What about ...?/ ¿Ano sa palagay ang...?/
        ¿Qué me dices de ...?
Ang wikang Espanyol sa Pilipinas/Spanish language in the Filipinas:
     Do you know ( that ) Spanish was the language of the first Republika ng Pilipinas ?
     Do you think it is convenient nowdays to get better the Spanish language as a third Pilipinas language?

Write to me with your opinion  for publishing here: kaibigankastil@yahoo.com

Cartas/Letters about Spanish in Philippines (1998-2001)
 
Opinions/Opiniones 2002-2006
 
Español, lengua hermosa

Al leer los articulos en su pagina soy maravillado porque deseo español mas y lo estudio esta lenguahe hermosa. Deseo que espanol deberia ser uno lenguaje existiendo en Filipinas porque este lenguaje es parte del historia de Filipinas amada. Se que mi español es muy malo pero estudio mas. Ya tomo ocho curso en espanol pero estos son no bastante para mi.

Rolan Fernández     (13/Diciembre/2006)
Muchas gracias, Rolan y ¡muy bien por tu esfuerzo!

 
 
Apoyo activo al español en Filipinas

    Soy un español que vive en Alemania desde hace varios años y por ello conozco las ventajas de conocer muchos idiomas. Cuantos más mejor. (I am a Spaniard who has been living in Germany for several years and therefore knows the advantages of knowing many languages. The more the better)
    En el caso del castellano en Filipinas, debería ser cooficial en todo el país, además de por la cantidad de personas que lo hablan en el mundo, porque está indisolublemente unido a casi cuatro siglos de historia del archipiélago. (In the case of Spanish in the Philipines, it should be co-official in the whole country, not only due to the huge amount of people speaking it all over the world, but also because it is intrinsically attached to almost four centuries of history of the islands)
    Sus más grandes políticos y escritores, escribieron en esa lengua, demostrando ser un patriota filipino y hablar español es perfectamente compatible. Incluso la primera constitución filipina fue escrita en castellano. (Its greatest writers and politicians, wrote in this language, showing that being a philipine patriot and speaking Spanish is perfectly compatible)
    Pero escribo este mensaje no sólo para mostrar mi apoyo a distancia al castellano en Filipinas, sino también para preguntar si se puede colaborar activamente a su desarrollo en las islas. (But I am writing this message not only to show my support in the distance to the Spanish in the Philipines, but also to ask if it were possible to collaborate actively in its development)
    ¿Existen foros o ascociaciones con las que se pueda colaborar? Escuelas de idiomas a las que se pueda ofrecer apoyo en la práctica del español o actividades similares? (Are there forums or associations which one could collaborate with? Language schools to offer support to in the practice of Spanish, or similar activities?)
    Gracias y saludos

Enrique Vecino     (21/Octubre/2006)
(Deutschland)

 
Oficial solo para los filhispanos

      Parece que el español en Filipinas no se habla a escala nacional. Por ello, en principio, no podria ser lengua oficial de la Republica. De acuerdo. Pero el español es hablado por algunos filipinos, es su lengua materna, al igual que otros filipinos poseen como lengua materna el tagalo, el cebuano, el visayan, el ilocano...
      El español deberia ser oficial solo para aquellas comunidades o grupos sociales que lo solicitasen. Asi los filipinos que no quisiesen el español no tendrian que hablarlo ni conocerlo mientras que los filhispanos (2.000 o 3.100.000) podrian vivir y desarrollarse en español: sus hijos podrian ir a las escuelas y aprender en su lengua materna y la Administracion estaria obligada a proporcionar los documentos oficiales en castellano a quienes lo solicitasen.
      Seria una buena forma de llegar a un punto de encuentro. Filipinas seguiria conservando dos lenguas oficiales a escala nacional (filipino e ingles) y el español seria oficial solo para aquellos grupos sociales que lo solicitasen. Sentido Comun.
      Saludos para todos los filipinos, en espacial para los de lengua española.

jaime rodriguez     (19/Septiembre/2006)

 
Revival of Spanish language in the Philippines

      Hello.
      I really think that Spanish language should be revived in the Philippines. Most of our country's history is written in Spanish. It would be very nice for us to study our history from its original text rather than in some translated books.
      Even if the Spaniards during their colonization haven't been so kind to the Filipinos, we still owe so much from them. I don't think we would be the Filipino people that we are today without them. The Philippines wouldn't be called "the Philippines" if it wasn't for the Spaniards.
      And I always believe in a famous Filipino saying that goes "Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan." The only way that we can go on with a brighter future is by not forgetting where we came from. And being a Spanish colony is one.
      So, bring back the Spanish language to the Philippines!

Lou     (19/Febrero/2006)

 

    Great website!
    Filipinos should embrace its hispanic culture because there are so many advantages to it in our increasingly shrinking world economy. You can add me on the list as a supporter of reintroducing spanish as an official language in the Philippines.

Ancianoz@aol.com     (25/Diciembre/2005)

 

    Ruptura Cultural en Filipinas
    En Filipinas, con la imposición de los americanos, se produjo una brecha ó una ruptura cultural importante en Filipinas; muchos filipinos tienen apellidos españoles y nombres españoles; su primera constitución está escrita en español pero, debido a la política educacional de los últimos 100 años, los filipinos hoy día no pueden leer ni su propia historia.
    ¡Qué pena!! Al pueblo filipino le han quitado su propia historia.
    Saludos cordiales,
   

Fernando Arenas     (21/Diciembre/2005)
Madrid (España)

 

    Hola,
    Yo soy Filipino-Americano
. I 'm happy to see that there are interest of bringing back the Spanish language to Las islas Filipinas. I notice the importants for speaking Spanish when I was stationed in Spain. I knew that there is a lot of words in tagalog that is spanish . So used that my advantage to teach myself Spanish. It was easy to learn then I met my wife in Spain so I learned even more and started having conversations in Spanish. I noticed now that a lot of products in the states are in both English and Spanish. I hope that Spanish become the third language so we Pinoys can back and learn about our Spanish roots.

Neil Soriano     (4/Diciembre/2005)

 

    Creo el idioma espanola deber volver a nosotros. Perdimos nuestra identidad y cultura y siento personalmente despues he leido los articulos sobre la importa la lengua espanola como un Filipino. Inmediamente, siento hay falta en mi alma. Ahora, estoy buscando una solucion pero realmente la lengua espanola va a ser una lengua extrangera por los todos Filipinos. Este idioma sera para el mundo de academicos y tal.

Alberto     (3/Mayo/2005)

    I'm in favor of adopting Spanish as a third language.
    I think we should go back to our roots. We Filipinos are the Latinos in Asia and yet we're not aware of this fact.
    The filipinos have a Latin soul because of our Spanish heritage, culture, and religion. In fact when we are speaking of the Catholic world it is always mentioned in any book as Europe, Latin America, and the Philippines.
    I think the present government must capitalize on our relationship with Spain who is now a major country in the E.U.

Greg Adaya    (17/Julio/2004)

 
Hi to all!

      Hola, hi to all!
      It's nice to see that in the internet there's a discussion like this. As a pure blood Filipino raised in Sampaloc, Manila I agree to most people here in reviving the Spanish language in our country. It really makes me feel sad and incomplete knowing the fact that Filipinos can't speak Spanish.
      Alan, for your information Filipinos don't go to a foreign country to practice the language of that country but go there to find a high paying job than in the Philippines. I am living now in Spain and I find it very important that we, Filipinos should learn Spanish in schools like English and Tagalog. We've got many valuable works in Spanish like that of Rizal's and other revolutionaries.
      We have that missing link with Spain and the Spanish speaking peoples.

      Que todos Filipinos aprendan el español.

Joseph Milanes Rosacena    (10/Mayo/2004)
Tagalog, English, Spanish, Catalan-> Tagalog & English translator)
Barcelona (España)

 
Mabuhay!

      Soy español de la República Dominicana, lugar donde mi familia se estableció a principios del siglo XX, sin perder sus lazos de nacionalidad y cultura con España. El sentir un afecto primordial por la República Dominicana y Santo Domingo, donde crecí y espero ser enterrado algún día, no ha sido incompatible para mí con el amor y conocimiento de cuanto España representa. De hecho, haber profundizado en la cultura española del Siglo de Oro me ha ayudado a comprender mejor a la República Dominicana, en sus fórmulas idiomáticas, sus tradiciones y su psicología.
      Ser filipino y hablar español, además de tagalog e inglés, no es sino una riqueza. Privarse del español es privarse también de una parte del pasado. De hecho, a mí nada me complació tanto como poder casarme en la iglesia de las Mercedes, de nuestra capital dominicana, en el convento donde residió Tirso de Molina y donde escribió, entre otras obras notables, parte de "La Villana de Vallecas".
      A quienes digan que dos lenguas son ya más que suficiente, habría que recordarles la riqueza poliglota que Rizal tan bien aprovechó.

Read the Antonio M. Molna Jaime's Note
Jaime García-Rodríguez y Álvarez    (17/Octubre/2003)
Bruselas (Bélgica)

Me gusta español

      Hola!
      Me gusta espanol mucho! Pienso que es una lengua muy romantica y interesante. Yo estudio espanol en la escuela secundaria y en la universidad. Me siento muy comodo con la espanol. Viva las Filipinas!!!

Jerome -Gerónimo- Patawaran    (13/Octubre/2003)

Opiniones de un tsinoy

      Por razones económicas y culturales, quisiera comentar que el conocimiento de otros idiomas como español es una ventaja por un país y su gente. No estoy aquí para pelear el uso del inglés en Filipinas sino promover la aprendizaje de cualquier idioma (inglés, tagalog, chino o español) en este país. Los Filipinos son lingüísticos por sus carácteres.
      Desde 1994 hasta 1996, estaba viviendo en Japón para ensañar inglés en una pequeñese aldea japonesa por un programa cultural del gobierno japonés en que envían maestros de ingles (como los Thomasites de antes en Filipinas), alemán, y francés a varias escuelas primeras, intermedias y secundarias para que la juventud japonesa puedan tener conocimientos de otras culturas y aprendan idiomas extranjeros. Este programa se llama JET Program (Japan Exchange and Teaching Program) y el gobierno japonés gastan mucho dinero para promoverlo. Las Filipinas no son tan ricos como el Japón, pero ya tienen una gente que pueden hablar inglés y su cultura e identidad son parte hispano. También a causa de su cultura indígena que es de raíz malaya, pueden entender la cultura asiática. Por eso, Filipinas es un país afortunado. No tenemos que gastar mucho dinero como los japoneses para ganar el conocimiento de otras culturas. Ya somos una mezcla del este y oeste. Por eso, tenemos que reintegrar activamente el aprendizaje del español. Español ya no es un idioma de ilustrados, mestizo españoles ni opresores coloniales quienes hemos leído en nuestra historia. Español es un verdadero idioma internacional en una economía mundial que los filipinos pueden aprender como una tercera idioma. Es un idioma vivo y importante hoy día. Saberlo es una ventaja por cualquiera persona!

          Mabuhay kayong lahat.

Joseph Sañosa y Lee    (19/Junio/2003)
Los Angeles, California

Spanish is a very beautiful language

      ¡Hola!
      I am a student of Instituto Cervantes and i think spanish becoming our third language is a really good idea.
      To know how to speak, write and understand the language will be very beneficial to us because it will only open the the doors of opportunities, communication and friendship with our spanish speaking neighbors who occupies more than 1/4 of the world.
      By the way, did i mention that spanish is a very beautiful language?

          Mabuhay ang mga pinoy at espanol!
          Love,

Joyce Cabrera    (17/Junio/2003)

Espanol, chabacano e inglés en Filipinas

Go to the Gustavo Barac Sisó Lausín collaboration (in Spanish)    (24/Abril/2003)

Espanol y Filipinas.I saw ur site

      Hi, i read your website about spanish language n its relationship with filipinas and completely agrre with u.
      I really love espanol and i have been really trying to use it and get better at it from reading stuff in spanish. Understanding it is one thing , the easisest part was knwoing what words meant, but once you try to listen to a native speaker it is really difficult. I want to be fluent at it in the future but im afraid the only way that that's gonna happen is if i move somehwere where they speak it. U got any suggestions on how to be fluent at it, not as to being gramatically correct but to be able to chat 1 on 1 with another person.

Kaibigan, read the letter from Jarvis
Jo Jo    (28/Enero/2003)

España es un país complejo

      Hola, me llamo Álvaro Bueno Lumbreras y soy un chico nacído en Zaragoza.
    Antes de nada he de decir que en España, hay gente que piensa de muy diferente forma, y que por lo tanto, España es un país complejo, ya sea socialmente, políticamente, o culturalmente.
    En España no solo se habla Español, sino vários idiomas, que son: Gallego, Catalán, Euskera, Aragonés, Bable, Valenciano, etc...
    España es un país compuesto por diferentes culturas y pueblos, (así que por favor, no penséis que en España solo se baila la sevillana), es solo un ejemplo para hacer entender a la gente de Filipínas toda la cultura de la que son herederos, no solo del idioma si no de todo lo que lleva "adosado"...
    El Castellano, (que así es como se le llama en la constitución española), es un idioma formado por muchos otros idiomas, entre ellos los nombrados anteriormente, he idiomas que ya no se hablan (oficialmente), y es que no solo la cultura latina esta en vuestra forma de vida, si no la árabe y la europea tambien...
    En fin sobre si el Español deberia ser o no oficial en Filipinas todo depende de vosotros, pues sois los que lo vais ha hablar, aunque por supuesto estoy a favor de la oficialidad del mismo.
    Nota: en EE.UU. se habla español por la gra cantidad de gente hispana y latina que vive allí, y porque antiguamente, en la epoca colonial, España poseía todo el sur de lo que hoy son los EE.UU (USA).
    Un saludo desde España a todos los filipinos
    ¡Y QUE VIVA NUESTRA CULTURA!

Alvaro Bueno Lumbreras    (26/Enero/2003)
Zaragoza

Spanish should be our third official language.

    Hi there!
    My name es Maria and I am a Filipina-Amerikana and, I have to say that I personally feel that Spanish should be the third official language of the Philippines.
    There
es muchas contoversey over the whole thing, about whether us Filipinos are Asian or Spanish or Pacific Islander....it's all muy ridiculoso! Diba?? My personal feeling on the matter es that of course we are Asian--but should we just conform to other Asian cultures, forgetting our own, which es not even in the least Oriental, as the governmental people in the States have been making us do for years? Or, should we put away this hatred that we were taught of the Spanish colonial period and learn to accept our history and roots? Many Filipinos don't realize that Latinos'history is very similar to ours.
    Another thing es that NO, of course we are not Spanish! Only a Spaniard from Spain
es Spanish. For those that are not that bright, we are HISPANIC. If you look it up, you will see that Hispanic means "of, or relating to the people, culture, language, or religon of Spain."
    The Spanish colonial period has made our culture and language the way it is today, and we shouldn't forget about that. It doesn't mean that we forget all things Asian and 'natively Pilipino', but accept ALL the aspects of our past and live on. We can be Asian, we can be Pacific Islanders, but we are also Hispanic, so I believe that Spanish should be our third official language.

Mary G Richardson    (25/Enero/2003)

Viva la lengua española en las Filipinas

    I think it is greatly important to revive spanish in our country. It is the second most spoken around the world and that Philippines could interact more with other countries aside those who speak English which could also help our economy.
    By the way, what's the use of English in our Philippine History? Rizal didn't right his Noli in English, neither other people who contribute the Philippine Independence. It was all written in Spanish. How would the Filipino students today be able to understand these writings?
    Right now I'm taking spanish and I enjoy it a lot and there are lots of Filipinos want to learn Spanish. Think of this guys:
"Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan."
    Maybe that's why our economy is in crisis! And who are your ancestors isn't it mostly Spanish, think of your last names!
    Think of the name of cities and provinces like Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pozorrubio (my town in Pangasinan means "red well" in English), and others.
    Then our food like paella, we even called our rize pudding "arroz caldo".
    Also Roman Catholic is from Spain the buildings in Vigan or the churches it is founded mostly by Spanish settlers but then ruined later on. Lasty do you like Marimar, Maria Mercedes, Morena Clara and bunch of telenovelas wouldn't be more wonderful if these are not dubbed in Tagalog. And do you prefer swing or cha cha, tango, pandanngo. These are all of Spanish influence so I think let's embrace the language as well, it's not complete without it.
    Gracias, Viva Filipinas!
    Sorry I want to express this all in Spanish but I'm just beginner and Spanish is so easy for me because of some words are cognates in Filipino. At sa mga kabataang Filipino huwag nating hayaang mawala ang ating kasaysayan bilang Filipino pag-isipan ninyo ang mga ito. Yo tengo 19 años.

Johnson Fernandez     (06/Enero/2003 )
Canadá

Spanish in a Filipino society

      I was born in Leyte but raised in the US. I took spanish back in high school, and I would have to say that it was my favorite class. I felt 'at home' with the language because of its commonalities with Filipino and all its many different dialects. I also had the opporunity to visit Spain, and walking along its streets I felt that I had just as much a right to be there as I do in the Philippines....I am a product of both lands. Y eso no se puede negar. Nuestra verdadera historia ya ha sido escrita en nuestras mentes, en nuestros corazónes. Ya es bien conocido por todos nosotros filipinos de la gran herencia que los españoles nos han dejado, y eso nunca se quedará atras. Nos seguirá persiguiendo, desde el nacimiento hasta la muerte. Tales cosas son nuestro lenguaje, nuestros apellidos, la cultura, las costumbres, la política, la religión, etc.
      Growing up amongst other young filipinos, I can see that anything Filipino-Hispano is to them of the past. Para ellos lo Filipino-Hispano ya deja de existir. And for such reason, they see other Latinos as "another group" of people, "gente que no son como nosotros, lejos de mí". Yet they are a people who share the same history, the same trials and journey as our very own beloved Filipinos. Who is to say that Filipinos are more like the other Asians than the Hispanics? Nadie...y nadie puede contradecirlo jamas. Lo que os pido es que abrais los ojos y ver lo que pasa en nuestro mundo, y que seais abiertos con vuestros corazones. No te borres de tu ser, de tu memoria lo que es, y lo que sera -- lo cual que es nuestro Filipino-Hispandid. Aprended la lengua de Rizal, de nuestros antepasados. No os creáis que estoy pidiendo que olvidáis del Tagalo...al contrario. Aprended los dos, ademas del ingles si queréis. Pero nunca debemos olvidar de la historia verdadera...somos Filipino-Hispanos, y el Filipino (incluyendo cada dialecto) y el Español pertenecen a nosotros...nuestras lenguas...nuestra cultura unida.

Paul Sudario    (20/Octubre/2002)


      Without the spanish language it would be difficult for some pilipino spanish, such as myself, to be able to communicate in english because some words in spanish is used in modern day english. One exampleis the word coffee(cafe)and many more words that best discribe the modern day english which some pilipino uses today. We should not forget that spain brought us to become modern in the way we clothe ourselvesnot like some pacific asian country such as Indonesia, Papau New Guinea etc. Who still live off theyre land and still are having wars among themselves. A yoyo warrior such as myself still dress in bahag fashion although being catholic i wear a dress code.

T.J. Aquino    (10/Octubre/2002)

Restore Our Hispanic Legacy

      It was a sad day in the history of the Filipinas, when the RP Govt. deliberately voted to remove the last "official" connection to our Hispanic Heritage, by removing Spanish as an Official Language in the "new Constitution" back in 1984. lest we forget, our National Hero spoke and wrote in Spanish! It was the Spanish Language that was used in order to help create what we now know to as THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES!
      Viva Filipinas!

Gerardo Alonzo Jacob    (29/Sep/2002)

Gran orgullo

      Soy filipina pero nací en los Estados Unidos. Estudié yo en la Ciudad de México para amejorar mi español. En mi opinion, la cultura mezclada de las Islas Filipinas debe ser un gran orgullo para nosotros. Saber los tres idiomas de nuestra historia puede ubicarnos en una posición única en el mundo. Podemos tener lo mejor de las tres culturas. Creo que en el mundo moderno, los idiomas van a ser la clave. Los paredes van a ser culturales. Los filipinos pueden cruzar los paredes, si quieren. Tenemos la oportunidad de ser la única gente que puede hablar con tres regiones claves del mundo. Es nuestra historia y ademas nuestra ventaja. Debemos usarla.

Maria Kristina DeGuzman    (22/Agosto/2002)
Northwestern University

Esther, aprendiendo español mediante Telenovelas hispanas
       He leido unos articulos muy importante en esta pagina. Es como mejorar la lengua catellana. Yo soy Filipina, nacido alli en parte de LUZON. Vine en España en año '89. En primer lugar,no hablo bien castellano,pero aprendi sola a traves de la television, unos que hacen las series aqui. Intento entender todos,para la gente que digan que somos inteligente.
       Ahora necisitamos mejorar la lengua castellana, necisitamos tener interesante mas a menudo. Es como se fuera la tercera lengua que tengamos en anteriores. Asi de facil entender y entendiamos muy adecuado. Sera facil de volver la asignatura que tuvieramos antes. Eso para los jovenes que tienen interes aprender. Unico quiero decir es que mejoremos en la lengua castellana. No dudes para nada, somos mas inteligentes, segun dicen los españoles. Saludos a todos.........

Esther Kherroubi    (8/Agosto/2002)

Ingles opsyonal

      Sa aking mga kababayan:
      Nasa panahon na upang gawing "opcional" and pagturo ng inglés sa ating mga escuelahan. Ang educación sa Filipinas naguing lubhang mahal sa "tuition fee" dahil sa pagpilit ng inglés bilang wikang panturo at lenguaje oficial. Dahil sa paulit ulit lamagn ng mga "spelling drills" at "pronunciation drills" sa inglés, pinatatagal ang mga estudiantesa paarlan.
      Total pag-graduado na ang mga ito wala naman silang makuhang kolokasyon o trabajo kung saan sana magamit nila ang konting inglés para sa kanilang kabuhayan.
      Naguing kalokohan at inutil, walang saysay, ang pagpilit sa lahat ng wikang inglés mula sa elementarya kasi sinisira samantala ang pananaw at ang criterio ng mga kabataan natin. They are all dressed up but with nowhere to go.
      Bihis na bihis sa inglés at pagkatapos wala naman silang mapuntahan.
      Yan ang dahilan kung bakit naguiguing puta, dahil japayuki, ang karamihang babaeng Filipina, at ang karamihang kalalakihan naguing mga inexplotadong mga anggagawâ.
      Ang mismong diksiyunaryo ng wikang inglés nagsasabi na ang ibig sabihin ng salitang 'Filipina' ay atsay... ¿Ito ba ang maguiguing papel ng mga Filipino sa mundo ng wikang inglés maliban sa iilan na mga walang hiyang mga tuta ng Kanô at traidor sa kanilang kultura, wika at bansa?
      Bago ang pagpilit ng wikang inglés dapat munang atubilihin ng lahat, ang gobierno natin sana, na lubusang edukahin muna sa sariling wika at sa Tagalog ang lahat na kabataang Filipino. At pag nabuó na ang kanilang pag-iisip sa sarili nilang wiká puede na nilang idagdag ang inglés kung kailañgan nila ito sa kanilang kabuhayan.
      Pero ang guinagawa ngayon, inuuna ang inglés sa mismong wikang katutubo, ayon sa kurikulum na pinaiiral ng DECS sa ilalim ni Senador Raul Roco, upang gawing mangmang ang sangkafilipinuhan at upang maguing sirâ ang mga ito o madaling alipinin ito ng Neocolonialismong Kanô.
      Dapat magkaisa at bumañgon ang lahat na mga gurong Filipino at itakwil sa kanilang mga clase ang paggamit ng ingles, total hindi naman sila binabayaran ng mga Kanô ng dolyar.
      Kung sa bagay, maliit ang bayad sa mga gurong Filipino pero pinipilit ito sila na ituro ang ingles at gamitin ang ingles bilang wikang panturo.
      Dahil sa mababang suweldo nila, guinagawan na silang mga patay-gutum sa sarili nilang bayan at pagkatapos sila pa ang magtuturo ng inglés para sa kapakanan ng mga peliculang Kano, mga musica at programa at anunsiyo ng mga productong Kanô dito sa bansa nila.
      Ang Kanô ang ugat sa pagpataas ng precio ng kuryente, ng gasolina at ng tubig, maliban sa gamot at pagkain ng mga mismong guro kasama ang buong Filipinas, pero sinusunod pa nila ang dikta ng mga Kanô sa pamaguitan ng DECS na ipilit ang inglés sa kabataang Filipino upang alipinin ang pag-iisip ng mga itó at tuluyang gawing huwad and independensiya ng Filipinas.
      Ang pagpilit ng inglés sa mga Filipino magkakaroon lamang ng hustifikasyon kapag guinawang Estado ng America ang Filipinas. Samantalang hindi guinawâ ang iyon, walang katwiran ang pagpilit dito ng wikang inglés. ¿Kailan magkaroon ng konting dañgal ang sambayanang Filipino?

Guillermo Gómez Rivera    (30/Junio/2002)
Manila (Filipinas)

About Spanish culture in Manila Bulletin

      Spain has contributed so much to Philippine history and culture, from liberalism to liberty, literature to language, culture to cuisine, to customs and traditions, songs and dances. Spain has enriched Philippine society such that Filipinos hark back to their Hispanic heritage with pride and consider it as one pivotal chapter in our country's past that has shaped our present and future as a people.
      Mabuhay and Muchas Gracias. Filipinas y España son amigos por siempre.

Manila Bulletin    (29/Junio/2002)

¿Por qué no?

      Tengo un gran amor con el idioma castellano por la parte de mi madre y yo como filipino-australiano he viajado en muchos paises latinoamericanos y Espana para entender mas la cultura de los filipinos antepasados. Es muy triste que ese pais ha sufrido la diminuacion de los espanoles y otros hispanos que habian vivido alla. En estos dias, lo que creo que los filipinos deberian hacer es no solo saber y hablar nuestro hermoso idioma, sino comenzar a comunicarse, sentirse, y pensar en castellano.
      Gracias a todos por sus intereses en castellano.

Nicolas de Aragon    (22/Junio/2002)

Yes, I believe

      I believe the Spanish language should be the third official language of the Philippines. I like the idea of remembering our Spanish heritage as well. As for me, my mother's side is Chavacano, is a reflection of Spanish in the Philippines. It is better for us to be Spanish because unlike other Asians, we will stand out more and we are able to communicate with the world. We will be able to communicate with the Hispanics and the English. It is very convenient today to get better the Spanish language as a third Pilipinas language.

AzNfLiPzsIDeZ@aol.com    (14/Abril/2002)

      Ang Wikang Kastila ay Parte ng Ating Historya

      La lengua espanola forma una parte de la nuestra historia filipina. Soy feliz que hay otros filipinos que creen como yo. Nací en las Filipinas pero crecí en los Estados Unidos. A mi me importa la cultura filipina que incluye la herencia hispanola. Estudie Espanol en la escuela secondaria por 2 anos y despues en la universidad por un año. Lo se que no hablo ni escribo buen espanol pero yo se mas que la mayoridad de los filipinos.
      Ang wikang kastila ay parte ng ating historyang pilipino. Ako'y nasisiyahan na may mga ibang pilipino na naniniwala katulad ko. Pinanganak ako sa Pilipinas pero ako'y lumaki sa Estados Unidos. Importante sa akin ang ating kulturang Pilipino, kasama nito ang kastila. Nagaral ako ng Kastila sa paaralang sekondarya ng 2 taon, at pagkatapos sa unibersidad ng 1 taon. Alam ko na hindi mahusay ang aking pananalita ni ang aking pagsulat pero mas nakakaalam ako ng kastila kaysa sa karamihan ng mga pilpino.
      The Spanish language forms a part of our Philippine history. I am happy that there are other Filipinos who believe like I do. I was born in the Philippine but I grew up in the United States. Our Filipino culture is important to me and this includes our Spanish heritage. I studied Spanish in high school for 2 years, then in the university for 1 year. I know that I don't speak or write Spanish very well but I know more Spanish than the majority of Filipinos.

Gil    (14/Abril/2002)
(Raleigh, North Carolina, USA)

Yes, I agree

      Yes, I definitely agree that Spanish should be better developed as a third language in the Philippines.
      This movement will enhance our cultural heritage and make the Filipino soul one and complete, not fragmented by the fact that we as a nation and people, have cast aside something that is part of our national-historical identity.

Ana Improgo    (01/Abril/2002)
California, USA

      Spanish Language from New York
      Spanish is a Global language spoken by so many people on Earth. To believe in English is to believe a lie, especially in The Philippines. In the USA, people are afraid of anything that is of Spain or la Hispanidad, even thought Spain is everywhere you look, it controlled half our territory and and the Spanish language is spoken by 1 in 5 US citizens, coast to coast.
      Spanish has been spoken in the present day USA for half a millenium, or 500 years, and yet there are no movements by the anglo-saxon population to acknowledge this. To the REAL Filipinos: Speak Spanish! Learn the langauge that has been spoken in your country for centuries. If you keep English, on the geopolitical front, you will be competing with half a dozen other neighbors that have some official English status. Reclaim a global heritage that belongs to YOU and know one else in that region: the Hispanic culture and language. Otherwise, you will be lost, and there will be no acknowledgement of you in the anglophone prison known as the Commonwealth.

Ricardo Richard Felipe Martín    (09/Marzo/2002)
Ciudad de Nueva York, Estados Unidos

      Ai! Spanish palayon....!!!

I really Believe that we should make Spanish our official language again. For reasons of:
1. History.
      - Our history was mostly written in Spannnnnnnnish. We take pride and special significance to the 50 years of Hollywood and care less of the more than 300 years of our History with Spain that molded us into our present Identity. It's our first official language and it was official until 1970's yeah?
2. Jose Rizal.
      - And our other heroes. Our heroes wroteeeeeeee in Spanish and most of us Filipinos are starting to disregard Del Pilar, Lopez-Jaena, Paterno, etc. just because of the Language barrier. We know little of them so we don't really take them as inspirations to move the country forward. With Pride and Contentment comes Action/Development. We have to be Inspired! :)
3. Religion/Culture.
      - The Philippines is the only Catholic ccccccccountry in Asia and the Latin of the East. Our Filipino identity shares more as in MORE commonalities with Latin America and Spain than Asia.
      So for the Nationalists, why should we be ashame of our Borrowed culture when it's the reality? With Spanish, we can understand more our heritage and culture and be proud (and not ignorant.. oh Santo Niño is spanish pala meaning holy child.. oh and as well as cuchara, tenedor, la mesa, silla, etc etc etc. Siesta pala Spanish din?)
      4. Spanish names.
- Majority of the Filipinos have Spanishhhhhhhh names YET we don't speak Spanish!! Like what the hell? A foreigner might guess..is Regine Velasquez a Spanish actress? or hey Gary Valenciano eres de Valencia? LOL. Really it's SAD. like We are so Hispanic in every sense Yet we can't relate to our Mexican and Argentine friends.
      5. With English and Spanish,
the Philippines will be the BEST ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Center in the World. (Aside from softwares, we can make our own Spanish telenovelas and export it to Spain and Latin America! Big Money. And the existing Spanish telenovelas in the Philippines need not be dubbed. Less Money.:) )
      So i really hope The Government make some efforts in reviving the Spanish language in the Philippines. To AT LEAST BRING SPANISH LESSONS BACK TO SCHOOL (public/private, elementary/HS/College).
      There are many benefits we can get from it. And the Filipinos will not have a hard time learning it. (I'm a student studying spanish. And really it will be easier than English for those who really dont know much english like many poor people. Ai! Spanish pala yon....!!!)

Jay Z.     (06/Febrero/2002)
Manila

Cartas/Letters about Spanish in Philippines (1998-2001)

Editoriales: ¡Hola! ¿Kumustá?   & Philippines (1898-1946): the re-colonization drama   & Philippines, Spain and Iraq on the USA ...
Spanish Newspapers   Spanish Magazines   Jokes/Chistes   Links/Enlaces   "Pilipino-castila" names
Letters 2005   Letters 2004
Letters 2003   Letters 2002   Letters 2001 (julio-diciembre)   Letters 2001 (enero-junio)
Have you lodge for Filipino's?
Tuna; (student music group)   Yo te diré (book)   Cine (hispanofilipino)
J. Rizal

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