Tag: filipino culture

What Are Some Aspects of Filipino Culture That is Attractive to Western Tourists?

Lately, a tremendous increase in the number of Western tourists has been experienced in the Philippines. While the recognition of Boracay and Palawan as among the World’s best resorts and the naming of the Undergound River in Puerto Princesa as one of the New Wonders of the World have without a doubt immensely contributed to the statistical results, there are many aspects of the Filipino culture Western tourists find attractive and which make them want to come back to the Philippines over and over again.

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For one thing, there’s the hospitality thing which Filipinos are very well known for. It is part of the Filipino culture to be hospitable. Anywhere in the Philippines, you’ll find Filipinos attending to their guests as if they’re royalty. When Filipinos know you are coming for a visit, they will put their “best foot forward”, not to show off, but to make you feel comfortable. Filipinos will hang their new curtains, change the beddings, polish the floors, and serve you the best foods on their best china! They will even offer you their own bed if they don’t have a guest room for you to stay in. And if you are staying for a few days, they will take some time off from their daily activities to get you around town. It’s really very rare for a Filipino not to go the extra mile for a guest, and this is one aspect of the Filipino culture that many Western tourists appreciate greatly.

Filipinos are also family-oriented. Filipinos uphold family ties and they have a deep respect for the elderly. In the Philippines, it is not uncommon to see families (up to the 3rd and 4th generations in many instances) living together, getting together or doing stuff together. Such a sight brings a warm feeling to anyone, especially to Westerners who may not have seen their own parents since they left home at 18.

The fiesta celebrations and festivals in the Philippines which showcase the Filipino culture and which have themselves formed part of the Filipino culture also serve as an attraction to Western tourists. Fiestas are held even in small political units like the barangay, and in almost every part of the country, festivals are being celebrated monthly. For Western tourists coming to the Philippines, witnessing these events first-hand is truly de-stressing.

The Filipino’s way of celebrating Christmas is another tourist attraction. Only in the Philippines will you experience the celebration of Christmas beginning as early as September. The Philippines, it is said, is one country that has the longest Christmas celebrations. Come September, radio stations start playing traditional Christmas hymns and, the malls are decorated with Christmas stuff. By November, the houses are well lit with Christmas lights, and by December, everyone, wealthy or not, is in a gay and generous mood. It’s almost impossible for anyone not to be influenced or affected by the Christmas spirit.

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There are many Filipino traditions that Westerners delight in, such as the Mano Po, which is the Filipino way of greeting the elderly. Mano Po is done by taking the right hand of the elderly and bringing the back of it (hand) to one’s forehead.

Filipinos eating with their hands is an interesting sight to Westerners. It’s called Kinamay or Kamayan, a well-loved Filipino tradition right to this day. I don’t know how this affects the taste, but it does make eating Filipino dishes more fun.  

Western tourists are attracted to Filipino courtship and wedding traditions, which typically involve practically every member of the Bride’s family. In the Philippines, it is customary for a foreign guy to meet the girl’s family if he wants to get serious with her. He will have to make time and effort to go to the Philippines to show the girl and her family that his intentions are pure. Getting together and blending with the girl’s family in the Philippines is usually what makes it a fun experience for the foreigner.

Usually, the bride’s family will insist on a church wedding being held in the Philippines. Weddings in the Philippines are more fun, with the long line of entourage, and almost everyone in the barangay invited to witness the occasion. The night before the wedding, festivities are usually held in honor of the engaged couple, and on the wedding day itself, another party will be hosted. Although the entire process may take a longer time, for many Westerners, the Filipina is worth going back to the Philippines for!

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Find her now at www.findfilipinagirlfriend.com.

What should an American guy do to start courting a woman from the Philippines?

It may be easy for an American guy to be attracted to a woman from the Philippines, but getting her to fall in love with you may be far easier said than done. There are many barriers to courting a Filipina and these conflicts have to be dealt with properly if you want a serious, long, and lasting relationship.

Filipino American Sam Milby with Filipina Judy Ann Santos
Filipino American Sam Milby with Filipina Judy Ann Santos (TV Series “Huwag Ka Lang Mawawala”)

Among the major issues are the differences in culture, the very thing that defines a country. Culture is what’s unique to a particular country, so it’s definitely a huge challenge to break through this barrier.  Although you are not expected to adapt yourself to the Filipino culture, you need to, at the very least, respect it. But first of all, you must familiarize yourself with the Filipino culture. That only makes sense, doesn’t it? What is the FIlipino culture, and how does it differ from the American culture?

Going over some materials on the web, you’ll discover that generally, Filipino women:

1)  are very attached to their families. It’s often the case that even married Filipinos still live under one roof with their families. So when planning to court a Filipino girl, expect to involve her family in the entire process. Get to know, not only her, but her siblings, parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, and so on.

2) are religious.  The Philipines is, by and large, a Catholic nation. So don’t be surprised if the woman you want to date is Catholic. If that’s the case, and you’re not, just be sure to show respect to her religious beliefs. And even if you feel strongly about your religion, don’t force her to change hers.

3) have a deep respect for the elderly. Americans usually call the elderly by their first names, but Filipinos regard them with more respect. If you are “meeting the parents” for the first time, address the mom and dad as “Ma’am” and “Sir”, respectively. A more formal approach is to call them Mrs. or Mr. so and so, but don’t talk to them on a first-name basis, unless that’s what they really want.

4) are conservative. Western influences may be apparent in the way modern Filipinas dress and act, but many Filipinas are still pretty much conservative. So don’t criticize or don’t be turned off when you see your Filipino girl not in a revealing outfit. And don’t expect that your first date will end up in bed as that is not very likely to happen.

There are also communication barriers that you need to address if you want to start courting a woman from the Philippines. Filipinas are generally educated and smart people, and many of them, in fact, have strong English communication skills, but always give due consideration to the fact that Filipino is still her primary language.

Keeping these in mind, you need to show utmost sincerity to the Filipino woman of your dreams. If are meeting online, it is important that you keep this up, but it is just as important to make time and effort to meet her and her family personally. True, America is miles away from the Philippines, and you’ll be needing a lot of money for plane fare, little souvenirs for everyone, and other essentials, but going through such trouble is one of the ways you can prove that you really are sincere.

An American guy has to be true to her, as well as to himself. Don’t play around with her dreams because her dreams represent her future. If you think you can fool her with false promises and lies, don’t expect you can simply get away with it. The Filipina woman does not deserve to fall victim to such an act. And remember, there is such as thing as bad karma, so if you want to start courting a woman from the Philippines, make sure that your intentions are pure, to begin with.

What Is The Filipino Culture For Weddings?

When planning to marry a Filipina, knowing what is the Filipino culture for weddings is an integral part of the planning process. Every culture is unique, and for Filipinos, theirs is something to respect and keep.

The Filipino wedding culture comes in several stages, the first of which is the wedding proposal, or in Filipino language, “Pagtatapat”. “Pagtatapat is when the man asks the girl to marry him. Wedding proposals, extravagant or not, are always unique to the couple, and more often than not, bring the woman to tears, not of pain of course, but of joy. The couple may then set a time and date to announce their engagement to their respective families.

After the wedding proposal comes the next stage, the “Pamanhikan”. This is the stage when the man, together with his family meets the family of the girl to discuss wedding preparations. The Pamanhikan is often done in the house of the woman, but if both parties agree, they can have it somewhere neutral, such as a cozy restaurant for instance.

The next stage is the Pa-alam. This is when the actual wedding planning takes place. Ideally, this should start at least 6 months before the “big day”. There are many things to plan for – invitations, entourage, gowns, church and reception, and many more, and a few weeks time to cram all these in may not be enough.

The Pa-alam stage is perhaps the most stressful part of the Filipino Culture for Weddings, and so if they’re planning a big wedding, the future bride and groom may choose to hire the services of a wedding planner to get things started and organized for them. Planning a wedding can be a very overwhelming experience, especially when the wedding involves two cultures, and a wedding planner makes less stressful for the couple, allowing them time to focus on welcoming their new life together. But of course, should the couple choose to do things their own way, they can always do so.

Filipino weddings are usually grandiose  in the sense that the wedding ceremony is conducted in a church where there is a long line of entourage composed of dozens of principal sponsors some of whom are unknown to the couple but which apparently are public figures, maid of matron of honor, groom’s men, bride’s maid, junior bride’s maids, and the flower girls.  After all have settled in their respective seats, the bride walks down the aisle in a long gown, with (or without) her father beside her.

The mass then starts, and within the mass, the exchange of vows. After the mass, a pictorial takes place inside the church itself.  The pictorial usually takes very long – sometimes as long as 30 minutes to one hour! But the guests don’t seem to mind as they will have their chance with the bride and groom towards the end of the pictorial, anyway.

The reception comes next. Some couples choose to have their wedding reception at home where the guests can be more comfortable and they can save a little more money, but others would much rather have their reception done more privately, such as in hotel or garden settings.

You might think that understanding what is the Filipino culture for weddings is no longer important these days, but that is not true at all because Filipinos, even modern Filipinos, still value the Filipino culture a lot.