 In addition to his contributions to Philippine literature and history, Gómez Rivera is also an accomplished linguist and polyglot.He speaks and writes fluently in his native Hiligaynon as well as in English and Tagalog.Aside from being an acclaimed master of the Spanish language in the Philippines, he is also conversant in Italian, Portuguese, Kinaray-a and Cebuano, and has made an extensive study of the Visayan and Chavacano languages.