surefire way to make any Filipino happy is to show them a foreigner speaking Filipino (or any Philippine language or dialect).
So for your pleasure, dear readers, here are 8 foreigners who can at least leave some of their English (and in one case, Russian) at the door.
(After you’re done, you can check out 8 Filipino Words That Don’t Translate Into English.)
8. Dustin Bradshaw
He’s a Consular Officer at the US Embassy in Manila. His accent is still very thick, and his grammar needs some work, but he understands the language’s contextual intricacies very well.
7. Travis Kraft
Travis Kraft also needs work in the accent department, but it’s clear he knows Tagalog well. And he can cook his way around any Filipino kitchen.
6. akosichrisTV
He goes by “akosichris” and “jOePM” online, but this US native can sing OPM classics with the best of them. akosichris’ love for Filipino songs was probably inspired by his Filipina wife. “Chris” is the only one with no real name here, as he politely refused to reveal that even after we sent Facebook messages asking for it.
5. Gabby Abshire
Though born from American parents, Gabby Abshire adopted his Filipina stepmother’s culture when his dad remarried.
4. Andrey Khanov
The journalist became a local sensation, thanks to his examination of the diminutive Pinoy’s obssession with basketball through his book Pacific Rims.
3. Andrey Khanov
The Russian was a student volunteer at the APEC Russia 2012 summit, who learned Tagalog as part of his Oriental Studies course at the Institute of Asian and African Studies in Moscow.
2. 2nd Lt. Joseph Hansen
We’re not sure about the name of the American officer featured in this video, but a quick Google search shows a “2nd Lt Joseph Hansen” at Lackland AFB. In any case, watch this soldier wow a Filipina grandma, who laments about her own apos not knowing their native language.
1. Jeremy Smith
Not only does Jeremy know about the non-verbal cues universal to all Filipinos, he also showcases some knowledge of the local spoken word. So its no wonder that he’s at home right in the middle of a sabungan, as he films a kristo in action.
