Arabs in the Philippines
Unanswered Questions
Encyclopedia
Arab settlement in the Philippines is part of the story of immigration in the Philippines
. The Philippines, a country with many vast communities of immigrants and foreigners (especially Americans and Chinese), has a notable Arab community. According to a recent survey, present day Arab migrants to the Philippines number about 22,000. The majority of Filipinos with Arab parentage live in Mindanao
. Recently, most are immigrants, most who are entrepreneurs, settled in Manila
.
, especially Tagalog
, as well as the English language
.
, the first Islamic
missionary to reach the Sulu Archipelago
, brought Islam to what is now the Philippines, first arriving in Jolo
. Subsequent visits of Arab Muslim missionaries strengthened the Islamic faith in the Philippines, concentrating in the south and reaching as far north as Manila
. Starting with the conquest of Malaysia by the Portuguese and Indonesia by the Dutch, the Philippines began to receive a number of Malaysian-Arab refugees including several Malaysian princes and displaced court advisors. Soon, vast sultanates were established overlapping the existing indigenous Filipino barangay (village) governing system and Indianized royalty. The two largest were the Sultanate of Maguindanao, which loosely governed most of southern Mindanao and the Sultanate of Sulu, which included Basilan, Jolo, and parts of Borneo. Several other smaller but famous sultanates were also established such as the sultanate of Lanao in Mindanao and the sultanate of Cebu, which was later conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century. The ties between the sultanates in Mindanao remained economically and culturally close to Indonesia, Brunei, and Malaysia until the end of the 19th century when the sultanates were weakened by the Spanish and later the American militaries.
According to the Syrian Consulate
in Makati
, the first Orthodox Christians
on the islands were Syrian
and Lebanese
merchants and sailors, who arrived in Manila
after the city was opened to international trade
. Many of the Lebanese sailors married local women and their descendants have since become Philippine citizens, including the owners of a famous pizzeria
in Manila.
In recent times, the first wave of Arabs to arrive to the Philippines were refugees from their war-torn nations, such as Lebanon
which was under civil war in the 1980s, and Arab nations involved with the Gulf War
in 1991. Other Arabs are entrepreneurs who intend to set up businesses.
), Abubakar (Sulu), Bajunaid (Maguindanao
) and Samanoden (Lanao). (Samanudi, and not Samanoden, descended from Sudan
. The Samanudis are in Cotabato and Lanao.)
Former ARMM
Speaker Ismael "Pochong" Abubakar is descended from the Bediri from his mother side and Abubakar from his father side.
Former MSU Gensan Chancellor Moner Bajunaid is of Arab descent. (Bajunaid of Yemen
from his father side and Masmudi of Tunisia
from his mother side.)
Also of Arab descent in Mindanao are the following families:
In the Visayas
, the Caram family of Iloilo, the Deen and Jureidini families from Cebu are of Arab descent. In Davao are the Nasser and Borghaily (Aburjaily) family. Mostly they are of Lebanese origin. The Ysmael family of New Manila are also of Lebanese descent, and Hemady street is named after one of their relatives (by marriage) who was of Palestinian origin. From Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley are the Abrahams whose original family name was "Fakhri" (changed by the American authorities) who are blood relations of the Maronite
Catholic Saint Charbel from Lebanon.
Some movie and TV celebrities are also of Arab descent. Among them are Dawn Zulueta
(real name: Rachel Marie Salman Taleon; Palestinian
from maternal grandfather's side), Ana Roces (real name: Marinella Adad; Lebanese), Uma Khouny (Israeli Arab), and Yasmien Kurdi
(Lebanese).
Palestinian territories
Syria
Yemen
Libya
Tunisia
Saudi Arabia
Jordan
Iraq
Kuwait
Lebanon
Egypt
Elsewhere
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The Philippines, a country with many vast communities of immigrants and foreigners (especially Americans and Chinese), has a notable Arab community. According to a recent survey, present day Arab migrants to the Philippines number about 22,000. The majority of Filipinos with Arab parentage live in Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
. Recently, most are immigrants, most who are entrepreneurs, settled in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
Language
They speak the various languages of the PhilippinesLanguages of the Philippines
In the Philippines, there are between 120 and 175 languages, depending on the method of classification. Four languages no longer have any known speakers. Almost all the Philippine languages belong to the Austronesian language family...
, especially Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, as well as the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
History
In 1380, Karim ul’ MakhdumMakhdum Karim
Makhdum Karim was a 14th century Arab trader who brought Islam to the Philippines, in 1380. He established a mosque in Sulu, known as Sheik Karimal Makdum Mosque which is the oldest mosque in the country. There are saying about Makhdum Karim, that he has the power to walk through water , fly, and...
, the first Islamic
Islam in the Philippines
Islam is the oldest recorded monotheistic religion in the Philippines. Islam reached the Philippines between the 12th and 14th century with the arrival of Muslim traders from Persian Gulf and the Malabar Coast in Southern India, and their followers from several sultanate governments in the Malay...
missionary to reach the Sulu Archipelago
Sulu Archipelago
The Sulu Archipelago is a chain of islands in the southwestern Philippines. This archipelago is considered to be part of the Moroland by the local rebel independence movement. This island group forms the northern limit of the Celebes Sea....
, brought Islam to what is now the Philippines, first arriving in Jolo
Jolo
Jolo may refer to:* Jolo Island* Jolo, Sulu* Jolo, West Virginia* Jolo is also the nickname of Swedish author Jan Olof Olsson....
. Subsequent visits of Arab Muslim missionaries strengthened the Islamic faith in the Philippines, concentrating in the south and reaching as far north as Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. Starting with the conquest of Malaysia by the Portuguese and Indonesia by the Dutch, the Philippines began to receive a number of Malaysian-Arab refugees including several Malaysian princes and displaced court advisors. Soon, vast sultanates were established overlapping the existing indigenous Filipino barangay (village) governing system and Indianized royalty. The two largest were the Sultanate of Maguindanao, which loosely governed most of southern Mindanao and the Sultanate of Sulu, which included Basilan, Jolo, and parts of Borneo. Several other smaller but famous sultanates were also established such as the sultanate of Lanao in Mindanao and the sultanate of Cebu, which was later conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century. The ties between the sultanates in Mindanao remained economically and culturally close to Indonesia, Brunei, and Malaysia until the end of the 19th century when the sultanates were weakened by the Spanish and later the American militaries.
According to the Syrian Consulate
Foreign relations of Syria
Ensuring national security, increasing influence among its Arab neighbors, and achieving a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace settlement, which includes the return of the Golan Heights, are the primary goals of President Bashar al-Assad's foreign policy...
in Makati
Makati City
The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia...
, the first Orthodox Christians
Philippine Orthodox Church
The Philippine Orthodox Church refers to the officially established Eastern Orthodox presence in the Philippines as a whole. Currently, there are two canonical Orthodox jurisdictions:...
on the islands were Syrian
Syrian diaspora
Syrian diaspora refers to the native Syrian people, living outside of Syria, as either immigrants or refugees. The Syrian diaspora constitute a mix of a wide range of ethnicities and religions, primarily Christians, even though in Syria itself the majority of nationals belong to the Sunni Arab...
and Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
merchants and sailors, who arrived in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
after the city was opened to international trade
International trade
International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories. In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product...
. Many of the Lebanese sailors married local women and their descendants have since become Philippine citizens, including the owners of a famous pizzeria
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
in Manila.
In recent times, the first wave of Arabs to arrive to the Philippines were refugees from their war-torn nations, such as Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
which was under civil war in the 1980s, and Arab nations involved with the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in 1991. Other Arabs are entrepreneurs who intend to set up businesses.
Present
Present-day Arab Filipino families include the Bediri (Tawi-TawiTawi-Tawi
Tawi-Tawi is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . The capital of Tawi-Tawi is Bongao. The province is the southernmost of the country sharing sea borders with the Malaysian State of Sabah and the Indonesian East Kalimantan province. To the...
), Abubakar (Sulu), Bajunaid (Maguindanao
Maguindanao
Maguindanao is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . Its capital is Shariff Aguak. It borders Lanao del Sur to the north, Cotabato to the east, and Sultan Kudarat to the south....
) and Samanoden (Lanao). (Samanudi, and not Samanoden, descended from Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. The Samanudis are in Cotabato and Lanao.)
Former ARMM
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is the region, located in the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that is composed of predominantly Muslim provinces, namely: Basilan , Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. It is the only region that has its own government...
Speaker Ismael "Pochong" Abubakar is descended from the Bediri from his mother side and Abubakar from his father side.
Former MSU Gensan Chancellor Moner Bajunaid is of Arab descent. (Bajunaid of Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
from his father side and Masmudi of Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
from his mother side.)
Also of Arab descent in Mindanao are the following families:
- Cozbari (SyrianSyrian diasporaSyrian diaspora refers to the native Syrian people, living outside of Syria, as either immigrants or refugees. The Syrian diaspora constitute a mix of a wide range of ethnicities and religions, primarily Christians, even though in Syria itself the majority of nationals belong to the Sunni Arab...
) of Lanao - Shurafa and Soliman (1933) (PalestinianPalestinian territoriesThe Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
) of Cotabato City (The Shurafa's and Soliman's of Cotabato City are among the Arab pioneers. They are the best of friends. Both settled and became well known local traders during their time. Jack Soliman (January 1, 1903- October 25, 1971) used to own a bazaar and a barber shop in Magallanes street in Cotabato City. He was a respected figure among the city's vast Muslim community. Soliman had three wives of whom he had six children. The eldest being Charito Soliman Bueno, a respected Academian and Professor of Notre Dame University (June 19, 1941- September 26, 2006 )followed by Dr.Joseph Soliman, a neurosurgeon, Nelson Ayid Soliman, a retired banker of Philippine National Bank, Meriam Soliman Anino, a Chemical Engineer, Jack Soliman jr., a Mariner and Gamal Soliman. The Soliman's of today sadly had left Cotabato for good. Meanwhile the Shurafa's are said to have moved to General Santos. Shurafa has two children, Musa and Judah.. - Bagis (Yemen) of Zamboanga
- Macmod (Yemen) of Cotabato and General SantosGeneral Santos CityThe City of General Santos is the southernmost port city of the Philippines. Being a highly urbanized first class city, GenSan is one of the most populous urban centers in the country with a population of 679,588 as per census data of 2010...
- Palestinian wives of noted Islamic scholars from the Pasigan family of Maguindanao and DavaoDavaoDavao refers to several closely related places in Mindanao in the Philippines. The term is used most often to refer to the city.*Davao Region, an administrative region*Davao del Norte province*Davao del Sur province*Davao Oriental province...
.
In the Visayas
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
, the Caram family of Iloilo, the Deen and Jureidini families from Cebu are of Arab descent. In Davao are the Nasser and Borghaily (Aburjaily) family. Mostly they are of Lebanese origin. The Ysmael family of New Manila are also of Lebanese descent, and Hemady street is named after one of their relatives (by marriage) who was of Palestinian origin. From Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley are the Abrahams whose original family name was "Fakhri" (changed by the American authorities) who are blood relations of the Maronite
Maronite Church
The Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See of Rome . It traces its heritage back to the community founded by Maron, a 4th-century Syriac monk venerated as a saint. The first Maronite Patriarch, John Maron, was elected in the late 7th...
Catholic Saint Charbel from Lebanon.
Some movie and TV celebrities are also of Arab descent. Among them are Dawn Zulueta
Dawn Zulueta
Dawn Zulueta born on March 4, 1969 is a Filipino film and television actress.She studied at Colegio de Santa Rosa. She married businessman Anton Lagdameo...
(real name: Rachel Marie Salman Taleon; Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
from maternal grandfather's side), Ana Roces (real name: Marinella Adad; Lebanese), Uma Khouny (Israeli Arab), and Yasmien Kurdi
Yasmien Kurdi
'Yasmien Yuson Kurdi , is a Filipina-Chinese-Lebanese award-winning Filipina singer, songwriter and actress. She was one of the Final Four in the first season of StarStruck, a reality-based talent search show by GMA Network in the Philippines where she finished first runner up...
(Lebanese).
Origin
These countries listed below are where most Arabs in the Philippines are from: Palestinian territories Syria Yemen Libya Tunisia Saudi Arabia Jordan Iraq Kuwait Lebanon Egypt ElsewhereMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
See also
- Filipino mestizoFilipino mestizoFilipino mestizo is a term used in the Philippines to describe people of mixed Filipino and foreign ancestry. The word mestizo is of Spanish origin, and was originally used in the Americas to only describe people of mixed European and Native American ancestry.- History :Spanish periodThe Spanish...
- Arab diasporaArab diasporaArab diaspora refers to Arab immigrants, and their descendants who, voluntarily or as refugees, emigrated from their native lands and now reside in non-Arab countries, primarily in Latin America, and Europe, as well as North America and South Asia, parts of Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and West...
- Islam in the PhilippinesIslam in the PhilippinesIslam is the oldest recorded monotheistic religion in the Philippines. Islam reached the Philippines between the 12th and 14th century with the arrival of Muslim traders from Persian Gulf and the Malabar Coast in Southern India, and their followers from several sultanate governments in the Malay...
- Philippine Orthodox ChurchPhilippine Orthodox ChurchThe Philippine Orthodox Church refers to the officially established Eastern Orthodox presence in the Philippines as a whole. Currently, there are two canonical Orthodox jurisdictions:...
- Arab Christians