Philippines Vacation Guide • Part 3 of 10
Filipino Culture Guide: What Western Men Need to Know
Navigate Filipino family values, hospitality culture, communication styles, and social customs with confidence.
Filipino Culture: What Makes It Unique
Understanding Filipino culture is essential before visiting the Philippines. Filipinos are family orientated, usually religious, non-confrontational, friendly, hospitable and usually very polite. Most speak fairly good English, unlike the majority of people in nearby Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia.
The friendliness shock
It is a great shock to leave the West where generally strangers do not talk to each other and even many people do not talk to their neighbors, then come to a country like the Philippines where most people are smiling, very open, communicative, friendly and can speak your language.
Genuine curiosity and interest
Filipinos are curious and interested in you. This is because they are not as distracted by material possessions as so many in the West. They get their joy more from people interaction and because you come from another country.
Celebrations and family connections
They make a big thing out of birthdays, anniversaries, and regularly celebrate someone, something, or anything for a good time with family connections. There are also many cultural festivals in the Philippine provinces, which are important to them.
You will feel like an alien
Over 98% of the people are Filipino, and you do not see a lot of non-Filipinos or “foreigners” as they call us. In the West, nearly half the population comes from other countries with many nationalities.
Sometimes you feel like you are an alien in the Philippines. “Hey Joe” is something many Filipinos yell out to guys from the West, a term from war times when there were G.I. Joes (U.S. soldiers) in the Philippines.
Apply the Golden Rule
Most Filipinos are very friendly as long as you treat them respectfully and be polite. Like anyone, if you mistreat or look down on them, they can get very offended, which can lead to negative repercussions.
Show love while you are there, and it will be returned to you in spades.
Connect with locals before arrival
Understanding Filipino culture is one thing, experiencing it with a local guide is another. Meet Filipinas on FilipinaMeet who can introduce you to authentic Filipino family life and customs.