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Mabuhay!

Ang pangalan ko ay Sophia and I use she/her pronouns!

“Long live!”

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Basic Knowledge

Capital → Manila

Official language → Tagalog, English

more than 175 languages, 8 major dialects (eg. Tagalog, Visayan)

Philippines consists of...

over 7500 islands
only 2000 inhabited leaving over 5000 unnamed

The Philippines was named after King Philip II of Spain. The country was discovered by Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. In 1542, Spain re-claimed the island for themselves.

Before spanish colonization, the Philippines had their own alphabet/ writing system called Baybayin.

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Filipinos in the United States

The first Asian American settlers in the US:

First settlement in Saint Malo, Louisiana (1763 )
Settlement = designed like villages in Manila
Thriving fishing village with houses built on stilts
Manilamen = pirateers who took part in Battle of New Orleans (1815)

Philippine Commonwealth and Independence Act of 1934 (Tydings-McDuffle act):

Signed : Franklin D. Roosevelt
Congress promised independence to Philippines in 1945
Change in status allowed Congress to press immigration rule → 50 filipino immigrants per year
1946 → Luce-Celler Act decreased immigration restrictions, allowing 100 filipino immigrants per year

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America’s Human Zoos (1900s):

1000s indigineous filipinos taken from the Philippines
Displayed at St. Louis Exposition (1904)
Forced dancing and eating dogs for entertainment
The Philippines Exhibit was the largest and most popular
Brought to Coney Island in New york as attractions (1906)
Export of tribesmen outlawed by Philippine Assembly in 1914

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Watsonville Riots of 1930s

January 19, 1930 -mob of 500 armed white men surrounded dance hall in Watsonville
White men looted the dance hall and went to filipino neighborhoods
January 23, 1930 → more than 500 white men destroyed a filipino neighborhood
Fermin Tobera, 22 year old farm worker, was shot to death by a rioter while hiding in a closet with other people
January 29, 1930 → white mob bombed Filipino Federation of America building Stockton

Result:

8 rioters in Watsonville arrested
4 charged with a crime
1 rioter received month-long jail sentence
Rest = probation

California’s agricultural industry exploded in early 1900s
Farm owners hired immigrants (especially from the Philippines) for cheap labor
Resulted in a wave of anti-AAPI legislation
Due to results of Spanish American War → these immigration laws excluded filipinos (Filipinos were able to work and they became a crucial labor force in California )
By 1930, 65% of filipinos were in California and this angered working class white men (They called filipinos aliens who stole white men jobs)
Filipino farm workers received escalating threats
Filipino farm workers spent their free time at these dance halls (like a disco or club for young people)
January 19 → the white mob demanded for the return of the white dancers working there, filipino owner refused and ended up firing warning shots, police came and cleared u p with gas bombs, took filipinos out of their homes and beat them in the street, continued for several nights, white men and boys attacked any filipino they encountered
January 29 → only 1 person was injured

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Philippines + US Relationship

WW2 → Americans and Filipinos fought side-by-side against Japanese who attacked the Philippines immediately after Pearl Harbor.

Effort against the Japanese increased Americans respect for filipino people
US and Philippines became treaty allies = Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951

Celestino Almeda

Filipino veteran

Filipino veterans receiving the Congressional Gold Medal, the country’s highest civilian honor

Helped lead to Philippines independence in 1946
Great grandpa was governor of Loon, Bohol (had to hide his status)
all filipino officials of towns were seen as threats by japanese, officials were shot to death, many hid their political status
Great lolo had to leave his house, japanese stayed in their house (japanese carved into furniture, records of them being there)
Great lolo took family to mountains and had to make them dress/ look poor for safety
Lola was a baby (not much of a threat), soldiers were around town and attacked people who they thought were threats, left others alone, one of the generals kissed her head (not knowing she was daughter of governor)
Lola walked on beaches → seeing blood
She and her family had to hide in trees because they thought it was soldier, but was just brother

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Phrases / Words

(Tagalog)

Kumusta ka → Greeting / “How are you”

Maganda ka → “You’re beautiful”

Salamat → “Thank you”

Mahal Kita → “I love you”

Call your older brother kuya
Call your older sister ate

Grandpa and Grandma → Lolo and Lola

Uncle and Aunt → Tito and Tita

Magaling ako/ Mabuti →

“I’m good”/ “good/fine”

Yes → Oo

No → Hindi

Masarap → “Delicious”

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Fun facts

3 of the largest shopping malls in the world
1 of the world’s largest producers of coconut
largest supplier of nurses
Popular Transportation method : jeepney and tuktuk
Philippines Basketball Association founded in 1975 was Asia’s first Basketball league

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“Filipinos love singing, karaoke, and music”

Artists you may know:

Beabadoobee
Grent Perez
Dominic Fike
Steve lacy

Artists that sing in filipino dialects:

Juan Karlos (Buwan)
Zild (Bungantulog)
IV of Spades (Mundo)
VNCE (Tanan)
Zack Tabudlo (Iyong Iyo)
Jikamarie (lutang)

H.E.R.
Olivia Rodrigo
Bruno mars
Saweetie

Check out my spotify playlist “🇵🇭” @sophiagatmaitan

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Puto (vegan/ gluten free)

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour
Baking powder
Water
Coconut milk
White sugar
Salt

What is Puto?

Filipino steamed rice cake
Eaten during breakfast, dessert, or as a snack

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SALAMAT!

“Thank you!”