Philippines For The Filipinos: How Half-Filipino Vlogger, Mikey Bustos, Portrays His Filipino Identity

Abstract

Catibayan, C.Y. (2019). Philippines for the Filipinos: How half-Filipino vlogger, Mikey Bustos, portrays his Filipino Identity, Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.

This research discussed how half-Filipino vlogger Mikey Bustos portrayed his Filipino identity. In order to get a deeper understanding of the effect of the US colonization to the Filipino identity, a half-Filipino vlogger, such as Mikey Bustos, was the subject or main point of analysis for this study. It identified the subjects and themes that Mikey Bustos vlogs about on YouTube and then described the elements (i.e., language, gestures, and mannerisms) in his vlogs that demonstrated Filipino identity. In the midst of hegemony, the subaltern (Spivak, 1995[1985]), and colonial mentality, this study analyzed, through a post-colonial framework, the representations of Filipino identity (symbols, myths, stories) in Mikey Bustos’ vlogs. This research tackled post-colonial concepts such as hybridity, the subaltern, and mimicry, which helped in studying the broadcasted content of Mikey Bustos. It evaluated whether his vlogs are a mockery of the Filipino or, contrastingly, a parody of westernization in the Philippines. These findings aimed to develop a profound understanding of the Filipino self and analyzed the ways and extent by which our identity is impacted by Western influence.

Keywords: Post-colonial, Filipino identity, Mikey Bustos, vlogs

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