In 1939 a language based on Tagalog became this country's official language
Lope K. Santos who 
was then appointed director of the Institute of National Language (1939),... [DOC] [TLE] Languages of The Philippines - National and Official Languages ... [PAR] Spanish was the original official language of the country for more than three 
centuries, and became ... of a common national language based on one of the 
existing native languages.