5 Things You Did Not Know About Filipino Spanish

We at Los Filipinos feel the need to address several misconceptions related to the Spanish language in the Philippines. In our pilot episode, we would like to reinforce ideas that are verifiable in our history and dispel myths that many Filipinos believe until today.
On the anniversary of the execution of the three secular priests known as Fr. Gomez, Fr. Burgos, and Fr. Zamora, we dedicate this video to their memory, inspired by the movie GOMBURZA (2023) which showed Filipinos also speaking in Spanish, in all its splendor.
Being inspired by the movie, we at Los Filipinos would therefore like to acknowledge the work of the producers of the film and are very grateful to them for allowing us to use their video clips. In particular, muchas gracias and many thanks to JesCom Film and MQuest Ventures.
Please continue to support the movie GOMBURZA and the producers of this film, especially as there are special screenings for schools for those that request it. We think Filipinos should all watch GOMBURZA as it shows a very significant moment of Philippine history that started this whole movement towards a national consciousness, of being Filipino.
To get in touch with the Jesuit Communications website, please visit:
jescom.ph/gomburzafilm
At FACEBOOK, you can also visit:
/ gomburzafilm
#GomBurZaMovie #GomBurZa #JesComFilms #MQuestVentures
#losfilipinos
VIVAN LOS FILIPINOS!

[@rannellconesco1754]

The senate is currently contemplating to reinstate Español back in schools from elementary to college, which will make us Filipinos trilingual in the near future. Viva Los Filipinos, Hispanidad.

[@sike137]

Can you provide us a source please? Thank you!

[@reboltv4246]

legit poba??

[@jumelbautista4746]

sana magiging in demand tyo buong mundo

[@fasaja7489]

Awesome!! I’m Nicaraguan married 34 years to a Filipino man. We reside in SF Bay Area. We have two daughters with both cultures

[@JohnYuanElladora]

I think mga Tagalog ang magiging trilingual hindi tayong mga Filipino, may pagkakaiba po.

[@neluna19]

Los filipinos no pueden escapar de su herencia hispana. Sólo miren sus apellidos, su toponimia, su religión, su comida (el adobo, mmmm). Los filipinos son también nuestros hermanos hispanos. Un fuerte abrazo fraternal!

[@gerryyabesph]

As of 2022, there are 460,000 Filipinos who speak Spanish. Let's reach one million speakers by year 2030.😊😊😊

[@esense9602]

nag prapraktis na nga din ako mag Espanol. Isa din ako sa supporter na ibalik ang Spanish language sa Pinas.

[@BacefiDescubre]

Where do u found that data?

[@justinvillar7008]

Really? I never notice it, mostiy I notice English speakers and native speakers. If Spanish only never forbid indios to learn spanish majority of Filipinos can understand and speak spanish.

[@giofrancotrain18essence]

I can speak Spanish, i learn it from childhood.

[@RaimaMuhammad]

No native lol

[@haybuhay1994]

Subscribed and turned on notifications. Thank you for your advocacy. We're not strange hispanophiles, just people who feel like our identity is tied to the Spanish language and fills a cultural void that English never really can. Long live Spanish language in the Philippines.

[@KLUTZPAYASO]

¡Oye Amigo! Quiero aprender más. Este video es muy interesante. Muchas Gracias 💪

[@JuanPabloColombia]

Excelente iniciativa Rafael y todo el equipo de Los Filipinos. El español debe ser recuperado en Filipinas, es parte de la esencia de la cultura filipina, por algo su declaración de independencia, su himno, gran parte de su toponimia, entre otras cosas, han sido en español (como gran parte del vocabulario de sus idiomas regionales). Por eso no es extraña la familiaridad cultural que sentimos hispanoamericanos y filipinos, tenemos una raíz hispánica, la cual al unirse con la raíz nativa (y africana en el caso de gran parte de Hispanoamérica) dio como resultado lo que somos hoy en día. Saludos desde la ciudad de Neiva, al sur de Colombia, y cuenten desde acá con un seguidor, con una persona que apoya su causa, que está a la orden en lo que pueda aportar y que espera algún día poder visitar Filipinas. Sobra decir que en Colombia siempre bienvenidos cuando quieran venir.

[@rafaaldeguer3642]

¡Muchas gracias Señor Juan Pablo!

[@hijodelrepublicasur1899]

If the country embraced it's Hispanic identity more then we Chavacanos here in the south would actually feel more part of the nation than feeling like we're some abhorrent Spaniard lovers who reject the use of Tagalog as the national language.

[@YTmarcbautista]

Chavacano is such a beautiful language, it's good that it's being preserved in the south. It is disappearing in the north unfortunately

[@justinvillar7008]

Hispanic is not our identity actually, spain is actually our enemy, I'm a Filipino myself and I can see my identity as one of the SEA country, I can relate to Indonesia and Malaysia and other SEA than hispanics.

[@davidsanz1423]

Chavacano should have been the co-official with English and Spanish against the Tagalog because the language itself tells us the country’s heritage and history without the need og reading history.

[@antoniogutierrezjr7471]

It would connect you too all other Latinos who where colonized like us Mexicans but now you guys only embrace other Asians and claim Asian we need to reconnect Mexico 🇲🇽 Philippines 🇵🇭 you are our brothers

[@JosephSolisAlcaydeAlberici]

To bring back Spanish as a spoken language in the Philippines, there must be an economic-driven reform to be done first by amending the 1987 Constitution permitting Spanish and Latin American corporations and individuals (with 100% equity) to come into the country without too many restrictions and from there, a favorable environment towards speaking Spanish in certain areas in our country would flourish. Thereafter, Spanish should be reinstated in the Philippine basic and higher education, not just as a standalone subject, but also as an alternative medium of instruction to English and Tagalog. Mass media companies should be encouraged to use Spanish for their content like news and current affairs and telenovelas. Public signages need to be changed to accommodate Spanish, especially airport and seaport signage. All government agencies (national and local) should encourage all civil servants to use Spanish in official businesses.

[@josiepena8305]

Is this the only video you have done so far? Looking forward to future vids. Thanks for clarifying that the Americans did not establish the educational system first, cuz generally that is what is presented from others., your informative historical research says otherwise. Thanks for sharing! Viva Filipinas! ❤ Be proud of our roots😊

[@carolusfernandius7120]

Que buen video. Muchas gracias por hacerlo, y por compartirlo. Es un acto de justicia recuperar el español en Filipinas. Un abrazo, amigos.

[@podoand]

Excelentes los videos y la idea de crear un medio donde el idioma español perdure en la querida Filipinas. Desde España saludos a Raymundo y Rafael, junto a todo el equipo que hacen los videos. Gracias

[@rafaaldeguer3642]

¡Gracias Señor Vicente!

[@Fernando-Diaz-Silva]

Felicitaciones Rafael y equipo por el excelente vídeo que nos presentan. Hay muchos datos históricos que no son conocidos y ustedes los aclaran. Existen muchos prejuicios sobre el periodo español en Filipinas que creo fueron difundidos con un interés político, engañando intencionalmente al pueblo filipino para que aceptara el sometimiento a los invasores estadounidenses. El idioma español-filipino es parte del patrimonio cultural de ese hermoso país y debe ser preservado. Saludos desde Chile.

[@lobito5869]

Filipinas también forma parte de la Gran Familia Hispana❤️💛❤

[@justinvillar7008]

We don't, in global census, Philippines is not belong to hispanic country and people, will go against the proven census? I'm a Filipino myself and I don't acknowledge that

[@reboltv4246]

​@@justinvillar7008nadale ka ng Amerikano bai ang galing nila mag baliko ng History eh sila nga mas marami pinatay

[@donniebrasco99]

Yes! I am a Filipino and I agree. More than 300 years of Spanish colonization imparted so many Hispanic culture into our own culture that it cannot be erased.

[@donniebrasco99]

​​​@@justinvillar7008I don't believe you are Filipino. What nonsense are you talking about? What global census are you talking about? Don't make up things.

[@justinvillar7008]

@@donniebrasco99 Why I erased it completely in my own being? I grew up not having hispanic heritage

[@ACHeroesDeCavite]

Enhorabuena, muy buena iniciativa

[@anrirove]

Felicitaciones por el Canal, saludos desde Bogotá, Colombia

[@Basta11]

Just as we discuss things in English, educated Filipinos discussed things in Spanish. If you were educated during the Spanish period, you spoke Spanish. There was no other medium of instruction. English only came with the Americans. Filipino/Tagalog was instituted in the 1960s. That being said, "3rd world" countries at this time were majority illiterate from Latin America, colonial Asia, to sub saharan Africa. Meaning that they were not formally educated in schools. This makes sense as these places were still mostly agrarian. It is likely that over 20% of the people in the Philippines during the Spanish period had formal schooling, they would all be Spanish speakers. A few more may have learned it informally on their own, or on the job as servants, soldiers, businessmen, etc.

[@roysalazar2132]

Me enorgullece aún más saber esto, nunca he conocido esas palabras pronunciadas por mi abuela porque sólo pensaba que eran partes de su dialecto nativo en la provincia, poco sabía que era español después de todo.

[@DUARD9896]

Según el Instituto Cervantes, en su informe de 2023 referido al idioma español, hubo 4471 RESIDENTES DE ESPAÑA en Filipinas en 2022, osea los "únicos" nativos. Además existen 461 689 personas que saben español; incluyendo a los hablantes de chabacano, que se asume tienen competencia limitada en español (según los datos de la Oficina Estadística de Filipinas de 2010). Estas cifras no incluyen a los 1,7 millones de filipinos que cursaron estudios universitarios antes de 1986, cuando era obligatorio aprender español.

[@aj.bg_]

i still need to watch gomburza the movie

[@cryptospacexxxit6281]

good video. and you need bigger shirt mi amigo.

[@NelsonNelson13]

I want to learn more spanish language!

[@jamcast725]

Dude reminds me of Gus Abelgas. Kudos!

[@peroqbonita]

Muy buen video , iniciativas como la vuestra deberían de verse desde el gobierno de España. Mucho ánimo.

[@startreker8591]

‘Creole’ mostly;the formal Spanish language’s basic education in our case, we had in the 70’s y btw our great grandparents had the forced immersion then…then the American English influence took over y so on

[@FCReggae]

Paulino Alcantara FC Barcelona. My Mom in Law speaks Chavacano.

[@zzzzzsleeping]

Spain erased the Filipino language, then the American eradicated the Spanish language and forced the English language. Then Japan tried but failed. What happened now? Well, today they have English, Spanish, tagalog mixed. Everybody is happy.

[@arthurmoran4951]

if you are a real spanish speaker of the filipino variety, then you need to upload videos show samples of your accent, and do some comparations about the diferences and similarities with other spanish varieties

[@cristiancapapas6113]

Instead of having Filipino (Tagalog) as our national language can we have Spanish? Because we Visayan speakers are prone to bully by Tagalog speakers especially when our Tagalog is not as good as theirs that's why we prefer to use English instead.

[@Mr.Saturn0]

I'm sorry for hearing your experience from tagalog speakers just like me, I also prefer spanish also to be our language to avoid these kinds of bullying

[@salsacahyadi1992]

Akibat di jajah negara negara maju terlalu lama ,negara lemah seperti Indonesia ,philipina dan negara kebanyakan dari Amerika latin melupapan jati dirinya dari bahasa budaya ,percaya dirinya dan lain lain ,itu fakta dan mereka sulit berkembang kerena mengikuti arahan aturan kelompok barata yg tidak disadarinya ,karena sistem sorf fower propanda media electronik dan mudah dipercaya masyarakat yg minim pengetahuan .Jadi tergantung keberanian pemimpin negara untuk berani dgn cerdas mengubah polapikirnya dan berani percaya mengambil keputusan ,seperti presiden Jokowi mengubah segalanya tidak ketergantungan negara asing terkecuali saling menguntungkan .,indefenden itu sangat penting cinta negri sendiri ,meski harus hubungan dgn neragara luar dgn baik selama tidak merugikan negara sendiri.

[@lizmedina2527]

Conocen este tema de Tam Tam Go (banda española de los 90 creo)? Cruzando el río: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKeTgmNjbrmkerc

[@claudioringor8723]

Very difficult to recover now that generations after 1930 had not used castilian Spanish in most parts of the country. Tagalog is now the lingua franca, thanks to the Phil government imposing its usage from all sectors...schools, offices, businesses, etc. Feb. 21, 2024 today.

[@nevinmontiadora]

😂❤👍

[@ChildishSoap]

You should try to give a few facts of the Filipino Spanish dialect

[@RaimaMuhammad]

The spanish native filipinos we more like Mexican Spanish and castellano.

[@ChildishSoap]

@@RaimaMuhammad i could kinda confirm that now, i checked Philippine Spanish phonology and its kind of a combination of both and Philippine language phonology

[@RaimaMuhammad]

@@ChildishSoap But it has also influenced from Mexico most likely than castellano because i think that castellano were used by filipinos elites.

[@RaimaMuhammad]

@@ChildishSoap I have seen a letter or a Filipino soldiers letters to each other and i can say its very Mexican sometimes. Also, they adopted a tagalog word in Spanish Filipino like ”malayo” ”katipunero” etc.

[@GlenAmparado]

Dapat ibalik ang wikang Español sa escuela.

[@antoniogutierrezjr7471]

That is when they would be labeled Latino despite being in Asia hey if Mexico for example was called Latino tho the ancestors where. Not Spanish speakers or blood

[@czar7507]

Cory was the one who changed the Spanish language to be thought in schools if Marcos was still on power that time we should be bilingual today 😢

[@MartinGonzaga]

*taught *we are already bilingual, even trilingual= English + Tagalog + Bisaya/etc. *still IN power *WERE still in power We removed Spanish from the curriculum officially in 1987, but largely no one was speaking Spanish even before Marcos was president. Anong kinalaman nina Cory at FM dito? Wala. I would suggest improving your first two languages (and history) before lamenting the fact that we don’t speak Spanish 😊

[@fredrickabundo740]

​@@MartinGonzagaSabagay, salamat sa palpak na 1987 Constitution. Dapat trilingual tayo or let's say quadrilingual. Mas mataas ang sweldo pag marunong ka magsalita in both English and Spanish. Lalo na andaming Hispanic sa US.

[@MartinGonzaga]

@@fredrickabundo740 So Spanish speaking ang mga tao sa 1970? :-) 😇 Again, walang kinalaman. It just legislated the reality that no one actually spoke it by 1986.

[@fredrickabundo740]

@@MartinGonzaga Ah ganun ba? So hindi mo nakita yung video ng Los Filipinos Channel? Yung idioma pinasa sa mga kabataan ngaun? Tsaka ang ibang matanda noong 1970s hanggang sa mga anak nila ay hindi napasa yung pagsasalita ng Kastila? Tapos pangalan mo pangLatino di ba? Yan ang problem sa mga taong hindi wide reader na gaya mo. At may mga Pilipino na sinasalin pa rin amg idioma gaya ng Hokkien as a household language. At nagboboom ang bilingual call centers dito sir lalo sa Spanish kaya wag kang one sided.

[@MartinGonzaga]

@@fredrickabundo740 Kulang sa comprehension. If you watched that video, you would know that the decline began way before 1986. According to the 1939 census, only 417,375 Filipinos spoke Spanish or 2.6% of the population. This is almost 50% of the Spanish literacy rate in 1918. Source: Rodao, Florentino (1997). “Spanish Language in the Philippines: 1900-1940” Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints. 45 (1): 94-107. ISSN 2244-1638. You would also know that it was the Tydings-McDuffie Act that excluded Spanish from the curriculum of public schools in 1934. Meanwhile, the 1934 constitutional convention set 1940 as the expiry date of Spanish as the official language of legislature and the courts.* Source: Park, Paula (2019). “Reframing “Nuestra Lengua”: Transpacific Perspectives on the Teaching of Spanish in the Philippines”. UNITAS. 92: 318-343. In addition, in the 1973 Philippines constitution, during the time of Marcos, Article XV, Section 3, Sub-Section 3 states: “Until otherwise provided by law, English and Pilipino shall be the official language”. Spanish was already not included in the standard curriculum even then. Yan ang problema sa mga opinion based on one source which is a KZbin video na mali pa yung interpretation. Yes, learning languages is great. Hablo español y estoy aprendiendo en España también. However, it is factually incorrect, misleading, and politically-motivated to say that the 1987 constitution is the key driver.

[@soo.ngii-]

filipinos trying to revive a language that doesnt originate grom our country / was brung by colonizers is crazy 💀

[@Mr.Saturn0]

Then why are you speaking english then, if you're concerned about the revival of spanish in the Philippines?

[@soo.ngii-]

@@Mr.Saturn0 the difference is i was born in the US raised in the US. Marunong naman ako mag tagalog, wag mo akong subukin beh 💀 i have valid points what about it? 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@justinvillar7008]

Some trying hard to claim as hispanics, but global census denied that, if only spain never forbids the Indios which are majoeity of the population to learn spanish, Filipinos in majority is a spanish speaker now, but spain is so stingy, they forbid the majority especially Indios to learn spanish and as a result, we end up cannot speak and understand spanish, but americans never restrict us to learn english so majority learn can speak an understand english according to our professor. Some try hard to claim as hispanics, but we can't relate to spain, I'm a Filipino myself and I can relate to Indonesia and Malaysia and the SEA more than spain which are too foreign for me. I understand if you have spanish blood so you have spanish heritage but Philippines in general has no spanish heritage but native and our precolonial culture still survive and spain fail to totally destroy our culture.

[@robielbarredo7762]

Justin Villar, your name right? It's actually kind of hard to understand what you're trying to convey in English... Maybe it would be better if you speak in Tagalog or maybe Bisaya, heck, Ilocano if you're more comfortable with that. We speak all those languages. With that being said, before you bash Spanish as a language that us native filipinos speak... I would recommend you to do your history and listen to the video. Spanish was widely spoken and taught. However the difference now is that with the internet, social media, etc, english is more widely available. Back then, Spanish didn't have that advantage... but was still widely spoken due to education. Have a good day, and please... next time, proofread your comment. The team is having a hard time really understanding your point.

[@justinvillar7008]

@@robielbarredo7762 I speak english as I can, and since you reply it means you understand, and if spanish is widely spoken in the Philippines, go around the public try to speak spanish when you buy, pay bills, and communicating with locals like asking about the location or direction, let's see if the local Filipinos and majority can understand you and respond to you. even in your job if you speak to your clients or to your meetings giving suggestions to your workmates and employer, speak spanish and let's see if they can understand you.. Simply because, in spanish era, Indios and the majority are forbidden to learn spanish, only elites are allowed and Indios are multitude, while elites are just few, so it ends up, Philippines can't speak and understand spanish, unlike english because english is taught to all with no restriction. This is what I learned from our school even in university what spaniards did even their cruelty to the natives. If I speak bisaya, for sure you will never understand my native language and the rest here.

[@justinvillar7008]

@@robielbarredo7762 If I will speak bisaya, most of you here will never understand my native language, and how will I perfect my english if I never use it? And history? As I said, our professor discussed it, and we study history that time, spain forbids Filipinos to learn and study spanish, only the elites are allowed, and isn't it obvious to the outcome? Which Filipinos can't understand and speak spanish in the present and if you insist Filipinos are spanish speakers then try to speak spanish here in the localities, in the meeting, in conference and daily communication and let see if the locals can understand you and can respond to you. Try to speak spanish in the schools and university and let see if the majority can understand you fully and can communicate with you through spanish.. I study the history and that's why I know what the spaniards have done to our ancestors and land like how they destroy our culture, force everyone to become catholic and put to death everyone who refuses. I study our history and our history is common knowledge here from spanish invasion, american invasion and Japanese invasion.

[@robielbarredo7762]

@@justinvillar7008 1. Who said Spanish is widely spoken today? The point of the video is due to the past that it WAS (past tense in english to ha?) in the Philippines. And 2. That the language remains today for some filipinos who do speak it. 3. There IS a dialect of Spanish in the Philippines just like English has a Filipino dialect. I think you're over exaggerating and over-generalizing. Like I said, English is only widely spoken now due to globalization and the availability of learning it through the internet and social media. But even then with all the availability, somehow your English still needs improvement.

[@dbsvfaustino]

Where did you get your data? You may want to expand your research deeper. What you are saying the brainwashed information done by the americans. Spanish brought public school system before the americans came. The islands were already united as Philippines, manila was a metropolitan city where merchant foreigners go. Justin Villar before you comment, please do some research.

[@cambio161_official]

It is good you are speaking spanish But Filipinos are majority Austronesian and we should be more Indio than mestizo-like We should only study spanish for the mark of history, and for OFW purposes, not for our own hispanizing ourselves Bonus; we should also learn Bahasa, so the rest of Maphilindo can understand us, also as one Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) Family

[@ChildishSoap]

Im starting to get sick and tired of Filipino's saying "oh but we're Austronesian so we should learn Bahasa"Just because we're Austronesian we have to learn Bahasa???? I simply reject that logic Its the same thing as calling French, Spanish, Portuguese,Italians,Romanians and Moldovans to learn Latin because they they're part of the Latin family

[@ChildishSoap]

2: Stop focusing on the indio side and realize that the Filipino cultures are a Mestizo Culture (Native and Foreign mix) so we should protect both

[@ChildishSoap]

3: I reject that we should only learn Spanish for history and OFW purposes because it is also culturally important to us.

[@MartinGonzaga]

So why is the channel deleting my fact check comment? Alam na

[@dbsvfaustino]

I still see all your replies from previous comments. Which one is deleted?

[@LosFilipinosYT]

Hi Martín, we do not delete comments as part of our agreed-upon protocols for this KZbin channel. We can see said comment posted several times within the thread started by @czar7507. We will be releasing another video soon addressing these points on why Spanish is no longer spoken by Filipinos today. Thanks for engaging!

[@MartinGonzaga]

@@LosFilipinosYT this one The decline began way before 1986. According to the 1939 census, only 417,375 Filipinos spoke Spanish or 2.6% of the population. This is almost a 50% decline in the Spanish literacy rate vs.1918. Source: Rodao, Florentino (1997). “Spanish Language in the Philippines: 1900-1940” Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints. 45 (1): 94-107. ISSN 2244-1638. You would also know that it was the Tydings-McDuffie Act that excluded Spanish from the curriculum of public schools in 1934. Meanwhile, the 1934 constitutional convention set 1940 as the expiry date of Spanish as the official language of legislature and the courts. Source: Park, Paula (2019). “Reframing “Nuestra Lengua”: Transpacific Perspectives on the Teaching of Spanish in the Philippines”. UNITAS. 92: 318-343. In addition, in the 1973 Philippines constitution, during the time of Marcos, Article XV, Section 3, Sub-Section 3 states: “Until otherwise provided by law, English and Pilipino shall be the official language”. Spanish was already not included in the constitution then [although there was a presidential decree/law passed after-the-fact], Yes, learning languages is great, and I encourage more people to learn a 3rd, 4th, or even 5th language. However, it is factually incorrect, misleading, and politically-motivated to say that the 1987 constitution is the key driver.

[@MartinGonzaga]

​@@LosFilipinosYT this one: The decline began way before 1986. According to the 1939 census, only 417,375 Filipinos spoke Spanish or 2.6% of the population. This is almost a 50% reduction in the Spanish literacy rate vs. 1918. Source: Rodao, Florentino (1997). “Spanish Language in the Philippines: 1900-1940” Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints. 45 (1): 94-107. ISSN 2244-1638. You would also know that it was the Tydings-McDuffie Act that excluded Spanish from the curriculum of public schools in 1934. Meanwhile, the 1934 constitutional convention set 1940 as the expiry date of Spanish as the official language of legislature and the courts. Source: Park, Paula (2019). “Reframing “Nuestra Lengua”: Transpacific Perspectives on the Teaching of Spanish in the Philippines”. UNITAS. 92: 318-343. In addition, in the 1973 Philippines constitution, during the time of Marcos, Article XV, Section 3, Sub-Section 3 states: “Until otherwise provided by law, English and Pilipino shall be the official language”. Although there was a Presidential Decree/law [because it was a dictatorship ;-)] adding Spanish to the list after the fact, it was not enshrined in the constitution. Yes, learning languages is great, and we should all try to learn more languages. However, it is factually incorrect, misleading, and politically-motivated to say that the 1987 constitution is the key driver.

[@MartinGonzaga]

@@LosFilipinosYT I will repost it now in 3 parts