I have a personal connection with the Filipino language, Tagalog. My mother and grandmother converse in this beautiful language, and it is my earnest desire to understand and communicate with them in their native tongue. However, I am faced with a significant obstacle - the popular language learning platform Duolingo does not currently offer Tagalog as an option for study.

The Philippines has over 100 million inhabitants, making it the 12th most populous country globally (World Bank). Furthermore, there are approximately 3.4 million Filipinos residing in the United States alone (U.S Census Bureau). This large diaspora means that many individuals like me wish to connect more deeply with their heritage by learning this important Southeast Asian language.

Duolingo offers courses for languages spoken by far fewer people worldwide than Tagalog. For instance, Irish Gaelic is available on Duolingo despite having only around 440,000 speakers (Central Statistics Office Ireland), while Hawaiian is also offered even though it has just over 24,000 native speakers (U.S Census Bureau).

Adding Filipino/Tagalog to Duolingo would not only benefit those of us who have personal connections to the Philippines but also anyone interested in Southeast Asian cultures or languages more broadly.

Please support our call for inclusivity and diversity of languages on educational platforms like Duolingo. Sign this petition urging Duolingo to include Filipino/Tagalog among its offered languages!