This paper investigates the extent to which Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines acknowledge and integrate the country's multilingual realities into their academic and administrative frameworks. Despite the Philippines' diverse linguistic landscape, the study finds that many HEIs continue to prioritize English and Filipino as the primary languages of instruction and official communication, often at the expense of regional and indigenous languages. Through a critical analysis of institutional policies and stakeholder experiences, the research highlights the tension between global competitiveness—which drives the dominance of English—and the pedagogical benefits of Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE). The findings suggest that while there is an emerging awareness of linguistic diversity, actual implementation of multilingual policies remains fragmented and lacks institutionalized support. The paper concludes by advocating for a more inclusive language policy in higher education that validates local linguistic identities as essential tools for knowledge production and social inclusion.