Editing Basilan (section)

===Language===
[[File:Map chavacano.gif|thumb|right|Native Zamboangueño Chavacano speakers in Mindanao.]]

Basilan is home to several ethnolinguistic groups that have their own native vernacular, the main ones being Chavacano, Tausug, Yakan, and Cebuano (Bisaya). [[Chavacano]] is the primary native tongue of the Christian inhabitants of the island and serves as the lingua franca of Basilan, with 80% of residents being able to speak and understand it.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}} Basilan has the biggest concentration of Chavacano speakers in the Philippines outside of Zamboanga City. [[Tausug language|Tausug]] is also widely spoken, especially among the Muslims, and is spoken and understood by approximately 70% of Basilan's population. [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]] is a preferred third tongue among the Christian and even the Muslims because of the mass influx of [[Cebuano people|Cebuano]] settlers to Mindanao, especially among the Tausūg people since the Tausug language is a [[Visayan languages|Visayan language]] like Cebuano and is spoken and understood by approximately 70% of Basilan's residents. [[Yakan language|Yakan]], the acknowledged native language of Basilan, is used primarily by Yakans, although it is spoken and understood by about 15%-20% of the non-Yakan residents. A lesser percentage can speak or understand Samal/[[Banguingui]] and [[Iranun language|Iranon]], which are mostly confined to members of their respective ethnolinguistic groups. Many locals and barter traders can speak [[malay trade and creole languages#Sabah Malay|Sabah Malay]].

Tagalog and English are used for official business or government transactions. [[Philippine Hokkien|Hokkien Chinese]] is used by the immigrant Chinese community and their descendants. [[Arabic]] is mostly used in Muslim prayers and songs and seldom spoken as an everyday vernacular.