Historia

Response to the post “Filipinos Are Not Hispanic”

September 13, 2008

I stumbled upon this post by FIl-American Jon Torres over the popular site Associated Content. I would like to share my response to all my reader to some of his well intentioned subjects regarding his reaction as a Filipino to ‘being referred to as Hispanic’, something that is a common experience for those Filipinos who lives close to big Latino communities in the US. (All the italics are mine)

Filipinos Are Not Hispanic

A Few FAQ’s I Keep Having to Answer

By Jon Torres, published Mar 21, 2007

Yesterday I was making a remark to my friend about my Asian heritage and he replied, “Asian? But I thought you were Filipino!” I could only laugh (politely, of course) at his statement, not only because it sounded wrong, but also because I had heard it once too often. This cannot be dismissed away with some flippant remark I’m tempted to make, like “Don’t you ever wonder why there’s no Filipino food at Taco Bell? “

*This is quite common in the States, Filipinos – are being recognized as Hispanics, mainly because of the last name, facial feature & religion but Filipinos historically are Hispanics. Our Hispano culture makes us Hispanics. Mistake is made when hispanization is equated with blood relation and geography.

There seems to be an all-too prevalent belief among the many westerners I meet, which is the notion that Filipinos are Hispanic. While I can see (more or less) how this could be reasoned in a roundabout way, and make its own odd sense, it is nonetheless wrong. To someone who has grown up in the Philippines, it does sound plausible from a certain point of view, yet still very strange for a number of reasons. I will address some questions I frequently get asked on this apparently novel piece of information.

Where is the Philippines? According to Wikipedia ( as well as every single one of my social studies teachers) the Philippines is in Southeast Asia. At this point, I rather think this should end any further explanation. We are much, much closer to Taiwan, China, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore than any country in Europe or Latin America. The geographical neighborhood alone should clue you in to the probable ethnicity of the Filipinos. Perhaps it is simply this lack of awareness as to where the Philippines actually is, that causes many people to guess and consequently, make mistaken assumptions based on that.

___

Our location makes us Asian, but this does not undue our Hispanic roots for the simple reason that hispanization refers to history, language and culture. So if I were to answer the question “if Equatorial Guinea (an African nation) is a Hispanic nation?” my answer would be yes, not only because they speak Castilian but also because hispanization has taken root in their culture and society. Their geography, being a small state in the middle of the African wouldn’t nullify their identity. Same with ours and some of the pacific islands that were under Spain then.

If one is to travel to China, Japan or Thailand – a Filipino would almost immediately feel like in a different world, an alien, “Asia was never at home with us”, Nick Joaquin said and this is true, Manila is a city with little similarity with cities like Bangkok, Beijing and Tokyo etc etc – theirs is an oriental culture, ours is of Hispano origin. On the other hand, if you were to visit Mexico and all the other Latino countries – you would be awed how strikingly similar our culture is with them. So don’t be surprised if American’s see them in you.

___

How do you explain the 80% Catholicism, which is obviously from Spanish colonization of the Philippines? This is true. We were converted from mostly earth-based, ancestral worshipping spiritual beliefs, and baptized as Catholics in the 16th century. This was instrumental in Spain’s control over the Philippines for over three centuries as colonial property, by using organized religion along with political manipulation (without separation of Church and State). This had the effect of having Filipinos subservient to Spanish rule, without enjoying the benefits of being citizens. In short, we were the property of Spain, but we were not Spanish citizens.

___

Part of the reason why Americans looks at Filipinos as Hispanic is because of our religion. Most Asians are seen as Orientals in the US, Orientals for them practices Buddhism, Hindu or religions they see as unfamiliar and mystical. Since Filipinos are Asians in their mind, they would be surprised to see Filipinos practicing the religion of the immigrant Latinos.

Since hispanization is the process by which a place or a person absorbs characteristics of Hispanic society and culture. We are Hispanos more than asianos. Unfortunately, most are not aware of this fact.

“Property of Spain?” – I think this author never heard about the Cadiz constitution – anyway we were all subjects, under a monarchy that translates to citizenship. This is the reason why Filipinos with means then were able to study, live and travel abroad, they were Spanish by right. Could you imagine the Ilustrados, founding a liberal paper called La Solidaridad in the heart of Spain? If they were not protected by their right as Spanish citizens they could’ve been easily executed. In the days of the Yankees, anyone who stood up here and oppose them was blasted into oblivion, they only ceded leadership after they’ve been able to guarantee that they would still be in control, in terms of economic policies and the nations resources.

In the American years, it would be good to review that we never became citizens under their commonwealth, they never wanted us even with the noisy clamor of the federalistas. I’m sure all Filipino immigrants know that it is not an easy process to go there and work – this is how we were repaid. Our glorious stand with the Americans during WWII and all the service we render under their flag is all but forgotten now. While The Japanese and Germans, on the other hand, who fought against them, today, can freely travel in the US without being bothered by the process we usually face. Talk about history and how it is easily forgotten by this western power.

___

But don’t Filipinos speak Spanish? I get this question several times a year, almost on a monthly basis, and every time I want to say a resounding “No!”, they point out my own particular situation, because I happen to speak it passably well. In my case, as I believe is the same with many Filipinos living in the United States, I learned it here: both from Mexican friends and the local community college. The truth is, most Filipinos do not speak Spanish at all. Almost none of us do. From the 19th century American occupation, English has long replaced Spanish as the western lingua franca of the country, and has been for a hundred years.

___

We used to speak Castillan as a nation, but when the American’s came it slowly eroded but it is, as it was pointed out the ‘lingua franca’ back in the days. The American system then recognized literacy based on the use of the English language. Regardless whether you speak or write in Tagala or Castilian you would still be tagged as illiterate if you would neglect the use and study of this foreign language and since there is no way for someone to progress in the new American standard of education if one would not take up English, everyone had no choice but to learn it.

___

It certainly doesn’t help that Filipinos are generally adaptable, and being from a country with over a thousand local dialects, will be averse (or too polite!) to saying they do not understand, or are unable to learn a certain language. We eventually pick up enough of the local language to get by. True, our main dialect, like many others, is in fact peppered with Spanish words, making it fairly easy for us to learn Spanish if we tried. But what few Spanish words that we use in our daily colloquial speech are mostly pidginized and remarkably different from their original meanings (Get this: “leche” is a mild curse word in Tagalog!). Also, we have much more of the neighboring language groups in our vernacular: mostly Malaysian, Chinese, Arabic, and more recently, plenty of English.

___

It seems that the author of this failed to research on how many Spanish words there are in what most scholar’s claims as ‘pure’ tagala. Aside from thousands of Castilian words in the recognized national language, a study of the Spanish language would also highlight that some of the common words we use that we thought were ours were from the Castilian language. Adapted to suit local pronunciation.

I don’t even want to describe what “leche” means as a curse. 🙂

___

Why do you have a Spanish last name? Doesn’t that mean you have at least one Spanish bloodline? A Spanish surname is very common among Filipinos, and this understandably can lead to confusion. It’s like meeting a Japanese person named Park, or more commonly, a Caucasian person named Lee. It however, does not reveal a person’s ancestry automatically. In the case of most Filipinos, the mass-conversion also led to our being relabeled with ‘Christian’ surnames. Genuine intermarrying was probably quite rare back then. I can confidently say that I am no more Hispanic than your roll of “Scotch” tape has been anywhere near Glasgow.

___

Your last name has nothing to do with your identity. You could be Chinese and possess a name like Juan de la Cruz but you would still be Chinese when you wake up in the morning not unless you got that name from the history and culture of your people – only then that it would mean something. Ancestry and places of origin does not define an identity. Again, there is confusion in the definition of nationality, location, ancestry and identity.

It was not just “relabeling” – it was in effect, creating identity for the natives the aside from of course the benefits it would provide the Government then.

They say, your name says a lot of things about you, this is true, a Hispanized name tells the history of adapting to the Spanish ideals of society then, as it was enforced by Claveria, the fact that it was accepted (voluntarily or involuntarily) means our ancestors assimilated into a Hispanic society.

These are ‘Christian’ names as he pointed out goes back to the process of hispanization. The one thing that the author failed to study is the process of becoming a “Filipino” . The review of this would bring one closer to our real identity. The author already mentioned the Catholic religion earlier, that’s Filipino identity along with the culture and heritage.

Some backward thinking folks would elect to go back to the old tribes for which I’d rather not, what we have, we should keep and respect.

___

So I hope it no longer seems to you a bold statement to say that Filipinos are not Hispanic, not from Latin America, do not speak Spanish nor are even of mostly Spanish ancestry. I encourage you to look up even more information on sites such as Wikipedia, and if possible, find some Filipino friends and raise a discussion, which I have no doubt will be a lively one. And have share some Filipino food while you’re talking. We like to think it’s better than Taco Bell, anyway.

___

I think everyone would be in agreement that our dish is the best in the world!

By the way, thanks to Jon for improving my calligraphy. I happen to take interest in this old art, his on line videos were awesome.

See it here


avatar
56 Comment threads
140 Thread replies
0 Followers
 
Most reacted comment
Hottest comment thread
58 Comment authors
SiñoritoLynnls@LynnJohnSingkil FilipinasDe AnDA Recent comment authors
  Subscribe  
newest oldest most voted
Notify of
Josie Harris
Guest

Not enough time to finish reading. But, i have a complete researched ….Who are Filipinos? Looking back where the Indian came from….in Asia..Where in Asia….i have the book & history about it.

If you are interested to talk to me …i will be in San Pedro, Laguna on the 2nd week of October.

Please email me. & thanks

matanglawin
Guest
matanglawin

I would like to comment on FILIPINO ARE NOT HISPANIC. The writer was so confused with his litany of facts that went wayward. He admits of Hispanic influence but refuse to admit the influence of spaniards and the drops of bloods that dominate most part if not all of the philippine island. We had been colonized by spain for more than 400 hundred years and sold to the americans for $35M. Maybe the writer doesnt know how to speak tagalog or any of its dialects or maybe he dont even have the droplets of blood in his veins. I envy… Read more »

Ako Si Gundam
Guest
Ako Si Gundam

Ah, a tagalista. You do know that we’re experiencing colonization as we speak: Tagalog colonization. The mere use of the word “dialects” smacks of racist condescension.

Let me ask you? What is a Filipino, then? Does it refer to our pre-Hispanic heritage? Does it include all ethnolinguistic groups (Tagalos, Ilonggos, Ivatans, Tausuga)? Is it inclusive of all native languages or just Tagalog? And does everybody have to be animist or Muslim?

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

I agree with you if where you’re going with your thread is that the quote unquote filipino has nothing to do with the culture and race of our country at all – – – especially because that term only referred to the colonizers from or representing the king and queen from europe. I guess your question would make more sense if it asked: so, what is the most authentic past of the people who inhabit what is now called “the Philippines?” It’s what the country and its people can come together and agree up on – – – (and HINT:… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

You do realize this history you speak about was mostly written by Caucasians or Filipinos who were brainwashed, right? I’m here in the states and everyone in academia knows that there isn’t enough research or published material on the Philippines. The field is wide open for someone to make a name for themselves, much like if someone were to find out what happened to the Mayans (since we’re on a Hispanic thread). Just because you have a “BOOK” doesn’t mean much. Filipinos aren’t HISPANIC – please don’t be one of the deluded.

Island Brown
Guest
Island Brown

The dude who wrote that article “Filipinos are not hispanic” was born and raised “in” the Philippines. That says volumes and certainly explains his ignorance.

He’s probably one of those Fresh-Boaters who probably only associates with Filipinos and only eats Filipino-food and laughs and has something to say about any other thing “outside” his Filipino paradigm. You know the kind!

Gina Mexicoo
Guest
Gina Mexicoo

I hate filipino wanna-bes that say that they are “half spanish” or shit. Why don’t they say that they are American or Indonesians when they also colonized the Philippines not just the Spaniards. People like these are not proud to be Filipino. They say that they are spanish when their last name is spaniards. FYI, last names were given by the Spaniards to filipinos since they mostly had common names. That girl is more a slut than a singer or an artist. SLUT SLUT SLUT! Viva Espana! Every country is mixed with different races in theire history and got much… Read more »

jackelita
Guest
jackelita

frankly i’m of spanish descent (my grandparents are pure spanish migrated from Malaga, Spain) but our family has taught me to be a proud Filipino. although sometimes i am forced to say my heritage when people question my ancestry coz i look like caucasian gypsy & quite far from malay but if someone will ask about who am i, i say filipino & never half-spanish half-filipino. i have many friends from latin america & spain whom i speak in spanish. i may speak spanish to them but i always tell them that i’m a proud Filipino & nothing more. ur… Read more »

Nicole
Guest
Nicole

Yes! Filipinos always claim to be part Spanish and Chinese. A lot of Filipinos have SOME Spanish and Chinese blood in them – theres no need to mention it! Just say youre FILIPINO – thats it!! What are you so ashamed of?? Although there are a few that do have a little more Spanish or Chinese blood. My lolo’s literally half Spanish and a lot of my relatives speak Spanish, but I dont have the guts to say Im Spanish Filipino mestiza!

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Wow, I think you’d be calling an entire nation of people, “THAT KIND.” You do realize you just stuck your foot in your mouth and laid yourself wide open to ridicule. An entire nation of Filipinos (yes, the majority and not the ignorant ones who are on here being delusional about being European White Hispanic or Mexican or Nicaraguan or Honduran or Salvadorean or whatever . . .) is asking, “WHAT KIND?” . . . You’ve got to travel more. Quite simply, you’re in a very small minority that the world looks upon asking, “that guy hasn’t undergone brain surgery,… Read more »

Fil-Black-Rican
Guest
Fil-Black-Rican

# Fil-Black-Rican, on December 18th, 2008 at 5:27 pm Said: Edit Comment People from the Philippines, upon migrating or visiting the U.S., are not used to cultural diversity as is experienced by Americans of Filipino descent. When living in California, you just see the cultural and religious similarities practiced with your Mexican or Hispanic neighbors, friends or co-workers. In Mr. Torres’ case regarding his article, you detect his FOBBINESS when referring to Hispanics with Taco Bell. South Americans (Argentines, Chileans, Uruguayans), Cubans, Dominicans and Puerto Ricans do not eat tacos. It’s like saying all Asians eat dogs, when in fact… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

MULTICULTURALISM is killing the UK and the United States. Don’t be jealous haters because our country is homogenous and not overrun by violent hispanics. (BECAUSE if the country was overrun with Hispanics, there would literally be blood flowing on every street corner, mass drug shootouts, …. and it would be 100,000 times worse) In defense of Jon Torres, don’t take your half breed self hatred out on a peaceful people. You won’t turn on your TV news programs and hear every hispanic name ending in -ez pronounced in association with murder, homicide, assault, battery, drugs, rape, and robbery – –… Read more »

Fil-Black-Rican
Guest
Fil-Black-Rican

Thanks. I seem to have had problems submitting my original comment. It kept saying “duplicated comment” upon my submitting them. I would modify the comment only to being denied again. If you can delete “some” or part (at your discretion) of the comments, it won’t sound so redundant.

Again, at your discretion of course!

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Ahem . . . Black Rican . . . you may know this, but there are so many racist filipinos that don’t like blacks or hispanics. You know this, right? They’ll smile to your face, but behind your back they’re calling you “itim” . . . and other awful names in a filipino dialect. I’m sorry but that’s the sad truth. Filipinos are told as children to stay away from blacks and hispanics. It’s the truth, the truth, the God’s honest truth – – – in middle and upperclass industrialized nations, Filipino parents steer their children the heck away from… Read more »

Fil-Black-Rican
Guest
Fil-Black-Rican

Listen, I am not “anti-Filipino” by all means. I just believe the Philippines and Filipinos need to recognize their Spanish cultural past – both the pros and cons – and deal with it. Seems to me, this “Filipinos are Asians” obsession is due to the term Asian being identified with the “model minority” rhetoric. However, the truth of the matter is Filipinos are predominantly “brown-skinned” people with Spanish names which usually equates to being mistaken for Mexican. In all due respect, the term Mexican or Hispanic, usually defines a general stereotype quite ‘contrary’ and opposite to the “model minority” description… Read more »

LaLeydeHerodes
Guest
LaLeydeHerodes

Being Asian is not an obsession it is a fact because The northernmost group of islands in the Philippines is Batanes which is only 190 kilometers from Taiwan, while the southernmost island of Tawi-Tawi, is a mere 60 kilometers away from Borneo. NOt all Asians look Chinese, just look at the people from India and Laos. No Filipino denies that the Philippines was once under the rule of Spain. But GENETICALLYy, not many have Spanish blood in their veins,. It is a belief to many Filipinos that being a descendant of a Spaniard is carrying that special and superior genes… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

I loved that taco bell example. it could have been any americanized hispanic fast food venture named, but taco bell was just one of the big (only? i don’t know) examples of gringo hispanic food – the write could have used any example of hispanic food, but the point of his statement was like this: “OH !!! The hispanic world (south and central america) forgot all about Filipinos ” The Point? How can the entire hispanic world forget about filipinos ? Isn’t it more likely that a few filipinos have some delusional obsession with wanting to be considered hispanic? Instead… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

I”m sorry, but no self-respecting Filipino is going to give ear to a “BLACK RICAN” (hahaha) especially if you’re going to try and sound ersatz and pseudo authoritative on the topic of: themselves. I think you might be able to see my other posts on here to tell you how I and countless million other people in my ancestors native geography will tell you.

proxy
Guest
proxy

Thanks, good article… Do you know any other places that discuss this?

Bryceo
Guest
Bryceo

¿QUÉ QUEDA DE ESPAÑA EN FILIPINAS? Por Antonio M. Molina (*) Conferencia en el SEECI reproducida por kaibigan kastila web NOTA sobre A.M. Molina, por J.R. Perdigón (2003) Los que cifran su verdad en la estadística tienen ganada la partida si se trata de calibrar la presencia española en Filipinas en función del número de hispano-hablantes. El resultado negativo es obvio, con su carga de pesimismo. Acepto el resultado, pero no su connotación adversa. Somos una minoría los filipinos que poseemos el idioma español en relación con la totalidad de la población nacional. Pero, esto no nos debe llamar a… Read more »

Erwin José Abcede
Guest
Erwin José Abcede

Oh WOW!!! ¡Eso es maravilloso! That’s really getting into detail and well chronicled experiences and events. Muy interesante.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Wait. is this a Mexican board? Am I in Antigua, Salvador, chile, Honduras, or Columbia? Am I safe? Get me out of here. I don’t want to end up on the 5 o’clock news a statistic. Help. I speak Tagalog. Manga Kababayan . . . . . I want rice and isda and bagoong.

Hispana Filipina
Guest
Hispana Filipina

High School Filipino Kathleen Ferraren wins Latino Essay Writing Contest in DC Tue, October 2, 2007 7:37 am Kathleen’s Dad, Patrick Ferraren (in Virginia), a long lost friend, 30 years ago a co-staffer of The Forward at Colegio de San Jose-Recoletos, after we got reconnected wrote: “How can a young contemporary Filipina lay claim to Hispanic Heritage, compete with other DC area high school Hispanics in an essay contest about how being Latino is the best of both worlds in the USA, and win? Answer: By weaving a connection that is indisputably valid, drawing on her life’s experiences that enhance… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Yeah. Okay. Got it. If you’re the less than 3% of quote unquote “F-I-L-I-P-I-N-O-S” so coined by European decree – – – then you probably shouldn’t even be commenting on this thread, because you are in fact H-I-S-P-A-N-I-C which to many is not a good word. Not a good word… and in reality “r-e-a-l-i-t-y” not a good word because many associate hispanic with welfare, drugs, guns, violence, etc. etc. I’m so happy that you’re European – – bravo. However, the majority of southeast asian filipinos don’t consider T-H-E-M-S-E-L-V-E-S hispanic. So, you had your 15 minutes, let us non-hispanic filipinos battle… Read more »

Latino Filipino
Guest
Latino Filipino

Filipinas quiere que el español vuelva a ser lengua oficial Se llama Gloria Macapagal Arroyo y es la presidenta de Filipinas. Quiere que el español vuelva a ser lengua oficial en el archipiélago, que fue tierra española desde 1565 hasta 1898. Aunque los norteamericanos impusieron el inglés en las islas a partir de esa fecha, el español siguió siendo lengua de rango oficial hasta 1987, cuando el Gobierno de Corazón Aquino la suprimió. Ahora Macapagal tiene un gesto de sensatez y solicita al Gobierno español que colabore en este proyecto. En buena lógica, España debería echar una mano. Quien ha… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Has this board been overtaken by a Spanish galleon or what? What? what? whut? Cristobal, Cristobal Colon – is that you? Or …

Marcelo
Guest
Marcelo

Okay. Here’s my two cents worth. Being “Hispanic” in the U.S. context has some very political implications that need to be understood. Spaniards, for example, are not classified as “Hispanic,” but as “European.” Being Hispanic, in that sense, apart from its geographic and racial applications, implies I believe either fluency in Spanish (or Castillan, if you prefer) or the possession of a Spanish-speaking home background. The vast majority of Filipinos, and I mean more than ninety-nine percent, DO NOT come from a Spanish-speaking home environment. For them, Spanish is neither the mother tongue nor a first learned language. Most do… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

KUDOS to your points that state that Filipinos aren’t Hispanic (you said a lot of stuff, so I just skimmed). Here’s what I think – (oh, and PS – those in the legal community think that La Raza is a huge racist organization. Yes, it’s true. They have that reputation). There’s nothing wrong with Hispanics so long as they just keep their hispanicness to themselves, right? So long as we all keep our facts straight and don’t venture into fantasyland. So, onto how I really feel: SPANISH is an express trip down a very dark and dank tunnel. It is… Read more »

bravo
Guest
bravo

They are going to teach the Spanish language -again- at the selected secondary schools? Wow…the Philippines is finally thinking “globalization.” For cultural exchange and more opportunities for the newer generations, I think it’s a positive move.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

SPANISH is an express trip down a very dark and dank tunnel. It is not a boon for the country, but a “bust.” Think. Put on your Thinking cap and See the Big Picture: If you live in the industrialized first-world, you’ll realize that the only places that Spanish is spoken are: a) the welfare office b) the street corner where all of the illegal aliens (males) wait for work c) the dollar stores d) the thrift stores e) the bus stop f) south of the border (the desert, basically) g) the abortion clinic (but not really because hispanics don’t… Read more »

Ulysses Gramophone
Guest
Ulysses Gramophone

Interesting discussion. I have friends and associates from Korea, Japan and Indonesia, and I have to say that few of them think of Filipinos as an Asian people, in any sense other than geographic. Knowledgeable Koreans I have met say that Filipinos resemble Mexicans or even Africans (possibly having met some Aetas), rather than Asians. An Indonesian friend once said that culturally the Philippines is very far from Indonesia, Malaysia or Singapore (according to him, most Filipinos can’t even find Indonesia on a map, much less connect to an imaginary shared heritage).

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

. . . and the English think that Irish are N-words and Australians call Brits POMEs (prisoners of mother england) and Japanese hate Koreans and you’re spouting normal human stuff. Yup. Filipinos fight with Indonesians, but still none of this nonsense you bring up is very relevant. People don’t like oneanother just like so many Filipinos wouldn’t be caught dead trying to be Mexican. Thanks for your post – – – which boils down to: yes, racism exists in the human spectrum. EUREKA !!!!! Not all asians have harmony !!! Whoa. No way, really?

Mary
Guest
Mary

1) geographically Asian, 2) culturally Hispanic influenced, and 3) linguistcally uses English as a second language.

These are three reasons that make if difficult to define filipinos, yet these are the same three reasons that “do” define them…

It’s a unique situation really, and I love it!!!

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

And Mary – you forgot to add that Filipinos aren’t Hispanic because if we were we would: a) be on the new everyday 24/7/365 for i) murder ii) rape iii) assault iv) robbery v) drugs vi) domestic violence b) have names like ramirez, sanchez, guttierrez, hernandez, and martinez and not names like mandaluyong, tatlonghari, batungbakal, bibing, bong-bong, saling, moning, doring, . . . c) seriously speak spanish fluently which we don’t – and pretending to speak spanish fluently is not the same as actually speaking spanish fluently d) be sending balikbayan boxes to: nicaragua, honduras, el salvador, brazil, chile .… Read more »

Davíd
Guest

Tenemos que conocer acerca de la diversidad de nuestra cultura. Recuerde, nuestra cultura es ni oriental ni occidental. Somos influido por las tres culturas: Lumad, Moro y La Gente de las Tierras Bajas (Cultura Hispana). Somos no Americano pero Filipino. Aprenda la lenguas locales y lengua nacional! Aprenda la lengua española porque tambien es la herencia Mexicana y España. No estas ignorantes. Mabuhay ang nasod sa Pilipinas! ¡Adelante La Republica Filipina!

mike
Guest
mike

look im married to a filipina here in australia……i went there for the first time to manila and then down to her parents province…..to me and here in australia filipinos are considerd ASIAN!!!..yes they do have spanish influence but they look exactly the same as indos malays and thais……what about the east timorese are they hispanic as well!! they wherer colonized by the portugese also….even there language is close to indonesian and malay alot of words having the same meaning….so basically from my observation they are strongly more connected with Asia than hispana

TanBrownAllAround
Guest
TanBrownAllAround

Mike, have you traveled into Mexico, Central America, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia and observed the indigenous populations there?

You need to stop thinking Australian. Your ethnicity is world renowned for being the most closed-minded, racist, unwelcoming to people of color of ALL the civilized world.

latinaDE_VERDAD
Guest
latinaDE_VERDAD

youre rude – obviously he is not closed-minded, racist, unwelcoming to people of color . his wife is filipina. he visited her family. READ and stop taking your anger out on an open-minded australian guy in a mixed marriage. !

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

TanBrown – WTF?!? Sounds like you have some sort of Mel Gibson movie, “APOCALYPTO” fantasy worship goin’ on. No dude, seems like you haven’t traveled to the far east (I don’t agree with anything you’re saying – sounds like you need some smelling salts or a good stiff cup of coffe mocha java) No amount of salsa, guacamole, pinto bean, or tequila is going to convince anyone that a filipino in southeast asia who eats steamed white rice and egg rolls (lumpia) that filipinos are hispanic. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Puhleeze, Muchachito !!! Balikbayan boxes don’t get sent to the Americas, man. They… Read more »

Ruben
Guest
Ruben

they also look somewhat like the people of southeast Asia. It maybe a mistake to categorize people by what continent they live in. Some Russians, certainly Arabs, and Japanese would be lumped into the same category. I think of Hispanics as people who speak Spanish as a native tongue even when it was forced upon them as in the case of the peoples of Southern North America of aztecs of Mayan decent what about the South American Incas they too are Hispanic as are the blacks in Cuba or Puerto Rico that were also Spanish colonies. Once you cease to… Read more »

latinaDE_VERDAD
Guest
latinaDE_VERDAD

no nold – filipinos are not fully hispanized and not speaking the language IS a big reason.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Thank you !!!! Thank you for being leve-headed and intelligent. Thank you for conveying that you are a person of reason and common sense. Thank you !!!!!

If we even W-A-N-T-E-D to be Hispanic we would be speaking Spanish at 100 miles an hour like Hispanics do, rolling our Rs like this: rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr . . . I won’t go on because I’ve stated the facts and opinions in previous posts, but again – – – THANK YOU !!!

Davíd
Guest

ABSOLUTELY YES MIKE. Hispanicity has nothing to do with race or physical attributes. Equatorial Guinea is a Hispanic African nation. You’re narrowing down the idea of hispanidad.

Davíd
Guest

Yes the PH is in ASIA obviously but she has been dissociated from ASIA when it became part of the Spanish empire for 333 years for crying out loud. Hispanidad has something to do with INFLUENCE, RELIGION, CULTURE & LANGUAGE not race that’s pathetic.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

B-R-A-V-O !!!!!!! B-R-A-V-O !!!!!!! Thank you for posting something that makes sense. I agree. I don’t ever want to associate with Hispanics – violence, murder, always on the news for heinous crimes. Not good. I never want to downgrade my culture or race – – – I am southeast asian, thank you.

:)))

I love my 12-16 hour plane rides across the Pacific Ocean to the Far EAst. We are 1 hour by plane from Hong Kong. I love my Ami relatives in southern Taiwan.

Salamat !!!!

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Southern Philippines – where’s the hispanic there? Eff this hispanica bullsheezica. WTF Mexicans Nicaraguans Bolivians Hondurans – – – please take us off the Calling List.

We don’t want to be telemarketed anymore – we don’t want anything to do with you or your crime or your ignorance and we’re not hispanic racially or even culturally – names and paint don’t a race make.

We’d like to be put on the No Hispanic list – Do Not Call.

Verdad? Entiendes? No hablo Espanol basura criminal violente.

pelotillo
Guest
pelotillo

Es una pena que el genocidio norteamericano durante 1901-1909 haya asesinado a 1/7 de la población filipina para erradicar el español y la herencia cultural española. Los americanos no pudieron vencer al español y tuvieron que bombardear y destruir intramuros. Es una vergüenza!

It is a pitty that the american genocide during 1901-1909 killed more than 1/7th of the filipino population in order to root out spanish heritage. The americans coud not finish their work until they bombed and destroyed Manila Intramuros. Shame on that!

observer
Guest
observer

pelotillo…

it is true. however;

1) as the spanish language is reintroduced to selected secondary schools and re-emphasized at the university level,

2) with the assistance and moral support of “all” of spain’s former colonies,

3) the aggressive p/r by “istituto cervantes of the p.i.,”

4) the 300,000 chavacano speakers,

5) president Arroyo’s vision of the growing importance of spanish worldwide aka globalization,

= the philippines could finally experience a long deserved hispanic-renaissance. Lets hope and see…

Erwin José Abcede
Guest
Erwin José Abcede

¡Olé!

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

the only kind of Hispanic renaissance that the world is experiencing is this: robberies, guns, rape, violence, murder, drugs, illegal aliens, chaos, poverty . . . . . This is the reality that is hispanic culture. The philippines may be poor – – – but at least when you turn on the news you won’t see hispanics with the names ramirez, guttierrez, hernandez, martinez, sanchez, gonzalez every 5 minutes killing, raping, murdering, assaulting, robbing, and committing violence everyday 24/7 / 365. The only people who cater to Spanish-speaking people are not making any money becaue Spanish-speaking people are the poorest… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Hispanic renaissance? Are you on Mexican brown heroin? The hispanic world is experiencing an economic pounding like no jailbird has ever experienced in his life . . . Renaissance? What pipe are you smoking? There is not one nation in the world, third world or otherwise that wants to associate with rapists, murderers, drug runners, thieves, liars, domestic batterers or robbers that are the hispanic countries. No one in any southeast asian country identifies with the 5 o’clock TV news stories about the Ramirez, Hernandez, Sanchez, Guttierrez who just killed 5 people, raped 3 people, got caught with drugs, or… Read more »

Eleuterio Masera
Guest
Eleuterio Masera

cuanto daño ha hecho la americanización de Filipinas a todos los Filipinos……
La cultura hispana es la que creó Filipinas como nación, la cultura hispana es idioma, tradiciones, sangre, genética y todo eso está dentro de Filipinas….así que Filipinas es el “primo tonto” de los pueblos Hispánicos ,,, digo tonto porque sus políticos decidieron (claramente pagados por los americanos) dejar de hablar español.

L.A.
Guest
L.A.

It’s really hard for any Filipino to embrace it’s Hispanic heritage when most Filipinos do not travel to Latin America. They only see the negative stereotypical images of “Mexicans”, which unfairly translates to all Hispanics, when visiting the United States. I think one of the things that make it difficult for Filipino or Filipino Americans to identify with being Hispanic is because they do not want to be affiliated with being; 1) illegal and undocumented, 2) undeducated and no professional ambitions, 3) gang members and criminals, and other negative stereotypical images prompted by the powerful American media. Likewise, it is… Read more »

Henry V.
Guest
Henry V.

I somewhat find some truth in what you said. Mexicans make 65% of the spanish-speaking population in the U.S. It is their image – uneducated, undocumented and backward indigenous mixture, that make “all” the other hispanic communities feel a little ashamed to be considered Latino or Hispanic.

latinaDE_VERDAD
Guest
latinaDE_VERDAD

no no no no no.. you see a true hispanic / latino finds no shame or negativity associated with the term. if anyone feels offended by the stereotypes we either emphasize we are not “mexican” if wrongly put in the category or talk shit right back. it’s filipinos w. their foot half way in and out b.c even they can’t all agree on what they “want to be” essentially, who would want to take back their “hispanidad” if it seemed to paint them in a negative light. i mean stereotypes come w. any culture and if you’re against getting (the… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

If I wanted to talk like this….. “eh yo yo yo n-word, why you be crowdin me n-word, like why you tryin’ na drink ma corona n-word, where yo lady at n-word? ‘i’m hernando gutierrez n-word why you be askin n-word, i’ll bust a cap in yo ass n-word, my mexican @ss cut yo n-word ass…” …. then I would claim to be hispanic. Yes – it’s true. Hispanic culture is always on the news: gutterrierez, martinez, hernandez, sanchez, gonzalez – – – always on the news for stabbing the girlfriend, boyfriend, rape, robbery, murder . . . and illegal… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

It’s good and true. Why would anyone who doesn’t really look like a Mexican or Nicaraguan or Argentinian or Salvadorean want to or have to pretend to be what he or she is not racially or culturally.

Would you want to associate with gang bangers, rapists, batterers, assaulters, drug runners, and domestic violence perpetrators?

Are you on Crack much? Salamat, Mabuhay !!! Does that sound Spanish to you, Muchacho cucaracha? Burrito Enchilada?

Asians Will Rule Soon
Guest
Asians Will Rule Soon

The term “Latino” or “Hispanic” was created by North American politicians and census takers that conveniently grouped Spanish speakers who refused to identify themselves as “Black” or Indegenous/Indian. The common denominator was the Spanish language within an Anglophone majority.. On the otherhand, Filipinos, (in the Philippines) grew up studying the atrocities of colonialism and 333 years of cruel Spanish masters that the term “hispanic” is based on hatred of enslavement. Mind you, that is passe’ and colonialism occured through-out Latin America to indigenous and African slaves but you have two views…excuse me, two CORRECT views that cannot find a middle… Read more »

Asians Will Rule Soon
Guest
Asians Will Rule Soon

P.S.

sorry…last line I meant to say;

“…while using the English language to communicate with the nations they desire to conquer.”

My thoughts were faster than my typing…lol..

Asians Will Rule Soon
Guest
Asians Will Rule Soon

Any way you look at it, it will be the English language that will the lingua-franca of Asia…not Spanish. Filipinos don’t have to learn Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean (though it is good to do so) but ENGLISH will be the bond that will create a Pan-Asian confederation…albeit a 2nd language to many people in East and South Asia.

If the Hispanics want the “Spanish” language or even the Hispanic culture on the global radar, they had better embrace the Philippines.

Asians Will Rule Soon
Guest
Asians Will Rule Soon

Remember…English is an official language in India, Malaysia, Hong-Kong, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Singapore.

It is agressively being taught in China, Japan and Korea.

Spanish speakers will no longer find any jobs in the United States…They will HAVE to learn English (IN Latin America) to go to work in Asia…

That’s the way of the world sweethearts!

Rep Utation
Guest
Rep Utation

The geographic location of the Philippines – Asia, and its 333 years of Spanish colonization leaves the nation in an “identity quandary”. On one hand, the popular and most accepted view is the definition of Hispanic is the usage of the Spanish language and of course the actual biological features that includes the direct descendance of the blood-line.. On the other hand, one views Hispanic as a cultural entity that includes “all” former Spanish colonies and attempts to unify the 23 nations collectivively attempting to forge a global “Pan-HIspanic” federation similar to the British Commonwealth of Nations. In this case,… Read more »

jackelita
Guest
jackelita

@ Rep Utation: “When compared to the Asian region that includes: China, Japan, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong-Kong, Taiwan and Korea, none of the Spanish speaking nations have accompllished any technical advancements, political and military respect, educational progress for its masses, and economic and political stability over the last 50 years.” Excuse me but you fail to mention the poor asian countries like sri lanka, bangladesh, cambodia, myanmar, laos & countries like vietnam, indonesia, thailand, malaysia are still a developing nation & don’t have that kind of technical advancement. FYI, mexico & brazil are among the world’s fastest emerging markets today… Read more »

Rep Utation
Guest
Rep Utation

Jon Torres “glib” remark stating “..the Philippines is located in Southeast Asia…” thereby using its geographic location as a foundation to the argument that Filipinos are Asian. Then please explain;

1) Brazil. Are they Latinos? Hispanics?

2) Belize in Central America?

3) Guyana in South America?

4) Lybia, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria…they are on the continent of Africa, but are they AFRICAN?

5) 3/4 of Russia is on the continent of Asia. White Russians who were born in Siberia or along the Chinese border…are they Asian or European?

The argument of Filipinos being “Asian” because of its location is very, very weak.

filipino
Guest
filipino

first of all what I really hate is when non-filipinos speak so confidently about filipinos when they know nothing really about filipinos other then generalizations filipinos are not just asian geographically..but racially as well….its in our DNA….only 3% of filipinos have spanish/ european ancestry at all….most filipinos could basically pass for malay, indonesian, thai, cambodian, burmese, or lao…..filipinos had a culture before the spanish bullshit…filipino culture today is not just spanish…but a fusion of native asian values and christian culture…but the asian values that many filipinos hold is what seperates us from hispanic culture…filipino culture is shaped by many cultures… Read more »

Pakindia
Guest
Pakindia

In Great Britain, the term Asian = South Asians = Indians, Pakistani’s and Bengalis… Oriental = East Asia.

The term ASIAN is NOT a race…Get your facts straight sweetie !

Pakindia
Guest
Pakindia

Causicoid, Mongoloid, Negroid, and Austroloid are the thre main anthropological RACES.

There is a difference between RACE, Ethnicity and Nationality.

The term Asian and Hispanic , in the U.S., was a lazy way of conveneintly grouping REGIONAL peoples.

Egypt, Lybia, Algeria and Tunisia are located on the African continent…would you consider them African? Their race is CAUSICOID, thier ehtnicity is Middle Eastern, and their nationalities are Egyptian, Lybian, Algerian and Tunisian.

Too many damn Filipinos intertwine RACE, Ehtnicity and Nationality thinking they are all one and the same. RACE = Mongoloid, Ehtnicity= EAST Asian, Nationality = Filipino!

Thank you very much!

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Hey Pakindia – who the eff cares. I get the point – and what is a Paki Indian doing making comments on a Filipino thread. Get your categories straight, “sweetie” – go comment on an india paki board. RACE: MALAY call the people who live in the philippines or who are of quote unquote philippine descent whatever you want, but be accurate and don’t so far off a cliff into left field and refer to someone from there as Hispanic – only idiots want that. Ok, “SWEETIE?” Pakiland – isn’t that somewhere outside of the Philippines (squint – so why… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Wow Filipino – thanks for your post. What you wrote sounded like something I would write (albeit nicer).

Thank you – – – What has gotten into these people? What?

Stockholm Syndrome is what.

LaLeydeHerodes
Guest
LaLeydeHerodes

So how do I consider myself when I do not even have any feature that resembles that of someone with Spanish genes. Do the Spaniards by the way call themselves Arabics because they were ruled much longer by the Arab speaking Moors?

Pepe
Guest

In a historical sense, if you do not speak Spanish and you are not Catholic, you are merely a Filipino/a by virtue of citizenship. Nothing more nothing less.

To be a complete Filipino/a, you have to be a Catholic (whether you like it or not). And you have to be Spanish-speaking. If you do not have those attributes, then you are just a half-baked Filipino/a.

Again, this is all based on an impartial historical and scientific analysis.

As they always say, “the truth hurts”…

Best regards.

LaLeydeHerodes
Guest
LaLeydeHerodes

Does that mean the majority of Filipinos are merely Filipinos by virtue of citizenships? Try speaking Spanish to everyone in the Philippines, How about the Filipinos who are not Catholics, should they be looked down as less valuable people because they are not full Filipinos. Show me where these two conditions (Catholic and Spanish speaking) are written in the Phillipine constitution. How many people should be hurting right now because they are living not according to your standard of a true Filipino. As they always say, “the truth hurts”, but whose truth is it , yours or everyone else’s?

Pepe
Guest

“Does that mean the majority of Filipinos are merely Filipinos by virtue of citizenships?” Exactly. “Try speaking Spanish to everyone in the Philippines” Hahaha! Why should I? I already know the results. But if you want to get sarcastic with me, OK, I’ll play along… Speaking Spanish to everyone in the Philippines? That’s a huge effort. So fund my travels first, and I will gladly do it for you. 😀 “How about the Filipinos who are not Catholics, should they be looked down as less valuable people because they are not full Filipinos” Hey, “looked down” and “less valuable” are… Read more »

LaLeydeHerodes
Guest
LaLeydeHerodes

You need to know that the Spaniards were under the Arab speaking Islamic Moors for 700 years that is more than twice the colonization of Philippines by Spain. Going by your logic (a Filipino is only a Filipino by virtue of citizenship if he/she does not speak Spanish and is not a Catholic) a Spaniard is only a Spaniard by virtue of citizenship if she/he does not speak in Arabic and is not an Islam. That is not my logic but yours. A Filipino does not have to speak Spanish and certainly does not have to be a Catholic to… Read more »

Pepe
Guest

That is the odd thing, LaLeydeHerodes. Although much of Spain was conquered by the Moors, they were not thoroughly and wholly Islamized. But the Muslims themselves were to blame for it; they permitted many Iberians to practice their Christianity (were required to pay a special tax and to be subject to certain discriminations). Unlike in our case, so little of our indigenous past can be seen today. So it is thus incorrect (if not illogical) to compare what happened to Spain to our country’s Spanish past. By the way, the Philippines was not exactly colonized by Spain. The Spanish context… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Pepe – someone sold you a colonial cocktail and gave you a stupid person infusion. Sorry guy, truth hurts . . . why are you insulting that person who had a very valid point. I agree with her. What is all of this Hispano Mania? Mexican Nicaraguan Venezuelan wanna-bes out there piggy backing on the Latino Crime Wave because Hispanic / Latinos take up so much of the 5 o ‘ clock news for rape, robbery, battery, drugs, etc…. ? Truth Hurts Pepe. What’s with that wetback name? You’re Mexican, dude. You’re not Filipino at all. If you were, you’d… Read more »

Like Duh
Guest
Like Duh

Can Jon Torres then explain Mexico. Is Mexico;

1) a Latin American (cultural) country or

2) a North American (geographic) country or

3) or both?

If #3 is your answer, then why is it so difficult to understand the situation of the Philippines?

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

dude, duh . . . . durrrr . . .

YES – Mexico is in Central America (as in “south of the border” just like Brazil)

These are Hispanic Countries.

Buy a globe. I’m sure a social worker will drop one off for you – free of charge. Alms for the retarded . . . duh

Rep Utation
Guest
Rep Utation

Thank You De Anda,

I’m 2nd generation American of Filipno descent…don’t speak tagalog nor do I speak Spanish.

I do however, have numerous friends that are also 2nd generation “Hispanic” and “Asian (Chinese, Japanese and Korean). Most, if not all, don’t even speak Spanish or Chinese, Japanese or Korean.

Through the American culture and usage of ENGLISH, even Americans of Filipno descent have much more understanding of one another with Hispanic-Americans than they do with Asian-Americans.

This has been MY experience.

.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

If you live in economically depressed areas in the United States, it seems to be my experience that you’ll find more cameraderie with latinos and gang-bangers. (I have seen this gangsta attitude in da hood. LOL. In the rare instances that I’ve had to take a bus or dirty public transportation) Some people who grew up upper middle class with the kids who had doctor and lawyer parents, and whose father went to west point in the 50s, attended a top 10 university, went to professional school and lived a decent life would tell you that the only reason you… Read more »

Not Asian
Guest
Not Asian

i don’t want to sound juvenille, but the reason why many filipino americans don’t like the term asian is because, in the u.s.;

asian = chinese = small penises, unattractive people, flat chested and flat faced women, men that has no sex appeal, ruthless and money hungry, no social skills (burping, scratching in public), hygiened challenged (uncombed hair, unbrushed teeth, unbathed..) BUT intelligent, business-minded (borders idolatry), regards education highly.

Akó si Gundam
Guest
Akó si Gundam

The word “ASIAN” itself sounds Chinese. HWAAACHAAAA!!!!!!

jackelita
Guest
jackelita

Well its just the same as w/ the case of Hispanics being termed as Mexican, illegal, lazy, gang members, uneducated, housekeeper etc. BUT family-oriented, religious, sexy & pretty. I don’t want to sound racist here but I think you Americans need to do your homework, conduct a more in-depth research & actually live in Asian & Hispanic countries so in that way you won’t be sound too stupid & irritating when identifying such an ethnicity. Being of both Hispanic (Spanish-Mexican) & Asian (Filipino) lineage honestly I’m very much offended by how you Americans perceived us. I’m 1/4 Asian & 3/4… Read more »

jackelita
Guest
jackelita

P.S. You might wondering coz on my earlier post I didn’t mention I got Mexican blood. See both my grandparents origins were from Spain but one of them (my maternal grandpa) was a son of a Spanish-Mexican criollo couple who migrated to Phils from Mexico. Just found this one out recently.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

So what’s your point? If you’re Mexican then clearly – “clearly plain as day” – you’re Hispanic. So, the discussion is over. You’re Mexican. There’s no debate as far as you’re concerned, so getting back to the debate now . . . you can stay out – really. This debate doesn’t concern you. Less than 3% of the Philippine population (that country that’s located in southeast asia) is european hispanic etc. K? There’s a debate here – being that clearly you’re Hispanic is not controversial. Thanks for letting the world know you’re mexican. Most of us don’t want any association.… Read more »

Pakindia
Guest
Pakindia

LOL…this is WRONG…however it is funny! Do Chinese guys really have small penises? Isn’t that just a myth?

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

That’s exactly why Filipino men want to feel “M-A-C-H-O” as in their dreams they’re macho hispanico delusiono. This is simply not the case. Filipino men can barely grow hair. We are tiny little southeast asian people / malay race / related to southern taiwanese indigenous ami people. No amount of drugs, paint, language, delusion is going to make a filipino latin american like they are in central and south america (scary. violent. always in the news. always trying to live illegally in the us. draining social services. ruining neighborhoods. guttierrez, ramirez, martinez, hernandez, sanchez, . . . violence violence violence.… Read more »

Marco
Guest
Marco

Hola a todos. Soy español, concretamente de Canarias, y me gustaría aportar mis comentarios a este foro que me parece muy interesante. En primer lugar creo que la conexion cultural y de identidad de Filipinas con Mexico es incuestionable. Creo que la mayoria de los filipinos se sentirían como extraños visitando China, Japón, Corea o Indonesia. No tienen nada que ver con estos paises. Si visitaran Mexico y observaran sus costumbres y la forma de ser de su gente observarían una gran similitud. Por lo tanto creo que los filipinos son hispanos aunque esten geograficamente en Asia y el español… Read more »

jackelita
Guest
jackelita

porke los yankis habian lavado el celebro a los filipinos y eso los nativos ha pensaban ke los españoles no echo nada bueno durante el reino hispano mientras al mismo tiempo adoran todas las cosas americanas. pero no creo ke los filipinos son hispanos porke la mayoria d eyos son d ascendencia malaya y solo menos ke 3% tienen sangre español. aunke hay unas influencias espanola en la cultura filipina pero sigue siendo predominantemente asiatico. la mayoria d los filipinos no hablan ni entiende castellano aparte d las palabras castellanos d prestamo.

Kevin Bello
Guest
Kevin Bello

Lo siento si mi español es demasiado básico a usted, pero creo que los filipinos son hispanos… recuerda que el idioma castellano se vuelve de nuevo a las escuelas secundarias en Filipinas a la influencia de la expresidenta Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, y a través del Instituto Cervantes, una escuela que se dedicha al enseñar el castellano a los filipinos. Si ve la página de Wikipedia sobre la hispanidad o el panhispanismo, descrubrirá que las Filipinas es una parte del club hispánico, y éso es fuertemente innegable. Nuestros héroes nacionales como José Rizal escribió casi solamente en español. La primera constitución… Read more »

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous

people like jackelita are so stubborn. it has been said that the term ‘hispanic’ refers to culture, not necessarily genetics. although the majority of the inhabitants of the philippine islands are of malay origin, their customs and language and history are full of hispanic elements. these won’t go away soon.. Filioinos continue to celebrate the birth and death anniversaries of the very hispanic jose rizal.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

why do you so badly want to be mexican, honduran, salvadorean, … hispanic trash and fodder for the TV news crime blog? hispanic culture is nothing to strive for. why do you want to drag a culture and race of people into the b-a-s-u-r-a hispanica? hispanic culture is a trashy culture – as viewed by many cultures of the world – – and as portrayed by the TV news media and crime…

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Wow. What did you say? No entiendo, Hispanico Don Jose Conquistador. (by choice – rejected. as in phew! phew!)

Ako ay Pilipino, no hay nada basura hispanica.

This is not to be insulting, this is to be as ridiculous as the notion of scrawny little southeast asian men being or trying to be macho hispanico. No No Sorry Sorry.

Juan Ladz
Guest
Juan Ladz

Insecure and ignorant people are the one’s who have big mouth. you guys need to stop this Philippines thing! its not good for everyone of you. you guys need to move on.

i know this is kinda off the subject but i have my point, have you notice politician and big people always shut their mouth because they know better. (they don’t share what they know)

i should be a politician….hahahaha

jackelita
Guest
jackelita

ok go ahead….. politicians are more ignorant & they shut their big mouths because they know nothing but blaming & exchanging harsh words, hahahaha 😀

Adios Filipinas
Guest
Adios Filipinas

The new Philippine president, Ninoy Aquino, is the son of former president Corey Aquino.

It was her administration that officially eliminated Spanish as an official language of the Philippines after almost 400 years.

That said, kiss any revival of any Spanish renaissance returning to the Philippines.

This dude is pro-Chinese! Too bad!

Kevin Bello
Guest
Kevin Bello

Yeah, and speak the language of the Americans who shoved it into Filipino culture and forbade Spanish from being spoken, having already killed many Filipinos in a genocide, and bombed the city of Hispanic Filipinos in Intramuros…

Espero que la hispanidad se vuelve a Filipinas finalmente, y que el castellano se vuelve de nuevo! Viva la hispanidad! Viva la Republica de Filipinas!

Spanish will return
Guest
Spanish will return

Spanish will be a spoken language in the Philippines in the near future. Even if only a small percentage is able to read, write and speak it (as a 3rd language). The foundation is set. 1) Selected schools are now offering it as a emphasized optional language of learning. 2) 500,000+ Chavacano speakers would easily option to replace English with Spanish as THEIR 3rd language. 3) Filipinos will rediscover their Hispanic roots and accept both the BAD and good of Spanish colonization. 4) Utilize English in diplomatic circumstances with Asia, N. America and Europe, Filipino/Tagalog as a continued National language,… Read more »

Tet
Guest
Tet

Right. re-learn Spanish language. Filipinos get out of America. Go to Mexico and South America or maybe Spain? if you are welcome their. They need maids, laundry women, etc.etc.
Americans! lets party. Another group of Latinos want freedom from our money.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

I’m trying to convince people of the same thing: hispanics take up the entire News for violent crimes: rape, robbery, assault, battery, martinez, jimenez, hernandez, guttierrez, ramirez . . . who would want to associate with such violent uneducated people? Thank you for reinforcing this. Keep the comments. Scrawny southeast asian people need to realize how rough hispanics are. They don’t get it.

LaLeydeHerodes
Guest
LaLeydeHerodes

Spain did fully develop as a nation without having to speak the language of its former colonizers. Two nations (I know of) colonized Spain before it became a global power. England was also under the Romans but even though both English and Spanish are closely related to Latin both are distinctively languages on their own. Latin (the language of its former colonizer, the Romans) might have been the lingua franca in England at one time but it was still a global power when Latin was no longer in use. We are not talking about global power for the Philippines (feed… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Tell that to the Germans. Tell them (i keep trying to reply to the person that said we have to connect with a hispanic past) that they have to reconnect with the Nazis.

Your logic is as flawed as the idea of embracing evil. Puhleeze. Are you retarded? Seriously.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

My post above was to the “Spanish Will Return” poster –

Tet
Guest
Tet

Good! what you could do is correspond to Hispanic people, reconnect, South Americans, Mexican, Central Americans. Go ahead, I’m sure you will always be happy with them your own kind.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

Hahaha. I totally get your point. Any Hispanic country would eat a scrawny little southeast asian alive. Here in the US the Mexican illegals alone are always in the news. Every 5 minutes you’ll hear the names: Ramirez, Gonzalez, Hernandez, Martinez, Guttierrez, Sanchez . . . . violent crime this, heinous crime this, assault, robbery, rape, murder . . . always always a Hispanic. I don’t want this for any of my southeast asian kin folk. Entiendes? Hahahaha. Ay Caramba !!!!

Tet
Guest
Tet

The Cojuangcos are Chinese (by heart and soul)

Pepe Alas
Guest

The Cojuangcos are DEFINITELY not Chinese, especially not by heart and soul. The more correct description is that they are of Chinese origin. The Cojuangcos of today are Filipinos, period.

nyor
Guest
nyor

I live here in the philippines, I was born here and raised here. ever since i never considered myself as an asian. i am hispanic, my grandma is half-spanish, she is a Villarosa. my dad carries the name Pino like the others before him did. there fore i am hispanic because i have spanish blood running in m veins.

Tet
Guest
Tet

Go back to Spain.

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

ha! Agreed, Tet. apparently nyor finds more of an allegiance to spain. Please go to Spain.

Chinese YUK
Guest
Chinese YUK

@TET…

to answer your question…Yes, I’m a WHORE…and proud of it! LMAO….

Raffy
Guest
Raffy

The identity of a Filipino is so multifaceted that the American race classification can classify them as Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander. I can give myself as an example. Even FIlipinos have numerous ethnic groups, like Kapampangans, Tagalogs, Visayans and many others. I agree with the comment of the forero named Spanish will return. I cannot claim to be a pure Filipino because of some foreign ancestry. My great-grandmother, who is possibly 1/8 Spanish, was the mother of my mom’s dad. Also, I have more recent Chinese ancestry due to some of my ancestors having a lot of business trips… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

You can think you’re hispanic all you want – – – – but the Philippines isn’t Hispanic. Hispanics take up 90% of the American news for committing violent robberies, rapes, illegally entering the country, draining social services, etc. As far as the term “Filipino,” – it is a term for a quote unquote spaniard who was living in the conquered land renamed the Philippines in honor of Spanish royalty. The term Filipino doesn’t even apply to native peoples of the Philippines, which is why I always typed quote unquote whenever I referred to the Filipinos. So, I hope that Filipinos… Read more »

Siñorito
Guest
Siñorito

Yes your right we need Spanish to learn out true history, because everything is written in Spanish if you want to dig deep to our history not the watered down history when it was translated

migs
Guest
migs

to sum up Filipino culture in relation with Southeast Asia and Latin America,

Filipino culture to Southeast Asia
“So different, yet so similar.”

Filipino culture to Latin America
“So similar, yet so different.”

Gets?

Observer
Guest
Observer

Excellent analogy! Bravo

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

No. I don’t gets. Filipino to Latin America. Different. D-I-F-F-E-R-E-N-T. Why say otherwise? How do I feel about Hispanics? Why? Well, let’s hear how I really feel? : You can think you’re hispanic all you want – – – – but the Philippines isn’t Hispanic. Hispanics take up 90% of the American news for committing violent robberies, rapes, illegally entering the country, draining social services, etc. As far as the term “Filipino,” – it is a term for a quote unquote spaniard who was living in the conquered land renamed the Philippines in honor of Spanish royalty. The term Filipino… Read more »

LaLeydeHerodes
Guest
LaLeydeHerodes

Let us not forget the truth. Filipinos do not speak Spanish, not unless your ancestors are Spaniards who intermarried or married another Spaniard then went on to carry the tradition of speaking Spanish at home or when among the so called “alta sociedad” They do not represent the general population and when they have to buy pandesal from the sari sari store they do have to speak Tagalog. In the Philippines, ONe does not learn Spanish from his parents (unless again your circumstances are like the aforementioned) and certaily one does not learn Spanish on the street. ONe has to… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

B-R-A-V-O !!!!!!! B-R-A-V-O !!!!!! Agreed. Mabuhay Tagalog !!!

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

When I wrote BRAVO BRAVO – I was replying to the post by LaLedyHarodes above – not to the person directly above my 2 posts here.

Lota Laughs
Guest
Lota Laughs

A rich man was looking for a Filipina wife. Luckily, he found a Filipino man who happened to have 10 singles daughters. The rich man promptly went to this man’s house to ask one of his daughters as his bride.

The man lined up his 10 daughters and proudly introduced them one by one; “This is Lita Lec Lec…this one is Sally Sec Sec…that one is Maria Mec Mec…

Before he could finish introducing his lovely daughters, the Rich Man interupted and asked “DO YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER NAMED PEGGY?”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

UR Terrible
Guest
UR Terrible

This is just wrong…hilarious…but wrong! LOL

lasonn
Guest
lasonn

stoops. ek ek

Mark
Guest
Mark

I think as the Spanish language is being reintroduce in the schools, this generation of Filipinos will decide…The world is their oyster! Some people simply hate the Spaniards based on what they have been taught in schools. True, we cannot erase the atrocities of colonization…but that was more than 100 years ago. This new generation of young Filipinos live in a totally different world where it is getting smaller. To embrace thier Hispanic heritage and past would be a plus in a globalized world…You cannot deny Filipinos being Asian, nor the fact that thier second language is English. This third… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

You can think you’re hispanic all you want – – – – but the Philippines isn’t Hispanic. Hispanics take up 90% of the American news for committing violent robberies, rapes, illegally entering the country, draining social services, etc. As far as the term “Filipino,” – it is a term for a quote unquote spaniard who was living in the conquered land renamed the Philippines in honor of Spanish royalty. The term Filipino doesn’t even apply to native peoples of the Philippines, which is why I always typed quote unquote whenever I referred to the Filipinos. So, I hope that Filipinos… Read more »

Elizabeth
Guest
Elizabeth

Exhibit A Costa Ricans are 82% white (as in Spanish/European etc mainly Spanish), only 15% Mestizos. The odd thing is no Spaniard would (ever) call him/herself Hispanic and vice versa. And yet Costa Ricans are labelled Hispanics, and they are, in that Hispanic is a cultural umbrella term. Exhibit B 75% of Dominicans are actually mulatto. Guatemalans are 53% Amerindian 42% Mestizo and only 4% white (Spanish included). And yet they’re labelled Spanish or Hispanic. Argentina and Uruguay are 85% 88% white respectively with other races being minorities. Genetics can be thrown out the window! There are a lot of… Read more »

Dan Diversity
Guest
Dan Diversity

@Elizabeth..you have probably hit the nail on the head. Filipino should just be Filipino, Mexican should just be Mexican and so forth… The term “Asian, Hispanic etc..” was coined during the Nixon administration during the early 70’s. It was easier to group several nationalities based on ; 1) linguistic usage or 2) geographic location. It was a convenient way to take the U.S. census thus focusing on generic commonalities oppose to unique differences. At that time those who dwelled in the United States that primarily spoke “Spanish” as their mother tongue and/or emigrated from Latin America were mainly Mexicans, Puerto… Read more »

Dan Diversity
Guest
Dan Diversity

@Elizabeth…

Brazil and the Philippines have similar “national identity” problems, particularly in the U.S..

Brazilians are accepted as part of the “Latino” community but are not “Hispanic”…see the parity?

Filipinos are accpeted as part of the “Asian” community, but share cultural practices and historical with their Hispanic counterparts and “theoretically” is part of the Hispanic world, but NOT part of the Latin American community.

Which makes your statement that much more profound…Filipinos are Filipinos PERIOD! Hello?

Dan Diversity
Guest
Dan Diversity

PSS…lol…

Belize (or Belizians in the U.S.), located in the heart of Central America, therefore, located in the Latin American region (From Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America) is neither considered Latino OR Hispanic based it’s colonial ties with Great Britain! One cannot categorize them…

You go girl!

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

You can think you’re hispanic all you want – – – – but the Philippines isn’t Hispanic. Hispanics take up 90% of the American news for committing violent robberies, rapes, illegally entering the country, draining social services, etc. As far as the term “Filipino,” – it is a term for a quote unquote spaniard who was living in the conquered land renamed the Philippines in honor of Spanish royalty. The term Filipino doesn’t even apply to native peoples of the Philippines, which is why I always typed quote unquote whenever I referred to the Filipinos. So, I hope that Filipinos… Read more »

Elizabeth
Guest
Elizabeth

And as for Filipino food being better than Taco Bell, I agree. So is Hispanic food! As I’m sure Chinese food is far better than the imitation you eat at cheap Chinese buffets. Also, Yusuke Komiya’s teacher is a bit cracked. How do you think you survive in a third world country if everyone who isn’t family can kiss your ass? You don’t! Hispanics are both feisty and warm. They make the best of friends and worst of enemies. Disrespecting any older person is a definite NO even if they’re not family and even if they have disrespected you. If… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

The joke about Taco Bell doesn’t seem to have been gotten by you. It was a joke about how “NOT HISPANIC” filipino blood is. There is no Filipino (quote unquote) food on the Taco Bell menu because the Philippines is not south of the North American Border. Filipino food is not Hispanic (if anything it’s malay / chinese / southeast asian) – – – – (we eat mung beans, mangosteen, jackfruit, durian, rambutan, avocados as dessert, coconut milk, lychees, longan . . . white jasmine rice, red rice, lugaw (rice porridge) . . . . we say “M-A-B-U-H-A-Y” and “S-A-L-A-M-A-T… Read more »

Nvo Zang Okenve
Guest
Nvo Zang Okenve

Only for those who can read Spanish: Soy de Guinea Ecuatorial y nosotros somos hispanos y africanos al mismo tiempo. No somos hispanos por la raza porque la mayoría somos Bantu, no tenemos sangre hispana. Pero tenemos una parte de cultura que es española. Al mismo tiempo nuestra cultura es africana en gran proporción, casi un 80%. Hablamos español y nuestros idomas africanos, al mismo tiempo, nuestro idioma oficial es el español por ahora, aunque existe el peligro de la “filipinización”, es decir, la pérdida de identidad lingüistica por razones económicas o políticas. A lo largo de la historia de… Read more »

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous

oohhh. I don’t read spanish but translation sites do. Regarding what you just said, there are some part I agree with, but I don’t know about your filipinzation theory. 25% of words in tagalog is spanish and the current filipino president Aquino is part spanish even if he looks a little bit more malay and chinese.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous

Omigod. This ridiculous topic again. I agree with the person who wrote this article. Filipinos are N-O-T Hispanic. I’ll post some of my posts that I wrote on another website here: You can think you’re hispanic all you want – – – – but the Philippines isn’t Hispanic. Hispanics take up 90% of the American news for committing violent robberies, rapes, illegally entering the country, draining social services, etc. As far as the term “Filipino,” – it is a term for a quote unquote spaniard who was living in the conquered land renamed the Philippines in honor of Spanish royalty.… Read more »

Markuva
Guest
Markuva

You can think you’re hispanic all you want – – – – but the Philippines isn’t Hispanic. Hispanics take up 90% of the American news for committing violent robberies, rapes, illegally entering the country, draining social services, etc. As far as the term “Filipino,” – it is a term for a quote unquote spaniard who was living in the conquered land renamed the Philippines in honor of Spanish royalty. The term Filipino doesn’t even apply to native peoples of the Philippines, which is why I always typed quote unquote whenever I referred to the Filipinos. So, I hope that Filipinos… Read more »

I am Proud Filipino
Guest
I am Proud Filipino

A lot of Filipinos are depriving themselves about their hispanic heritage. Our National heroes fought for the country named Filipinas, Most Filipinos do not know exactly their own history because they deprived the Spanish Language. Most of our History was actually written in this language. We became unified country because of this language before they created the National Language Tagalog or replace the Spanish in English during the American Occupation. Filipinos including the Indigenous native became SPANISH CITIZEN during 1812 from the Cadiz Constitution. That’s why our Illustrados like Rizal and other National Heroes who fought for our Independence was… Read more »

John
Guest

Having travelled through much of Asia, my biggest single disappointment about the Phillipines is the lack of ORIGINAL culture and cultural identity. American, American, American, with some Hispanic thrown in. ” Hey Man, you wanna play basketball” etc. American music everywhere. No one remembers their original culture, no one cares, and people actually seem proud of the fact that they have lost all of their original culture. I asked once about original culture BEFORE the Spanish arrived. I got a whole bunch of names of peoples who were given with completely Spanish names. I just shook my head and said,… Read more »

John
Guest

Just for example, almost universally through the Asia, greeting is done with hands placed together below the face, and a short bow given. It would be a reasonable assumption that since the Phillipines as an Island group is sandwiched between countries who traditionally use this ancient greeting, it would be a part of Phillipne culture. No, it is “Hey man, hi five, hand slap in the air “. Neauseating. Please don’t try telling me about Phillipine culture. No one snows what it was and no one cares.

Siñorito
Guest
Siñorito

Thanks for these,these is the onkybreolybthat makes since here all in basura trying to thing they know all bout being Filipino… That they forget what is the past and how it was written and who wrote it and on what language did they use??? They never thought these is school you have look at the archive for these and usually it’s written in Spanish. And that why most is the people who say where not Hispanic is wrong Latino and Hispanic is 2 different thing and I guess they don’t know that… 😂

Lynnls@Lynn
Guest
Lynnls@Lynn

Bigot