Sangley (Intsik, Sangley Mestizo, Mestisong Sangley, Mestizo de Sangley or Chinese mestizo; plural: Sangleys or Sangleyes) is an archaic term used in the Philippines beginning in the Spanish Colonial Period to describe and classify a person of pure Chinese ancestry. The Spanish used the term mestizo de sangley to refer to a person of mixed Chinese and indigenous/Indio (Filipino) ancestry (the latter were referred to as Indio). The Chinese immigrants and their descendants played important roles in the Philippines, contributing to trade, culture and politics. Today, Filipinos widely use the term Intsik.