If the Portuguese managed to get Northern Luzon around the early 16th century while the Bruneians are busy intervening in Luzon or the 1660 Maniago revolt, how would the hypothetical Portuguese colony of Celudão/Zambales look like up to the present day?
Would it become an independent country from the Philippines, or eventually, or could the Americans purchase the colony from Portugal and absorb it to the Insular Government and end up becoming part of the Philippines?
How would the culture there deviate from the OTL Spanish presence? I could imagine the Ilocano, Pangasinan and Kapampangan cultures become more influenced by Portugal more than Spain (the concept of saudade, Manueline architecture, egg custard tarts) and their languages becoming more influenced by Portuguese than Spanish, and people there would take Portuguese surnames like Sousa, Carvalho and Oliveira rather than Spanish ones like Garcia, Jimenez or Ruiz (although Portuguese and Spanish surnames tend to overlap a lot).
Also from the previous posts I made, a Portuguese Northern Luzon would make trade to China and Japan much easier and if lucky, the Portuguese can take the Ryukyu islands (preferably after the Ming collapse) and exploit the islands'
maritime activities.
@kasumigenx @ramones1986 @Joao97
Any other Filipino or Portuguese members, please feel free to share.