This paper traces the three major developmental strands that converged to contribute to the definition of the applied linguistics field in the Philippines: the institution and capacity-building work supported by the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations; the forging of a vibrant consortium among three Filipino institutions of higher education to offer doctoral training in applied linguistics; and the contributions to educational and national development through research and applied activities of groups such as the Summer Institute of Linguistics, the Institute for National Languages, and the Linguistic Society of the Philippines. This progress aside, it is asserted that much remains to be done, and that much remains to be learned about the development of decontextualized language abilities and about the mastery of content material of Tagalog or one of the principal vernacular languages. There is also a lot to be done to help determine the proper role of language and education and national development. (Contains 25 references.) (KFT)