Tagalog has a cultural bond with the country and its people - a symbol of national pride that has prevailed through years of different occupations. Learning the language will enable you to speak with more people, opening up many more opportunities - especially when trekking outside the larger urban areas into the countryside and of course islands, or visiting a friend's family at Christmas in the Philippines. Other than these, there are the usual reasons for learning: it makes you more interesting, you can speak to more people and you increase your employability.