Are FILIPINOS Asians or Pacific Islanders?

For over 12 years I have always been asked this question, “Are Filipinos Asians or Pacific Islanders?”
Click play to learn more and find out!

Learn more:

Filipino American National Historical Society

Migrants for Export:
How the Philippine State Brokers Labor to the World
by Robyn Magalit Rodriguez

Philippine-American War, 1899-1902
by Arnaldo Dumindin

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

*wink*

IMPORTANT:
The views and opinions expressed in this video are of my own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organizations or agencies to which I may be associated. All content provided in this video and channel is for educational and entertainment purposes only. They are not intended to endorse illegal, immoral or oppressive practices nor to malign any, religion, ethnic group, organization, company or individual. Viewers are highly encouraged to be critical and to conduct further research into the featured topics.

Keep in touch!

Follow #YuriAndKoko #theTwinPiglets, our adorable Guinea Pigs

[AlfonsoEspina]

As a Filipino Canadian, I can say that the ONLY time I ever hear about the concept of Filipinos as Pacific Islanders is when I watch videos with Filipino Americans. I wonder if that debate is only exclusive in the US. Because we identify as Asians here in Canada.

[izzath]

if Filipinos are Pacific islander than why aren't they included in the Pacific islands festival gathering?

[silverholde]

If you're going to look at the mythology, Philippine is far more closer to Asia... The Tikbalang Aswang, they came from Indian Influence (no the Spaniards did not invent it, they just exploited it as one of the many ways to control us, even the Kapre is not of Spanish Origin) even the Bakunawa have similiarities to Chinese myth... And don't even get me started with the Mananaggal and their head removing counsins from Malaysia and Indonesia. The Epic Ibalon and Biag ni Lam ang are Ramayana inspired epics from india heck even the Baybayin have sanskrit origins in it if you're going to study. The more you go deeper ob our mythos the more you understand the connection we have with our Asian neighbors. And that's just the myth part

[candydeca]

Never have i ever heard of the term “pacific islanders” to describe us Filipinos. It’s not written in our Philippine history textbooks. Although our country is located amongst the Pacific ocean and we have over 7, 100 islands, which makes sense. So does that make us both Asians and Pacific Islanders? Just as those who live in Texas, USA are considered as both “Texans” and “North Americans”

[deenewconcepts]

We were never confused that we are ASIANS.

[nevertheless]

no one in the Philippines think that they are Pacific so I guess only Fil-Ams are confused.

[Georgina-lysu]

There is nothing wrong with being Asian, and Filipinos should not be embarrassed about their Southeast Asian heritage and identity, let alone their rich and ancestral Asian culture. Despite adopting Spanish surnames, being forced to convert to Catholicism, and incorporating Castilian words into their native languages, Filipinos are of Asian origin, culture, and genetics. On the other hand, the term "Spanish" refers to Spain, and true Latins are the native people of the Italian region of Lazio.

[BatAskal]

Filipinos are strictly Asians - Southeast Asian to be exact, not Pacific Islanders. Yes we are under one group of people as Austronesians but so are the ones in Madagascar and yet they are still referred to as Africans simply due to its close proximity with Africa. Calling Filipinos as Pacific Islanders is grossly inaccurate and misleading considering that we were not historically and culturally isolated from ALL of Asia (China, India, SE Asia) evidenced by influences to our languages, food, habits and culture.

[mylovegidget]

Me living in the philippines i consider my self as asian and i think people of philippines consider their self as asian too because a lot of filipino dind't know anything about pacific islander

[punkbrutus]

I can't find my last comment - but just to teach my fellow Filipinos: You are Asian. You don't hear Japan calling themselves Pacific Islanders. You also don't hear Malaysians (which is basically our predominant race) calling themselves Pacific Islanders. Please know your identity. You are Asian.

[KeaJei]

This is the only time I learned about the historical context of this confusion. Thank you.

[cmipl]

Filipinos are Asians. I am Filipino, I am Asian. Literally the only time I was ever wrongly referred to as a Pacific Islander was when I was living in the USA.

[hans]

Our base culture as filipinos is Austronesian culture. No matter which ethnic group you pick in the Philippines, the most dominant feature is austronesian culture. The arrival of hindu-buddhist, islamic, chinese, Spanish Mexican, and Anglo-American culure just added another layer in the pre-existing culture of the inhabitants of the islands. Learned this from my professor in UP

[uts]

Filipinos are Asians. End of story. Pacific Islanders have a few things in common, but other than that, Filipinos are Asians. They live a more “Asian” lifestyle I would say. I like to think as Filipinos as very distant cousins. We related but like back.

[Gog_Magog]

Pacific Islanders are Micronesia, Polynesia, Melanesia, and Oceania. The only relation of Filipinos to Pacific islanders is with Philippines at the farthest End or Edge of Asia bordering to Pacific ocean, coz Filipinos are Austronesian, the ancient seafarers some 5, 000 years ago. So historically & technically, Filipinos are the ancient ancestors of Pacific islanders, also of Southeast Asia, of pre-Han Southern China & of some in East coast India, the Kalinga tribes that Ashoka destroyed around 200 Bc.

[artesiningart]

Filipinos in or living in the Philippines, and who are still in the Philippine, like me, rarely got confused with our identity. We always refer to ourselves as Asians and not as Pacific Islanders. Our country is geographically, culturally, historically, geologically, ethnically, politically, and linguistically more tied with our Asian neighbors or at least our close Southeast Asian neighbors. Our country is not a part of Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia regions or areas to be a part of the Pacific Islands or Oceania super region.
I guess that only Filipinos in USA or in the Americas and elsewhere, and or half/biracial or mixed or ethnically ambiguous Filipinos in USA and in the Americas or elsewhere have this identity issue.

[ßhopkins]

Grew and raised here.
WE ARE ASIANS.

Who would even thought we aren't? Fil-foreigners?

[ngatibroffessor]

Three major groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean are Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia

[jasonjames]

The Philippines is at a crossroads in the Pacific, and Filipinos are therefore a very genetically diverse group of people. Genetic studies have indicated that most ancient bloodlines (Negrito groups) probably came from Oceania and Australia about 47, 000 years ago! There is more recent evidence that there is a genetic link to India that has not been observed in other Southeast Asian groups. However, the Philippines was most likely populated mostly via Austronesian expansion dating back about 5 000 years ago. This group could include what is considered Pacific Islanders like Hawaii, Fiji, Guam, etc. More recently of course, there are connections to China, Arabia, Spain, U.S., etc. I think Kirby is basically correct in asserting that classifying Filipinos as Pacific Islanders is quite a stretch both geographically and genetically. Certainly, Filipinos are far more similar to Asians culturally. BUT what does it really matter? Filipinos are first and foremost Filipinos - a richly diverse and unique culture unlike any other! I don't know why some people insist upon falling within a specific ethnic or cultural identity. We are what we are! More and more that means we are a mixture of many different races and cultures. You don't have to be one or the other, you can just be yourself!

[cadr]

Though i personally believe that we are asian due to history culture etc etc everything and i personally consider myself asian, we are genetically very close to pacific islanders. Along with malaysians, indonesians, and native taiwan peoples, we fall under austronesian.