Spanish settlement in the Philippines first took place in the late 16th century, during the Spanish colonial period of the islands. The conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi founded the first Spanish settlement in Cebu in 1565, and later established Manila as the capital of the Philippine province in 1571. The Philippines is named after King Philip II of Spain, and it became a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain which was governed from Mexico City until the early 19th century, when Mexico obtained independence. From the 1820's, the archipelago was ruled directly from Madrid, Spain.

Spaniards are referred by Filipinos as "Kastila" (Castilian) named after the former Kingdom of Castile, now a region of Spain. The majority of the Filipinos of Spanish descent are of Andalusian origin, while a minority are Catalan or Basque descents. Another term Hispano-Filipinos indicates they are of both ethnic and cultural Spanish origin.

Ancestry

Filipino mestizos of Spanish ancestry

The exact percentage of Filipinos with Spanish ancestry is still unknown. However only those Filipinos who possess a clear mixed-race appearance are considered by most as actual mestizos, although even a native looking Filipino, including those with fairer skin, could also have some Spanish ancestor. In the same way, mestizos who are less Spanish looking and possess darker-complexioned skin could be considered more as an "native Filipino" than as an actual mestizo.

There are no credible sources for the percentage of Philippine mestizos residing in the Philippine at the moment; this is due in part to the lack of government statistical study regarding racial makeup in the Philippines. The Philippine Statistics Department does not account for the racial background or ancestry of an indivdual. The number of Filipino mestizos that reside outside the Philippines is also unknown. Because of the social perception that a person has to look a certain way in order to be considered mestizo, and also because of the historical stigma associated with having Spanish blood from affairs with local women (las queridas), many mestizos may not be considered as such. These factors have urged some Spanish-Filipino mestizos to hide their Spanish ancestry to avoid the social negative stereo-type stigma by the predominantly indigenous population. It was usually only the offspring of recognized marriages between Spaniards and indigenous Filipino women that were given general recognition as mestizos.

Physique

Filipinos of Spanish ancestry are usually distinguished physically from other Philippine ethnic groups by their mixed appearance. Bone structures and skin color varies as Filipinos of Spanish descent look mostly Southern European in physique, while other Filipinos tend to have more Asian characteristics. Some Spanish Filipinos may sometimes be considered as native Filipinos for having brown skin color. At the same time, there are some mestizos who look predominantly European.

Distribution

Some Spanish mestizos living in the Philippines emigrated to Spain, Latin America, Australia, or the United States (Hawaii is a major destination), following World War II and during the Marcos regime. Today, Filipinos of Spanish descent can mostly be found in small minorities spread throughout the country.There are also some minorities of Filipino and Spanish throughout Latin America and Spain.

Spanish Filipinos for the most part are found in both the upper and upper middle socio-economic classes, with a relatively small percentage found among the lower socio-economic classes. Some are active in politics, commerce and industry, entertainment, and professional sports.

Language and culture

Most Spanish Filipinos speak their respective regional languages, Ilocano language Ilocos Norte and Sur]]Cebuano (Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao), Ilonggo (Iloilo and Bacolod), Kapampangan (Pampanga and Tarlac), Tagalog (Batangas, Cavite, Bulacan, and most of Philippines), and Spanish Creole or Chabacano (Zamboanga); they also use English in the public sphere, as well as Filipino or Tagalog. Many, particularly those of older generations, and recent immigrants, have preserved Spanish as the spoken language of the home.

Apart from the everyday customs practiced in their respective regions in the Philippines, many also maintain traditions brought over from Spain or Latin America.

See also

• Mexican settlement in the Philippines
• Filipino mestizo
• Spanish language in the Philippines
• Tornatrás
• Principalía

External links

• Examination of ancestry and ethnic affiation using high information
• Spanish mestizos in the Philippines, photos from AsiaFinest
• Color Q World: Asian-Latino Intermarriage in the Americas

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