You Know You’re Filipino When
You Know You’re Filipino When…
The Philippines, like every other nation, has its distinct cultural norms and stereotypes. We Filipinos are confident that our country has the best values and characteristics in the world. Although multiple nations have colonized us, many of our ancestors’ core values have survived and are being cherished today. Filipinos are not perfect, but we should be proud of our many admirable traits and attributes.
Here are some of the most observable characteristics of a Pinoy:
You use your lips to point.
Someone asks you for directions, and you respond, “Ah, doon” (Oh, there). Instead of pointing with your index finger, you pucker your lips and move them outward to indicate the correct way. Your eyebrows raise when performing this action. Hopefully, the person understands and will head in the direction you instructed.
You finish phrases with “ano” and “kwan.”
These are the temporary alternatives for the term “dulo ng dila.” It may seem confusing initially, but as you grow older, you will develop psychic abilities, and eventually, Filipinos get it.
You took a jeepney ride.
The jeepney, or jeep as Filipinos call it, is the most affordable and widely used means of public transportation in the Philippines. A jeep is a type of pickup truck. In the front are the driver and two other passengers. The back has no rear door, but it does have a roof and two bench seats on the left and right sides that face each other. You say “bayad” as you pass your fare to the passenger in front of you, who then passes it on to the driver.
You bring home free ‘souvenirs’ from hotels and restaurants.
We’ve all learned how our mamas and titas stashed soaps, shampoos, ketchup packets, and even towels as soon as we returned home from that unforgettable beach or out-of-town trip as kids.
You’re worried about being the last person to get the last piece
When you’re the last person to be served a plate of food, you can take part of what’s on it, but just a teeny-tiny bit. It would be somewhat awkward to be the person who ate the last piece of that delicious fried chicken without leaving any for others.
You greet your grandparents by saying, “mano po.”
The person giving the greeting bows towards the elder’s extended hand and presses his or her forehead against the elder’s hand. Hand-kissing is a similar gesture.
You’re saving the gift wrapper.
You meticulously unwrap Christmas or birthday presents so that you can reuse the gift wrapping the next time. It’s a saving technique for Filipinos.
You believe in superstitions.
Your itchy palm is a sign that money is on its way. Dreaming of losing a tooth means that someone important to you has died. If the table is cleared while someone is still eating, that person will never marry. Turn your plate when someone departs while you’re eating to avoid anything terrible happening to that person. After attending a wake, don’t go directly home; instead, drive around to avoid the dead’s soul following you home.
You are required to bring home pasalubong.
Relatives and friends will want local delicacies or items as gifts from wherever you are touring. Filipinos are always grateful that you thought of them and that, in this indirect way, they’ve been a part of where you’ve been.
You are resilient to every challenge.
You may have experienced typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the global pandemic. Regardless of how much this bothers you, you can always find reasons to laugh. For one, you’re still alive. That is what is most important to Filipinos.
