national language Pilipino or made any mention of Tagalog . Instead, the 1973 Constitution, in both its original form and as amended in 1976, designated English and Pilipino as official languages and provided for development and formal adoption of a common national language, termed Filipino, to replace Pilipino . Neither the original nor the amended version specified either Tagalog or Pilipino as the basis for Filipino; Instead, tasking the National Assembly to: </P> <P> take steps toward the development and formal adoption of a common national language to be known as Filipino . </P>

Why tagalog is the national language of the philippines