Which word orders are common in Formosan and Philippine languages?

The vast majority of Formosan languages and Philippine languages utilize either verb–subject–object (VSO) or verb–object–subject (VOS) word order.1

While this pattern is consistent across nearly all Formosan languages, some contemporary languages—such as Saisiyat and Thao—have adopted subject–verb–object (SVO) word order. This shift is widely considered a relatively recent adaptation resulting from long-term contact with Taiwanese, a Chinese language that follows an SVO structure. In the context of VSO and VOS languages, it is important to note that markers of negation and auxiliaries may precede the main verb.1