Filipino (Tagalog) and English are the official languages of the Phillipines with the recognition of the regional languages as auxiliary official in their respective regions, including Aklanon, Bikol, Cebuano, Chavacano, Hiligaynon, Ibanag, Ilocano, Ivatan, Kapampangan, Kinaray-a, Maguindanao, Maranao, Pangasinan, Sambal, Surigaonon, Tagalog, Tausug, Waray, and Yakan. Spanish and Arabic are to be promoted on an optional and voluntary basis. Spanish was the national and official language of the country for more than three centuries under Spanish colonial rule, and became the lingua franca of the Philippines in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1863 a Spanish decree introduced universal education, creating free public schooling in Spanish. It was also the language of the Philippine Revolution, and the 1899 Malolos Constitution effectively proclaimed it as the official language of the First Philippine Republic. National hero Jose Rizal wrote most of his works in Spanish. Luciano de la Rosa established that Spanish was spoken by a total of 60% of the population in the early 20th century as a first, second or third language. Following the American occupation of the Philippines and the imposition of English, the use of Spanish declined gradually, especially after the 1940s. Generally the pronunciation of Filipino words follow Spanish sounds and emphasis. You will find that many of the words in the Filipino language have Spanish origens and many are of English origen with phonetic and Filipino dialect spellings. Cebuano, ( AKA Bisaya / Sinugbuanon / Binisaya nga Sugbuanon) belongs to the Philippine branch of Malayo-Polynesian languages and is spoken by about 20 million people in the Philippines. It is most often referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya. It is spoken mainly in the Central Visayas by the Bisaya people, and is also spoken in northeastern parts of Negros Occidental province, in southern parts of Masbate, in most of Leyte and Southern Leyte, in western portions of Guimaras, in parts of Samar, Bohol, Luzon, the Biliran islands, and in most parts of Mindanao. It is used as a lingua franca in the Central Visayas and in parts of Mindanao. The language is named after the island of Cebu, where the prestige register is spoken, and is also known as Bisaya, Binisaya, Binisaya nga Sugbuanon or Sinugbuanon. Cebuano speakers are known as Cebuano in Cebu, as Bol-anon in Bohol, as Kana in Leyte, and as Binisaga or Bisaya in Mindanao and Luzon. This dictionary contains 15,000 words in English, Filipino and Cebuano. Also included are guides for pronouncing each language. We also publish an English / Cebuano Dictionary and an English / Filipino Dictionary and other resources for learning each language. See our website for availability: www.wordsrus.info