As someone who grew up speaking Tagalog and born in Pandacan, Manila (an old town in the Philippines) --where we have events like "Fiesta ni Sto. Niño" , honorary sponsor called "Hermana Mayor", and "Santo Niño de Pandacan Parish" as our community Church--- learning Spanish feels both new and strangely familiar. I didn’t expect it, but the more I explore the language, the more I realize how much of it is already part of our everyday Filipino life. From the simple greetings "Kumusta?" , which derived from the Spanish phrase "¿Cómo está?" (or "cómo estas"), meaning "how are you" up to the words like mesa, silla, relo, kutsara, and even lunes and martes—they’re all Spanish. It’s like discovering pieces of our past hidden in plain sight.
Spanish started in the Iberian Peninsula around the 9th century and spread across the world through colonization. When Spain ruled the Philippines for over 300 years, the language became part of our culture, government, and education. Although it’s no longer widely spoken here, its influence remains strong in our vocabulary, traditions, and even in how we name streets and towns. One thing I like about Spanish is how phonetic it is. You pronounce words mostly as they’re spelled, which makes reading easier. But it also has gendered nouns—so you say el libro for “the book” and la mesa for “the table.” Verbs change depending on who’s doing the action, which can be tricky at first, but it gets easier once you see the patterns.

For me, learning Spanish isn’t just about picking up a new skill. It’s about reconnecting with a part of our Filipino identity. It’s also practical—Spanish is spoken in over 20 countries and used in international work, travel, and media. Whether I’m listening to Latin music, watching Spanish films, or just trying to understand our history better, I feel like I’m building a bridge between cultures. And as a Tagalog speaker, that bridge already has strong foundations and close to home.