Why do many people think that the Philippines is U.S territory?

Question

Because of the U.S-Philipine history, many people mistaken it that it is actually part of the U.S. territories, such as Guam, Puerto Rico, etc. Why?

Answer 1

Take it from a real Filipino!! well after our country was conquered by the Spaniards it suffered hundreds of years.. as in the only thing they didn't do is kill the whole Filipino race... then after the treaty of paris.. the Spaniards power over our country was passed over to the U.S. where in that treaty we were hoping that the Americans would help us.. they did but they made the Philippines some sort of province for the Americans... so after some years sharing our land with the Americans.. it was great anyweiz.. helping the Filipinos know more about democracy and giving them proper education through U.S. soldiers that were called Thomasites and much more... then after that.. again our country suffered under the Japanese.. well once again the Americans helped the Philippines.. then after some time the Philippines became a independent country but still had connections with the U.S.

>well I'm sorry if some of the information here is not in detail.. 'cuz this is all i can remember now from our social studies class...<

Answer 2

Good point. But unlike the other territories ceded by Spain to the USA at the Treaty of Paris 1898, the Philippines was never planned by the USA to remain a US protectorate or territory. There was racist opposition to allowing Filipinos to migrate or stay in the USA, and in 1934 a law was passed denying them status.

Relatively few Filipinos -- mainly those in the USA at the time of the passage of the 1934 Act -- became eligible for US citizenship as a direct result of US rule. That didn't stop eagerness to migrate under other laws. I once saw a statistic that for every Filipino who migrated to the USA, 48 family members would follow during the remainder of his life. I wonder if that statistic was true.

Certainly Filipinos, albeit denied the right of dual nationality, have what must be the greatest proclivity of any national group to naturalize in whatever foreign country they find themselves. Even Philippine Embassy staff have expressed envy of those Filipinas working for us or whom I've obtained over the years foreign visas and citizenship.

Answer 3

Because they stopped paying attention to history in the middle of WWII. It's ignorance but not stupidity really. It was a U.S. territory for a while. Not within most of our lifetimes but still it was in our history books. The U.S. has kept a close interest in Filipino affairs and we tend to take an almost proprietary view of the nation. We just haven't quite caught up to the fact that the Philippines is a sovereign nation and we don't need to get involved with its politics.

Answer 4

When the ruling government of a Country is seen working in close co-operation with a foreign Government with no scope for healthy dissent onany subject the people around the world tend to believe that the two are inseparably close. The same thing had happened in the case of South Vietnam

Answer 5

Most people in the USA don't know where the Phillippines is located or what language they speak. that is the quality of education most people get. what do you expect?

Answer 6

because Philippines is controlled by a US puppet

Answer 7

Because many people is unedumacated.

Answer 8

they have Spanish names?

Answer 9

It is a coluny.