Are Filipinos Asian? I asked chatgpt this very question, and this is how it responded: “Yes, Filipinos are generally considered to be Asian. The Philippines is located in Southeast Asia and shares many cultural, historical, and geographical similarities with other Asian countries. Additionally, the people of the Philippines are descended from a variety of ethnic groups, including Austronesian, Malay, Chinese, Spanish, and American, among others, further demonstrating their diverse Asian heritage.”
I clarified this line of questioning by asking chatgpt if Filipinos are Hispanic, and this is how it responded. “Some Filipinos may identify with Hispanic culture or may have Hispanic ancestry due to the country’s colonial history under Spain. The Philippines was a Spanish colony for over 300 years, which had a significant influence on the country’s language, religion, customs, and traditions.”
This explains my friend Enrico Cosinas very much so, and probably why he is a fusion of Asian and Hispanic culture. And why he chose a Hispanic girlfriend/wife. And even though I think Vietnamese people are generally better at being Asian, I think Enrico has generally been a great friend. We have been friends since the wee days of RKMS, and I wish I had been there longer to actually witness him teach. However, I will never forget going on a wonderful 20,000 field trip to UCSD and Phil’s BBQ with him and crying in front of him in his room. He’s well on his way to demonically becoming a member of the dark forces of administration.
In the end, I’m grateful we are still friends and still manage to keep in touch throughout this years. Here’s hoping a wedding ceremony happens soon on his end cause I’m ready for another photooboth.
