Uniquely Filipino: Peculiar Traits of Pinoys
PECULIAR TRAITS OF PINOYS
By Joseph Richmon F. Jamon
Filipinos are among the most relaxed and fun-loving people you will ever meet around the globe. It is hard to accurately describe what makes every day a lesson in glee or what others aptly regard as a ‘carnival of lunacy’, which is on continual display in a myriad of ways. Every single day offers something new to savor, and a new oddity to laugh about. From a “you-tube” worth mishap to a faintly laid-back tuning in to a daily television show that features contestant’s amazing struggles in the swirling current of daily life, this enigmatic country is full of contradictions and they are a pleasure to explore.
I take satisfaction in these mundane, but life-learning peculiarities, knowing full well that they are now a part of me as I travel through wherever life takes me. Let me share you some of these small quirks and funny moments.
Our eyebrow speaks …
The eyebrows usually convey emotion through various facial expressions. By raising our eyebrows we can also communicate a positive affirmation of “yes” when a polar question has been asked. Henceforth, if a Filipino or Filipina fails to verbally answer your question, look at their eyebrows before feeling like you were being ignored. They may just be answering you non-verbally through the raising of their eyebrows. In addition, raising eyebrows accompanied with strong eye contact can also serve as a greeting or farewell to an individual you cannot physically touch.
Image Credit: "Teptep" http://www.pbase.com/image/101549731
Our lips give directions …
Consider this as another non-verbal expression performed by Filipinos. By puckering our lips and facing a certain direction, we are giving clear and specific instruction on which way to go. Instead of wasting physical energy by lifting our arm/hand to point, we conserve energy by using our puckered lips.
“It’s Ok.” – What?
These two simple words can cause a rash of confusion. “It’s Ok” in the Philippines means everything from “yes” to “no” to “don’t even think about it” – with absolutely no way to discern which one is intended in a particular situation. Therefore, it challenges one’s own prudence. Say for instance, if you ask someone if they want something, you’ll get the response, “It’s Ok!” Likewise if you ask if you can go somewhere, you’ll receive the answer, “It’s Ok!” And try asking whether anyone was hurt and you’ll hear, “It’s Ok”. You would think that you’d be able to discern the appropriate sentiment given the context, right? Think again. You absolutely cannot.
Food Craze … Why is there a food at every gathering?
Whether it is a lavish party or just an informal meeting, Filipinos express their hospitality & friendship through the serving of food. The more grandiose the cuisine, the more ‘love’ they are trying to convey to those at the gathering. Instead of asking, ‘How are you?’ Filipinos will ask, “Have you eaten already?’ Or better yet, “Have you eaten enough?”
Offering Food and Declining the Offer – Which is which?
“Kain!” (Let’s eat!) This is how Filipinos acknowledge anyone who stumbles upon a flock of Filipinos eating. This is our distinctive way of offering food to strangers and people we barely know. In fact, it could be a way of greeting someone while you’re eating. Instead of saying “Hello”, you say “Let’s eat!”
Now the thing that makes it a bit baffling is that it’s polite to offer to share your meal with a person, but, it is equally polite for the other person to decline the offer.
It makes me wonder “why offer in the first place if you don’t expect the other person to accept it?” Well in fact most people who get offered to eat decline the offer regardless if they’re starving or not.
To pull is to please – How sincere are we?
We are famous for being very hospitable and delightful to be with. In all modesty, I must say we are the warmest people one will ever meet. Due to our colonial history, we can be especially accommodating to Westerners that we come across. Filipinos always seek the company of another in everything we do and are seldom seen outside of social groups.
Given this friendly nature, we are not satisfied to just invite someone to join us by merely asking out loud. It is customary to emphasize the invitation by pulling at the invitee’s hand. This way, they’ll appreciate how sincerely they’re being invited. If they tug back they might be agreeing, or they might be just trying to get it away. Another example of the seeming ambiguity of the Filipino experience.
Paying for someone’s fare in a Jeepney – Who’s going to?
A jeepney is the primary mode of transport in the Philippines. It means sharing the two back benches of a jeepney (and any space between) with at least 20 other people. It might not always be comfortable but it’s cozy! One Filipino quirk that, thus far, has got me laughing silently is the instinct of bringing out your wallet and paying the fare of a friend who happens to be riding the jeep with you.
The scene in a jeepney when two friends collide is this. The one who is already on the jeep says greetings and exchanges pleasantries with the friend who has just got in, then they simultaneously ask each other “have you paid your fare?” and scramble to pay each other’s fare. A wrestling match of two pairs of hands giving money to the driver ensues as both insist that the other should keep his or her money. Taking this to an extreme scenario, if one doesn’t offer to pay for the other’s fare, he/she apologizes profusely and announces that he/she is sorry for not offering to pay your fare (for some reasons). Or at the very least, sports an ashamed look.
We Filipinos often find every thing a laughable concept, which certainly proves why we are amongst the happiest people in the world despite the ups and downs of our living situations. And there are a lot of peculiar traits and ways of interactions we unconsciously perform that makes us Uniquely Filipino. It was while proofreading this article that I had a good laugh because without us knowing about it, our habits and mannerisms really make us different from other nationalities. Like how we all turn around like curious kittens when we hear, “Pssst!”
Overall, the Filipino way of life is something that cannot be captured on a picture or limited to words on an article, it modestly cannot be. It is an experience. There are many strange and exciting things with peculiar twists at every turn. It is a never-ending discovery.
With a grin on my face, I ended up whispering myself … “It’s just the FILIPINO way“.
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basta Pinoy…!
Ehh!!! you got it right… pinoy …
That was an entertaining read that i found myself nodding my head while i read through the article in agreement. I think i will share this with co-workers who will appreciate this information when dealing with us Filipinos.
filipino lips are like GPS. XP
you got me here, owen! i noticed other cultures are using “Bluetooth” on their forehead.
disposition and not a position~ norman isaac
Oo pinoy ako. Im proud of it. Your article was good but i prefer in d end instead its just the filipino way better removed d just. Just its sounded not sure. Better say ITS THE TRUE NATURE OF A PINOY….OR SAY ITS THE FILIPINO…. OR THATS PINOY IS. ….
i’ll take that into consideration, Cynthia. to justify my choice of words, i used “just” as an adverb denoting “exactly / precisely”. thank you for your observation.
Richmondjosef, everything you said is true. Now…want to know my “take” on the attitudes and habits of Filipinos? First, they sing KARAOKE way too much and way too LOUD!!!!!!!!!! If there is a birthday party, count on the karaoke singing going on, disturbing your sleep until 2 AM, OK? Next, food..yes…Filipinos love food and…have no problem inviting themselves to your house if they live next door when you are trying to only serve your immediate family and guests. Next, they throw their one peso plastic bags of tubig on the streets and alleys when they finish sucking the water out of them. WHY??? Cozy riding in jeepneys? Tell me about it. I got pickpocketed on a jeepney and lost 500 American dollars, our passports, our U.S. and Philippine Driver Licenses. Cozy, indeed. Are Filipinos relaxed? Definitely. Know why? It is because a majority of them have no clue what tomorrow holds and do not PLAN for their own futures. Hello? Is this smart? Well? comments?
been reading your comments steve macon from other sites too. your ideas and at times sarcastic are constructive due to your unfortunate experiences that you’ve expliciteley recounted one couldn’t help but feel sorry for you but one also wonders why you and your wife are still in cebu. why not just go back to texas and live in comfort without having to put up with all the dramas you’ve had encountered ever since you got there if such conditions bother you too much?
A good question, g’day. I have answered this many times but I certainly do not expect you to follow every comment I make so..once again…here is the answer as to why my Filipina wife and I are still living on the isle of Cebu instead of enjoying all the comforts offered in America. (1) We came over here to attend to my wife’s aged mother, who is in poor health, and could die at any time. She is 88 right now and has a broken hip. Inoperable, due to her age and poor health, (2) We BOTH quit our jobs. Her place of employment would take her back in a heartbeat. I doubt mine would. This means our income level is very, very low compared to what it was while we both had good jobs in Texas. We live well here in Cebu but in America we would almost be paupers. (3) In spite of everything negative I have said about the P.I., I am still trying to give it a chance. I LOVE the food and there are so many wonderful beaches and sights to see before or if we will go back to the USA permanently. (4) I still have people living in my house in Texas. They are renting it and will not vacate until April of 2012. Hope that helps answer your question, g’day.
the last time i checked on your last comment in another site your wife doesn’t even have a good relationship with her mother… but it is big of you to acknowledge some of the advantages that you enjoyed in cebu. have a happy life steve macon!
Could be…one reason my wife and her mom don’t enjoy a good relationship is because her Pinoy mom beat her half to death with a piece of green bamboo for no good reason when she was 15..or..that good ol’ mom used to buy jams and jellies and hide them from the children..coming down at midnight when all were asleep to eat them herself…or..that she squandered most of her hard working husband’s earnings gambling..or..list goes on and on. However, it is her mother. You only have one of those.
I think the unhappiness comes from the conflict within you. If you truly understand the purpose why you’re there, then don’t complain as karaoke and food-sharing are really not major problems. If you really think about it, things could be worse, a lot worse. Plus your wife’s mother is on her last days. Whatever her mistakes and shortcomings were, those will be judged by a Higher power.
In my work as caregiver, the best I can offer a dying person is comfort and dignity. From friends and family, it should be their love and forgiveness. I hope this addresses your issues, sir. Be blessed.
Thanks, Antoinette. I know you mean well. The disappointment we feel is just unbearable. They all had their chances and blew them. I am very happy with our church family over here, at least. THEY exhibit the kind of values and virtues we had hoped to find in my wife’s biological family. Thanks, again.
you sound like a broken record steve macon. haven’t you humiliated your wife’s family long enough? my gosh, you even put my village nag’s reputation to shame with all your comments on most definitely filipino sites. your upbringing has also left much to be desired in comparison to your wife’s. you weren’t raised as a gentleman either because you are throwing stones from all corners! the peculiar traits of pinoys was written by the author in good faith. it is meant to be fun but no, no, no! you have to impose your miserable self on us steve macon. do you think that we believe your feeble excuse of looking after your wife’s mother when you don’t even speak with her and her family? fact is you are tired of work. you have been working since at your young age so you said. your back giving up on you steve? you are very critical of us having fun and relaxed saying that “majority do not have a clue on what the future holds and do not have PLAN for the future”. what makes you think that you are above the rest of us when you can not even make a good plan for yourself? you planned to retire in the cebu but you were ill-equipped for that. you left your job instead! it’s not very smart, is it? you planned to retire in style with very little money. how is that possible? do you think you can own up some guilt of the ugly reality that you have put yourself into instead of picking on anything that comes your way? you were born in an affluent country. just your luck steve macon! but aren’t there thieves where you came from? not that i condone it but which thieves are “morally” right? you seemed to enjoy when people took pity on you when you dished dirt on others but don’t you think it’s time to move on and “get a life” before most pinoys’ patience and tolerance wear thin?
you sound like a broken record steve macon. haven’t you humiliated your wife’s family long enough? my gosh, you even put my village nag’s reputation to shame. you weren’t raised as a gentleman either as you are throwing stones from all corners!
g’day, either Mr. Steve really is too unfortunate to have married into such a despicable Filipino clan or he is a true blue Filipino masquerading as Steven Macon.
For just under 1$ one can search the internet and pick an identity to use specially if one has ulterior motives.
I find inconsistencies in his comments but I will not enumerate them here. Let him continue with the charade and on his agenda to debase *some* Filipinos.
After all, didn’t Lenin say “A lie told often enough becomes the truth.” Let Steden Macon wallow in it
thanks for the wise observation mindflex! goes with the saying that he can fry on his own fat! either the despicable filipino clan doesn’t want anything to do with him and keep their dignified silence.
?? Do you two know each other or something? Tell ya’ what? You guys (?) come live here in Talisay and put up with the relatives I have mentioned and I will go live in your house or apartment for awhile. Deal? Then we shall see who is telling the truth and who is spouting hot air.
you have made your bed steve macon. lie on it!
g’day, thanks for the compassion. Appreciate it.
LOL! Mindflex, this is not the first time you have tried to pick a “fight” with me by insinuating I am not who I say I am. I am puzzled by that by I must assume you have nothing better to do. For your enlightenment, the name “Macon”, was originally French in origin. My ancestors migrated from France to England and then to America. My mother’s family was basically Irish with a touch of Cherokee Indian. I am not a Filiino nor do I want to be. LOL! Please enlighten us on the inconsistencies of which you allude to. I have been totally honest with my observations, experiences, and the things I have said on here. I challenge you or anyone to prove otherwise. Since you seem to have a lot of time on your hands, for it!
Yes i agree with your article, very interesting. muy caliente. Filipinos are known to laugh at their mistakes and they nod even if they mean no. But i would like Filipinos not to b tardy and b time conscious. Have the enthusiasm to finish a goal because when they are in the middle of something, they usually give up. isang dangkal n lng d p pinagtiyagaan. Keep writing.
where i work right now, there’s a mix of 25 nationalities and it turns out the filipinos are among the most admired workers here….we do multi-tasking while others just focus on one task until they’re done.when you say filipinos can’t finish what they’ve started, you can say worse than that about other nationalities….
where i am two filipino agricultural engineers did not finish their contract wt their employer. they jst went to canada like a tourist and left. d b nila alam mahirap makapasuk s nz, ang work permit s singapore in approve. d k lng tlg malaman kung ngtry lng sila mgwork ng dairy farm tapus malamig peru maraming support services ang ginagawa ng nz govt para settlement nila, accomodation. well i jst happened to make a referral to ds guys so i ws being asked by immigration if dat s a Filipino trait, just to leave when they want to. i said no, from now on im not gonna b involving myself n referral, very disappointing.
di kita masisi kung ganun ang reaksyon mo sa ngyari maricel…wish ko na lang na sana may ibang pinoy na mkakapagbago sa masamang imahe na iniwan ng mga kasama mong umalis…good luck…
Filipinos are very notional. Meaning…they may or may not finish a job they start. It just depends…has a friend invited them over to play mahjong and drink Tanduay rum? Filipinos have a difficult time FOCUSING, it seems to me. I know some here in Talisay that have started several jobs and not finished them..they never called or texted…just never came back. Not good. Abroad…they are somewhat forced into a stricter work routine. Here in the Philippines, anything goes…as we all know.
have you ever wondered why not even one worker bothered to even dignify their absence by text message! tsk tsk tsk! have you ever wondered if the way you talk with and treat people has something to do with it? your record in that department has much to be desired mind you!
Ano ba ang problema nitong Steve Macon na ‘to? Umuwi ka nga sa pinanggalingan mo!
pag nasa pinas lang naman nagiging tamad ang mga pinoy pero pag nasa ibang bansa na todo kayod ang gagawin kaya nga hanga ang employer ng pinoy sa ibang bansa!
A very well-written article–hilarious, informative, entertaining, and amusing. I can’t agree with you more on the funny Filipino peculiarities you pointed out here.
big thanks Fair-Minded Damsel, it’s actually my first article and my first entry. your comment is truly appreciated. makes me think of writing some more. =)
Amen to Linda Castro’s comment! I know one guy whose accent is so strong and yet, he claims that he doesn’t speak or understand Tagalog! Gusto ko siyang sampalin! LOL Ay nako, sobrang mga OA ng mga Pinoy. Huwag kayong mahiya sa lahi natin. Ako, maliit pa ako noong dumating ako dito sa States pero marunong pa akong magsalita ng Tagalog at hindi ako nahihiya na Pinay ako! Mabuhay at God bless!
Amen to Linda Castro’s comment! I know one guy whose accent is so strong and yet, he claims that he doesn’t speak or understand Tagalog! Gusto ko siyang sampalin! LOL Ay nako, sobrang mga OA ng mga Pinoy. Huwag kayong mahiya sa lahi natin. Ako, maliit pa ako noong dumating ako dito sa States pero marunong pa akong magsalita ng Tagalog at hindi ako nahihiya na Pinay ako! Mabuhay at God bless!
Amen to Linda Castro’s comment! I know one guy whose accent is so strong and yet, he claims that he doesn’t speak or understand Tagalog! Gusto ko siyang sampalin! LOL Ay nako, sobrang mga OA ng mga Pinoy. Huwag kayong mahiya sa lahi natin. Ako, maliit pa ako noong dumating ako dito sa States pero marunong pa akong magsalita ng Tagalog at hindi ako nahihiya na Pinay ako! Mabuhay at God bless!
True! definitely true!!!!
@richmondjoseph saludo ako sa ‘yo!
thanks!
reading your article is refreshing richmondjoseph! it’s good to hang on to those positives! some articles written about the sad state of the philippines and it’s people can be depressing. you made us feel proud so you have earned our respect and credit for your effort!
have just read this, and your recent comments. my gratitude to you, g’day! you’re uniquely Filipino in all ways! keep the patriotic fire burning!
I am in a casino poker business.Walang unity ang pinoy.pagwalang pera sama kwentuhan. Pagnakapanal nang malaki mamalato nang barya. Pero hinde mo maasahan na tulungan ka makabalik sa game.Para bang stake kita may porsiyento ako. sa totoo lang habang dumadami ang pera wala nang makikilala. kaya ako na buhay sa tulong nang ibang lahi hinde pinoy. Pinoy makasarili lalo na pera ang dahilan. Sorry my opinion.
I am in a casino poker business.Walang unity ang pinoy.pagwalang pera sama kwentuhan. Pagnakapanal nang malaki mamalato nang barya. Pero hinde mo maasahan na tulungan ka makabalik sa game.Para bang stake kita may porsiyento ako. sa totoo lang habang dumadami ang pera wala nang makikilala. kaya ako na buhay sa tulong nang ibang lahi hinde pinoy. Pinoy makasarili lalo na pera ang dahilan. Sorry my opinion.
Yes, I am and proud of it. Been here since 1954 and still speak and understand the language pretty well. I hate people (Pinoys) who come here (USA) stay here for one year and claim they don’t understand/speak the filipino dialect. I am an American Citizen, but, I’m Definitely Filipino!!!
Pinoy ako , Pinoy tayo !!!
kung pilipino nga kayo,kantahin nyo ngang lhat ang lupang hinirang, di bayang magiliw ang tilulo ha,baka nga ib sa’nyo di na kabisado eh, pinoy ako oi,buo aking loob my agimat ang dugo ko.
Opoh:-D and 100% PROUD XD
kung pinoy kayo. . kahit saan dapat marunong mag tagalog
clap clap clap Joseph Richmon Jamon
I am proud to be a FILIPINO…. because all of us are unique in their on ways. We can be a dreamer…. until the time comes… all you wished is granted!
0% but I love that country with all of my heart, my heart is somewhere in the country, a guy still it from me.
I’m so fortunate that i was born a Filipino because we are the most amiable people i met. I’ve been to other counties, met lots of different nationalities who are mostly nice people, but no other people can beat the happy disposition of Filipinos. MABUHAY TAYONG LAHAT!!! I am always proud to be Pinoy, warts and all!!!
i remember one time in one of my first interviews here in US. the receptionist asked me “how are you?”. i answered “im OK”. then he looked at me oddly and said “OK is good?!”. i just gave him a smile and immediately proceeded to the waiting area. hahaha! im definitely proud to be pinay!
Whoah! Thanks for liking guys!
I appreciate it!
50% blood, 100% heart!!!