Who are the Filipino people?

[Pedrocar41]

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I feel very sad when fellow Filipinos claim that they are "Asians," instead of "Filipinos."

Although the Philippines is considered to be part of Southeast Asia, the term "Asian" is actually more exclusive and rightfully more appropriate to the people of North and East Asia - the Chinese, Mongolian, Japanese and Korean.

Some people say, on the other hand, that we are much more related to the Pacific Islanders and the Maori people. But if you would look at them, you would see that Filipinos are still very different.

We, Filipinos, are a "melting pot" of many different ethnic backgrounds. Prehistoric accounts reveal that successive waves of migration of Blacks, Indonesians, and Malays constituted the first three basic ethnic groups in the Philippine shores. These groups had been in contact with the Indians, Arabs, Chinese, Japanese and Europeans through trade, and they had intermarriaged among themselves; thereby, creating a much more distinct race that came to be known to the Spaniards as "Indios". When Spain colonized the Philippines, the "Filipino" was born. Originally, the term, "Filipino" was entitled to Spanish citizens who were born in the Philippine Islands but when the Philippines became independent from Spain, the term included even the "Indios," the prehistoric mixture of many ethnicities that populated pre-Spanish Philippines; the "Mestizos," the mixture of Indios and Spaniards; and the Spanish citizens.

Genotypically and phenotypically, the Filipinos are fundamentally of Malay stock, the great brown race of Indo-China and Malayan Peninsula. But the Filipinos are utterly more sophisticated looking than our Malay kins. This is obviously because of the Hispanic element that prevail in our blood and culture. However, the Filipinos still vary from our Latin brothers even if we both have a common Hispanic background.

In the next few decades or centuries, when all the races of the world mix and blend, all of them would look and be like us. We are the Filipino people, the great blend of the world's races, and we deserve our place and recognition as "Filipinos."

Now, I would like to appeal to all Filipinos to be proud of our national identity.

WE ARE THE FILIPINO PEOPLE!!!

[vern]

Yeah yeah, another feel-good, we are proud to be Filipino article.

[Pedrocar41]

Yeah yeah, another feel-good, we are proud to be Filipino article.

We, Filipinos, should be proud of who we are. The article is a reminder that we should feel good about ourselves; that we are a great race and can do many great things; and, that we have to get away from mediocrity and colonial mentality.

We were the "middle class" of Asia more than fifty years ago or so. We were only next to Japan in terms of economic status at those times. Our universities, cities, infrastructures, professionals, films, arts, among others were the bests and firsts in Asia. The Chinese people were our domestic helpers, the Japanese cars were looked down by the Filipinos, the Philippine cinema was very glorious, the Philippines was a major economy, etc... But look where we are now, side by side you would see poverty, our health care system is deteriorating, the educational system and English proficiency is beginning to take a down turn, graft and corruption is everywhere, many Filipinos die in poverty and hunger, many of them succumb in hopelessness and uncertainty.... we need not to be reminded of these things... we are fully aware of them... Now, what we need is to get back on our feet, move forward, and reclaim our place in the sun that we once had. We need to be reminded of how great we were and how great we are, and from there we can start to dream, believe and soar again! :idea: :!:

[vern]

Whoever said we weren't proud to be ourselves? Do we really need to be reminded of who we are? Do we have low self esteem or are we just that self-absorbed?

Rome reminiscing of it's once great lost heritage never stopped it's downfall.

[Pedrocar41]

From your mouth, it says that you are proud. I am happy to hear that. Oh, we need a little boost of self-esteem...

[agokoy]

In the next few decades or centuries, when all the races of the world mix and blend, all of them would look and be like us.

so true, very possible becuz not one place on earth is without a Filipino!

[crinkle]

i still am not sure if i'm proud to be one...

[giver_bert]

more of the self-boosting ego.... i think it will probably be the assertiveness at doing what is just, drive towards general welfare.. and could also be vigilance in addressing and dealing current issues that would probably take back what was ours back then....

[KuLaSa]

enough of theocracy...and the country needs major "attitude" overhaul...

[crinkle]

^so right.