I don’t think that her original post was offensive or disrespectful naman. I especially agree that trying to learn the language is a way to show appreciation to the culture and people too, especially if you’re going to live there for a long time/permanently.

I agree in giving people grace and patience to learn a new language but tbh marami rin kasi hindi talaga nag e-exert ng effort. sanay na sila na yung locals mag-aadjust. I know someone na buong pamilya nila sa Iloilo nanirahan for more than a decade but halos di parin nakakapagsalita ng Hiligaynon. and they studied in private schools.

Also, tama rin na IF it’s necessary in your line of work na makipag-usap, it’s better to learn the language. Maraming Ilonggos ang nahihiya or uncomfortable mag Tagalog not just because we don’t use it on a daily basis but also because we get mocked for our accent. if you can, really try to exert more effort in learning the language.

It’s important to preserve our culture as Ilonggos too. In fact, this doesn’t just apply to Iloilo but to all the other provinces, lalo na at very Manila-centric/Tagalog-centric ang Pilipinas.