Are filipino people considered asian?

by ,kudfhv Posted 2008/12/06 09:38:19

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	yes	26 votes	63%
	no	11 votes	27%
	hell, i don't know	4 votes	10%

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Butanding 2009/02/28 05:27:09 (edited)

yes

+11
We are part of the Malay branch of the Malayo-Polynesian peoples, closely related to the people of Malaysia and Indonesia. All that separates us from our relatives in Malaysia is our Spanish-Mexican conquest and conversion to Catholicism. Long ruled as part of New Spain from Mexico City, the Mexican and Spanish influence is both cultural and genetic. All three major Malay countries have had a massive Chinese input as well and all three have a varying remnant of the Papuan or Negrito people who were here before the Malay wave came down from Taiwan. Note the native people of central Taiwan still speak languages of the Malayo-Polynesian family and are racially close to the Filipinos, not to the Chinese. I have seen an estimate that the typical Filipino is on the average 80% Malay, 5% Chinese, 5% Mexican Indian, 5% Spanish and 5% Negrito, but I think that was just a wild guess. But all the people of the Malay branch of Malayo-Polynesian are definitely mostly Asian, including Filipinos, Malaysians, Indonesians, Malagasy (of Madagascar), Malays of southern Thailand, and the people of Brunei, Guam and Palau plus native Formosans of Taiwan and the Cham of Vietnam and Cambodia.
>> See Replies

Meireen Ann Manalo 2012/05/21 18:15:06

yes

I think it's a yes because the ancestors of the Filipinos are Aetas, Indonesian and mostly Malay. There were Arabs, too, in Mindanao (and maybe Chinese, because Chinese were trading with the Filipinos even before Spaniards came.)

And please, Asians are not only Chinese, Japanese, Koreans... There are also Indians, Indonesians, Malaysians, Thais, Turks, Mongols, Arabs, Israelis, Pakistanis, FILIPINOS, and many many many more. I may consider that Filipinos are smart because most English Teachers in our neighboring countries are Filipinos. If you are not convince, talk to Sen. Miriam Santiago, and you'll know what smart means. :)

And if you are not convinced yet, please research the Philippine History and you'll know. Please read this article: http://aaronautics.wordpress....
(If you want.)

AND YEAH, FILIPINOS ARE AWESOME!!! (no doubt about that)

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Jaclyn Ortega 2012/02/10 08:20:19

yes

Yes you are asian not only in geography but also in culture, genetics & everything. Just because Spain colonized Philippines doesn't make Filipinos less Asian. Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Cambodia & East Timor were also colonized by the Dutch, British, French & Portuguese respectively so does that also makes them less Asians as well? Of course not! Also enough with the "my great-great grandparents are Spanish" thing. Whether you're telling the truth or not, still it doesn't make you anything other than Asian. Why making a fuss about your distant ancestor while ignoring your more recent Malay ancestry?

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BattleBorn702 2011/07/28 03:07:45 (edited)

yes

We are. We're not just as Asian as the Chinese, the Koreans and the Japanese by their color. We're brown-skinned Malay-Polynesians in the southeast Asia Pacific. You see, all Asians have different cultures. We're just still part of the Malay race.

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Amy 2011/01/16 03:43:30

no

They ARENT asian they are pacific islanders. I would know cuz im FILIPINO

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Kris to Amy 2011/04/10 23:50:49

+3
technically we are both. Geographically we are both asian and pacific islanders

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Clujel ... to Amy 2012/04/24 22:50:40

+1
Dear Amy,
Get a book and get SMARTER! Filipinos are ASIAN! THAT's A FACT. I would know too, you know why? I'm 100% Filippino!

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Clujel ... to Amy 2012/04/24 23:18:57

+3
Second, Micronesia (small)
Melanesia (dark)
Polynesia (many)
~Those are REAL Pacific Islanders!

Anyone ever see a Samoan or Polynesian?

Yes for me, but maybe not you,

Ever see a basketball player?

Yes,

Do Filipinos look tall like basketball players?

HECK NO!

As a whole, do Filipino men cause fear in other men, based upon their size and testosterone?

Not. Sorry.

Are Filippinos called Pacific Islanders because of our spanish last names?
Yes, why?
Oh, if you know your country's history its because the Spanish took over Philippines for more than 300 years, that's why.

Uhm … again, “common sense,” now people….

Filipinos are N-O-T Pacific Islanders, THEY'RE, again THEY-ARE ASIANS!

Sorry, but today more people are getting really annoying AND stupid =/

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Kaylakay 2010/11/04 00:28:33

hell, i don't know

I only say that i dont know because one of my filipino friends says yes whle i am confused because my mom has always told me that we are pacific islanders. I would not mind being called asian. I also do not mind being called a pacific islander. Most people believe that I am either of Mexican descent or Hawaiian descent because of my skin color. Most people dont even believe that i am filipino when i tell them that im not hawaiian or mexican. so i am just a little confused. when really i would not mind being called iether one. (Note: I am not full filipino, nor was i born in the Philipines. I was born in the states.)

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yes'um to Kaylakay 2010/12/11 21:58:05
Emmalyn 2010/08/30 20:59:08

no

+3
I personally don't consider myself asian only because society will automatically throw you into this group of 'Chinese, japanese, korean etc.' because that's what they think. They don't even bother to ask you what kind of asian because to them it's all the same. personally as a filipino I cannot relate to any of these ethnic groups and I certainly wouldn't want to be stereotyped as one of them. No offense these people. They all have beautiful cultures. But I'm filipino not 'asian'. I know this sets me apart and has I have a sense of individualism. I always have to correct my friends when they call me asian. The Philippines is so rich and diverse aside from the other 'asian' countries. apart form our spanish influence all the way to our malayan roots. I guess that's what makes us more unique. : )

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Dana 2010/08/25 09:32:38

no

+2
No because there is a another theory of a lost continent named "Lemuria" which Philippines and other Pacific Islands was part of....so that is why we are not asians but now we are known to be asians because the continent was lost so we are considered to be part of Asia...

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Fatalerror94 2010/03/06 19:20:13 (edited)

yes

+3
Most Filipinos are closely related to The Ami a Taiwanese aboriginal Tribe. The genetic relationship is so close as to be almost indistinguishable. The Ami have a genetic relationship with the Guangdong Han of southern China, though not as close as they have with the Filipinos. The Genetic connection to Polynesians is more distant.

Filipinos are Asian.

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jackie 2009/12/06 07:24:32 (edited)

hell, i don't know

+1
I'm half-Spanish, half-Filipino born in Phils so my race is mixed, ethnicity is hispanic (i speak Spanish, we practice 100% hispanic culture at home and do everything hispanic) & nationality is Filipino. Filipinos can be of any race as long as you are born or citizen of Phils, you are Filipino even if you are an White or Black American, African, European or Pacific Islander by blood. However since more than 95% of people are pure asians so the better way is to consider Philippines as asian country BUT not all Filipino peoples are asian. Its like saying the peoples in US are all Caucasians but in reality no. I feel insulted to be call asian since i don't have any similarities with asians (incl. southeast asians) except geography. I would rather be called Filipino, THAT'S IT!

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t to jackie 2010/02/16 07:18:24

+1
Umm...no just because you are born or are a citizen of the "Phils" doesn't make you Filipino! Filipino is an ethnicity. Saying anyone can be Filipino if they are born somewhere is like saying if you are born or are a citizen in Japan you are Japanese, or in China making you Chinese or Hawaii making you Hawaiian. NO! Filipino is something you would identify with on your birth certificate, meaning that not anyone can be of the Filipino Race!

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calvino 2009/10/17 06:32:18

hell, i don't know

im a filipino but most of us still think they are asian even though we dont have any similarity with asian culture,for me i prefer to call my self filipino i dont want other people think im similar with those circle of jerk in asia like chinese,japan,korea, which they dont really like filipino specially here in united states,they show you a nice face but deep inside they dont like you,im not referring to those asian who are born in states because they have different point of view already, as far as i know about the philippine history, the name philippine came from king philippe of spain,the spaniards colonize all the island and call it philippines,it is true philippine and mexico has lot of similarity,culture food,holiday's exept for speaking spanish cause americans change everything during their war in spain, and all of our philippine national hero speak spanish and take their degree in spain,i consider my culture similar with the mexicans at the same time mexicans treat us like brother and sister,unlike other asian,thinks where their ass kisser.

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markarjay to calvino 2009/11/24 05:32:50

is that really what you think? Wow I was born in Manilla, and now I live in America. If you really think that no one else likes us but the spanish then you must be a very racist and stero typical. I have alot of white/black and others. I fit in all groups. I consider that filippinos should be called asian because our people originated from asia, just because spain Fu** our people doesn't really change. Just because were islands doesn't mean we are not... Look at japan, and we do not speak spanish. I have a whole bunch of asian friends that are from thailand and china so you are very rong. Whats with the food thing...? We have rice... and other things that i can't remember their names.... We should be called Asians....

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DR.sohorni to markarjay 2010/07/16 06:05:02

+1
I agree with you.Filipino eat salted fish , fish sauce,shrimp paste,and rice for dinner and when
Mexican eat burrito or taco.how can you not be asian.just because you got the spanish last name that doesnt mean you have to acted like Mexican and forgot your own culture.

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Jaclyn ... to DR.sohorni 2012/02/22 08:38:30

+3
Uh but Mexicans also eat rice, as well as some Latin American countries. The classic burrito has rice, particularly Mexican rice, in it. But I do agree that Filipinos are Asian & many Philippine dishes are similar to other Southeast Asian countries. Look Spanish language is considered a very important factor in binding all Hispanophone people. Since most Filipinos don't speak or even understand Spanish other than some injected words then by no means they're considered Hispanic as a whole. Hispanic isn't a race, its an ethnicity but ethnicity wise, most Filipinos don't fit into the Hispanic category.

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t to calvino 2010/02/16 07:22:31

+3
I agree with the guy below you. Filipinos are consider Asian because we originated from Asia. I live in America as well, and to stereotype and say that we're treated differently....um think about what African American people have dealt with. Tell me you haven't looked at people and done the same thing you've accused others of doing to us Filipinos. "they show you a nice face but deep inside they dont like you"

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SHELLE BEAST MODE 2009/08/31 02:27:33

yes

+1
OMG IM FILIPPINO!! IM AM TOTALLY CONSIDERED ASIAN!

Get This and More Comment Graphics
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t to SHELLE ... 2010/02/16 07:22:43

+3
HECK YESS!

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Happy Birthday 2009/08/13 10:13:41

no

+2
Haha Well yea technically we are Asian Coz we are located in Asia not because we have asian blood. well my dad said his grandma's from russia or spain idk tho he just know that she has blue eyes and his grandfather to have a lil slanted eyes so yea tho the best thing to do is just call us Filipino not asian or hispanic or w.e oh yea no one mentioned ABout negritos Their very similar to Africans just a little shorter Their Native pilipinos and has a weird culture so Yea.. oh and one part of the phillippines has American blood which is in cebu so umm yea.. thats about it

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Happy Birthday 2009/08/13 10:13:16

no

+2
Haha Well yea technically we are Asian Coz we are located in Asia not because we have asian blood. well my dad said his grandma's from russia or spain idk tho he just know that she has blue eyes and his grandfather to have a lil slanted eyes so yea tho the best thing to do is just call us Filipino not asian or hispanic or w.e oh yea no one mentioned ABout negritos Their very similar to Africans just a little shorter Their Native pilipinos and has a weird culture so Yea.. oh and one part of the phillippines has American blood which is in cebu so umm yea.. thats about it

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jas 2009/07/26 11:34:23

yes

+2
i'm a pinoy...i'm an asian.

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Friggen' Goddamnit 2009/06/22 22:51:43

yes

+2
They originated from the Philippines, which is a country in SOUTHEAST ASIA. :3

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Uncle Tom 2009/03/29 02:36:30 (edited)

yes

+3
I think people who ask this question are those who only have a stereotypical view of Asians. Does anyone ask are Malaysians, Indonesians, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Thai , Hmong, etc are Asians? I think it's ironic that people say "Filipinos can be Pacific Islanders based on being a island in the Pacific, or they have similar physical characteristics".

I think people need to understand Asia, and more specifically Southeast Asia before they start comparing Filipinos to Pacific Islanders.
Here's a video that everyone can watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?... I also noticed that when Fil-Ams try to make the case that Filipinos are not Asian and are Pacific Islander, they seem to be oblivious to any of Asia history...especially SouthEast Asia. This is why they only continue to point out what they have in common with "Pacific Islanders" and not like Asians such as Chinese, Japanese, or Koreans.

It also needs to be noted that the Filipinos who are stating that Filipinos are Pacific Islanders, and not Asian, are usually Filipino-Americans. I think those who are stating that Filipinos are Pacific Islanders and not Asian, are doing it based on the fact that they feel there is no relation between them and Asians. However, this could be a numbers game. The majority of Asians in USA are of East A...

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I think people who ask this question are those who only have a stereotypical view of Asians. Does anyone ask are Malaysians, Indonesians, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Thai , Hmong, etc are Asians? I think it's ironic that people say "Filipinos can be Pacific Islanders based on being a island in the Pacific, or they have similar physical characteristics".

I think people need to understand Asia, and more specifically Southeast Asia before they start comparing Filipinos to Pacific Islanders.
Here's a video that everyone can watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?... I also noticed that when Fil-Ams try to make the case that Filipinos are not Asian and are Pacific Islander, they seem to be oblivious to any of Asia history...especially SouthEast Asia. This is why they only continue to point out what they have in common with "Pacific Islanders" and not like Asians such as Chinese, Japanese, or Koreans.

It also needs to be noted that the Filipinos who are stating that Filipinos are Pacific Islanders, and not Asian, are usually Filipino-Americans. I think those who are stating that Filipinos are Pacific Islanders and not Asian, are doing it based on the fact that they feel there is no relation between them and Asians. However, this could be a numbers game. The majority of Asians in USA are of East Asian descent while Filipinos make up the largest group of SouthEast Asians, the view on Asian could be a stereotypical one thus creating a divide.

Hawaii can be considered Asian? Hawaii is not a part of Asia. The USA and Philippines both acknowledge that Filipinos are Asian. There are many things that support Filipinos as being Asian. ASEAN = Association of SE ASIAN nations, Mall of Asia, Asianjournal.com. So should we all complain now and request that Filipinos be removed from being associated with other Asian organizations?

Not only that, if you look at the history of SouthEast...the majority of countries have been colonized. Take Vietnam for example...they also write in a Latin-based alphabet. Catholicism can also be found in Vietnam, and there are in fact Vietnamese who immigrated from Vietnam and now live in USA who also follow Catholicism.

In reality though, I think this topic really isn't about are Filipinos: Asian or Pacific Islander? If you guys know the root of the problem, I think it's really about Filipino Identity. Many Filipino-Americans grow up distanced from the Filipino history and culture, in result they are more subjected to people and cultures they feel they can relate more too...whether it's Pacific Islanders or Hispanics, heck even African-Americans with Hip Hop.

Here's are videos that speaks about Filipino identity:

Filipino vs Americans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Filipino Identity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?...

So I think before answering the question of: Are Filipinos Asian or Pacific Islander? The real question, how do FILIPINOS view themselves and how does that understanding relate to others?
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,kudfhv to Uncle Tom 2009/04/02 14:34:55

wow. that actually explains it. the whole reason i asked was that most americans say yes and most filipinos say no.
thanks!

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t to Uncle Tom 2010/02/16 07:24:00

+2
at some point pacific islanders supposedly migrated from Asia as well, and made their way to small islands within the Pacific Ocean.

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AcademyOfKings 2009/03/08 22:47:26

yes

+2
Well of course we are asians. We may be made up of many different cultures but we have a culture all our own in Asia.

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Mayon 2009/02/28 05:42:17

yes

+6
Of course we are Asian racially. As Bicolana says, we are all mixed and show different elements of our ancestry. My mother shows the high cheekbones of the Mexican Indian soldiers in Legaspi's army, while I have more Chinese eyes and a pointy Spanish nose. But we are all mostly Malay. Let us not forget that we call our townships Barangays, meaning boatloads, the descendants of the same ship bringing immigrants from northern Borneo about a thousand years ago.

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Butanding 2009/02/28 05:27:09 (edited)

yes

+11
We are part of the Malay branch of the Malayo-Polynesian peoples, closely related to the people of Malaysia and Indonesia. All that separates us from our relatives in Malaysia is our Spanish-Mexican conquest and conversion to Catholicism. Long ruled as part of New Spain from Mexico City, the Mexican and Spanish influence is both cultural and genetic. All three major Malay countries have had a massive Chinese input as well and all three have a varying remnant of the Papuan or Negrito people who were here before the Malay wave came down from Taiwan. Note the native people of central Taiwan still speak languages of the Malayo-Polynesian family and are racially close to the Filipinos, not to the Chinese. I have seen an estimate that the typical Filipino is on the average 80% Malay, 5% Chinese, 5% Mexican Indian, 5% Spanish and 5% Negrito, but I think that was just a wild guess. But all the people of the Malay branch of Malayo-Polynesian are definitely mostly Asian, including Filipinos, Malaysians, Indonesians, Malagasy (of Madagascar), Malays of southern Thailand, and the people of Brunei, Guam and Palau plus native Formosans of Taiwan and the Cham of Vietnam and Cambodia.

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The Gov-Here to help BN362 2009/02/25 20:59:59

no

+4
Filipinos are technically considered Pacific Islanders... why ? I don't know... I have always considered them Asian... why ? because on the map they are 1/2 inch away from Asia and clearly at least 2 inches away from Hawaii...

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Mayon to The Gov... 2009/02/28 05:55:48 (edited)

+6
No, we are in the western or Malay division of the Malayo-Polynesian peoples, while the Polynesians, Melanesians and Micronesians of the Pacific Islands are in the eastern or Polynesian branch of Malayo-Polynesian. Chamorro of Guam and Palauan of Palau are the easternmost Malay languages, the other languages of Micronesia are definitely Polynesian in origin, close to Samoan,Tongan, Hawaiian, Tahitian and Maori of New Zealand. Pacific Islanders like the Polynesians are fairly closely related to Filipinos, but not culturally. I have been amazed at how Tongans and Samoans here in California look so Filipino except about twice as big.

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The Gov... to Mayon 2009/03/11 13:01:44

+2
Thank you Julie May... I have asked several why they consider themselves Pacific Islanders and they didn't know...lol. Maybe they feel some sort of stigma attached to it, I can't imagine what...I can definitely tell the difference between a Samoan man and a Filipino man though.... I grew up in L.A. and one of the things I miss is the immense cultural diversity... My son's fiance is Filipino but she refuses to be considered Asian.. I don't understand why... So from your definition you would say that Filipinos are Asian?... I can't debate with her about it since I don't know... I love that girl... she cracks me up...

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Mayon to The Gov... 2009/03/13 00:21:32

+2
Labels don't really matter to me. I actually think all Malayo-Polynesian people should be the same, but the name Indo-Pacific has already been taken for the Papuans and their relatives. Maybe Oceanic people. I never knew of any Filipinos saying we are anything other than Asian, though. Here in the Philippines there is no other usage as far as I know. See our top business school, the Asian Institute of Management, http://www.aim.edu.ph/ .
The official Philippine government site says "THE PHILIPPINES stands at the crossroads of the developed western world and the Orient. It lies in the heart of Southeast Asia, stretching more than 1,840 kilometers. Composed of 7,107 islands, the Philippines is readily accessible to the different capitals of the world. Its three main islands are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao." http://www.gov.ph/aboutphil/
The CIA site says of the Philippines, "Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam" https://www.cia.gov/library/p...
Wikipedia says "The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city."
I think someone from an Asian country is Asian.

(Maybe I should explain that I am a permanent resident immigrant to the U.S. with...

Labels don't really matter to me. I actually think all Malayo-Polynesian people should be the same, but the name Indo-Pacific has already been taken for the Papuans and their relatives. Maybe Oceanic people. I never knew of any Filipinos saying we are anything other than Asian, though. Here in the Philippines there is no other usage as far as I know. See our top business school, the Asian Institute of Management, http://www.aim.edu.ph/ .
The official Philippine government site says "THE PHILIPPINES stands at the crossroads of the developed western world and the Orient. It lies in the heart of Southeast Asia, stretching more than 1,840 kilometers. Composed of 7,107 islands, the Philippines is readily accessible to the different capitals of the world. Its three main islands are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao." http://www.gov.ph/aboutphil/
The CIA site says of the Philippines, "Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam" https://www.cia.gov/library/p...
Wikipedia says "The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city."
I think someone from an Asian country is Asian.

(Maybe I should explain that I am a permanent resident immigrant to the U.S. with my home in California but right now I have returned to the Philippines to complete my university course in nursing.)
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The Gov... to Mayon 2009/03/13 01:36:25

+1
See, my daughter in law is Filipino but she was born in Hawaii this may be why she prefers to be called Pacific Islander since her parents were from there and also not born in the Phillipines...

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Uncle Tom to The Gov... 2009/03/29 02:39:13 (edited)

+2
She's a Fil-Am right? a lot of Fil-Ams do have an identity crisis.

Here's a Filipino who actually blogs about this topic, http://carlosrull.com/2008/03...

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The Gov... to Uncle Tom 2009/03/29 05:31:29

Thanks Uncle Tom... I appreciate that. :)

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Malaysi... to Uncle Tom 2009/12/13 11:53:55

Agree, and most Phil from the Phil called themselves Asian, (South East Asian to be exact), coz I am one too (a Filipino born and raised in Malaysia)

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Uncle Tom to The Gov... 2009/04/06 03:31:15

+2
I would bet the bank that the stigma comes from stereotypical views on Asians, which Asians are only East Asiahs i.e. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

You will also get the "Our island is in the Pacific", which the Philippines is actually considered a archipelago. There are many countries that have islands or is a island...whether it's Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Borneo, East Timor, etc but are all considered as Asian.

Go ahead and ask and see what her response is, and see if her view of refusing to be called Asian is based on stereotypes and being exclusive to East Asians or the outdated word of "Orientals".

Not using chopsticks, Catholic/Christian religion, being brown/not having chinky eyes (looking more like Pacific Islanders, even though many SE ASIANS and other Asians have similar physical features http://www.youtube.com/watch?... being an island, writing in a latin-based alphabet, being Spanish, dances may be some of the reasons she uses.

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