essay about what it means to be a filipino

Recommended for you

What it means to be filipino, a reflection on filipino culture and identity..

What does it mean to be Filipino?

It means being a part of a family and supporting one another. You can see it whenever Filipinos are around. It doesn't matter if we are blood related or not-we are always there for one another. Recently, at a Filipino event, where I was surrounded by family and friends, I saw what it meant to be Filipino in a whole new light.

We always have each other's backs. We supported one another at the event, even when one of us messed up a game or forgot a dance move. We all just told each other that it was OK or to shake it off. We even did this to people we didn't even really know.

What else does it mean?

It means loving each other, despite flaws and oddities. We always love whoever comes our way. We spread positive vibes and smiles.

For us, we don't notice other people's flaws. We do not let them define who you are.

Being Filipino means being a part of a wonderful culture. A culture filled with amazing foods, beautiful languages and having a great homeland to go to. When I tell you the food is amazing, it is so good. Seriously, once you taste it, you will fall in love with it.

Our languages contain Tagalog, Ilocano, Cebuano, Kinaraya and so many much more. I do not speak any of the languages myself, but I would want to learn some of them. They just sound so beautiful once you hear one of them.

Our homeland, the Philippines, is just so gorgeous. You have to get a plane ticket and go one day. Wherever you go in the Philippines, there is always somewhere exciting to go to. There are lots of trails to walk and mountain views to see.

Being Filipino means we love company. Yeah, we don't really mind being alone, but we prefer to be with others most of the time. It does not mean we're like an overly attached girlfriend to society. It just simply means we like to go around and converse with others.

It also means that we love to question you about everything. These questions will range from asking you about having a girlfriend/boyfriend or how you're doing in school and even about your weight. Most of the time, we'll just ask you if you ate yet. Even if you say yes, we'll continue to pester you to eat some more. No matter how much you protest and say you're already full, we'll keep asking you if you want some more to eat.

Filipinos are ambitious and dedicated to anything we find interest in. If we find interest in volleyball or soccer, we aim to be the best at it. If we find interest in law, we try to find ways to get us to partake in it. Whatever it is, Filipinos will find a way to know a lot about what interests us.

Being Filipino means togetherness.

We will always be together with family and friends. Basically, anyone we consider a loved one, is apart of our family. We will never leave their side. No matter how hard the journey is, how long it is or how rough, we will always be there for someone. At every struggle, we always see a ray of hope shining through.

We rarely give up, but when we do, we give up with a smile on our face.

To me, this is what being Filipino means.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

25 beatles lyrics: your go-to guide for every situation, the best lines from the fab four.

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

The End- Abbey Road, 1969

The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you

Dear Prudence- The White Album, 1968

Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you

Because- Abbey Road, 1969

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

All You Need Is Love, 1967

Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend

We Can Work It Out- Rubber Soul, 1965

He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Come Together- Abbey Road, 1969

Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand

I Wanna Hold Your Hand- Meet The Beatles!, 1964

It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band-1967

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Strawberry Fields Forever- Magical Mystery Tour, 1967

Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind

Rain- Paperback Writer "B" side, 1966

Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright

Here Comes The Sun- Abbey Road, 1969

We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there

Saw Her Standing There- Please Please Me, 1963

I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say

Michelle- Rubber Soul, 1965

You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world

Revolution- The Beatles, 1968

All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong

Eleanor Rigby- Revolver, 1966

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

With A Little Help From My Friends- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better

Hey Jude, 1968

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday

Yesterday- Help!, 1965

And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.

Let It Be- Let It Be, 1970

And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

I'll give you all i got to give if you say you'll love me too. i may not have a lot to give but what i got i'll give to you. i don't care too much for money. money can't buy me love.

Can't Buy Me Love- A Hard Day's Night, 1964

All you need is love, love is all you need

All You Need Is Love- Magical Mystery Tour, 1967

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly. all your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Blackbird- The White Album, 1968

Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more

In My Life- Rubber Soul, 1965

While these are my 25 favorites, there are quite literally 1000s that could have been included. The Beatles' body of work is massive and there is something for everyone. If you have been living under a rock and haven't discovered the Fab Four, you have to get musically educated. Stream them on Spotify, find them on iTunes or even buy a CD or record (Yes, those still exist!). I would suggest starting with 1, which is a collection of most of their #1 songs, or the 1968 White Album. Give them chance and you'll never look back.

14 Invisible Activities: Unleash Your Inner Ghost!

Obviously the best superpower..

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

1. "Haunt" your friends.

Follow them into their house and cause a ruckus.

2. Sneak into movie theaters.

Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health , says science

Considering that the monthly cost of subscribing to a media-streaming service like Netflix is oft...

Free movies...what else to I have to say?

3. Sneak into the pantry and grab a snack without judgment.

Late night snacks all you want? Duh.

4. Reenact "Hollow Man" and play Kevin Bacon.

America's favorite son? And feel what it's like to be in a MTV Movie Award nominated film? Sign me up.

5. Wear a mask and pretend to be a floating head.

Just another way to spook your friends in case you wanted to.

6. Hold objects so they'll "float."

"Oh no! A floating jar of peanut butter."

7. Win every game of hide-and-seek.

Just stand out in the open and you'll win.

8. Eat some food as people will watch it disappear.

Even everyday activities can be funny.

9. Go around pantsing your friends.

Even pranks can be done; not everything can be good.

10. Not have perfect attendance.

You'll say here, but they won't see you...

11. Avoid anyone you don't want to see.

Whether it's an ex or someone you hate, just use your invisibility to slip out of the situation.

12. Avoid responsibilities.

Chores? Invisible. People asking about social life? Invisible. Family being rude? Boom, invisible.

13. Be an expert on ding-dong-ditch.

Never get caught and have the adrenaline rush? I'm down.

14. Brag about being invisible.

Be the envy of the town.

But don't, I repeat, don't go in a locker room. Don't be a pervert with your power. No one likes a Peeping Tom.

Good luck, folks.

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned..

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

1. The importance of traditions.

Sometimes traditions seem like a silly thing, but the fact of it is that it's part of who you are. You grew up this way and, more than likely, so did your parents. It is something that is part of your family history and that is more important than anything.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

No matter how many times they get on your nerves or make you mad, they are the ones who will always be there and you should never take that for granted.

3. How to give back.

When tragedy strikes in a small town, everyone feels obligated to help out because, whether directly or indirectly, it affects you too. It is easy in a bigger city to be able to disconnect from certain problems. But in a small town those problems affect everyone.

4. What the word "community" really means.

Along the same lines as #3, everyone is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand when you need one in a small town and to me that is the true meaning of community. It's working together to build a better atmosphere, being there to raise each other up, build each other up, and pick each other up when someone is in need. A small town community is full of endless support whether it be after a tragedy or at a hometown sports game. Everyone shows up to show their support.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

People say this to others all the time, but it takes on a whole new meaning in a small town. It is true that life is about the journey, but when you're from a small town, you know it's about the journey because the journey probably takes longer than you spend at the destination. Everything is so far away that it is totally normal to spend a couple hours in the car on your way to some form of entertainment. And most of the time, you're gonna have as many, if not more, memories and laughs on the journey than at the destination.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

Word travels fast in a small town, so don't think you're gonna get away with anything. In fact, your parents probably know what you did before you even have a chance to get home and tell them. And forget about being scared of what your teacher, principle, or other authority figure is going to do, you're more afraid of what your parents are gonna do when you get home.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

Everyone deserves a chance. Most people don't have ill-intentions and you can't live your life guarding against every one else just because a few people in your life have betrayed your trust.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

While small towns are not always extremely diverse, they do contain people with a lot of different stories, struggle, and backgrounds. In a small town, it is pretty hard to exclude anyone because of who they are or what they come from because there aren't many people to choose from. A small town teaches you that just because someone isn't the same as you, doesn't mean you can't be great friends.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

In a small town, you learn that it's okay to be who you are and do your own thing. You learn that confidence isn't how beautiful you are or how much money you have, it's who you are on the inside.

10. How to work for what I want.

Nothing comes easy in life. They always say "gardens don't grow overnight" and if you're from a small town you know this both figuratively and literally. You certainly know gardens don't grow overnight because you've worked in a garden or two. But you also know that to get to the place you want to be in life it takes work and effort. It doesn't just happen because you want it to.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

If you're from a small town, you know that you will probably only meet a handful of people in your life who ACTUALLY know where your town is. And forget about the people who accidentally enter into your town because of google maps. You've gotten really good at giving them directions right back to the interstate.

12. How to be humble.

My small town has definitely taught me how to be humble. It isn't always about you, and anyone who grows up in a small town knows that. Everyone gets their moment in the spotlight, and since there's so few of us, we're probably best friends with everyone so we are as excited when they get their moment of fame as we are when we get ours.

13. To be well-rounded.

Going to a small town high school definitely made me well-rounded. There isn't enough kids in the school to fill up all the clubs and sports teams individually so be ready to be a part of them all.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

In a small town, good luck holding a grudge. In a bigger city you can just avoid a person you don't like or who you've had problems with. But not in a small town. You better resolve the issue fast because you're bound to see them at least 5 times a week.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

One of my favorite things about growing up in a rural area was being able to go outside and go exploring and not have to worry about being in danger. There is nothing more exciting then finding a new place somewhere in town or in the woods and just spending time there enjoying the natural beauty around you.

16. To be prepared for anything.

You never know what may happen. If you get a flat tire, you better know how to change it yourself because you never know if you will be able to get ahold of someone else to come fix it. Mechanics might be too busy , or more than likely you won't even have enough cell service to call one.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

It's okay to ask for help. One thing I realized when I moved away from my town for college, was how much my town has taught me that I could ask for help is I needed it. I got into a couple situations outside of my town where I couldn't find anyone to help me and found myself thinking, if I was in my town there would be tons of people ready to help me. And even though I couldn't find anyone to help, you better believe I wasn't afraid to ask.

18. How to be creative.

When you're at least an hour away from normal forms of entertainment such as movie theaters and malls, you learn to get real creative in entertaining yourself. Whether it be a night looking at the stars in the bed of a pickup truck or having a movie marathon in a blanket fort at home, you know how to make your own good time.

19. To brush off gossip.

It's all about knowing the person you are and not letting others influence your opinion of yourself. In small towns, there is plenty of gossip. But as long as you know who you really are, it will always blow over.

Grateful Beyond Words: A Letter to My Inspiration

I have never been so thankful to know you..

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

You have taught me that you don't always have to strong. You are allowed to break down as long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward. When life had you at your worst moments, you allowed your friends to be there for you and to help you. You let them in and they helped pick you up. Even in your darkest hour you showed so much strength. I know that you don't believe in yourself as much as you should but you are unbelievably strong and capable of anything you set your mind to.

Your passion to make a difference in the world is unbelievable. You put your heart and soul into your endeavors and surpass any personal goal you could have set. Watching you do what you love and watching you make a difference in the lives of others is an incredible experience. The way your face lights up when you finally realize what you have accomplished is breathtaking and I hope that one day I can have just as much passion you have.

SEE MORE: A Letter To My Best Friend On Her Birthday

The love you have for your family is outstanding. Watching you interact with loved ones just makes me smile . You are so comfortable and you are yourself. I see the way you smile when you are around family and I wish I could see you smile like this everyday. You love with all your heart and this quality is something I wished I possessed.

You inspire me to be the best version of myself. I look up to you. I feel that more people should strive to have the strength and passion that you exemplify in everyday life.You may be stubborn at points but when you really need help you let others in, which shows strength in itself. I have never been more proud to know someone and to call someone my role model. You have taught me so many things and I want to thank you. Thank you for inspiring me in life. Thank you for making me want to be a better person.

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life..

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Don't freak out

This is a rule you should continue to follow no matter what you do in life, but is especially helpful in this situation.

Email the professor

Around this time, professors are getting flooded with requests from students wanting to get into full classes. This doesn't mean you shouldn't burden them with your email; it means they are expecting interested students to email them. Send a short, concise message telling them that you are interested in the class and ask if there would be any chance for you to get in.

Attend the first class

Often, the advice professors will give you when they reply to your email is to attend the first class. The first class isn't the most important class in terms of what will be taught. However, attending the first class means you are serious about taking the course and aren't going to give up on it.

Keep attending class

Every student is in the same position as you are. They registered for more classes than they want to take and are "shopping." For the first couple of weeks, you can drop or add classes as you please, which means that classes that were once full will have spaces. If you keep attending class and keep up with assignments, odds are that you will have priority. Professors give preference to people who need the class for a major and then from higher to lower class year (senior to freshman).

Have a backup plan

For two weeks, or until I find out whether I get into my waitlisted class, I will be attending more than the usual number of classes. This is so that if I don't get into my waitlisted class, I won't have a credit shortage and I won't have to fall back in my backup class. Chances are that enough people will drop the class, especially if it is very difficult like computer science, and you will have a chance. In popular classes like art and psychology, odds are you probably won't get in, so prepare for that.

Remember that everything works out at the end

Life is full of surprises. So what if you didn't get into the class you wanted? Your life obviously has something else in store for you. It's your job to make sure you make the best out of what you have.

Trending Topics

Songs About Being 17 Grey's Anatomy Quotes Vine Quotes 4 Leaf Clover Self Respect

Top Creators

1. Brittany Morgan,   National Writer's Society 2. Radhi,   SUNY Stony Brook 3. Kristen Haddox , Penn State University 4. Jennifer Kustanovich , SUNY Stony Brook 5. Clare Regelbrugge , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Trending Stories

Why we should raise the minimum wage, the color of your shoelaces might tell someone you're a neo nazi, the official rules of slugbug, 21 superlatives for your formal, an open letter to my cousin before she graduates, best of politics and activism top 10 reasons my school rocks, 70 of the most referenced movies ever, 7 new year clichés: break free, embrace change, unleash inspiration: 15 relatable disney lyrics, the six most iconic pitbull lyrics of all time, subscribe to our newsletter, facebook comments.

Essay on Proud Of Being A Filipino

Students are often asked to write an essay on Proud Of Being A Filipino in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Proud Of Being A Filipino

Introduction.

Being a Filipino is a matter of pride. We are known for our warm hospitality, rich culture, and resilience. These traits make us unique and distinguish us from the rest of the world.

Rich Culture

Filipinos have a rich culture, influenced by various civilizations. Our traditional music, dance, and art reflect our diverse history. We celebrate festivals with joy and enthusiasm, showcasing our vibrant traditions.

Filipinos are known for their resilience. Despite facing natural disasters and challenges, we rise again with a smile. Our spirit of ‘Bayanihan’, or community cooperation, helps us overcome difficulties together.

Warm Hospitality

Our hospitality is world-renowned. We welcome guests with open hearts, treating them like family. This trait reflects our caring and loving nature.

Being a Filipino is a privilege. Our rich culture, resilience, and warm hospitality make us stand out. These are reasons enough to be proud of being a Filipino.

250 Words Essay on Proud Of Being A Filipino

Filipinos are known for their vibrant culture, rich history, and strong values. Being a Filipino, I am proud of my heritage and the unique qualities that set us apart from the rest of the world.

Filipino Culture

Our culture is a colorful mix of influences from the East and West. We have our own music, dance, art, and food that are unique to us. We celebrate fiestas with joy, showcasing our love for life and community. Our traditions and customs are a true reflection of our strong spirit and resilience.

Rich History

The history of the Philippines is a testament to our strength and resilience. From our ancestors who fought bravely for our independence to the modern-day heroes who strive for progress, every Filipino has a story of courage and determination. This rich history makes me proud to be a Filipino.

Filipino Values

Being Filipino means embracing our core values. We are known for our “Bayanihan” spirit, which means helping each other in times of need. We value family above all, and we are known for our respect towards elders. Our sense of “kapwa,” or shared humanity, is a value that binds us together.

Being a Filipino is not just about the place of birth, it’s also about being part of a community with a unique culture, rich history, and strong values. It’s about being part of a nation that values unity, respect, and resilience. I am proud to be a Filipino because of these qualities that define us as a people.

500 Words Essay on Proud Of Being A Filipino

Feeling proud of one’s heritage is a wonderful thing. I am a Filipino and I am very proud of it. The Philippines, my homeland, is a country rich in culture, history, and natural beauty. There are many reasons why I am proud to be a Filipino, and in this essay, we will explore some of them.

Rich History and Culture

The Philippines has a rich history and culture. Our ancestors fought bravely for our freedom. Their courage and love for our homeland are inspiring. We have a unique culture that is a mix of native traditions and influences from other countries. Our music, dance, art, and food reflect our rich cultural heritage. We celebrate many colorful festivals throughout the year. These celebrations showcase our traditions and bring us closer as a community.

Beautiful Natural Resources

Our country is blessed with stunning natural beauty. We have beautiful beaches, mountains, forests, and rivers. Our biodiversity is one of the richest in the world. We have unique plants and animals that are not found anywhere else. These natural resources are a source of pride for us Filipinos.

Friendly and Hospitable People

Filipinos are known for being friendly and hospitable. We treat our guests with respect and kindness. We go out of our way to make them feel welcome. This warmth and hospitality make us proud to be Filipinos.

Resilience in the Face of Challenges

Filipinos are resilient people. We face many challenges, such as natural disasters and economic difficulties. But we always find a way to overcome these challenges. We help each other and stay strong together. This resilience is a testament to our spirit as Filipinos.

Love for Family and Community

Family and community are very important to us Filipinos. We value our relationships with our family members and neighbors. We support each other in times of need. This strong sense of community and family ties makes us proud to be Filipinos.

Being a Filipino is something to be proud of. Our rich history and culture, beautiful natural resources, friendly and hospitable people, resilience in the face of challenges, and love for family and community are just some of the reasons why I am proud to be a Filipino. I am grateful for these blessings and I celebrate them with joy and pride.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Recovering Better For A Sustainable And Equitable World
• Essay on Resolving Conflicts
• Essay on Resilience Of Students During Pandemic

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

One Comment

I am very thankful for this aspiring youths

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

What is Filipino? What Filipino means to me… What is Filipino to you?

                                                                     by Jonnalyn Camba

What is Filipino?

I am filipino. i had no say or choice in the matter. it was something i had been predestined with long before i was born. it’s interesting to think that many of the things we deem important, in fact, so important that they constitute a large part of our identity, are things beyond our control., being born into a family guarantees us all a set of values, and being born into a filipino family, at that, provides me with filipino values. my conformity or rejection of any of those values only further affirms those values’ influence., filipino is an essence within me , one i share with my family, and ancestors all the way from the distant past. filipino is the city of manila where i was born, a megalopolis overflowing with personalities, colorful jeepneys , noise, and vibrance. in its streets, one can truly feel the hustle and bustle of city living., on the other hand, filipino is baguio and pangasinan , provinces starkly different from manila. baguio, known as the summer capital due to its cool, fresh mountain air. while pangasinan offers many different beaches, the moment you plunge in its waters, you realize why its name means “a place for salt”. you come out of it feeling refreshed; your face is clearer, your lungs breathe easier, and the rest of your skin feels smoother., filipino is the language  i speak with my parents. words my heart knows, and words that are sometimes difficult to translate. it’s the “bayang magiliw” and “lupang hinirang” that i sang and recited in school with my classmates as we saluted the philippine flag before the first class would start… songs and tunes of childhood memories, hard to forget, but also not easy to describe., living life mostly outside, playing all kinds of games… that’s filipino. i remembered skipping jump rope (made of rubber bands i linked together), hula hooping, playing piko (filipino hopscotch) and patintero (where we must run past marked lines)., it’s my mama’s home-cooked meals, a beautiful balance of flavors that my tongue and heart just know . the perfect lumpia, pancit, kare-kare and adobo often found right at home., filipino is many things. it’s an essence within me, yet is independent of me, a separate entity that does not belong to me; it does not belong to anyone. filipino… is., filipino is both clear and obscure. it’s both tangible and ideal. it’s also something that grows and evolves. as i grow older, and hopefully wiser, i realize that filipino continues to grow and transform , changing with its people and the country, who in turn are influenced by a myriad of things like economics and globalization. yet, still, there’s some things that remain the same, such as the love of family, respect for the elderly, and faithful optimism., when my family moved to the united states, i experienced the filipino transformation first-hand. my filipino-ness evolved from someone fully immersed into the daily customs of the philippines, to something more esoteric, and i discovered that filipino is also a feeling and a choice., separated from my country does not take away my filipino-ness, but it does transform it from a filipino person living in the philippines to a filipino person living abroad. like many filipinos living and working overseas, i’m still filipino, but in a different environment. i did not feel less filipino; its essence did not separate from me when i physically left the country., however, my own filipino journey (and the journeys of many others i’ve met along the way, both filipinos and non-filipinos who are either newly discovering or rediscovering aspects of filipino) taught me that filipino is also a choice ., yes, i began by saying that i had no choice in being filipino since i was born in the philippines to filipino parents, giving me a jumpstart on my filipino-ness. however, it’s a choice to learn more about what filipino is…to keep its language and culture a part of you , to attend filipino events, to uphold filipino values, and to eat filipino food ., it amazes me and makes me feel so grateful when i hear non-filipinos speak my language and even be able to write in it. they have made a choice to learn more about me and my culture, and even if they do not possess filipino blood, each filipino thing they partake in, whether it’s by learning a filipino song or eating filipino food, brings them closer to filipino., closer to understanding what it means to be filipino, closer to empathizing with filipinos. in fact, some become so immersed in this filipino-ness that the essence of filipino springs within them. filipino is also a seed that some choose to plant within themselves and cultivate continuously until it becomes truly rooted and becomes a part of them., so my question for you is, what is filipino to you , related posts:.

This is great.

When was this blog made?

My outlet on filipino is i am about to marry one she is beautiful

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Receive the top 100 most commonly used Filipino words for FREE!

Welcome to the Learning Filipino Family! Check your inbox in a few minutes to receive your FREE document.

Learning Filipino will send you the list shortly :) Enjoy!

Pin it on pinterest.

Feeling Filipinos: Unraveling Thoughts about the Emotional and the (Trans)National

The recent issue of the  Journal of Asian American Studies , featured the work of four emergent and established Filipino American scholars. Guest editor Martin Manalansan wrote the introduction to the cluster of papers, which we have re-printed here.

Guest post by Martin Manalansan

Nothing more than feelings. So goes the ballad that many older generations of Filipinos in the Philippines and its diaspora have sung for years in their showers and in karaoke parties. Feelings with a “p,” as many Filipinos are prone to do when they pronounce the “f” sound, not only become a marker of linguistic vestiges and accent detection among Filipinos everywhere but also constitute the very process by which a kind of compassionate and progressive analytical rigor about what it means to be Filipino today in a globalized world and during these precarious times. “Feelings” become “peelings” as recent scholarship on Filipinos demonstrate, especially the ones in this special issue, as they focus on exfoliating the layers of affective and emotional matter and discourses that compose and shape Filipino experiences in the homeland and in multiple migratory sites. Feelings and emotions are really nothing more than the semantic, corporeal, and material fuel and animating force of various everyday domestic and public experiences of contemporary life. They are the fulcrum that propels energies toward labor, migration, leisure, and survival. They also compose the various kinds of ecological intensities and contextual moods that circulate among bodies, spaces, and temporalities within and across various geographic scales.

To critically understand Filipinos today constitutes a challenge to confront the constellations of meanings around bodily energies that intersect in various arenas particularly when it comes to making sense of the Filipino nation and its predicament in the twenty-first century. There are multiple levels or strata that need to be peeled away not to come up with a common core or a central truth but to understand the stratigraphic almost palimpsest-like layerings of meaning and matter and the way they “move” and circulate within and across borders. This special issue puts together scholarship that centers the affective, emotional, and sensorial dimensions of how Filipinos negotiate, perform, establish, and/or resist the multiple predicaments of work, family, and nation. From anger to laughter, from the kinetic energy of hip-hop and the atmospheric shifts of humor, the four authors, Nerissa Balce, Allan Isaac, Jeffrey Santa Ana, and Mark Villegas, limn and map the exigencies of citizenship, labor, colonialism, kinship, class, sexuality, race, and gender through the prisms of emotions, feelings, and the senses.

Far from being an audit of such bodily skills and energies, the essays in this special issue argue against the facile binary notions of inner life versus social life, between mind and body, and between the private and public. These skills and energies are not “natural” like breathing. Rather, they are social because they become audible, palpable, visible, and palatable in relation to structured relations of power and historical unfoldings. In other words, Filipino bodily energies from affect to feelings are conditioned not by idiosyncratic personal quirks but by the forces of history, culture, and social hierarchies. Therefore, these bodily energies are part and parcel of world making and world imaginings.

Sara Ahmed, in her book  The Cultural Politics of Emotion , astutely notes that such bodily energies are “points of entry,” not static states of being as they “move, stick and slide” across various spheres and realms of social life. 1   Feelings and emotions circulate and are the passageways and vessels for the flow of capital and the buttressing of the nation. They are not “internal” or inside the body. Neither are they contained by biochemical drifts and organ function but can be instruments of oppression by much larger systems such as the state and the private corporation. They form part of the grit that causes frictive relationships between family, region, nation, and the globe. As such, emotions and feelings bypass or transgress the very borders they themselves have created.

For example, “care” in the Filipino case takes on a rarefied air of “national character.” Movies, government training programs, slogans, and other cultural genres have produced and disseminated the figure of the “caring Filipino” who is fit and ready for the global service market and corporeally predisposed to serve and be servile. Care uncritically becomes a mark not only of being “human” but of being Filipino. It morphs from being a bodily skill and intensity into an essentializing notion of a nation and a people that is complicit with the workings of late capital. Care is a neoliberal idiom that gets embodied in the day-to-day struggles of Filipino migrant workers who are employed as nannies, maids, drivers, bellhops, cooks, and so on. 2   As the primary labor broker, the Philippines state functions not only as a mediating agent but also as a disciplinary conduit that devices, inculcates, disseminates, and manages the emotional scripts necessary for Filipino migrant labor to be marketable and valued. 3   Such scripts involve the disciplining or “professionalization” of bodies to specific forms of composures and habits most especially around the arena of work. Therefore, care is a central “proper” emotion that constitutes these scripts underwritten by the Philippine state and the global service industry, and performed by migrant workers on multiple stages across the diaspora.

Emotions and feelings do not just emanate or are produced by biological entities called humans but can also be constituted by material objects and discourses. One needs only to see how a newspaper account, an image on a laptop screen, a tune from the latest pop song, or the smell of flowers can invoke and provoke multiple movements of intensities that make up and conjure various atmospheres. Emotions, feelings, and the senses are the building blocks of social time and space. Therefore, in order to adequately understand the spatial and temporal politics of Filipinos today, one needs to be “attuned” to the moods and “weight” of places and events or how our surroundings impinge on our bodies.

Bodily knowledge is crucial in critically apprehending Filipino experiences today. Consider how Balikbayan boxes from the diasporic elsewhere or packets of sinigang broth from the Philippines can propel or set in motion various ways of acting and being in the world such as being wistful, despondent, hopeful, exuberant, and/or dejected. Such ways of being and acting can be potentially useful pivots in negotiating through the power inequalities and enliven struggles for survival.

The essays in the special issue go beyond the vernacular and conservative meanings of emotions, feelings, and the senses by promoting the ways in which these bodily skills, knowledge, and intensities are not mere reactive impulses that remain within the sphere of the feeling subject or agent. The essays focus on what emotions and feeling “do” and not just merely describing what they “are” beyond being enablers of systemic complicity or propping up the very social order that is meant to oppress them. To put it another way, emotions are neither always passive responses nor just “barriers” or baggage that promote inaction but are or can potentially become “weapons of the weak.” Emotions and feelings are part and parcel of doing or making politics, the struggle for survival, claims of citizenship and of imagining and longing for a world that is not here yet.

As a way to complicate our idea of feelings and emotions, let us go back to the idea of care that has been appropriated by the state and the transnational service industry. Despite the Philippine state’s draconian scripting, care is never pure or unalloyed. In my own studies, care has provided the means for migrant labor to think coalitionally as a collective force to champion their own rights as workers. My own ethnographic interviews among Filipino migrants have shown how the idiom of care has been reconfigured to move away from being a stand-in for docile professionalism to framing and invigorating organizing efforts toward change. Feelings and emotions such as care can trigger and initiate rejection of or surrender to the world at hand. In sum, emotions and feelings either can be used for the maintenance of an unjust status or can form the seeds for resistance and possible social transformation. Despite their conservative deployments by the Philippine state and the service industry, feelings, emotions, and the senses in the Filipino contexts are crucial bodily skills, intensities, and energies that may open up new ways of imagining possible futures, just worlds, and alternative plots of being, living, and surviving as a Filipino in a global world.

Martin F. Manalansan IV is Associate Professor of Anthropology and Asian American Studies and a Conrad Professorial Humanities Scholar at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

1. Sara Ahmed, The Cultural Politics of Emotion (New York: Routledge, 2004), 14.

2. Rhacel Parreñas and Eileen Boris, eds., Intimate Labors: Culture, Technologies and the Politics of Care (Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 2010).

3. Anna Romina Guevarra, Marketing Dreams, Manufacturing Heroes: The Transnational Labor Brokering of Filipino Workers (New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 2009); Robin Magalit Rodriguez, Migrants for Export: How the Philippine State Brokers Labor to the World (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2010). 

• Announcements
• Editorial Team
• GIGA Journal Family
• Review policy
• About the author
• Finding references

Filipino Identity: The Haunting Question

On what it means to be a Filipino

When I asked my children what they wanted for dinner one evening, they said, “We want Filipino food.” That gave me pause, because at their age, it never occurred to me to qualify what I eat. Everything I ate was Filipino food.

 It feels my family’s exposure to Filipino culture has revolved around many informal rituals integrated in our daily lives, but what struck me that evening was that in my children’s eyes, their choice for dinner was compartmentalized as being Filipino.

What makes us Filipino? I feel like I'm perpetually preparing an answer that may never be satisfactorily articulated, if and when my children ask me that question.

I immediately think about my upbringing in the Philippines, but my mind also wanders to the different Filipino communities around the world that I've been fortunate enough to have encountered. It's also wonderful to see how these communities have adopted local customs and quirks. The shared mannerisms and numerous cultural cues immediately breed familiarity and a sense of belonging.

Immigration trends in recent years saw the Philippines becoming the leading source of immigrants to Canada, outpacing countries like India and China. More of my peers are also having children and growing their families. In the course of this population growth, it’s no coincidence that the number of Filipino restaurants has increased across Metro Vancouver. I also hear our languages spoken more frequently when I'm out and about in the city, and it's no longer a surprise to locate Filipino goods and publications at a local corner store. Pluralistic societies make room, and we're slowly making our presence felt.

Unfortunately, there are gaps in our community’s expression of our traditions. There’s a preposterous fetishization of celebrity culture and all its accoutrements. There’s a lack of widespread appreciation of our history and associated critical assessments on its effects on present situations. It’s increasingly apparent that we need more substantive cultural institutions that are recognized as being on the forefront of raising the profile of the Filipino community like Kathara Society here in Vancouver, Kapisanan in Toronto, along with the involvement of serious academics like those from the UBC Philippine Studies Series.

Many of us will make a conscious effort to have mindful discussions with the younger generations about what it means to be Filipino. However, as time and generations pass, so too will the distance between the those of us who grew up in our parents’ and grandparents’ adopted home country and those of us whose idea of what it means to be Filipino has been informed by a shared existence in the Philippines. We need to begin to recognize that building these bridges across generations require traditions that are reinforced beyond our immediate tribes. As our community continues to grow, so does the opportunity to create meaningful experiences that highlight and advance the evolving Filipino experience.

Rafael Joseph ‘RJ' Aquino is a young parent and community activist. He works in the Vancouver high-tech sector. Aquino co-founded the Tulayan Filipino Diaspora Society, and OneCity, a Vancouver electoral organization.

Canadian Filipino Net is an independent, non-profit digital magazine produced by volunteer writers, editors, and webmasters. Your donation will go a long way so we can continuously publish stories about Canadian Filipinos. Click on a donate button and proceed either through PayPal, Debit, or Credit Card.

• Census 2021: Filipinos just shy of a million mark in Canada
• Canada names David Hartman as new ambassador to the Philippines
• Father Dino Villadiego becomes first Filipino rector of Victoria Catholic Church
• BACKSTAGE Choice Cuts (buto/ buto: bones are seeds)
• Dr. Gigi Osler is first Canadian Filipino woman appointed Senator
• Toronto gets a Pinoy Christmas Night Market
• Philippine cultural diversity and talent on display in Victoria
• Filipinos win 5 seats in B.C. city elections
• Fashion show blends Philippine heritage with modern aesthetic
• Dimasalang III joins Kampala group of artists in Roundhouse Art Exhibition

More Articles

Philippines Looking to Draw Larger Share of Retirees’ Market

Dahong Pilipino Celebrates 30th Anniversary with Dinner Dance on May 19th

Immigration drives growing non-official languages including Tagalog

CFNet’s outstanding Filipino for 2021, Phil de Luna, running for MP under Green Party

The Road of My Life

Canada signs defence pact with the Philippines

Canada is top 2017 destination spot

Condrad Santos

The First Step for Skilled Immigrants: Getting Your Credentials Evaluated

Filipino Volunteer Group Stages Fundraising Concert for Local Charity

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy .

What does it mean to be Filipino?

As a poor kid, I studied in a public elementary school and grew up learning the exploits of Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Gabriela Silang and Ramon Magsaysay. We had no library, but through the tutelage of my good and committed teachers, I learned there lived Filipino men and women highly deserving to be exemplars of greatness.

We are proud to be Filipino because, at one point in our history as a nation, the likes of Melchora Aquino, Juan Luna, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Diego Silang, Padre Gomez, Burgos and Zamora, Claro M. Recto, Sultan Kudarat, Gregorio del Pilar, Francisco Baltazar, Jose Abad Santos, Benigno Aquino Jr., Jose Garcia Villa and Nick Joaquin walked upon this noble land.

I mention these men and women of honor in order to emphasize the fundamental contrast between love of country and the kind of narcissism influenced by today’s modern technology, one often highlighted by a list of the “richest people,” “richest athletes,” “most popular celebrities” and “most influential personalities.”

A child’s mind is fertile ground that needs to be nurtured. At the same time, this young mind must be freed from poisonous weeds, the likes of which we often find on TV, in glossy magazines and the halls of Congress.

There is a bigger universe out there that the young minds of our children must explore—J.R.R. Tolkien, Abraham Lincoln, John Rawls, Pope John Paul II, J.D. Salinger, Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill and Bertrand Russell, to mention a few.

Everything is wrong when a child begins to dream that he or she will become the next big thing in show biz. Success through talent is not an exact science. Instead of spending time on television, the microphone or with boxing gloves, children must read books and more books.

Imagine a world where a Filipino achieves the feat of a Bill Gates or a Steve Jobs. Imagine the billions of dollars an innovative idea would inject into the Philippine economy. And imagine a country like the Philippines exporting Maseratis and AH-64A/D Apache attack helicopters instead of bananas and pineapples.

Our country, more often than not, reports a different story. Very recently, an overseas Filipino worker jumped from her employer’s apartment to escape. When news about this incident spread, donations poured in, including scholarships for her children. Should all OFWs suffer the same fate in order to receive such consolation?

I have always thought that if God were to visit this world, the slogan “It’s more fun in the Philippines,” cannot be reason enough for him to make a side-trip here. Two Filipino friends in Sweden, who hold doctorates in physics, refuse to return to the Philippines because they think it would be absurd for them to leave their employers in Europe. And with each passing day, thousands of mothers, young and old, leave their own children to take care of foreign children abroad.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is out on bail. President Aquino will, of course, discuss this with his closest advisers. Still, I don’t think this is the most urgent issue for all of us. P-Noy, being our leader, should address something more important—what does it all mean to be Filipino? A leader does not only give direction to his people. He must also help them find the meaning of their lives.

—CHRISTOPHER RYAN MABOLOC,

[email protected]

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

Fearless views on the news

Disclaimer: Comments do not represent the views of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments which are inconsistent with our editorial standards. FULL DISCLAIMER

© copyright 1997-2024 inquirer.net | all rights reserved.

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. To find out more, please click this link.

• Subscribe Now

#PinoyAko: What does being Filipino mean today?

Already have Rappler+? Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism.

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Add a comment

Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines .

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

How does this make you feel?

Related Topics

Recommended stories, {{ item.sitename }}, {{ item.title }}.

Checking your Rappler+ subscription...

Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access.

Why is it important to subscribe? Learn more

You are subscribed to Rappler+

What does it mean to be a Filipino?

• Post author By Jeanne Marie Cornista , John Sarao , Shi Ailyn
• Post date August 7, 2013
• 21 Comments on What does it mean to be a Filipino?

The concept of national identity is a tricky one. Asking what it means to be Filipino is basically the same as finding what it is that brings 94.85 million people together. Is it the fact that we share the same land? 7,107 islands beg to differ (at least when it’s low tide). Is it sharing a mother tongue? We have 185 languages between us. Is it having the same blood running through our veins? Whether we’re aware of it or not, almost all of us have a mix of Chinese, Spanish, American, or some other foreign blood.

Or it might not be the factual attributes as it is the cultural that matters, though culture itself is something continuously changing. When we once wielded bolos or wrote upon leaves and tree barks, we now dress in Western styles and use touch-screen gadgets.

Still, we have been faced over and over with the same blinding question: Does a unique Filipino identity even exist? From wading in knee-deep floodwater to our unique love for all things basketball, we delve into the rare attributes of Filipinos and their rich heritage.

Aside from the innumerable anitos they called upon and the existence of an alphabet consisting of merely 17 letters (all of which were indications of a cultured form of lifestyle), trade with the Chinese, Indians and Arabs rendered the early Filipinos quite capable. That handy umbrella you use around Taft Avenue when it rains? Thank the Chinese for that. Thinking about how numbers make your school life that much more difficult? Point your pitchforks to the Arabs. Your love for all things spicy and zesty must have been a gift from India.

The beauty of the typical pre-colonial Filipino trader is that he was branded by neighbouring countries as being an honest businessman. Moreover, courtship under the sun and stars was an extreme affair requiring patience and modesty from both sides. Although there was a lack of national unity, our ties with neighbouring countries were affirmed by our rich showcase of folk songs and mimetic dances which were, in part, attributed to them.

Colonial Era

When God, gold and glory swooped in, Filipinos were moulded from the inside out to become Church-fearing citizens. Religion, among other things, became the center of Filipino life. Whether it’s attending Sunday mass with the family, celebrating with the townsfolk at a local fiesta or watching the never-ending debates at the Senate about a certain RH law, the influence of Catholicism has stood the test of time and thanks to our Spanish colonizers, it is here to stay.

When the Spaniards left the Philippines, the Americans came and brought a whole different culture into the ballgame. After over 300 years under Spanish rule, the Filipinos were awestruck by the different flavor of American culture. Something about it just made the masses fall in love with all things American: food, music, sports, movies, fashion, language – you name it, we adore it. To this day many of us patronize cultural products of America; the allure of American culture still shines among the Filipino people and it’s as if they never left.

Immutable qualities

As far as our own cultural identity goes, there are some things that have never changed. Despite the Filipinos being a mixture of different cultures, there are certain aspects of our cultural identity that are uniquely ours. The most formidable example would have to be the family. Family has always been (and will always be) the biggest part of any Filipino’s life. Families in the Philippines play such a big impact in society that there are laws to protect its best interest. In addition, families are seen to be the heads of different sectors. Case in point, the existence of political dynasties, and although many are opposed to this kind of setup, one cannot deny that the influential nature of the family is what keeps it very much relevant in our society.

With the modern-day Filipino having a fusion of different cultural backgrounds, the question still stands: What makes us truly Filipino? Is it the traces left behind by our forefathers? Or is it the cultural identities that we adopted from our colonizers? Perhaps it’s a mixture of both; however, these questions only seek to answer our past and not our future. As the saying goes, “The future is in our hands.” That task now is given to the youth – to our generation, to mold what exactly we, as a nation, would want to be known as and only time will tell what the true meaning of our Filipino identity is. So we ask you, what is it that makes us Filipino?

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Tags Glimpse

By Jeanne Marie Cornista

By John Sarao

By Shi Ailyn

21 replies on “what does it mean to be a filipino”.

Since I’m Filipino I would say that being Filipino means a lot of things such as family, awesomeness, one of a kind, and I think we should be happy about who we are and where we come from. Let’s just yell it out and say,” I’m Filipino!!!!”

ccn2785xdnwdc5bwedsj4wsndb

[…]below you’ll come across the link to some web-sites that we feel it is best to visit[…]

3nvb54wnxd5cbvbecnv5ev75bc

[…]one of our visitors recently advised the following website[…]

[…]although websites we backlink to beneath are considerably not connected to ours, we feel they are actually really worth a go by way of, so possess a look[…]

[…]below you will uncover the link to some internet sites that we believe you’ll want to visit[…]

[…]Here are several of the sites we suggest for our visitors[…]

[…]Sites of interest we have a link to[…]

[…]The info talked about in the article are several of the ideal readily available […]

[…]Every when in a though we decide on blogs that we read. Listed beneath would be the most current websites that we decide on […]

[…]always a large fan of linking to bloggers that I adore but don’t get lots of link like from[…]

[…]the time to study or check out the content or sites we’ve linked to below the[…]

[…]we came across a cool web-site which you may possibly appreciate. Take a appear if you want[…]

[…]Every as soon as inside a while we decide on blogs that we study. Listed below would be the newest websites that we select […]

[…]just beneath, are many totally not related web pages to ours, even so, they may be certainly really worth going over[…]

[…]Here is a superb Blog You may Discover Intriguing that we Encourage You[…]

[…]always a big fan of linking to bloggers that I like but really don’t get a good deal of link really like from[…]

[…]please stop by the sites we adhere to, like this one, as it represents our picks in the web[…]

[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a few unrelated data, nevertheless seriously really worth taking a search, whoa did 1 master about Mid East has got a lot more problerms as well […]

that editing of Laqui, I cringe

What is Court Marriage Process In India and Fees, Documents Required? In India, a court marriage takes place under the special marriage act, 1954. Contact us for In India, a court marriage services. Arya Samaj Mandir Delhi

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

What does it mean to be Filipino in 2020? A digital library answers, one personal story at a time

Jan Vincent Gonzales can’t say the name of a writer without alerting his virtual assistant trapped inside a smart speaker. He runs a global consultancy for Filipino talents, a sort of index. Though if you ask him and many queer Filipinos abroad, they would prefer to be called Filipinx.

A month into quarantine he launched Mercado, the said index, a “digital palengke” for artists, creators, creatives of all fields. He signed photographers both Manila-based and US-based along with artists, illustrators and graphic designers. The name Mercado Vicente combines his mother’s maiden name and his middle name. He did that amid the pandemic, a lifeline for Filipino creatives struggling during this changing time.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC6AUR1J1Rf/

“Being creatives means so many different things,” Gonzales, the founder and director of his eponymous agency says. “Stories” is another facet of creativity he wanted to highlight through Mercado Vicente. “Through writing, we want Filipinos all over the world to connect and find similarities within themselves through their stories.”

Minority within a minority

The writer who cannot be named was Alexa Tietjen, who’s also a video producer. She was the first writer to be published under “Stories”, a collection of narratives, words, poems, and other written forms accompanied by visuals on what it means to be Filipino wherever you are in the world—a love letter on the diversity of Filipino experience.

When her story came out, the Filipino community abroad was buzzed with the issue of a white-owned wine bar called Barkada. Gonzales wrote about it in detail , which became technically the first entry in “Stories.” There he writes, “After learning of a new wine bar opened by four white men in Washington D.C. taking this moniker, we had to do something. 

“These guys landed on Eater for capitalizing on a Tagalog word. There’s no reason then that we should have any problem with highlighting on the many Filipino establishments that are run by Filipinos.” And list these Filipino-run restaurants he did.

Then there is the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement in the US, which further examines the role and the place of Asian-Americans in the country that’s racially-divided.

“Through writing, we want Filipinos all over the world to connect and find similarities within themselves through their stories.”

Alexa’s story is one of a minority finding a place within a minority in a foreign country. The daughter of a Filipina mother and a German-Swedish father, her identity is often questioned within the very community she seeks refuge in. People ask her, if she is not Chinese, then what is she? A tendency by white folks to conflate all Asian identities into one classification as East Asians makes it even harder for the likes of Alexa.

But as she wrote and Gonzales wants to prove through a diverse collection of writing: there is no one way to be Filipino.

One story at a time

When I spoke to Gonzales over Zoom to talk about this latest addition to their Mercado initiative, it also happened to be Buwan ng Wika in the Philippines, a month-long celebration of the indigenous languages of the country. The topic in itself is highly politicized and polarizing considering there are over 100 languages used in the Philippines’ 7,100+ islands and just one official language based on one used in Luzon particularly in the Tagalog region.

“We push for highlighting the experiences of marginalized voices in our community, especially those of queer folx and womxn.”

Since our conversation, Gonzales’ library of Filipinx experience has expanded—for one, he gleefully shares on his Instagram that the term “Filipinx” has now been added to dictionary.com.

There are now four entries published on “Stories”: Alexa’s reflection on minority identity; Caresse Fernandez’s poem anchored on her lola’s dark lips; Will Conlu’s “Eat, Pray, Love”-esque journey amid the pandemic; and a Q&A by Gonzales and Cirillo Torres with filmmaker Isabel Sandoval on her ground-breaking film “Lingua Franca,” which centers on an undocumented transgender Filipina living in Brooklyn and her struggle with identity, civil rights and immigration.

“Mercado Vicente felt strongly about sharing the film’s story with our community because we stand for Filipinx creatives whose voices are not normally heard in mainstream media,” Gonzales and Torres write. “We push for highlighting the experiences of marginalized voices in our community, especially those of queer folx and womxn.”

Much like every story published since the platform’s inception in July, the piece is accompanied by visuals exclusively created by Filipino artists for Mercado Vicente. For the feature on Sandoval’s full-length film, they’ve partnered with filmmaker Ava Duvernay’s production company Array Now that spotlights the work of people of color and women of all kinds.

There are nine artworks that interpret Sandoval’s masterpiece in that piece alone. But Gonzales is not stopping there. In a similar Instagram prompt that started “Stories”, he asks artists all over the world to share their interpretations of the film through art. The entries will then be uploaded to the index alongside the works of many other Filipino creatives.

‘ Making sure that our stories are told ’

So how does Gonzales manage all this creative output in the middle of a global shift due to the pandemic? Callouts are easy. With his over 3,000 Instagram followers and a community of like-minded Filipinos abroad, there is bound to be an abundance of material. It also helps that Gonzales’ peers in the Philippines—the likes of designer Carl Jan Cruz, his consultancy’s first client—help amplify this cause in the motherland. The problem really is how to go through the deluge of portfolios and submissions with his team.

“There is an extreme lack in the stories that are being told about being Filipino. The fact that we are a minority within a minority says something.”

“The plan initially is to put out two to three stories a week,” he says but that proved to be a challenge since they have to coordinate with the artists who are doing the visuals, too. Right now, he and his team are taking their time to sift through all of it and publish without pressure, which works well considering most of the writings are timeless.

Gonzales is banking on the vastness of Filipino experience, and it hasn’t failed him so far. He shares that right away submissions fit the prompt—he didn’t have to wring it out of them to create something that would click with Mercado Vicente’s goal: to give a platform to all kinds of Filipino voices around the world. 

Maybe it’s the spare time we now collectively have in abundance in quarantine. But as Gonzales put it, it may also be that deep within, these stories have always been there but without an avenue to express them. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDgyI2FJEuV/

Despite 2020 being relatively a year of reckoning where we are now all recognizing the diversity of talent and experience, there is still a lot of representation missing in the mainstream media. “I think it’s why we’re pushing so hard for this one, too,” Gonzales says. “When they say Asian-American, they’re usually just talking about Chinese, Japanese and Korean people. What about the southeast Asian people?

“There is an extreme lack in the stories that are being told about being Filipino. The fact that we are a minority within a minority says something. The fact that even if you look at Hollywood and they say ‘Oh, we’re doing better with Asian representation.’ Yeah, but you’re only doing Eastern Asians. That’s what we’re trying to fight here: making sure that our stories are told.”

Before ending our conversation, 12 hours apart and with the internet connection testing us every 10 minutes, I ask what’s next for his ambitious project.

“We definitely want to look into music and film, it’s just a matter of us being able to build the website to host it properly. Just as there is no one way to be Filipino, there is no one way to be creative and there are so many creatives that call themselves multi-disciplinary and they are! It just shows you how talented Filipinos are.”

Header artworks by Venazir Martinez, Maura Rodriguez and Jill Arteche

Get more stories like this by subscribing to our weekly newsletter here .

To know how Filipinos are coping in the pandemic, look at what they’re eating

For young readers, here’s an online library of Filipino children’s books you can access for free

There’s no one-size-fits-all-needs bike. Can these customizable Filipino-made wheels be it?

Writer:  CHRISTIAN SAN JOSE PHOTOS  COURTESY OF MERCADO VICENTE “STORIES” and JAN VINCENT GONZALES

These organizations are making online learning possible for more students

The most indulgent and ingenious sandwiches of quarantine so far—available for delivery

If not erwin romulo, who.

Watch Bernal’s ‘Manila By Night’ for free, plus more Filipino and foreign films at this Pride film fest

Watching ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ sweep the Oscars made me cry

Cannes big winner ‘Triangle of Sadness’ starring Filipina actress Dolly de Leon to screen in PH soon

• INQUIRER.NET

Nolisoli.ph © 2020. Hinge Inquirer Publications, Inc.

FAQS ✻ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES ✻ LINK POLICY

akun Slot88 slot jackpot terbesar situs slot88 terpercaya Slot Paling Gacor Hari Ini slot pulsa Slot Terbaru Gampang Menang

Find anything you save across the site in your account

The Haiti That Still Dreams

By Edwidge Danticat

I often receive condolence-type calls, e-mails, and texts about Haiti. Many of these messages are in response to the increasingly dire news in the press, some of which echoes what many of us in the global Haitian diaspora hear from our family and friends. More than fifteen hundred Haitians were killed during the first three months of this year, according to a recent United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights report, which described the country’s situation as “ cataclysmic .” Women and girls are routinely subjected to sexual violence. Access to food, water, education, and health care is becoming more limited, with more than four million Haitians, around a third of the population, living with food insecurity, and 1.4 million near starvation. Armed criminal groups have taken over entire neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas, carrying out mass prison breaks and attacks on the city’s airport, seaport, government buildings, police stations, schools, churches, hospitals, pharmacies, and banks, turning the capital into an “ open air prison .”

Even those who know the country’s long and complex history will ask, “Why can’t Haiti catch a break?” We then revisit some abridged version of that history. In 1804, after a twelve-year revolution against French colonial rule, Haiti won its independence, which the United States and several European powers failed to recognize for decades. The world’s first Black republic was then forced to spend sixty years paying a hundred-and-fifty-million francs (now worth close to thirty billion dollars) indemnity to France . Americans invaded and then occupied Haiti for nineteen years at the beginning of the twentieth century. The country endured twenty-nine years of murderous dictatorship under François Duvalier and his son, Jean-Claude, until 1986. In 1991, a few months after Haiti’s first democratically elected President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, took office, he was overthrown in a coup staged by a military whose members had been trained in the U.S. Aristide was elected again, then overthrown again, in 2004, in part owing to an armed rebellion led by Guy Philippe, who was later arrested by the U.S. government for money laundering related to drug trafficking. Last November, six years into his nine-year prison sentence, Philippe was deported by the U.S. to Haiti. He immediately aligned himself with armed groups and has now put himself forward as a Presidential candidate.

In 2010, the country was devastated by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake, which killed more than two hundred thousand people. Soon after, United Nations “peacekeepers” dumped feces in Haiti’s longest river, causing a cholera epidemic that killed more than ten thousand people and infected close to a million. For the past thirteen years, Haiti has been decimated by its ruling party, Parti Haïtien Tèt Kale (P.H.T.K.), which rose to power after a highly contested election in 2011. In that election, the U.S.—then represented by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton—and the Organization of American States helped the candidate who finished in third place, Michel Martelly, claim the top spot. Bankrolled by kidnapping, drug trafficking, business élites, and politicians, armed groups have multiplied under P.H.T.K, committing massacres that have been labelled crimes against humanity. In 2021, a marginally elected President, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated in his bedroom , a crime for which many of those closest to him, including his wife, have been named as either accomplices or suspects.

The unasked question remains, as W. E. B. Du Bois wrote in “ The Souls of Black Folk ,” “How does it feel to be a problem?”

I deeply honor Haiti’s spirit of resistance and long history of struggle, but I must admit that sometimes the answer to that question is that it hurts. Sometimes it hurts a lot, even when one is aware of the causes, including the fact that the weapons that have allowed gangs to take over the capital continue to flow freely from Miami and the Dominican Republic, despite a U.N. embargo. Internally, the poorest Haitians have been constantly thwarted by an unequal and stratified society, which labels rural people moun andeyò (outside people), and which is suffused with greedy and corrupt politicians and oligarchs who scorn the masses from whose tribulations they extract their wealth.

Recently, at a loved one’s funeral, in Michigan, the spectre of other Haitian deaths was once again on the minds of my extended family members. Everywhere we gather, Haiti is with us, as WhatsApp messages continuously stream in from those who chose to stay in Haiti and can’t leave because the main airport is closed, and others who have no other home. In Michigan, during chats between wake, funeral, and repast, elders brought up those who can’t get basic health care, much less a proper burial or any of the rituals that are among our most sacred obligations. “Not even a white sheet over those bodies on the street,” my mother-in-law, who is eighty-nine, said, after receiving yet another image of incinerated corpses in Port-au-Prince. At least after the 2010 earthquake, sheets were respectfully placed on the bodies pulled from the rubble. Back then, she said, the armed young men seemed to have some reverence for life and some fear of death.

Lately, some of our family gatherings are incantations of grief. But they can also turn into storytelling sessions of a different kind. They are opportunities for our elders to share something about Haiti beyond what our young ones, like everyone else, see on the news. The headlines bleed into their lives, too, as do the recycled tropes that paint us as ungovernable, failures, thugs, and even cannibals. As with the prayers that we recite over the dead, words still have power, the elders whisper. We must not keep repeating the worst, they say, and in their voices I hear an extra layer of distress. They fear that they may never see Haiti again. They fear that those in the next generation, some of whom have never been to Haiti, will let Haiti slip away, as though the country they see in the media—the trash-strewn streets and the barricades made from the shells of burnt cars, the young men brandishing weapons of war and the regular citizens using machetes to defend themselves—were part of some horror film that they can easily turn off. The elders remind us that we have been removed, at least physically, from all of this by only a single generation, if not less.

We are still human beings, the elders insist—“ Se moun nou ye .” We are still wozo , like that irrepressible reed that grows all over Haiti. For a brief moment, I think someone might break into the Haitian national anthem or sing a few bars of the folk song “ Ayiti Cheri .” (“Beloved Haiti, I had to leave you to understand.”) Instead, they hum the music that the wozo has inspired : “ Nou se wozo / Menm si nou pliye, nou pap kase. ” Even if we bend, we will not break.

Except we are breaking. “It pains me to see people living in constant fear,” the Port-au-Prince-based novelist and poet Évelyne Trouillot recently wrote to me in an e-mail. “I dream of a country where children are not afraid to dream.” Internationally, U.S. deportations continue , Navy ships are ready to be deployed to intercept migrant boats, and Haitian asylum seekers could once again end up imprisoned on Guantánamo, as they did in the early nineteen-nineties. In conversations, whether with strangers or with younger family members, someone inevitably asks, “Is there any hope?”

I have hope, I say, because I grew up with elders, both in Haiti and here in the U.S., who often told us, “ Depi gen souf gen espwa ”—as long as there’s breath, there’s hope. I have hope, too, because the majority of Haitians are under twenty-five years old, as are many members of our family. Besides, how can we give in to despair with eleven million people’s lives in the balance? Better yet, how can we reignite that communal grit and resolve that inspired us to defeat the world’s greatest armies and then pin to our flag the motto “ L’union fait la force ”? Unity is strength.

The elders also remind us that Haiti is not just Port-au-Prince. As more and more of the capital’s residents are forced to return to homesteads and ancestral villages, the moun andeyò have much to teach other Haitians. “Historically, the moun andeyò have always been the preserver of Haiti’s cultural and traditional ethos,” Vivaldi Jean-Marie, a professor of African American and African-diaspora studies at Columbia University, told me. Rural Haitians, who have lived for generations without the support of the state, have had no choice but to rely on one another in close and extended family structures called lakou . “This shared awareness—I am because we are—will prevail beyond this difficult chapter in Haitian history,” Jean-Marie said.

Finally, I have hope because in Haiti, as the American writer and art collector Selden Rodman has written, “ art is joy .” This remains true even as some of the country’s most treasured cultural institutions, including the National School of the Arts and the National Library, have been ransacked. In the summer of 2023, Carrefour Feuilles, a district in Port-au-Prince that many writers, visual artists, and musicians call home, was attacked by armed criminal groups. The onslaught led to a petition that collected close to five thousand signatures. It read in part, “How many more hundreds of our women and children must be raped, executed, burned before the public authorities do everything possible to put an end to the plague of gangs and their sponsors?”

A few days later, the homes of two of the signatories, the multimedia artist Lionel St. Eloi and the writer Gary Victor, were taken over by a gang. The last time I saw St. Eloi was in 2019, in the courtyard of Port-au-Prince’s Centre d’Art, where he had a series of metal birds on display, their bejewelled bodies and beaks pointing toward the sky. Allenby Augustin, the Centre d’Art’s executive director, recently described how some artists, afraid of having to suddenly flee their homes and leave their work behind, bring their pieces to the center or keep them in friends’ homes in different parts of the city. Others add the stray bullets that land inside their studios— bal pèdi or bal mawon —to their canvasses.

St. Eloi, the patriarch of a family of artists, had lived in Carrefour Feuilles since the seventies, working with young people there. “The youth who were neglected or who could not afford to go to school were taken in by our family,” one of St. Eloi’s sons, the musician Duckyns (Zikiki) St. Eloi, told me. “We taught them to paint, to play guitar, and to play the drums. Now they are hired to run errands for gangsters who put guns in their hands.” In spite of what has happened, he still believes that art can turn some things around. He recently sent me a picture of a work by his younger brother Anthony—an image depicting gang members wearing brightly colored balaclavas and holding pencils, a book, a paint palette, a camera, and a musical instrument. “If there are gangs, we’d be better off with art gangs,” Zikiki said. “Gangs that paint, make music, recite poetry. Art is how we bring our best face to the world. Art is how we dream.” ♦

New Yorker Favorites

A Harvard undergrad took her roommate’s life, then her own. She left behind her diary.

Ricky Jay’s magical secrets .

A thirty-one-year-old who still goes on spring break .

How the greatest American actor lost his way .

What should happen when patients reject their diagnosis ?

The reason an Addams Family painting wound up hidden in a university library .

Fiction by Kristen Roupenian: “Cat Person”

Sign up for our daily newsletter to receive the best stories from The New Yorker .

By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

By Anjali Chandrashekar

By Roz Chast

By Patricia Marx

By Dhruv Khullar