The Tagalog word for “news” is balita.
Nagbabagang Balita means “Hot News.”
News Articles on Tagalog
More than two percent of Californians speak Tagalog, making the language native to the Philippines the most common foreign dialogue spoken in the state of California, after Spanish.
There are about 832,024 Californians who speak Tagalog at home.
Tagalog is also the most commonly spoken foreign language after Spanish in the states of Washington and Nevada.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III has rejected a request from the Office of the Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV) to use Tagalog during parts of their opening statement in the upcoming trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Presiding Judge Joanna Korner ruled that English will be the primary language used during the trial, which is set to begin on November 30, 2026.
Principal Counsel Paolina Massidda asked to use Tagalog for roughly 15 to 20 minutes (with specific Tagalog quotes lasting 1 to 2 minutes at a time) to recite direct victim narratives so listeners could better connect with the testimony.
Under the Rome Statute, the official working languages of the ICC are English and French, and a departure requires a “really exceptional reason.”
Judge Korner noted that using Tagalog would complicate proceedings, increase translation costs, and not necessarily represent the native language of all participating victims.
All statements made in court will be interpreted into Tagalog, and Tagalog transcripts will be provided on the ICC’s official website.