What do you think of a Filipino?
I'm a Filipino and I'd like to hear what other nations think of us.
You may post either answer a good or a bad in response to my question. However, please present your answers in a positive and polite way for the sake of discussion. This may be a sensitive topic, but I'd really loved to hear what you think of us or what you have heard about us.
Please include your location/country in your posts. Go ^_^
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Here are the answers so far:
Smart; Artistic; Has perfect pitch; Cheerful; Normal like any other race; Lives somewhere in South East Asia; Earnest; Hardworking; Outsided; Great sense of justice; Have delicious foods; Got invaded by America back in 1800s; Bought from Spain for only $20,000; Have subservient nature; Perfect for an ideal wife; Clever; More mature; Have large families; Never get angry; Get angry too; Handles anger better than some; Honest, sometimes to a fault; Single minded in purpose; Absolutely dedicated to family; Well mannered people; Great sense of humor; Mind having Sunday dinner with his Mother; Cool people; Owned Spain some years ago; Can speak English better than Koreans; Nice and good people; Women from the Philippines (or Filipinas) are beautiful and exotic;
Last edited by jeromep on Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:30 pm; edited 10 times in total
Uhm.. I don't think of anything. The only thing I know is that Filipino's are from the Filipines (they are, isn't it?). I don't even know where the Filipines are located 
Sorry.
(I'm from The Netherlands) Oh I see..
Anybody else? ^_^ (bringing up my post)
Philippines!
Hey, here's a Philippine joke... how do you spell Philippines with only one "I"?
(no shortcutting allowed)
How?
I bet the answer to your joke is the answer to the topic.
So tell me, how do you spell Philippines with one letter "I"
----spoiler----
Close one eye (left or right), then recite: P-H-I-L-I-P-P-I-N-E-S.
-----end of spoiler-----
Awww.. I see.. Not bad for a joke ^_^
Hey anybody out there who wants to answer the topic? Come'on people ^_^ Let me hear 'em. Negative comments are welcome as much as positive comments are. (Just post them in an informative manner).
Go ^_^
One of my best friend is philipino. Well his parents are, but he still looks 100% like one I guess.
I don't know if all of them are like this, but this is how he is. He's pretty smart, very smart actually. He's really artistic, and he has perfect pitch. He's very cheerful. He's normal like if he was from another race.
Well there are lots of Filipino's that live in my community. I'm asian myself so I don't think anything negative of them. I don't why I would think something bad of about them. One of my friends lives in the Philippines and I also visited there before. Its not paradise but its not as bad as other countries.
| Hobbit wrote: |
One of my best friend is philipino. Well his parents are, but he still looks 100% like one I guess.
I don't know if all of them are like this, but this is how he is. He's pretty smart, very smart actually. He's really artistic, and he has perfect pitch. He's very cheerful. He's normal like if he was from another race. |
Thanks for the comment. Wow, perfect pitch. I envy that person. I wish I had it too. (off topic: you know any resource how I can learn that? ^_^)
| Seiji wrote: |
| Well there are lots of Filipino's that live in my community. I'm asian myself so I don't think anything negative of them. I don't why I would think something bad of about them. One of my friends lives in the Philippines and I also visited there before. Its not paradise but its not as bad as other countries. |
Yup, not a paradise, but yeah, probably not as bad as some countries.I'm working on perfect pitch as well. He just told someone to play a certain note on the piano and he would guess what note it was, he did that for quite some time until he perfected it.
Anyways, he did it pretty fast so it must the philipinoness in him. 
Off the topic: Hehe.. It can't be the "filipino-ness" in him.. I'm a Filipino.. and I don't have it.. Can't even hum the pitch of middle C.
Well, I don't know too much about the Filipinos, except they're somewhere in Southeast Asia.
Then again, I live in middle-class suburbia in America...
| hofodomo01 wrote: |
Well, I don't know too much about the Filipinos, except they're somewhere in Southeast Asia.
Then again, I live in middle-class suburbia in America... |
Ohhh I see.. That's valid.. Some people might have not heard of us.A lot of people have NOT heard of us. 
[yes, I'm Pinoy, too.] we're some obscure nation in the face of the planet. if we're not Fil-Ams (or Filipino-Americans or some other mixed race), we're nurses, caregivers, domestic workers. I remember way back that there was this dictionary that defined the "Filipino" as exactly that -- DH (domestic helper). This was some seven years ago, and thankfully cleared up (the Pinoy most likely stirred up a riot). But I guess the person (a European) who made the dictionary was not entirely off-mark. Commonly, at least at that time, overseas workers are employed as DH's.
As a Pinoy, I do think we are our own heroes, but we're too bent on being known (or making our mark) in the world. We should focus on our own country first, try to bring it out of poverty. (I passed by the Anti-Poverty Commission Office today, and I had a good laugh. I previously didn't know such an office existed.)
Anyway. Sorry for the rant. 
Just wanted to shake this topic up for a bit. Quite a strange question.
Maybe you could tell us something about your country? Maybe a link to a map? Some pictures? Maybe somebody has already visited the Philippines? I can only presume it is a wonderful country (to have spend your holidays).
| James007 wrote: |
Quite a strange question.
Maybe you could tell us something about your country? Maybe a link to a map? Some pictures? Maybe somebody has already visited the Philippines? I can only presume it is a wonderful country (to have spend your holidays). |
Yeah strange question it is.. Not so many people know bout our country..
Oh.. Philippines is a south east asian country. It falls under the third world group of nations. We are bigger than Japan in terms of geographical size, but they have a larger population..
And I'm not so sure if its a wonderful country to spend holidays. ^_^
Hmm.. James007, I know Belgium is a country.. But I don't know anything about your country, (if that indeed is your country ^_^).I’ll answer but I fear what I have heard are probably all of the typical stereotypes.
My dad worked in Saudi Arabia for years and said that a lot of servants (or staff) there were hard-working Filipinos but they were taken advantage of somewhat with the amount of hours and work expected (by UK standards anyway).
He did say that generally they were a very polite and most pleasant people.
Also, a lot of my dad’s American friends were married to Filipino ladies. The ladies were always polite and quite subservient, much like the Japanese wife stereotype.
Apart from that I understand you eat dogs (may or may not be true). While this may upset some westerners its not an issue with me because it is a different culture to my own and I hold nothing against Filipinos for this – a dog is a cow is a sheep to me! I prefer dogs as pets but that’s just me.
I hope this helps.
| Captain Fertile wrote: |
I’ll answer but I fear what I have heard are probably all of the typical stereotypes.
My dad worked in Saudi Arabia for years and said that a lot of servants (or staff) there were hard-working Filipinos but they were taken advantage of somewhat with the amount of hours and work expected (by UK standards anyway).
He did say that generally they were a very polite and most pleasant people.
Also, a lot of my dad’s American friends were married to Filipino ladies. The ladies were always polite and quite subservient, much like the Japanese wife stereotype.
Apart from that I understand you eat dogs (may or may not be true). While this may upset some westerners its not an issue with me because it is a different culture to my own and I hold nothing against Filipinos for this – a dog is a cow is a sheep to me! I prefer dogs as pets but that’s just me.
I hope this helps. |
Yes, I can relate to what you're saying. (Except for the first one about the work hours of Filipinos).
Yes, some people know us for being polite and hospitable. Although there are some people who think otherwise, I think the majority falls on the former.
YES. I can see that there are alot of women who are with their American boyfriends/husbands. The truth for most of these women, they marry foreign men so they can be.. rich.. or make an easy way out of poverty here in the Philippines ^_^ Sad but true.
Yes, in some regions in our country, some people eat dogs. This is pretty much true. | jeromep wrote: |
| hofodomo01 wrote: | Well, I don't know too much about the Filipinos, except they're somewhere in Southeast Asia.
Then again, I live in middle-class suburbia in America... |
Ohhh I see.. That's valid.. Some people might have not heard of us. |
well i guess this is hard because it's text on the internet...what im trying to say is a lot of "rich suburban kids" really don't know jack crap about the world (stereotype? but it does hold true more times than i'd like to see...) | Captain Fertile wrote: |
I’ll answer but I fear what I have heard are probably all of the typical stereotypes.
My dad worked in Saudi Arabia for years and said that a lot of servants (or staff) there were hard-working Filipinos but they were taken advantage of somewhat with the amount of hours and work expected (by UK standards anyway).
He did say that generally they were a very polite and most pleasant people.
Also, a lot of my dad’s American friends were married to Filipino ladies. The ladies were always polite and quite subservient, much like the Japanese wife stereotype.
Apart from that I understand you eat dogs (may or may not be true). While this may upset some westerners its not an issue with me because it is a different culture to my own and I hold nothing against Filipinos for this – a dog is a cow is a sheep to me! I prefer dogs as pets but that’s just me.
I hope this helps. |
Well I'm glad to hear that most of the stereotypes ARE positive ones. Thank you for being tactful.
I must say however that the Philippines is becoming more and more Westernized, that values here are not much different from the West. I.e., while we are a largely Catholic country, more and more people are becoming increasingly Protestant (or New Age -- though Scientology still has to make its appearance here). As for the remark about "subservient wives" -- perhaps the stereotype is changing, at least in urban, middle- to upper-class areas. 
In my opinion, I don't think a lot of women are raring to be traditional housewives. They're either career women, or single mothers trying hard to make ends meet -- in other words, the cherished and intact value the family structure used to have is not quite as infallible as it appears. More and more women are becoming liberated, and the "traditional subservient wife" has given way to a "respectable partner" (what with the presence of so many outspoken, though Third-World, feminists here).
As for eating dogs -- it's really more of a delicacy and eaten out of a sense of exoticism than really a regular meal. Not everyone eats dogs, and rarely do Filipinos eat them morning, noon, and night. Azucena (as it's called -- a pun on the word "aso," which is Tagalog for "dog") is usually prepared when men, who have nothing better to do but to hang around stores and drink to their hearts' content, have nothing to eat during beer-drinking sessions. Some restaurants may have adopted this as a delicacy, but rarely as a regular meal. We still eat pork (when we're not Muslim), chicken, fish, and beef more often than we do dogs.
I just remembered that this was the image renowned Fil-Am writer Jessica Hagedorn was probably banking on when she wrote the play-turned-novel Dogeaters, and she was chastised by some critics for exoticizing her own people. (Oh, well.)I think most pin0ys are earnest and hardworking. I think your religion is very strict though?
Is there something suppose to be wrong with being a filipino?
my brother in law is mexican, closest to a filipino ive ever been,,, Im full blooded american redneck,,,, used to be with my brother in law,,, he was kinda an outsided,,, but one of the hardest working individuals I had ever met,,, I keep telling him to quit his job and let me have it....lol...
most people have a racist problem, and I admit, I did at first too,, but I think its all in the matter of how people are raised to learn how to associate with eachother,,, I wouldnt go out and teach my kid to hate black people, but people do, and people who are jewish, and more,,, My best friend is jewish, and I grew up with many blacks,,, I have better friends that are different races than myself, than who are white... and im a biker...well, wanna be biker....no bike yet,,,lol
| jeromep wrote: |
What do you think of a Filipino?
I'm a Filipino and I'd like to hear what other nations think of us.
You may post either answer a good or a bad in response to my question. However, please present your answers in a positive and polite way for the sake of discussion. This may be a sensitive topic, but I'd really loved to hear what you think of us or what you have heard about us.
Please include your location/country in your posts.
Go ^_^ |
Hello, I'm from the United States (Texas). My best friend in high school was Filipino and so I have a good impression of your country and native peoples. From what I can gather you all have a great sense of justice and some delicious foods. I don't know much at all about your culture, and the only history I know is in the late 1800s America invaded your country during the Spanish-American war. Anyhow, have a good day!
-Jason | jsk02a wrote: |
I don't know much at all about your culture, and the only history I know is in the late 1800s America invaded your country during the Spanish-American war. |
That's right; America bought the Philippines from Spain for only $20,000, if I remember correctly. 
| varon wrote: |
As for the remark about "subservient wives" -- perhaps the stereotype is changing, at least in urban, middle- to upper-class areas. |
Yes, I believe that it is changing, but if you Google the word "filipina", you would still find a few million websites praising the "Filipina's subservient nature, perfect for an ideal wife". It's sad, not to mention degrading. 
I still know quite a lot of Americans who, in their desperation to find wives, go to the Philippines in order to easily get one. What do they think of our women?? And what are these Filipina women thinking?? It's irritating.
I have met a LOT of Americans who have announced that they are going to the Philippines in order to get wives. 
The whole Google thing is depressing, too, because it just shows how the Internet is still fair-teeming with such distasteful websites. My friends mother is filipina-her mother came fromt he philippines. Nice bunch of people-very artistic-clever, and they are more mature. THen again I've only met 25-30 people of her family. Btw did I mention they have LARGE families?
| Jaan wrote: |
| I think most pin0ys are earnest and hardworking. I think your religion is very strict though? |
Our country is not very strict with religion. You can be any religion you want. ^_^Many of my Catholic friends are from the Philippines.
I like them.
| Zug Zug wrote: |
| Btw did I mention they have LARGE families? |
That does not mean that Filipino couples has lots of children. That's because we used to consider even those relatives to the 3rd degree as part of the family. That gives Filipino's a very huge family circle.I heard a Filipino never get angry, is that true?
| bartdou wrote: |
| I heard a Filipino never get angry, is that true? |
Of course they get angry...what human is above this? They seem to handle it better than some.
Kindness should never be construed as weakness.
My Opinon (from direct dealings): Most are honest (sometimes to a fault), single minded in purpose (good or bad depends on any person), absolute dedication to family....basically, well mannored people with a great sence of humor, that I wouldn't (for the majority of the people...but this can be said of anyone...unfortunatly there are some I would shoot at if they went near my Mum), mind having over for a Sunday dinner with my Mother.
Please do not misread nor misinterpret this post....I think they (sorry to reduce you to a singular phrase Filipinos worldwide)....but they are "cool".
EOLfiliphines owned to spain some years ago :9
| bartdou wrote: |
| I heard a Filipino never get angry, is that true? |
Not true.
We Filipinos always get angry with.. each other ^_^ This is true true true.wwwwhat?
with each other? hehe....staunch nationalism is good for the soul!
Yup..
Hey anybody else who'd like to give their ideas on Filipinos? ^_^
My best friend in highschool is a Filipino. (because I'm one!) LOL.
Anyway, how about FRIH's opinions on the Philippines? | guissmo wrote: |
My best friend in highschool is a Filipino. (because I'm one!) LOL.
Anyway, how about FRIH's opinions on the Philippines? |
Oops, sorry, no FriH$ on this one. ^_^ | bartdou wrote: |
| I heard a Filipino never get angry, is that true? |
No, that's not true at all Some Filipino regions are known for their patience -- like the Ilonggos from Iloilo, who are known for their calm and very endearing, soft-spoken manners; but others are stereotyped as hot-headed, like the Batangueños or Warays.
But then again, the main argument to be made is: no such thing as stereotypes when characterizing a "national" trait. Filipinos are every bit as human as Westerners are. We DO get angry when it's called for. | Captain Fertile wrote: |
Apart from that I understand you eat dogs (may or may not be true). While this may upset some westerners its not an issue with me because it is a different culture to my own and I hold nothing against Filipinos for this – a dog is a cow is a sheep to me! I prefer dogs as pets but that’s just me.
I hope this helps. |
Yes, some of my countrymen eat dogs (I'm a Filipino), there are some parts of the our country's region who's a part of the there culture is eating dogs.
Last edited by frozenhead on Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:20 pm; edited 1 time in totalHi there..
I'm in Canada. but I'm from Korea. These days many koreans visit to Philipine to study english. Because we think Philipinos can speak English better than koreans. And it has better cricumstance to study english than western countries: living cost and distance from korea..
| skygaia wrote: |
Hi there..
I'm in Canada. but I'm from Korea. These days many koreans visit to Philipine to study english. Because we think Philipinos can speak English better than koreans. And it has better cricumstance to study english than western countries: living cost and distance from korea.. |
Oh I see... Thanks, I'm bringing your post up to the first post...
Anybody else?Philippine are nice, i have a friend Archy and he is a realy good person so are the Philippines :>
| Woutan wrote: |
| Philippine are nice, i have a friend Archy and he is a realy good person so are the Philippines :> |
I see... Bringing up your post ^_^ | jeromep wrote: |
Thanks for the comment. Wow, perfect pitch. I envy that person. I wish I had it too. (off topic: you know any resource how I can learn that? ^_^)
|
You can learn Relative pitch but perfect pitch is something you are born with. Just thought i'd say that, as a music student ^^
| Hobbit wrote: |
I'm working on perfect pitch as well. He just told someone to play a certain note on the piano and he would guess what note it was, he did that for quite some time until he perfected it.
Anyways, he did it pretty fast so it must the philipinoness in him. |
As i said.. He would have to be born with perfect pitch ^^ Relative pitch is something you can develop to be almost as good as PP though.Off the topic:
I see... Do you know any useful resources I can use in studying perfect pitch?
I didn't study music... But I can play the piano.
somehow many beautiful asian women can be found at philipines.. Im a singaporean, and i find filipino and thai women can be exotic.. but not for me, language barrier.. haha..
| molif wrote: |
| somehow many beautiful asian women can be found at philipines.. Im a singaporean, and i find filipino and thai women can be exotic.. but not for me, language barrier.. haha.. |
Ooohhh... ^_^ Yes, some find our Filipinas beautiful.I think Filipinos, or anybody from any country, is just the same as anybody else from anywhere.
I wouldn't suggest judging a complete race/nationality from an experience involving any number of people from that race or nationality. That's where stereotypes come from, and I don't think anyone would like to become a stereotype. I sure as hell don't.
I'm Filipino, and although it matters -- somewhat -- what other people/nations think of my country, I'm not about to go around asking about it. It comes off as very self-conscious. I'm proud whenever somebody says that Filipinos are very nice and friendly, and I get disappointed whenver they say something bad. But I'm happy enough with how I am as a person of my country and of the world, and I don't need anybody else's affirmation of that.
I had a chat friend from Philipines. She is one of the sweetest persons I have ever met. During my kinda rough and boring time I used to always log on to net and talk with her.
I hope she is doing fine...
I lived in the Philippines for about 6 months a few years ago.
I spent about 3 months in Cagayan d'Oro (apologies if I mis-spelled it) and about 3 in Manila but my Dad got very sick so I had to return to my head office in Germany so I could get back to Britain easily for regular visits.
Had it not been for Dads illness I suspect I would have stayed out there far longer - perhaps indefinitely.
I loved the place and the people. That visit will always be one of the most memorable parts of my life.
We, Filipinos have that extraordinary "traits" making us different from some other races. Typical Filipino family value close family ties. Seen a house with three of four generations living in it? The Grandparents, their childrean, their grandchildren and the great grandchildren. The kissing of the hands of elders as a sign of great respect is another sign of a Filipino. Addressing an older brother or friend as "kuya" and an older sister or friends as "ate" is a sign of respect also. The "po" and "opo" (yes) is a typical Filipino response to elders as a sign of respect.
Seen people making the of the cross when passing by a church or cemetery? Believe me, a possibility of its FIlipino-ness is 90%. hehehe
| linangan wrote: |
I'm Filipino, and although it matters -- somewhat -- what other people/nations think of my country, I'm not about to go around asking about it. It comes off as very self-conscious.... But I'm happy enough with how I am as a person of my country and of the world, and I don't need anybody else's affirmation of that. |
I agree wholeheartedly.
I've observed that almost all of the "what do you think of [insert nationality here]" threads that I've seen in most forums that I've been on are created by Filipinos. 
No offence meant to jeromep. It's just an observation.I'm half Filippino, half French.
As an Eurasian, I give full respect to the country where I was born
Even though I travelled extensively throughout the world and only stayed in the Philippines a couple of years, I must admit that Filippinos have a strong sense of commitment.
Catholicism is the most widespread religion there and as far as I'm concerned, I never saw such an explicit devotion to their beliefs
Now, as I am not really accustomed to Filippino culture, I have been quite shocked about some of their traditional meals like "Baluut" (a fertilized egg, complete with veins, some bird embryo, and egg) and body post-mortem conservation at home before the funeral.
Eventually, like in any other Asian countries, there is quite a strong code of behaviour that has to be respected in the familial ring.
More could be said about all of this if you do live in the Philippines, thanks for sharing! hahaha BALUT is good! have you tried eating one?
guys, if you have time, visit our country... take time to explore and meet the Filipinos. Then you'll know, what's with us that makes us different from other race.
| cybernie wrote: |
| hahaha BALUT is good! have you tried eating one? |
No, not really, I just can't stand eating some bird embryo but I'm sure that Balut is good to people who eat it | linangan wrote: |
| I'm Filipino, and although it matters -- somewhat -- what other people/nations think of my country, I'm not about to go around asking about it. It comes off as very self-conscious. |
I've snipped your quote to save space, and though I agree with your reasons, I believe there is no reason to sound, uh, offended. (peace out) This topic was raised just for the sake of discussion, in the spirit of casual chat. Nothing to get all hot and bothered about.
i think philippino people is like anyone else. what's important is how you behave, how you've been raised and how you take care of yourself?
for me everyone is the same, no matter where you're from... we still breath the same air, drink the same water and stand on the same ground... earth....
I know a girl that's half Filipino.
She brings in cookies a lot. She's really good at baking. So yeah. As long as Filipinos bring me cookies, they r0x0rz my s0x0rz.
Actually, I suppose that holds true for just about anybody. I like people that bring me baked goods.
For real, I'm not one to make judgements about all the people of a particular country. I'm sure there are Filipinos who are uber cool and I'm sure there are Filipinos that are total jerks.
But I'm guessing you're all wily (heh heh heh)...
| PatTheGreat42 wrote: |
I'm sure there are Filipinos that are total jerks.
|
Lol. 
, yes there are of course regardless on what country they came from. (I'm a Filipino)
