Filipino Culture

Discussion in 'Filipino Martial Arts' started by Pat OMalley, May 4, 2005.

  1. shootodog

    shootodog restless native

    i'd have to agree here. if you look at the laws of the philippines, we have some of the best laws out there. and yet we can't get it to work. why? i don't know why. all i know is that if we ever got to enforce the laws, we'd be living in a tropical utopia.

    yet it is possible to enforce strict rules. take a look at subic. laws are enforced and they are followed.
     
  2. aml01_ph

    aml01_ph Urrgggh...

    Despite this, however, there are ways that you can sidestep the bad consequences of pakikisama and one of them is to build up the reputation of being flexible. By this I mean that you give the impression that you know how to have fun with the boys but also having the rep that there is a line that you will never cross. Not only will this avoid all the bad flack of pakikisama, but people will also view you as both respectable and dependable.

    The other way is to give the nice and tough guy impression. Thgis shows that you are a nice guy, but are really nasty when crossed. This at least ensures that you are not prone to coercion through peer pressure.

    But as always, how to get those reps is an adventure to themselves.
     
  3. Pat OMalley

    Pat OMalley Valued Member

    Answer

    Sorry for not getting back to you on Sunday but I was down in old London town training with GM Dionisio Canete (awsome).

    Anyway as you may have noticed from the response from our Pinoy friends that the answer to this one is C.

    A. Wealthy wives tend to hire cooks to prepare meal, so a compliment to the host's wife is probably misdirecetd unless of course she has informed you that she has personally prepared the meal or one course. B. would be taken as a left-handed compliment and would not earn you any brownie points. C. Commenting her on the lovely appearance to her home and the general supervision and presentation of dinner gives her the proper credit, and would be appreaciated.
     
  4. Pat OMalley

    Pat OMalley Valued Member

    Situation 5

    OK this one is a goody, lets see how you would handle this situation.

    SITUATION 5:

    All of your freinds talk about a Filipino freind's affair with a mistress; and the next time you see him do you:

    A. Ask him how his mistress is doing.

    B. Inform him of all the gossip you have heard about him.

    C. Avoid any mention of his private life.

    Again I will let this one run to about Wednesday / Thursday before to let you all have time to have a good old gossip.:D

    Best regards

    Pat
     
  5. slipthejab

    slipthejab Hark, a vagrant! Supporter

    This is fairly simple. I think this applies to most any Asian culture. Probably even most of western cultures. I'd go with...

    C. Avoid any mention of his private life.

    Unless you are his close 'kaibigan' then there is no point in brining up the 'tsismis'.

    This could result in a loss of face. :eek:
     
  6. burungkol

    burungkol Team Yaw-Yan

    I would go for C. Avoid any mention of his private life.

    If I'm a woman, my choice would probably have been B. Inform him of all the gossip you have heard about him.

    Choice B is common within and among housewives especially in rural areas here in the PI. It is a known fact that tsismis is one of the most favorite past times of filipino women especially those having an old age. thus, the quote "may tenga ang lupa, may pakpak ang balita" - "the ground has ears, the news has wings".

    no disrespect meant to the females.... anyway, i think gay people are taking over the gossip kingdom now.
     
  7. slipthejab

    slipthejab Hark, a vagrant! Supporter

    Hilarious.

    Tsismis is probably the one of the most common reasons wives get beat by their husbands. Get home after a day in the fields... the casava's not cooked because the wife was out at the gate all day stoking the old rumour mill... KAPOW!

    I've seen it happen too many times.
     
  8. Brunstick

    Brunstick (^_^) I need a girlfriend

    Yep, i'd definitely choose C. no point in bringing up my buddy's affair, since news does travel fast.


    -nico-
     
  9. Pat OMalley

    Pat OMalley Valued Member

    C. Is the obviously the answer on this one:

    Husbands who stray are regarded as 'macho' by many freinds, but their paccadilloes (mistresses) are considered not socially acceptable. Therefore, you can discuss such delicate matters with a freind only if he brings up the subject himself.

    He would consider you forward and a busybody to how she is (A), and he would be uncomfortable learning of gossip about himself and will not think you are doing him any favours.

    He may think open knowledge of his affair may lower your respect for him, affecting your freindship. It is a subject you had better avoid.

    Best regards

    Pat
     
  10. Pat OMalley

    Pat OMalley Valued Member

    Living in the Philippines.

    OK, lets try this one on for size, this is mainly aimed at the non-Filipino's but input and suggestions from our Pinoy friends will be greatly appreaciated.

    HOUSE-HUNTING:

    You are looking for a house or an appartment to live in. Which of the following would you consider when making your choice? Answers in decending order of importance please.

    1. A veiw of Manila bay.
    2. Downtown location.
    3. Security.
    4. Carpets and good facilities.
    5. A modern kitchen and washing machine.
    6. Propensity for flooding in house, yard, and street during heavy rain.
    7. Telephone facilities.
    8. Traffic-free accessibility to place of work and children's school.
    9. Open gardens, open windows for ventilation.
    10. Secluded, very private location.

    Another good one on Sunday.

    Happy house hunting:D

    Pat
     
  11. Pat OMalley

    Pat OMalley Valued Member

    Talking of 'paccadilloes', this one cracks me up every time I remember it.

    One of our young Brits was visiting one of those entertaining Bars, you know the ones (I am sure you have just heard of them though;) ), where you pay the 'Bar Fine' for your paccadilloe.

    Well when having a conversation with this guy, he obviously felt he had found true love:D (my those girls are good at their job) and he was making compliments about her as she sat along side us at the bar.

    Obviously he was trying to impress the young lady and he was going down the list of compliments when he finally got to one that ended up with us all falling about on the floor.

    He said "And she has lovely teeth"

    His paccadilloe said "Oh there not mine"

    He replied "what do you mean"

    With that and much to our amazement and amusement she placed a her full set of dentures on the bar.:eek:

    Well the look on his face was a picture,:eek: god I wish I had a camera at the time.

    Best regards

    Pat
     
  12. Gryphon Hall

    Gryphon Hall Feeling Scholler

    Oh, it can be enforced, whenever the police feel like it. The problem is that there are so many instances of people being let off too easy that, if you are a policeman who wants to enforce the law, you will be accused of walang pakikisama and so the policeman thinks twice. And so corruption due to pakikisama perpetuates.

    In Subic, the situation is reversed: if you don't enforce the law then you are the one without pakikisama. As long as they continue doing that, nobility due to pakikasama will perpetuate; and more power to them.

    So, it seems that pakikisama is a neutral influence after all.
     
  13. aml01_ph

    aml01_ph Urrgggh...

    If I were in your shoes....

    This will really depend on your dinero. So if you are on a budget then at least find a nice neighborhood (3.). From there go for the facilities (4, 5, and 7) although no carpet is better than an old ratty one. Trust me, life will be easier if you have an adequate kitchen (a gas stove at least is a must), bathroom and somewhere you can wash your clothes. Phone access good, and an all-year-flood-free place is also good (7 and 6).

    A good place with a view of the bay is usually expensive (the cheaper places being squatting along the coastal road). A downtown location and places with opn gardens are also usually expensive. Good luck finding number 8.

    Pat, that anecdote of yours about pacadilloes should be funny and original enough for FHM! :D
     
  14. Pat OMalley

    Pat OMalley Valued Member

    House Hunting Answer!

    Ok not much responce on this one but I think you will like the next one, I know I do.

    Anyway here is the comments on House Hunting.

    The good veiw when looing for a house is a bonus but has to take low priority. A downtown location is fine, but beware of being trapped in traffic (mid you that goes without saying in the PI unless you are in the Boonies eh!)

    Security is very important as burglaries are how shall we say all too common if you have low security.

    Carpets and modern fixtures are good only if they are in airconditioned quarters; with the frequent power failures and escalating costs of electricity, they may prove at times inessentual.

    A modern kitchen and laundry machine from a westerners point of veiw living abroad are only useful if you will personally use them as hired help is readily available and inexpensive comapred to living in the West.

    Flooding is a different matter. Check carefully the premises your moving into, as if you were buying a seashore property it could well vanish in high tide.

    Telephone facilities are a must. Getting a new line installed could take a very very long time. A party line (one you share with others) is not recommended. If you can affoard 2 telephones, get them. It is important to consider movement in the streets because rush hour traffic could consume all of your time time getting to and from work. If you have children who go to school this needs to be taken into consideration.

    Open gardens and windows look nice but can conflict with the need to provide security, include high walls, gates, window bars and door locks. For this same reason secluded, private places may also invite intrusions and unwanted guests.

    The answers. in decending order of imprtance: 3. 6, 7, 8. 1. 2, 4, 5, 9, 10.

    Best regards

    Pat
     
  15. Pat OMalley

    Pat OMalley Valued Member

    Yes! Yes! Yes!

    I like this one, as it opens up a whole new meaning to the word YES!

    THE ANSWER 'YES'

    Which of the following would the Filipino 'yes' mean?

    1. I don't know.
    2. Maybe.
    3. If you say so.
    4. Go Soak your head.
    5. Yes, of course.
    6. Let me out of here.
    7. Where's the mens room?
    8. No, but I won't openly disagree with you.
    9. Do you realize what time it is?
    10. You foreingers are all alike.

    There are more, but lets keep it simple for us not so street worthy westerners.

    Have fun

    Pat
     
  16. shootodog

    shootodog restless native

    2. & 8.
     
  17. dori_kin_86

    dori_kin_86 Hu Flung Pu

    Definately 2 & 8, this makes my parents mad too :D
     
  18. Raymund Suba

    Raymund Suba Valued Member

    Something that everybody is missing is that the Philippines in not culturaly homogenous. Certains entiments are stronger in some places than others.

    In my experience, the culture gets more "macho" when you go to north luzon. then it gets more, well, "feminist" for lack of a better word, down in the VIsayas.

    Anybody seen differences like these?
     
  19. dori_kin_86

    dori_kin_86 Hu Flung Pu

    And as you go towards Pompango, the food gets better ;) I've never been to Philippines yet, but I know my grandparents have experienced this.
     
  20. Black_Grass

    Black_Grass Valued Member

    Going to have to disagree with you. I like Bikolano food the best ( but I'm a Cebuano-Bisaya). However, I think we can all agree that Ilocano food is just WRONG!. Ha!

    Vince
    aka Black Grass
     

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