Racism in the Philippines

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Map of the ethnic groups of the Philippines by province. Shade per province is determined by which group occupies the most in population

Racism in the Philippines is multifarious and emerged in various portions of the

people, institutions and territories coinciding to that of the present-day Philippines
.

History

Racial discrimination in the Philippines has a historical foundation dating back to the Spanish colonial era (1565-1898), characterized by the implementation of a social hierarchy known as the "casta". This system favored individuals of Spanish descent, such as the "criollos" or "insulares", while relegating native Filipinos to the lowest rungs of society. The hierarchical structure entrenched during this period had enduring effects on societal dynamics, shaping power relations and perpetuating disparities based on racial heritage.

Following the Spanish colonial rule, the American colonial period (1898–1946) introduced new dynamics of racial discrimination, influenced by American cultural hegemony. This era witnessed various forms of racism, including economic exploitation, social hierarchy, and segregation. American colonial policies reinforced notions of superiority, contributing to the marginalization of indigenous Filipinos and the consolidation of power among American elites.

Despite enduring racism and oppression, Filipinos exhibited resilience and resistance, actively advocating for their rights and independence. This period of struggle culminated in the eventual end of American colonial rule and the establishment of the Philippine Republic in 1946, marking a significant milestone in the nation's journey towards self-determination.

Both colonial periods left lasting legacies of social stratification and economic exploitation. Indigenous Filipinos often found themselves disenfranchised and denied equal opportunities, while Europeans and Americans wielded disproportionate power and privilege. The exploitation of natural resources and the utilization of cheap labor further exacerbated socioeconomic inequalities, perpetuating a cycle of marginalization and subjugation.

Causes

Against Moros

Polls have shown that some Filipinos hold negative views directed against the Moro people due to alleged Islamic terrorism.[1][2][3][4][5]

Against ethnic Chinese

Contact between the indigenous peoples of the islands and the

Spanish colonization
.

After the destructive raids of various ports and towns including the newly Spanish-established

Mestizos, Chinese, and Indians were imprisoned for supporting the British
.

The Spanish colonial government imposed legislation on the ethnic Chinese, which were viewed unfavorably. Such laws were meant to

assimilate into mainstream Philippine society and to encourage them to take up farming. The Chinese were viewed as an economic, political and socio-religious threat to the small Spaniard colonial population in Spanish Philippines.[10]

As part of the phenomenon of

Philippine society, some level of endogamy and self-segregation is also present stemming from concerns of protecting and preserving the cultural identity and cultural heritage of the group as part of its cultural rights on the basis of cultural conservatism to prevent and resist complete cultural assimilation and ethnocide, wherein some would refuse to marry Filipinos without Chinese descent. For younger generations in the Philippines, this phenomenon is called "The Great Wall" in reference to the Great Wall of China, as a euphemism to describe the social barriers used to prevent outside forces from entering and supplanting the culture. In this case, it is used to prevent Filipinos without Chinese descent from entering the Chinese Filipino family through interethnic marriage due to fears of complete assimilation of the family's cultural identity
to the society's dominant cultures. Due to these fears and concerns, some Filipinos without Chinese descent who wish to enter into the Chinese Filipino community is said to have to "climb the Great Wall" in order to cross this social barrier and so, feel diminished and excluded from these barriers that prevent the dominant culture from completely subsuming the Chinese Filipino community.

Against and between highland ethnic groups

The rights of the Philippines highland groups are legally protected under Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act (IPRA) which is cited as the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. The law enabled them to acquire titles to their ancestral domains. However the highlanders continue to experience some degree of discrimination and are described by cultural anthropologist Nestor Castro that "They still cannot identify with the so-called mainstream society or culture." Highlanders particularly experience marginalization in urban areas such as in Manila.[11]

Ethnic divide among

Philippine identity,[citation needed] the said Commonwealth government established the Institute of National Language (Filipino: Surian ng Wikang Pambansâ) which adopted Tagalog as the baseline for the national language.

References

  1. ^ "Philippine Daily Inquirer - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  2. ^ Amina Rasul: Radicalisation of Muslims in the Philippines
  3. ^ "The Center-Periphery Notion of Nation-Building – Franchised Violence and the Bangsamoro Question in the Philippines - Request PDF". ResearchGate.
  4. ^ "The Bias Against Muslims: a Creeping Perception". Issuu.
  5. ^ "(Page 30 of 37) - Demographic Indicators of Ethno-religious Minority Recognition authored by Penetrante, Ariel". citation.allacademic.com.
  6. ISBN 978-971-550-347-1
    .
  7. ^ Singkit (June 5, 2005). "The return voyage". The Philippine Star. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  8. S2CID 26435867
    . Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  9. ISBN 971-550-352-7
    .
  10. ^ Weightman, George (1967). "Anti-Sinicism in the Philippines". Asian Studies: 220.
  11. ^ Fajardo, Rojie (July 25, 2007). "Still strangers in their own land". iReport. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Retrieved December 26, 2014.

Further reading

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