The impact of colonial thinking is one thread that sticks out sharply in the vibrant fabric of Filipino identity, especially when it comes to language preference. The Philippines is a country with a complicated history of colonization; as such, the language landscape is permanently marked by Spanish, American, and even Japanese influences. This article explores how Filipinos' linguistic preferences and identity have been influenced by colonial mentality. 

Modernly, the state of colonial mentality within Filipinos towards language might be seen in different aspects of life. The predominant language remains English, in business, education, media, and governance. It signifies high prestige and higher social mobility thus driving most Filipinos to seek English proficiency over proficiency in the country’s native languages. The situation is quite the opposite wherein, often, Filipino languages are dismissed as house languages or informal settings and always regarded as being in an inferior status or less prestigious. The reality is that the former drives the perception that English speakers are “intelligent” and future-oriented, while those who are not proficient in it might tend to be subjected to the stigma or devaluation.

The choice of English instead of Filipino languages may indicate that not only feelings of identity but also self-esteem of Filipinos are other reasons for this. It not only but also builds a colonial perception where anything foreign is considered to be much more than what the host society originally offered. This mental inferiority, which is imprinted in Dali Lama’s language use, moreover permeates to other aspects of culture, thus giving rise to a vicious cycle of doubt and disintegration of culture.