Culture and Customs in Manila

The culture of Philippines is reflected in the blending of many diverse heritages. It is Asia’s only predominantly Christian country. Spanish, American and other Asian cultures merging to make the Filipino customs and traditions. Spanish colonization lasted 300 years, and most of the time, the islands were governed by Mexico, and later Spain. So there is a significant amount of Spanish and Mexican influence on the Philippine culture, music, customs, traditions. After that Philippines was an American territory for 50 years and the American influences are evident in their pop culture such as fast food, music and basket ball. Japanese and Chinese too have been settling since colonial period and their influences too reflect in lifestyle, food and games. Muslim Filipinos celebrate their own customs and traditions. The unique mix of culture is reflected in the monuments that dot the city.

 

The Filipino personality is therefore a little bit of many cultures put together. The spirit of camaraderie and friendship that Filipinos are known for is thought to be taken from their Malay ancestors. The close family units are thought to have been inherited from the Chinese. The devoutness comes from the Spaniards who introduced Christianity in the 16th century. But what all can agree on is their hospitality, and this is what distinguishes the Filipino.

 

Filipino Family Values

The family is the centre of the social structure and includes the nuclear family, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins and honorary relations such as godparents and close family friends. People get strength and stability from their family. Many children have several godparents. Concern for the extended family is seen in the patronage provided to family members when they seek employment. It is common for members of the same family to work for the same company. Hiya is shame and is a motivating factor behind behaviour. It is a sense of social propriety and conforming to societal norms of behaviour. Filipinos believe they must live up to the accepted standards of behaviour and if they fail to do so they bring shame not only upon themselves, but also upon their family. If someone is publicly embarrassed, criticized, or does not live up to expectations, they feel shame and lose self-esteem.

 

Taglish

Taglsh is a combination of Tagalog and English and a part of Filipino culture. Most commonly used in Metro Manila, its influence has been great. It is an informal form of dialect infusing English words in sentences. An intriguing aspect of Taglish is the fact that any English verb, and even some nouns, can be converted into a Tagalog verb by following the normal verb tense constructions of Tagalog. This is done usually by the addition of one or more prefixes or infixes and by the doubling of the starting sound of the base form of the verb or noun. The English verb drive can be transformed into the Tagalog magda-drive meaning, "will drive".

 

The Institute of Philippine Culture

The INSTITUTE OF PHILIPPINE CULTURE (IPC) is a social science research organization of the School of Social Sciences of the Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University. Founded in 1960, the IPC advances the University’s mission and goals by generating knowledge that helps deepen the understanding of cultures and societies, improve the quality of life of disadvantaged groups, and build a more peaceful,just, and equitable society in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and the rest of the world.  It employs and develops methodologies and procedures of the social sciences. The Institute of Philippine Culture celebrated its 50th anniversary on 15th September this year through a month long series of events.

 

Here are some general cultural norms:

1. Be punctual. Initial greetings follow a protocol of greeting the eldest or the most important person first.

2. When invited to a Filipino home, it is normal to bring flowers or sweets, but not a fruit basket as it indicates that you think the host may not provide sufficient hospitality. Fruit baskets are acceptable as a thank you after the event. Never open any gifts when they are received.

3.  Never refer to your host’s wife as hostess. This has a different meaning in Philippines. Wait to be seated and start your meal when the host invites you to do so. Accept what is offered by host. Turning down offers of hospitality makes the host lose face.