PinoyBuilt — Stories of Filipino America

Vallejo, California • August 2026. I Almost Renamed This Site. Then I Traced Where "Pinoy" Actually Came From. pinoy meaning, pinoy vs filipino, pinoy origin 1924, why pinoy not filipino, pinay meaning, noypi meaning, binaliktad slang, filipino vs fil-am, dawn bohulano mabalon, carlos bulosan, abakada letter f, pilipino vs filipino, decolonization, filipino identity, bamboo noypi, expo 2020 dubai. DECOLONIZATION • LANGUAGE • AUGUST 2026 I Almost Renamed This Site. Then I Traced Where "Pinoy" Actually Came From. The Oxford English Dictionary puts the word in print by 1924 — and derives it not from Filipino, but from Pilipino. Four names, each one further from a Spanish king. Here is why the masthead stays. For Dawn Bohulano Mabalon (August 17, 1972 – August 10, 2018), whose scholarship carries most of the evidence in this article. Eight years today. Four names for the same people, arranged in the ...

CHICKEN ADOBO WITH POTATOES 🥔 ANG PABORITONG CHICKEN ADOBO NA MAY PATATAS Posted on November 17, 2025 My Chicken Adobo did not look or taste like Panlasang Pinoy's. It turned out more like chicken adobo soup with potatoes. But it's a wet, cold November night, so all good! I usually don't use potatoes, but I saw a bag from Costco that my bunso bought awhile ago, so... I usually don't even eat potatoes.

Orange County • October 22, 2022 Building with Chapman University Kapamilya: Friendship Games & Student Voices From the Bay Area to SoCal Navy towns, we are connecting the 1.5 and 2nd generation Fil-Am journey—one campus story at a time. Ladies of Chapman University Kapamilya. Friendship Games 37. CSU Fullerton. "Whether you're a first-generation immigrant, a second-generation Filipino-American, or like me—a 1.5-generation Filipino—you belong here." Salamat, Chapman University Kapamilya (@cukapamilya) —thank you for following @Pinoybuilt on Instagram and for reaching out about that photo! Every message reminds us why Pinoybuilt exists: to connect Filipinos across generations and celebrate our shared stories. Per your request on IG. I used a cropped 9x16 for my Instagram story; here's the full photo. I still have videos and photos to edit/post. I will post as time a...

Whether you're a first-generation immigrant who journeyed here from the Philippines, a second-generation Filipino-American born and raised in the U.S., or like me—a 1.5-generation Filipino—you belong here.  At the party yesterday, I had a great conversation with cousin Melvin. Pinsan ko (my cousin). He mentioned how his two daughters had expressed interest in learning Tagalog (which warmed my heart). I need to dive in and learn beyond my third grade education in Pilipino, but this is a quick introductory post for my cousin and his girls (and anyone who wants to learn Tagalog. I have a post in my Drafts translating some phrases from a tagalog song, so this has been in the works. Let's get this started! Tagalog Lesson 1: AKO, KO, and AKIN Let’s start simple. In Tagalog, “ako” means I or me . But here’s where it gets interesting—Tagalog pronouns change form depending on whether they’re the subject , the actor/possessor , or the object . 📝 The Pronoun Chart ...

🎓 707 Family Celebration | Bay Area, California Fil-Am Family | Julian Graduates High School – A NorCal Celebration There’s nothing quite like a Filipino graduation celebration — the lechon, the laughter, the cousins who’ve grown too fast, and the proud elders who paved the way. This photo was taken at my nephew Julian Cervantes ’  high school graduation party , held here in NorCal / Bay Area . For many of us, this kind of milestone isn't just about academics — it’s a moment to honor the whole family’s journey. Behind every graduate is a community — titos and titas who helped with rides and meals, lolos and lolas who whispered prayers, and hardworking parents who sacrificed to give their kids a better shot. I’m proud of my nephew and of what his achievement represents for our family — another step forward in the Fil-Am story. I’ll be sharing more moments like this — scenes from the life of a Filipino family in America: small but powerful memories that reflect wh...