The Chinese Mestizos and the Formation of the Filipino Nationality [article] pp. 141-162 Archipel, volume 32, 1986. pp. 141-162. The Chinese Mestizos and the Formation of the Filipino Nationality The recorded history of the Philippines would be incomplete as a basis for understanding contemporary society unless it takes into account the Chinese mestizos' contributions to our development as a nation. The Chinese mestizos were an important element of Philippine society in the 19th century. They played a significant role in the formation of the Filipino middle class, in the agitation for reforms, in the 1898 revolution, and in the formation of what is now known as the Filipino nationality. In contemporary times their role in nation-building continues.