Philippines was the name given by Spanish Colonists once they “discovered” the already-inhabited archipelago next to Malaysia and Indonesia. The name was based from King Philip, a Spanish King.
Given that the name has colonial backgrounds, shouldn’t the country try to move forward from its colonial past, starting with renaming the country into a more local-sounding name? Myanmar did it by changing from Burma to Myanmar, for example.
I’ve seen names like Rizalia and Luzviminda float around when talking about a potential re-naming of Jose Rizal’s archipelagic nation.
Changing the name of something does not change its essence. It is more important to change the status of the Philippines as a US neocolony. Once it has achieved true independence and has undergone real material changes in its social conditions, doing away with all vestiges of colonialist domination, then it will make sense to make aesthetic changes such as perhaps changing the name, if that is something the native population wants to do and feels is important.
For now i think unfortunately such a change would just amount to virtue signaling. The US influence over the Philippines, economically, geopolitically and culturally is just too great. This would not change that.
Maybe other comrades disagree with me on this but to me it seems like a very liberal thing to do, to think you can fight racism and colonialism and begin to undo centuries of injustice merely by changing the language and words we use. First there needs to be real material restitution and a seizure of power back from the colonizers. Then the language will change to reflect that new reality. Otherwise you put the cart before the horse. But i am open to being convinced otherwise.
It is more important to change the status of the Philippines as a US neocolony.
Wait-what do you mean the Philippines is still an US colony-
First there needs to be real material restitution and a seizure of power back from the colonizers. Then the language will change to reflect that new reality. Otherwise you put the cart before the horse.
I agree with this.
Wait-what do you mean the Philippines is still an US colony-
Ma’am, ya never heard of neocolonialism
That’s true, I haven’t. And I’m baffled at the concept of it.
Neo-colonialism - basically colonialism except you don’t exercise direct control, you just control them with economy.
No, it would be near impossible right now as @cfgaussian pointed out. We need to end the Philippines’ ongoing century of humiliation first.
What’s this about the Philippines’s ongoing century of humiliation? Is it about the Philippines getting colonized over three times (Spanish, then Japanese and later Murderikkkans) in a row?
Yes but it goes even further back to the start of the Philippine-AmeriKKKan war and still continues today thanks to successive clowns in MalaKKKañang.
One more thing
Spanish, then Japanese and later Murderikkkans
Wrong order, Spanish, 'MurderiKKKan, Japs, and back to MurderiKKKan
