Letters to the Editor: Except for language, Filipino culture is very much Latin. History shows why

To the editor: Gustavo Arellano writes that Ysabel Jurado, the council member-elect for L.A.’s 14th District, is not Latina. He says she is the “first L.A. council member of Filipino heritage.” (“Ysabel Jurado vanquished Kevin de León. Will winning change her?” column, Nov. 14)
But being Latin is a culture, a heritage, a way of life.
The Philippines was a colony of Spain for 377 years, from 1521-1898. That’s many more years than Mexico was under Spain. Furthermore, the Philippines was even under the administration of “New Spain,” which was Mexico.
Filipinos don’t speak Spanish because the Catholic Church was unable to implement multiple attempts by the Spanish crown to teach Filipinos its language. Instead, the Catholic priests studied and learned the local dialects and became the interpreters between the Spanish civil authorities and the Filipinos.
By culture, tradition, heritage, religion and way of life, Filipinos are Latin, no different from Latin Americans — except we kept our language.
Rogelio De Leon Pena, Montebello