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| Flag of the Philippines |
The Land of Rising Sun
Welcome to our guide to the Philippines. This
is useful for anyone researching Filipino culture, customs, manners, etiquette,
values and wanting to understand the people better. You may be going to the
Philippines on business, for a visit or even hosting Filipino colleagues or
clients in your own country. Remember this is only a very basic level
introduction and is not meant to stereotype all Filipinos you may meet!
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| Coat of arms of the Philippines |
Government
Republic.
National
People:
Filipino
Current President: Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III
(2010)
Land area: 115,124 sq mi (298,171 sq km); total
area: 115,830 sq mi (300,000 sq km)
Population (2014
est.): 107,668,231
(growth rate: 1.81%); birth rate: 24.24/1000; infant mortality rate:
17.64/1000; life expectancy: 72.48
Capital and the largest city: Manila, 11.862 million
Other large
cities: Davao 1.565
million; Cebu City 855,000; Zamboanga 884,000 (2011)
Monetary unit: Peso
National name: Republika ng Pilipinas
Languages: Filipino (based on Tagalog), English (both
official); eight major dialects: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or
Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense
Ethnicity race: Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%,
Ilocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray
3.4%, other 25.3% (2000)
Religions: Roman Catholic 80.9%, Evangelical 2.8%,
Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 5%, Islam 5% (2000)
Literacy rate: 95.4% (2008 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $454.3
billion; per capita $4,700. Real growth rate: 6.8%. Inflation: 2.8%.
Unemployment: 7.4%. Arable land: 18%. Agriculture: sugarcane,
coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef;
fish. Labor force: 41.33 million; agriculture 32%, industry 15%,
services 53% (2013 est.). Industries: electronics assembly, garments,
footwear, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum
refining, fishing. Natural resources: timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt,
silver, gold, salt, copper. Exports: $47.45 billion (2013 est.):
semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper
products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits. Imports: $63.91
billion (2013 est.): electronic products, mineral fuels, machinery and
transport equipment, iron and steel, textile fabrics, grains, chemicals,
plastic. Major trading partners: Japan, U.S., Hong Kong, China,
Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand (2012).
Communications:
Telephones:
main lines in use: 3.939 million (2012); mobile cellular: 103 million (2012). Broadcast
media:multiple national private TV and radio networks; multi-channel
satellite and cable TV systems available; five national or major TV networks;
one government-owned network; 1100 cable TV providers and a government-operated
national TV and radio network; about 300 analog television stations; more than
1,000 radio stations; the Philippines is scheduled to complete the switch from
analog to digital broadcasting by the end of 2015 (2012). Internet Service
Providers (ISPs): 425,812 (2012). Internet users: 8.278 million
(2009).
Transportation:
Railways: total: 995 km
(2010). Highways: total: 213,151 km; paved: 54,481 km; unpaved: 158,670
km (2009). Waterways: 3,219 km; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5
m) vessels (2011). Ports and harbors:Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu,
Davao, Liman, Manila. Airports:247 (2013).
International
disputes: Philippines claims
sovereignty over Scarborough Reef (also claimed by China together with Taiwan)
and over certain of the Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan
(Freedom) Islands, also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the
2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"
has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding
"code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in March
2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed
a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands;
Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern
Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government
power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf; maritime
delimitation negotiations continue with Palau.
Geography
The Philippine islands are an
archipelago of over 7,000 islands lying about 500 mi (805 km) off the southeast
coast of Asia. The overall land area is comparable to that of Arizona. Only
about 7% of the islands are larger than one square mile, and only one-third
have names. The largest are Luzon in the north (40,420 sq mi; 104,687 sq km),
Mindanao in the south (36,537 sq mi; 94,631 sq km), and Visayas (23,582 sq mi;
61,077 sq km). The islands are of volcanic origin, with the larger ones crossed
by mountain ranges. The highest peak is Mount Apo (9,690 ft; 2,954 m) on
Mindanao.
History
The Philippines' aboriginal
inhabitants arrived from the Asian mainland around 25,000 BC
They were followed by waves of Indonesian and Malayan settlers from 3000 BC onward. By the 14th century AD ,
extensive trade was being conducted with India, Indonesia, China, and Japan.
Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese
navigator in the service of Spain, explored the Philippines in 1521. Twenty-one
years later, a Spanish exploration party named the group of islands in honor of
Prince Philip, who was later to become Philip II of Spain. Spain retained
possession of the islands for the next 350 years.
The Philippines were ceded to the
U.S. in 1899 by the Treaty of Paris after the Spanish-American War. Meanwhile,
the Filipinos, led by Emilio Aguinaldo, had declared their independence. They initiated
guerrilla warfare against U.S. troops that persisted until Aguinaldo's capture
in 1901. By 1902, peace was established except among the Islamic Moros on the
southern island of Mindanao.
The first U.S. civilian
governor-general was William Howard Taft (1901–1904). The Jones Law (1916)
established a Philippine legislature composed of an elective Senate and House
of Representatives. The Tydings-McDuffie Act (1934) provided for a transitional
period until 1946, at which time the Philippines would become completely
independent. Under a constitution approved by the people of the Philippines in
1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines came into being with Manuel Quezon y
Molina as president.
On Dec. 8, 1941, the islands were
invaded by Japanese troops. Following the fall of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's
forces at Bataan and Corregidor, Quezon instituted a government-in-exile that
he headed until his death in 1944. He was succeeded by Vice President Sergio
Osmeña. U.S. forces under MacArthur reinvaded the Philippines in Oct. 1944 and,
after the liberation of Manila in Feb. 1945, Osmeña reestablished the
government.
An Independent Nation
The Philippines achieved full
independence on July 4, 1946. Manuel A. Roxas y Acuña was elected its first
president, succeeded by Elpidio Quirino (1948–1953), Ramón Magsaysay
(1953–1957), Carlos P. García (1957–1961), Diosdado Macapagal (1961–1965), and
Ferdinand E. Marcos (1965–1986).
Under Marcos, civil unrest broke
out in opposition to the leader's despotic rule. Martial law was declared on
Sept. 21, 1972, and Marcos proclaimed a new constitution that ensured his role
as president. Martial law was officially lifted on Jan. 17, 1981, but Marcos
and his wife, Imelda, retained broad powers.
In an attempt to resecure American
support, Marcos set presidential elections for Feb. 7, 1986. With the support
of the Catholic Church, Corazon Aquino declared her candidacy. Marcos was
declared the official winner, but independent observers reported widespread
election fraud and vote rigging. Anti-Marcos protests exploded in Manila,
Defense Minister Juan Enrile and Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos defected to the
opposition, and Marcos lost virtually all support; he was forced to flee and
entered the U.S. on Feb. 25, 1986.
Etiquette
and Customs
Meeting
Etiquette
- Initial greetings are formal and follow a set protocol of
greeting the eldest or most important person first.
- A handshake, with a welcoming smile, is the standard
greeting.
- Mano or Pagmamano is a
gesture used in Filipino culture performed as a sign of respect to older
up to the fourth degree as a way of accepting a blessing from the elder.
Similar to hand-kissing, the person giving the greeting bows towards the
offered hand of the elder and presses his or her forehead on the elder's
hand. Usually performed with the right hand, the person showing respect
may ask “Mano po” to the elder
in order to ask permission to initiate the gesture.
- Though the “mano po”
gesture is still widely used at present in the Philippines, many Filipinos
have also replaced this gesture with the “beso.” The “beso-beso”
which originated from the Spanish word for “kiss,” is a common greeting in
the Philippines similar to the “mano.” The “beso-beso” is a cheek-to-cheek kiss usually made once on the
right cheek. The “beso” is more
commonly used amongst the upper classes as a greeting to relatives and
close friends, but is not reserved for an older person unlike the “mano.”
- Use academic, professional, or honorific titles and the
person's surname until you are invited to use their first name, or even
more frequently, their nickname.
Gestures
·
Similar to the “mano po” gesture, “po”
and “opo” are also distinctly
Filipino ways of showing respect to one’s elders. The “po” is usually affixed to the end of sentences or phrases when one
is addressing someone older than him or her. For example, “paumanhin” in Filipino means sorry. To an elder, one would say “paumanhin po,” The word “po” alone does not really have its own
meaning but adds formality and is used as a sign of respect. This is why it is
affixed to “mano” and thus is said as
“mano po” when one is requesting for
the blessing of an elder.
Gift Giving
Etiquette
- If you are invited to a Filipino home for dinner bring sweets
or flowers to the hosts.
- If you give flowers, avoid chrysanthemums and white lilies.
- You may send a fruit basket after the event as a thank you
but not before or at the event, as it could be interpreted as meaning you
do not think that the host will provide sufficient hospitality.
- Wrap gifts elegantly as presentation is important. There are
no colour restrictions as to wrapping paper.
- Gifts are not opened when received.
Dining
Etiquette
If you are invited to a Filipino's
house:
- It is best to arrive 15 to 30 minutes later than invited for
a large party.
- Never refer to your host's wife as the hostess. This has a
different meaning in the Philippines.
- Dress well. Appearances matter and you will be judged on how
you dress.
- Compliment the hostess on the house.
- Send a handwritten thank you note to the hosts in the week
following the dinner or party. It shows you have class.
Table
manners
- Wait to be asked several times before moving into the dining
room or helping yourself to food.
- Wait to be told where to sit. There may be a seating plan.
- Do not start eating until the host invites you to do so.
- Meals are often served family- style or are buffets where you
serve yourself.
- A fork and spoon are the typical eating utensils.
- Hold the fork in the left hand and use it to guide food to
the spoon in your right hand.
- Whether you should leave some food on your plate or finish
everything is a matter of personal preference rather than culture-driven.
Business Etiquette & Protocol
Relationships
& Communication
- Filipinos thrive on interpersonal relationships, so it is
advisable to be introduced by a third party.
- It is crucial to network and build up a cadre of business
associates you can call upon for assistance in the future.
- Business relationships are personal relationships, which mean
you may be asked to do favours for colleagues, and they will fully expect
you to ask them for favours in return.
- Once a relationship has been developed it is with you
personally, not necessarily with the company you represent.
- Therefore, if you leave the company, your replacement will
need to build their own relationship.
- Presenting the proper image will facilitate building business
relationships. Dress conservatively and well at all times.
Business
Meeting Etiquette
- Appointments are required and should be made 3 to 4 weeks in
advance.
- It is a good idea to reconfirm a few days prior to the
meeting, as situations may change.
- Avoid scheduling meetings the week before Easter.
- Punctuality is expected. For the most part your Filipino
colleagues will be punctual as well.
- Face-to-face meetings are preferred to other, more impersonal
methods such as the telephone, fax, letter or email.
- Send an agenda and informational materials in advance of the
meeting so your colleagues may prepare for the discussion.
- The actual decision maker may not be at the meeting.
- Avoid making exaggerated claims.
- Always accept any offer of food or drink. If you turn down
offers of hospitality, your colleagues lose face.
- It is important to remain for the period of social
conversation at the end of the meeting.
Business
Negotiation
- You may never actually meet with the decision maker or it may
take several visits to do so.
- Decisions are made at the top of the company.
- Filipinos avoid confrontation if at all possible. It is
difficult for them to say 'no'. Likewise, their 'yes' may merely mean
'perhaps'.
- At each stage of the negotiation, try to get agreements in
writing to avoid confusion or misinterpretation.
- If you raise your voice or lose your temper, you lose face.
- Filipinos do business with people more than companies. If you
change representatives during negotiations, you may have to start over. .
Negotiations may be relatively slow. Most processes take a long time
because group consensus is necessary.
- Decisions are often reached on the basis of feelings rather
than facts, which is why it is imperative to develop a broad network of
personal relationships.
- Do not remove your suit jacket unless the most important
Filipino does.
Dress
Etiquette
- Business attire is conservative.
- Men should wear a dark coloured, conservative business suit, at
least for the initial meeting.
- Women should wear a conservative suit, a skirt and blouse, or
a dress.
- Women's clothing may be brightly coloured as long as it is of
good quality and well tailored.
- Appearances matter and visitors should dress well.
Business
Cards
- You should offer your business card first.
- Make sure your business card includes your title.
- Present and receive business cards with two hands so that it
is readable to the recipient.
- Examine the card briefly before putting it in your business
card case.
- Some senior level executives only give business cards to
those of similar rank.
Sources
