Filipinos, how do you feel when someone describes you as part Spanish?

Question

Does it make you proud that you supposedly have foreign blood?

Do you believe that you indeed have Spanish (or German, English, American, etc.) lineage? If so, can you prove it?

Do you question the mentality behind why some of us try so hard to promote this notion in others and sometimes in ourselves?

Answer 1

...i am every inch a filipino.  through generations, there could be some "foreign" blood flowing in my veins but i'm not counting them in pints and quarts.  i am proud of my ancestors.  and whether i am part this or part that, the fact still remains, i am a filipino!!!  

from the words of carlos p. romulo  "I am a Filipino. In my blood runs the immortal seed of heroes - seed that flowered down the centuries in deeds of courage and defiance. In my veins yet pulses the same hot blood that sent Lapulapu to battle against the alien foe that drove Diego Silang and Dagohoy into rebellion against the foreign oppressor.

That seed is immortal. It is the self-same seed that flowered in the heart of Jose Rizal that morning in Bagumbayan when a volley of shots put an end to all that was mortal of him and made his spirit deathless forever; the same that flowered in the hearts of Bonifacio in Balintawak, of Gergorio del Pilar at Tirad Pass, of Antonio Luna at Calumpit; that bloomed in flowers of frustration in the sad heart of Emilio Aguinaldo at Palanan, and yet burst fourth royally again in the proud heart of Manuel L. Quezon when he stood at last on the threshold of ancient Malacañang Palace, in the symbolic act of possession and racial vindication."

Answer 2

Who cares what kind of blood race is running through my veins? All I can say is that, I am proud to be a Filipina and that's what matters.

Answer 3

Im a Filipino, 25% Chinese.. sometimes i don't care having chinese blood. Im focus on being a Filipino! haha

it's just that im more of a filipina by heart. and im proud to b one

Answer 4

Who CARES. Concept of "race" is stupid. Ultimately we all came from the same substance. There are asians who care so much about being pure, and then there are those that care so much about being mixed-raced. Seriously, what the h**l is going on? It's just annoying, that is my answer!

Answer 5

i look filipino all the way. brown, not tall, regular flat nose. i'm not part spanish and i don't care.

Answer 6

I'm not a Filipino but I'm going to answer this anyway just because I can.  And it irritates the purists.

Don't go thinking you have some level of superiority just because of your pedigree chart.  We are all human beings.  Some good, some bad.  I challenge anyone to demonstrate a correlation between bloodline and how good a person is.  This whole ethnic pride c**p is very divisive and serves no purpose.  I wouldn't give a bucket of spit for a pure bred anything.

Answer 7

I wouldn't want anyone to call me part Spanish.  I know enough about our history with the Spaniards not to take any liking for them.  Them only means those who ruled the Philippines.

Please, fellow Filipinos, listen to what Jack above me has said.  He has a very intelligent way of putting this question into perspective.

Thank you, Jack.

I'm all native.  To the person(s) above who aren't proud to be Filipinos and are proud to be different, please leave the country.  We'd rather not have your type here.

Answer 8

Im Not A Filipino But You Guys Should Be Happy Because We Spanish People Are Very Nice And Maybe The Best Race EVER!!!

Sorry I Blewed Up Like That ..... The Truth Will Set Us Free OK

Answer 9

FOR MORE THAN 300 YEARS WE ARE INVADED BY SPANIARDS.. SO I THINK  THERE IS NOTHING BAD ABOUT IF WE RESEMBLE SPANIARDS.. ITS IN OUR BLOOD.. MOSTLY..

Answer 10

i am very spanish mestiza.  thank god i don't look native!

ole! hooo ole!

Answer 11

That is a very confusing question. All of us technically has "foreign blood". The early inhabitants of  our country on the time Spain has rediscovered the philippines, were said to be immigrants from malaysia and indonesia (which is also challenged by the theory that it was actually the negritos). A modern day filipino, is a mixture of different races.

If someone describes me as partly hispanic, i wouldnt get offended, neither be flattered. No big deal. I'm half german, half-shepherd.

PS. I dont agree with Vitin..and I find his statement distasteful.

Answer 12

a kid knocked on our door one day offering this LA Times subscription for his college scholarship. after explaining everything, he asked, "when you first saw me, did you think that i was like japanese or....." I said "i thought you were mexican." then that's when he said he was half-filipino and half-hawaiian. then he ask, "how about you, what are you?" i said,  "I'm a Filipino". He replied, "half or full?" "full" and he was quite surprised hearing that. Helping out his astonished mind, I said "well i often get mistaken for latino, half-latino half asian, or even half white. if you wanna get technical, my grandfather is spanish so that makes me quarter spanish"  he asked "if you're grandfather is spanish, do you still consider yourself as full filipino?" i replied, "well, yeah. just filipino." that's where the topic ended but i could still tell from his face that he was still wondering why i'm just considering myself as full filipino.

In my father's side of the family, i have a lot of relatives who are part spanish who just happen to consider themselves as filipinos. even some of my relatives who are actually 3 quarters spanish and just quarter filipino just consider themselves as filipinos. one of them even had eyelid surgery just to make her eyes look more asian!!!

I can't see the point why some people are so obssessed with ethnicities. I think it's forgiving when it's just for curiosity's sake and tracing your roots can be an enlightening experience too. However, i think it's foolish for someone to treat that one race is better than the other and claiming that he's part this and that, tracing his other part down to his great great great seemingly endless 'greats' grandpa and even to the point of making up stories just to brag that you are someone better because you are part this and that.

I'm part spanish; for doubters, i don't exert much effort to prove it because i could care less. I can't help it but be proud for the compliments that i receive for my mestizo features and it would be hypocritical if I tell that i don't. Yet, I'm proud of my filipino(or perhaps asian features) features as well, especially for aging well and I'm pretty much enjoying that.

Answer 13

I'm half filipino and half english. I'm very proud to have filipino in me and think the Philippines is such a beautiful country. I think the language (well at least Tagalog and Illicano) does sound similar to Spanish. And as for the history, well it makes us who we are. However, I don't feel that I have Spanish blood in me at all.  

Answer 14

To be honest, my answer would be yes just because of the old adage about mestizos although I don't see it that much anymore due to mixed marriages and decades of separation from my Spanish great great grandfather.. Who knows? It might be a myth.. Anyways, that was during my teen and young adulthood years.. Now, I am really more proud of saying that I am a pure blooded, native Filipino (there's no such thing anyways since we're all mixed).. My grandfather definitely looks like a Caucasian dude who speaks Tagalog, besides that, I don't have any proof..

As long as I was described as having Spanish (from Spain and not Indians in North and South America who speaks Spanish language) blood which may be true then I'm proud of it because no matter what, I'm still a Filipino..

I think that the mentality about it is that some people regard the white race as being more superior as well as having better looks than a native Filipino that is why a lot of people always say that they are part of this and that.. I hate those people though.. Thinking and believing it is not the same as telling people about it..

It's like the Filipinos I saw on American Idol and other TV shows, when they were asked about their origins, they said that they are a part of this and a part of that but they really look like native Filipinos in the mountains who can just speak English fluently..