Proud To Be Filipino

Do you also proud for being Filipino?  I get this from  Filipino website.

I am a Filipino. I was born here in the Philippines. I was born with Filipino parents. I am proud to be a Filipino. Ngek! Proud to be a Filipino? Then why do I speak english in this article? Thats what I like about being a Filipino. We are learners. We try to learn the culture of our neighbors. We do this not only just to please them, but also to get to know them and we always seek to understand them and for us to be understood as well. We are a very hospitable people. We love to entertain guests specially foreigners. we love to prepare our homes so our guests will be as comfortable as possible. We love to speak english so everybody can understand us.

Another reason why I love being a Filipino is that we always have a reason to smile about. even in times of trials and disasters we are smiling. We smile not because we are unaffected or simply being silly. We smile because we have hope in our hearts that after these trials there is a better tomorrow.

Our smiles is a sign of hope. Hope from a great God that we always go to in times of trouble. Thats another reason why I love being a Filipino we all trust, believe and love God. No matter what religion we are in still the love of God lingers in every one of us. We love God so much. We are a praying nation. We are peace loving people. We are a humble race that we shy in the light of recognition.

I love being a Filipino because, Filipinos are kind at heart. always willing to help even with strangers. even in the streets you will not encounter a filipino that is rude and foul mouthed. We are a people with values. and we love to respect our elders. We love our elders so much we are willing to take care of them till they on their death bed. We don’t put them in Homes and hire caregivers, we take care of them and love them in our own homes.

I love being a Filipino because, Filipinos love their families. We work hard for our family. We enjoy with our family, we cry with our family, we celebrate with our family. Whatever we do our families are always in our top priority list. We sacrifice our own enjoyment for our family. We get our moral support, confidence, and strength from our family.

I love being a Filipino because, Filipinos are the most flexible, most resilient people in the world. We can live without electricity, without flat screen TVs, without digital cameras, without, microwave ovens, washing machines, without the internet and all the luxuries in the world. Take them all away and still a filipino can live happily and peacefully. We love luxury but we can live without them. We value more of real, face to face relatioships than just texting or e-mailing each other form afar. We love to make things through our own resources, our own time, our own effort even without the aid of technology.

And most of all, I love being a filipino because, Filipinos are good inside and out. We love to help even when dont have money. We volunteer, we participate in good causes. We have a soft spot for people who are less fortunate, for the orphan, for the abandoned, for the children, for the grandmothers. Our hearts are big for these people. We do not ignore them. We may not help physically but we help in praying for them. We love our kababayan may it be here or abroad.

I love being a Filipino.

I am proud to be a Filipino.

How about you guys????

Traditions

My mother-in-law talked about what their tradition every new year . She shared to me that when my father-in-law is already alive every new year they prepared 13 piso coins and a little amount of rice, they keep it until the another new year . She get this kind of tradition from her friend Chinese. I used this tradition before because my husband told me about this, my mother-in-law didn't know that I already knew about this. We believe on this tradition that give us a prosperous whole year.

Guys, how about you? did you have also a tradition like this?

Filipino Values

There are a lots of values my parents teach me, one of that value is being religious. We attend church every Sunday, with this value I feared god, doing something bad in others is something that god forbidden. This attitude give me a chance to be close with other people because who would want to be friends with those bad attitudes. Then another value is respectful specially with those people who are ahead of you, specially elderly. If you tried to disobey them you will have what they so called makagaba, thats why I always respect my parents ,grandparents and all people. Then another value that is common to all Filipinos if you are really a Filipino is a family oriented person, that we love our family so much that whatever place we are we still have the time to think of them and to find a way to keep in touch with them.

One of the most known value of a Filipino that is known to all foreigners is being hospitable.
Filipinos will do anything just to make their visitors comfortable. This value is well practiced during fiestas, that is one of the thing I always observe my parents doing during fiestas. Its okay if we don't have the time to eat because we are so busy but we should make sure that our visitors have already eat.

Thats why people love to come in our house specially during occasions because after they eat, they can also bring some to their houses. Well its good because people will also say something good and they will adore you for that.

There are also values that I don't know if its superstitious or not that even know I still believe in it. It is what you called karma. I'm afraid to do something bad to others because if you do it will return to you and you will suffer even more. If other people will saw you that way they love to be friends with you. My friends and I have the same value thats why we understand each other, but definitely I am friendly I always have some friends wherever I go. I always talk to someone can make friends I don't want to stay in one place and just keep quite.

This value make me unique and make me a true Filipino, even if I am going to other country I will still teach my children the values that my family give me. This will give a good example, then I will have more friends because of this values. Attitude will affect of how you are being accept in a community, a person with a good value tent to have a good relationship with other people.

I only read this story.

Filipino Christmas Traditions

The Tagalog word Pasko derives from the Spanish word Pascua. Although the word Pascua means Easter, Pascua de Navidad refers to Christmas.

The Philippines is known for having the world’s longest Christmas season. The four months that end with the syllable –ber are considered Christmas months, which is why stores and households start playing carols on the first day of September! And the holiday season extends beyond December 31st. It doesn’t end until the Feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings (Tatlong Hari) which falls around January 6.

If Mexico has piñatas, the Philippines has its parol. Of course, a parol is not something to hit with a stick. It is a Christmas lantern, most commonly in the shape of a five-pointed star. The bamboo or rattan frame is covered with rice paper, tissue or cellophane. Almost every family either builds or buys one to hang by the window or door. Shopping malls construct giant versions of parol. Traditionally, a candle was placed inside for light to shine through; for safety reasons, people now use bulbs or even a flashlight. Families, schools and other places also display a creche or nativity scene called belen. Christmas trees made of plastic are decorated with lights, tinsel and balls.

The Tagalog word for gift is regalo, but Filipinos have a special word for "Christmas gift" pamasko. The Filipino version of Secret Santa is called Monito Monita or Kris Kringle. Students in their classes and office workers all hold gift exchanges during the Christmas season. Children receive fresh bills of money called aginaldo, usually when they visit their godparents and elderly relatives on Christmas morning.

Mostly Catholics, Filipinos begin a novena (a series of nine masses) on December 16th. The masses are part of the cherished religious tradition of Simbang Gabi, which literally mean “Night Worship.” Filipinos go to church at four o’clock in the morning and afterward have breakfast together. A traditional drink during this season is a warm ginger tea called salabat and a traditional treat is a flat but thick yellow rice cake called bibingka.

On Christmas Eve (Bisperas ng Pasko), a few Filipino towns commemorate Joseph and Mary’s search for a place to stay with a reenactment called panunuluyan, a tradition very similar to the Mexican posadas. What every Filipino looks forward to is Noche Buena, the grand family dinner after the midnight mass. Christmas morning is the time for visiting relatives. Filipinos wear new if not their best clothes. Children do mano, which is kissing or bringing to their forehead the hand of an elderly person. This is when they receive their pamasko, certainly aguinaldo from godfathers and godmothers. Christmas lunch and Christmas dinner are with family.

Barong Tagalog

Barong Tagalog is an upper garment and known as the formal men's wear of the Philippines. It is the tradition dress of a Filipino men's.

The Barong Tagalog has a long tradition of more than four centuries. The look as well as the meaning of the dress have evolved throughout four centuries. The special traditional features remained untouched; the dress is thin and transparent (with a shirt under it), has decoration and one will wear the barong tagalog 'tucked out'. The term "barong Tagalog" literally means "a dress that is Tagalog", or "a Tagalog dress" (i.e., "baro na Tagalog", with "barong" being a contraction of "baro na") in the Filipino language

Hospitality

A stranger passing Filipinos who are eating will automatically be invited to "come and eat." It's polite to say you've already eaten. If people insist, or if there's an abundance of food such as at a wedding or fiesta, then by all means participate. Don't accept the first invitation. It's better to point out how inconvenient it would be for the host, or to make a polite excuse, then wait to see if you're pressed further. It's the Filipino way, enabling the visitor to gauge whether an invitation is genuine or not.

Travelers should always take into account the reverence Filipinos have for food. Regular mealtimes are strictly observed. When visiting a home, you'll be offered food and drink. It's polite to wait to be urged to sit at the table or begin eating. If you don't like the food, eat a little and make an excuse rather than reject it outright. Guests leave a little food on the plate to indicate they're satisfied.

Eating Habits & Hospitality

Filipinos love to eat, and since they're naturally hospitable and gregarious, food is the basis of their social life. Because the feeling of fulfillment after eating rice, their staple ingredient, is relatively short-lived, they eat three meals a day and two snacks in between. Filipinos, especially country folk, rise early. Some will eat a segundo almuerzo (second breakfast) around 10:30, plus a merienda, or mid-afternoon snack. Rural folk eat their main meal at midday, while city dwellers emphasize the evening meal. The diet of poor families is usually rice, fish, vegetables, interspersed with starchy snacks. At fiesta time, all families try to eat meat.

Since few provincial households own a refrigerator, ingredients are customarily either fresh or salted. Housewives go to the market daily to buy their immediate requirements. Leftovers rarely remain after a meal. Extra food is eaten by servants, helpers, and hangers-on, and scraps go to the dog or pig. Food isn't served in courses; people like the complete meal laid out before them so that they can eat simultaneously from all dishes—soup, meat, and vegetables—at random. Cooks provide condiments, flavorings, and dipping sauces to be used at the diner's discretion. Food is eaten with a fork in one hand and a spoon in the other, knives are seldom used. Rural Filipinos prefer to use their hands. Some upscale native restaurants in Manila serve food this way (kamayan-style).

Teaching the word "po" and "opo"

This is the most treasure Filipino values that we have. Teaching to our kids to say "po" and "opo".
Most of kids growing here in Philippines are forgotten to say that word.” po” and “ opo” and that make me sad. As a Filipino we are known as very polite person especially in how we treating the elders. As a mother we are responsible to teaching our kids the good values so that they will grow up in a good way. I am aware in our generation right now some of us they never even call their older brother as "Kuya" or older sister as "Ate", they called by their first name and this is not good to hear that one of Filipino values is fading. I think they are trying to adopt what the culture where they grew up. Mostly some of our “ Kababayan” when they back here in the Philippines they will change their attitude likes the way they speak, dress and even their attitude. I believe that even you are speaking english but it doesn't mean that you have to stop how to treat a person as a Filipino . You are the mother you need to guide your child to be a good person not only in you but also to all people that she/he encounter in their life.