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Filipinos, esp Fil-Ams, should be very aware of the miseducation of the Philippines that has affected our upbringing and even the way we bring up the next generation ourselves. /1
After 400 years of Spanish rule that changed our religion from Muslim to Catholic, American imperialism took hold. The US called it "benevolent assimilation" but in truth it was a genocide of our ppl in which more than a million Filipinos died at the hands of US soldiers. /2
After this came what Filipino historian Renato Constantino described as the "miseducation" of the Filipino ppl. The US created a public school system in the Philippines and recruited legions of American teachers to teach Filipino children US history, politics and culture. /3
Academically gifted Filipino men were sent to college in the US. In exchange, they were required to return to the Philippines and serve as teachers, engineers and civil servants. /4
Why did the US do this? Easy answer. Colonial exploitation. The US wanted to get their hands on the sugarcane. They also wanted to expand their consumer base by forcing millions of Filipinos to purchase US goods. It was a one-way economic relationship. /5
This had a direct effect on the underdevelopment of the Philippines that we still see to his day. /6
Special thanks to @anthonyocampo. His book, The Latinos of Asia, has been mindblowing to me in many ways. /7
This is why it is so important to support educational reform in the Philippines. We need to undo our miseducation. /8
Filipino history that was written by Americans is not the history that Filipinos should be taught. /9
English should not be the only language taught in Filipino schools. Loss of language will affect Filipino identity negatively. /10
The role of Filipino and Fil-Am pop culture in the decolonization process is minimal. The images and representations of our culture in the media still reflects a colonized mentality. /11
The exception is in the work of younger Filipino and Fil-Am journalists and writers who are beginning to reflect a more critical perspective. /12
It is bc of this miseducation that many of our Filipino parents find little fault with the US and seem almost grateful to have been colonized. The real history was wiped clean.
