After living in the Philippines my whole life, I’ve had the opportunity to live in the USA for almost a year. They say America has everything and that there would be nothing to miss from the Philippines but I beg to differ. While the US is a great place to live in, apart from missing my loved ones back in the Philippines, it is also usually the small mundane things from my country that I find myself missing. Now that I’m moving back to the US after more than a year since I came back, there are a few things I’m not taking for granted again.   

Tropical Fruits

While California, Florida, and Hawaii definitely have these, anyone who’s lived in the US and PH would know they’re just not the same. Two major examples would be bananas and mangoes. The US has Cavendish and Indian Mangoes. While these fruits aren’t particularly terrible, if you’ve eaten PH bananas (especially lakatan among the 10+ varieties we have) and carabao mangoes from Guimaras (this especially!) or Cebu, what America has to offer are pale in comparison. While I always got the opportunity to eat other fruits not present in the PH, I definitely missed Philippine bananas and mangoes. 

Cheaper Cost of Living

When Filipinos go to the US, their mindset is always to automatically multiply the price by 50 since this is more or less the peso to the dollar exchange rate. One of the greatest culture shocks I got in the US was how people there saw USD 20 almost as loose change. Its PH equivalent is PHP 1000, a big amount that can buy a week’s groceries for a single person. No wonder, OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) and foreigners would live like royalty whenever they are in the Philippines! However, this is not a valid reason to leech off their money! Another small but notable example is how a Jollibee Chickenjoy is US$6.00 in the US, while in the Philippines, it only costs about US$2.00! Although Jollibee Chickenjoy fried chicken is considered to be one of the bests in America, I’d argue the Philippine blend is a lot better (trust me, they’re not the same).

Beaches

In foreign media, we see a lot of beaches like Lummus Beach in Baywatch and Miami Vice and in the US, people visit or move to California to live closer to the beach. As a Filipino, the beaches were not up to my standards (Sorry!) Not especially after I grew up seeing the likes of Boracay and other virgin beaches out in Cebu where the waters are clear and blue and the sand feels like sugar. While I’m not a beach person, I definitely came to appreciate them more when I came back to the Philippines. I even dedicated a whole month to go tour the different Philippine beaches!  

Culture

There’s a charm to Filipino culture that I’ll definitely miss. While the Filipino community is the second largest Asian community in California, it’s just not the same. The simple Filipino humor, authentic foods, and laidback way of life are some things that cannot be brought abroad. I know that as I move on to the next step of my life I won’t forget where I came from.

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While Filipinos are known for their friendliness and warm hospitality, there’s a dark side to Filipino culture that not a lot of people know about.

When crabs are placed in a pit and when one of them tries to climb out, the others try to drag it down. This is where this term comes from and sadly, it is seen in many Filipinos. When they see a former equal trying to succeed and do better in life, they degrade that person saying they’re too ambitious and selfish. They downplay achievements and even backbite the person. This mindset means “if I cannot succeed, others should not”. However, once the person actually does make it far in life, that leads us to our second toxic trait.

This is especially seen between parents and their eldest children when a relative is doing well financially or is working abroad. They start asking for money and the most popular for OFWs is chocolates (There’s even a song about this!). It goes to an extent where they simply rely on the wealthier person to cover all expenses like tuition fees for their younger siblings, bills, and even funds for shopping. They say that when you marry a Filipino, you marry their entire family as well, and this is true for many Filipinos to some degree. The most toxic part comes when the more well-off person refuses to give money to their relatives and they are hated for being selfish and rude when really, they are not obligated to give.

Filipinos are labeled to be one of the happiest people in the world because they are resilient and can be content with simple pleasures. Filipinos tend not to save for the rainy days and easily spend the money they earned on luxuries (sometimes before necessities) like there’s no tomorrow. When the time has come to pay for bills, they pay with money they do not have; usually through utang (debt). Since availing of credit cards is a privilege in the Philippines, common folks often resort to borrowing from relatives, friends, and neighbors thus, loaning with interest is a common business in the country. Some even scam others to fund their extravagant lifestyles in order to show off their wealth and enjoy the finer things in life. While it is not wrong to enjoy, it is also important to save for the rainy days.

Filipinos pride themselves in respecting their elders as they use honorifics and even have the mano po gesture. However, this establishes the mindset that the older you are, the more experienced and correct you are. This happens a lot to children who cannot defend themselves when they’re scolded or insulted. This is sadly also seen in workplaces where older, senior employees’ ideas and demands are more prioritized than newbies. Age is not always a measure of respect and while it is a reason to give up your seat for an old lady, it should not allow older people the superiority to just say whatever they want that may degrade their younger listeners. Respect is something we can give to anyone regardless of age.

This trait is the most popular one, also known as being late. While this is often something we laugh about, it is something that we all need to work out seriously. If we consider that time is precious and then we need to learn to honor everyone’s time also.

While no culture is perfect, there is always room for improvement. The Philippines is a developing nation with so much to offer and with an improved attitude and mindset which usually defines our culture, we can go far as a nation.

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Filipinos take their TV dramas very seriously. Unlike in other countries that release new episodes every week, Filipino primetime series run at the same time every weeknight because Filipinos can’t get enough. How long a series can run normally depends on audience approval. If a series is reported to run for a year or more, it usually means that it is loved by an audience. Solid examples are usually teleseryes starring Coco Martin (a crowd favorite) such as Ang Probinsyano (The Provincial Man) and Walang Hanggan (No End). Seeing different teleseryes come and go. It’s not hard to point out that there are a lot of tropes that are reused but with a different backstory and yet, Filipinos take it all in like it’s the first time they’ve ever seen it. Here are some elements you can expect from a Filipino Drama:

Rich vs. Poor Forbidden Romance

The beginning of every series usually showcases two contrasting protagonists in the story, a rich one and a poor one, in either order. Or at least a flashback of how either of the main characters’ childhoods made them into what they are today.

The rich one always appears to have it all on the surface but is later shown to have problems in their marriage or family or they feel like something’s missing. While the poor one always has a simple but happy life until they are suddenly struck with a major financial problem. 

And somehow, something in the plot allows their paths to cross and they suddenly fall in love, much to the disdain of the rich one’s strict parents. So, you can expect they either threaten, kill or bribe (but to no avail) the poor one and they go their separate ways (at least for the meantime). More often than not, the girl is usually secretly pregnant at this point and the baby gets separated from her.

Wife vs. Mistress/Third Party

Although the Philippines is a religious country, this type of series is one that gets everyone hooked. Everything from the discovery, the fights, and the scandals get the entire audience very hyped up as if it’s the first time they’ve seen anything like it on screen. 

While the erotic scenes in the Philippines are very mild due to the conservativeness of the country, these scenes on a Filipino show can get everyone hot and bothered more than in a foreign film. They even make dramas where the wife’s and mistress’s children start their own issues.

If asked why Filipinos enjoy this type of drama so much, it all boils down to a saying: “Masarap ang bawal” which literally means “Taboo is tasty.” Sounds crazy but this type of show keeps cult followings for MONTHS. 

Jealous Siblings/Friends/Rivals 

Jealousy is normal but jealous teleserye characters are next-level crazy. These characters are often wealthy but insecure and are hellbent on getting what they want. They will get hair strands from the main character’s hairbrush to do a paternity test that may disinherit them or may alter DNA tests, steal their love interest, kidnap them or their baby for ransom, and even plot murder to simply kill them by poisoning them, hiring a hitman or doing it themselves.

Scenes like these are very intense and are often placed on the Friday episode to keep the audience hanging over the weekend. Cue in the slow-motion and the crying and screaming.

Family Prevails

Amidst all the crazy plot twists and drama all the characters have to endure, they still make time to bond with their family. Even to the point where their family is unfortunately dragged into the threats, scandals, and drama that happens. 

Close family ties are very valuable to Filipino culture so this is often showcased on the side of the poor protagonist, proving that despite not having much, family is really all you’ll need at the end of the day. 

While “teleseryes” (tv series) are addicting and have occasional new elements added to them, many have said that they lack the capacity to be considered world-class. Some say it’s the lack of budget, others say it’s because the target audience is the masses who only need a simple plot to digest. Nevertheless, these “teleseryes” bring entertainment and stress relief to the average Filipino joe at the end of a long work day. However, it would be nice to showcase Filipino entertainment on a global scale someday in the future.

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The Filipino community is always a lively one filled with interesting characters. While not every Filipino you’ll meet fits into a stereotype, there are some you really can’t miss and must know about if you plan to meet a Filipino community and/or live in the Philippines.

The Marites

A Marites is a stereotype name for an older Filipino woman who is the source of all the neighborhood gossip. She is what Filipinos would call, “chismosa” or a gossiper. She is that Tita (auntie) who sees all and hears all. 

In a barangay, there are usually more than one Marites and they usually gather in front of one of their gates or in front of a sari-sari (convenient) store to do their meetings. They meet not only to exchange information they get from looking out their window but to also insert their judgmental comments on the topic at hand. While they can be toxic, they are normally harmless if they do not have scandalous information about you.

The Tiburcio

This is your typical Filipino drunken Tito (uncle). Usually married to a Marites, he also has fellow Tiburcio friends in the neighborhood.

He is usually found drinking some Red Horse with his friends in the middle of the barangay. If not seated with his friends at a table, you can find him at a local karaoke bar singing to his heart’s content. Some of their favorite song choices include: “My Way” by Frank Sinatra and “Touch by Touch” by Joy. In fact, he will even carry his drunken karaoke skills to family gatherings. Despite his quirks, he is usually nice at heart; but that doesn’t spare him from commenting on your weight and love life.

The Jejemons

These are best described as the budget hypebeasts of the Philippines. They usually dress up in loud fake designer clothes, have their own music (Look up “Budots”), and have their own language (Jejenese) which is usually seen in the way they text. 

They can even come off cocky or overconfident when hitting on people they find attractive, usually in the form of catcalling those who enter sari-sari stores. While this can scare or annoy some people, they are often harmless and it is best to ignore them and their advances.

The Conyos

Also known as “rich kids” they are often characterized by their expensive lifestyles and English mixed with their local Filipino dialect. Only found in metropolitans, you can often find them in groups in upscale areas either drinking boba tea or Starbucks. They initially come off as superficial and pretentious although not many of them are like that.    

They are intimidating to the average Filipino joe but are usually very sheltered and harmless. Behind the money, they’re just like everyone else.

The OFW

Short for Overseas Filipino Workers, these are Filipinos that work abroad to make a living for their families. You can often spot them on Facebook wearing thick coats in their profile pictures and often commenting “Regards to your family” on their friends’ pictures. After being away from the Philippines for so long, they exude an air of superiority. They tend to wear designer clothes, always compare how things are in the Philippines to the country they work in, and say how everything in the Philippines is so much cheaper. 

Despite seeming unpatriotic, they’ll never fail to say that they are proud to be Pinoy or to acknowledge fellow Filipinos as kababayans (fellow countrymen).

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After six long years, the time has finally come again to elect a new set of leaders for the country. While local leaders like mayors and barangay (think neighborhood level) captains are elected every 3 years, the focus here is the selection of national scale officials: the senate, vice-president and most importantly, the president.

This year’s presidential candidates are an interesting bunch. We have Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., son of the former dictator, Ma. Leonora “Leni” Robredo, current vice president and widow of politician Jesse Robredo, Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, world boxing legend and current senator, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, current senator and former Philippine National Police chief, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, current mayor of Manila and former actor and Leody “Ka-Leody” de Guzman, a socialist labor rights activist.

Notable people running for vice president and senator are Sara Duterte, the current president’s daughter and mayor of Davao City, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, current senator and husband of celebrity Sharon Cuneta, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, current president of the senate and grandson of the late Vicente Sotto I, Dr. Willie Ong, controversial physician, Jose “Lito” Atienza, former Manila mayor and father of TV personality Kuya Kim; for senator are TV personalities Robin Padilla and Raffy Tulfo, some overqualified underdogs like De Lasalle University Law School dean Jose “Chel” Diokno and Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat and, some others with cases of graft, corruption, and plunder.

From an insider perspective, Philippine politics has been treated like a butt of jokes over the years. It is an open secret that the Philippine government is notorious for its corruption despite being a democratic state, mistakes of voting for the wrong candidates are always repeated. This is usually blamed on misinformation, vote buying, and lack of knowledge among the youth and lower economic strata.

Another thing about election season in the Philippines is that it’s the time for online debates and losing friendships. People defend their candidates and attack the candidates of others. While this sounds very petty, it is a very toxic part of Philippine elections. Many people refuse to be corrected for sharing fake information and even start attacking others on personal matters instead of the matter at hand. While social media plays a big role during the campaign period, many Filipinos who live in rural areas cannot access these means and choose candidates they are familiar with, even for no good reasons.

Come May 9, the election day. In the Philippines, our elections are not online so many people go to their assigned precincts and vote there. Some issues on the day include broken ballot counting machines, which make the validity questionable. After this, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) live results showed constant upward trends, raising suspicions of rigging among concerned citizens. The results showed Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. as president, Sara Duterte as vice president, and Robin Padilla as the most voted senator. All sides have their own take on interpreting the results and if there are suspicions of rigging. The outlook of the Philippines is bleak but all we can do now is hope that the best is yet to come.

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In the international arena, one of the first things that come to mind at the mention of Filipinos is nurses or caregivers. With its origins dating back to the early 1900s when Filipinos served as nurses to American troops, it’s somewhat become the Filipino parents’ dream for their children. While it is a prestigious and hard-earned position, it is also a ticket for Filipinos to work abroad and earn good money. Filipino nurses are definitely known for being hardworking and caring but overall, many Filipinos are active in the healthcare scene. This includes clinical laboratory scientists or medical technologists, physical and occupational therapists, and doctors. Dominating the healthcare field creates some traditions and superstitions unique to Filipino health workers.

Toxic and Benign

These are terms you will hear a lot behind the scenes as a healthcare worker. Basically, a “toxic” person is someone whose presence makes the whole shift unusually busy. These people are not exactly lazy nor despised by their coworkers. For crazy unknown reasons unexplainable by science, their attendance and uncanny timing attract an influx of patients and multiple workloads within the span of a shift. The opposite is “benign” wherein their presence wards off the amounts of work to be done.
While timing and coincidences of the person’s shift play a role, there are truly people who fit into these categories. Ask any Filipino healthcare professional about it and you’ll be surprised that these types of people actually exist.

Noodles and Ice Cream

They say we are what we eat. As crazy as it sounds, the power of food can influence the trend of the shift. The meal that must be avoided at all costs during a shift is noodles. They say noodles will prolong the shift and make it busier. While you may have packed it for lunch because it was part of a birthday party leftover, you’re best eating it in hiding to protect yourself from your coworkers. The good news is that it can be reversed – through ice cream! Ice cream is believed to lessen the workload in a shift and bring about more benign duties. While there is no reason behind this (perhaps it freezes the influx of work?), who doesn’t want to enjoy some ice cream during a long day of work?

Underpaid, Overworked

Healthcare is an important aspect of our daily lives no matter what our background is. Despite these careers being classified as essential ones, their pay is often too little, not justifying the hard-earned degree, extensive work hours, and hazards that health workers face. The Philippines has been accused of having a “brain drain” wherein many of its best professionals often leave the country in search of greener pastures. While many blame the lack of nationalism and patriotism, it is actually the lack of compensation and unfair treatment that drives them to leave everything behind. The Philippines has probably one of the best healthcare training in the world (many foreign-born Filipinos earn their medical degree for a cheaper price and good training) but it all goes to waste if the government does not implement laws to ensure better pay for these professionals.

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In 2021, almost all national beauty pageant winners and crowd favorites were from Cebu. Despite the sudden surge in popularity, Cebuanos are no strangers to the world. In fact, Lapulapu, the first Filipino ever mentioned in historical records, was Cebuano. Hailing from the small island of Cebu, Cebuanos have distinct mannerisms that set them apart from other ethnic groups in the Philippines. (Disclaimer: this is from a local’s point of view and it varies to a certain degree for different people.)

They like shortcuts and sound angry

Believe it or not, Bisaya is the most spoken dialect in the Philippines, and in Cebu, the variant of this dialect is Cebuano. Aside from a few variants on some words, a distinct characteristic of Cebuano Bisaya is that Cebuanos love to create shortcuts. An example would be the word “kalayo” which means fire. Other Bisaya speakers would say “kalayo” but a Cebuano would say “kayo”. They also like using contractions. If a Cebuano were to say, “Palit ko og bugas” (I will buy rice), they’d rather say “Palit ko’g bugas”. 

Like other Bisaya speakers, Cebuano speakers usually have a harsh accent and manner of speaking. Most Cebuanos can get really intense especially when they get excited, want to prove a point or when they’re actually angry. As a Cebuana myself, I personally think insults in the vernacular hit harder than when they’re said in English. In fact, for speakers of other dialects like Tagalogs and Ilonggos, Cebuanos sound like they’re fighting all the time. After all, those two ethnic dialects mentioned earlier are known for their sweet, gentle tone. 

They love the hype of new establishments

Cebuanos are always updated with the opening of new malls, restaurants, and other events. In a small area like Cebu, word spreads like wildfire (especially with gossip!) and usually, everyone will eventually know. Therefore on day one of ANY opening, you can always count on Cebuanos to flood the area. New malls will be filled with people and there’s a 99.99% chance you’ll see someone you know. New restaurants will have long lines that end at the other side of the building. This trait probably shows the Cebuanos’ curiosity and adventurousness in wanting to try new things.

This Cebuano behavior usually brings large profits to new businesses in the first few months. So how will your business fare in the later months? That brings us to our next point.

They are practical people

Eventually, the hype for what’s new starts to die down as the new becomes old. Cebuanos will then discern the practicality of going to a certain establishment. Like if a certain mall or supermarket is too far with nothing too special, they will rarely visit it. Or if a restaurant is too overpriced but with mediocre food, they stop going there altogether. That’s why in Cebu, the test of time is the best way to see which restaurants or businesses are thriving. Cebuanos tend to patronize reasonably priced restaurants with hearty food that they believe is worth the spend.

A Cebuano insider tip is that the best restaurants with value for your money are usually the older ones with lots of people on the waiting list. It’ll be a stretch of patience but it’ll be worth your while.

They are patient and reasonable people

Back when Typhoon Odette struck Cebu in December 2021, many were affected. However, many Cebuanos still went out of their way to help the less fortunate despite the lack of water, electricity, and decent signal. One thing I noted about Cebuanos is that we complain quietly. Years ago, when a typhoon struck NCR, they were quick to call, “Nasaan ang pangulo?” (Where is the president?); in Cebu, we took matters into our own hands, helped others, and showed appreciation to the linemen who were trying to get the power back. One thing this experience taught me is that although our accents are harsh, Cebuanos are considerate, appreciative, and reasonable. 

They’re half urban half rural

When people talk about Cebu, they may have completely different ideas in mind. For some it might be the progressive city life, for some, it might be the beach and marine life or for others, it might be the cool fresh mountain air. However, they’re all correct because Cebu really has all those. Sure, a one or two-hour drive away may be far away to get groceries on a daily basis but if it’s a getaway to go to the beach or the mountains, it’s safe to say that it’s pretty close by. For special occasions or breaks, a staple of beaching is in Mactan where many world-class resorts await and a staple of “bukid” (mountain in Bisaya) is in Busay where the cool air and cold drinks are. However, Cebu has many more places to offer like Moalboal, Oslob, and more but these are a lot farther (4-6 hour drive) and these places are better enjoyed with prior planning than as a spontaneous trip. 

Although for a quick trip to watch the latest movies or to just hang out, there are malls like Ayala (Center Cebu or Central Bloc), SM (City or Seaside), and Robinsons (Fuente or Galleria). For a really tiny city, Cebu has a lot of world-class malls to choose from for a quick stroll. 

Overall, Cebuanos are just like other Filipinos – they are happy, resilient, and resourceful to name a few. Since the Philippines is an archipelago, the distance between ethnic groups creates unique cultures within themselves and that’s what makes Filipinos so interesting. They possess their own distinct identities and yet they carry the same Pinoy pride.

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The Philippines and China have been long-time trading allies with recorded interactions dating to the precolonial era. Because of this, many Filipino customs are Chinese in origin – one notable example being lumpia. Many Chinese immigrated to the Philippines in hopes of more opportunities, some earlier than others. Now the richest people in the country are mostly of Chinese descent although most of the Filipino-Chinese are in the middle class.

The Filipino-Chinese comprise about 2.5% of the total population. In fact, their community is considered to be one of the largest Chinese communities outside of China. These are people who are ethnically Chinese but born and raised in the Philippines and I am one of them. 

Being Filipino-Chinese is a strange thing. It’s growing up as both a foreigner and a local at the same time. For me and my Fil-Chi friends, we grew up on Chinese traditions and practices and went to Chinese schools. Most Fil-Chis don’t speak the Chinese national language which is Mandarin instead, we use the dialect called Hokkien (used in Fujian, China where most Fil-Chis’ ancestry comes from). Of course, since we live in the Philippines, we speak the local Filipino dialect and are aware of the Filipino history and customs, and learned to integrate some of them into our daily lives. My crowd growing up was mostly my fellow Fil-Chi friends so I never really felt like I was different because my friends came from a similar background as mine.

When I went to college and became more aware of my environment,  I was in for a big surprise. I thought I grew up in this country my whole life, it couldn’t be any different. I was mistaken. I was surprised to know that not a lot of Filipinos, especially the ones from more rural areas were exposed to Fil-Chis. I remember a co-worker from a summer job who asked  me this way, “If you’re Chinese, then why do you live in the Philippines?” This amused me and at the same time caught me off guard. Another thing is some friends would also ask me if the Chinese stereotypes they heard were true. Some classic examples include: if we had a family business (we do), if we could only date within our race (true to an extent; we call it The Great Wall) and if we went to the temple (we used to when my grandfather was still alive).  

When going out with Filipino friends, I experience cultural differences and cannot always relate to them. When I meet people from Mainland China, aside from the obvious language barrier, they also have many practices I don’t relate to. There really are moments when I feel like I am not Filipino enough or Chinese enough.

Eventually, I’ve learned to accept the bigger picture of me as being a Filipino-Chinese. Chinese by blood, values, and culture but Filipino by heart. It’s a living paradox where you take pride in being Chinese but side with the Philippines in the conquest of the West Philippine Sea. It’s embracing Chinese traditions while enjoying Filipino humor on the Internet over Chinese ones. It’s embracing both sides and seeing the good, bad, and ugly in both.

From the influence Chinoys have in the Philippines, the Philippines celebrates Chinese Lunar New Year as a holiday. Many big cities like Manila and Davao have a Chinatown, too, where you can find authentic Chinese food and things. However, with the rising issue of the Philippines 

being eyed as a province of China, rather than a sovereign nation, many Chinoys side with the Philippines. As the slogan of a channel called “Chinoy TV” states, “Chinese by blood, Filipino by heart.” That means that we stand by our home no matter what.

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Last December 16, 2021, Supertyphoon Odette (internationally known as Rai) struck multiple parts of Visayas and Mindanao including Surigao, Palawan, Cebu, Bohol,  Negros Oriental and Southern Leyte. While the total death, missing person, and injury rate in all affected areas are not as grave, the real impact is in the destruction of infrastructures, homes, and cities as a whole. 

Having survived the typhoon myself, I saw my home, Cebu City, transform into a ruined wasteland overnight. Roofs and debris scattered all over the street, trees, and powerlines knocked over, blocking the roads, and come nighttime, extremely dark streets lit only by the moon and headlights from passing cars. It took me a while to get (very spotty) service after the typhoon and I checked the news online to see the full picture of the aftermath. 

All affected cities looked like scenes straight from a post-apocalyptic movie the morning after the tragedy. With a pandemic ongoing and the lack of anticipation on how severe the typhoon would become, everyone was not prepared for the lifestyle changes it would bring: no electricity, signal, and water – with the Cebu City government announcing that everything would be back to normal in a month. Worse was the lack of media coverage and news to unaffected areas like Manila and abroad due to the termination of ABS-CBN’s contract by the Duterte administration during the start of the pandemic. This in turn left many worried fellow Filipinos in the dark about the whereabouts of their loved ones who lived in those areas. 

In the first few days after, hundreds of people would queue in the streets in search of gasoline, water, cash, groceries, and charging stations. While everyone is virtually affected by the crisis, not everyone is in the same boat. The privileged are able to move into temporary shelters like hotels and condominiums with generators, many poor people lost their homes to the typhoon. While some would pray for rain to spare them from the hot weather while others don’t wish it because they lost a part of their entire roof or house. 

Cebu City is known for its relief efforts when neighboring areas are affected by calamities. Being the second-largest metropolitan in the Philippines, it serves as the business and trade hub for the Visayas. In fact, many donation drives were initiated in Cebu with the help of other provinces to help provide relief packages to affected communities despite the damages. Thankfully with the cooperation of electricity and water providers from unaffected regions, Cebu is slowly being rebuilt into normalcy.

While electricity and water were slowly being restored in different affected areas, not everyone was able to celebrate Christmas and New Year with water and electricity but nonetheless, Cebuanos are grateful and humble people. Despite their situation, they are cooperative and resilient and they do their best to continue on with their lives while helping others and waiting for full restoration.

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In the spirit of Christmas and COVID-19, Christmas celebrations are always present in the Filipino community. Despite having the same reason for the season, Filipino Christmas is simple yet extreme in detail. What makes a very Filipino Christmas celebration are the following:

Rain or shine, it’s perfect Christmas weather!

White Christmas? In the hot and sunny Philippines, it is either only rainy or sunny on the day itself. Far from the snow that the west has, a bit of chilly air in the afternoon towards evening makes up for perfect Christmas weather, and sometimes we get minimal rain which brings a temperature that is cooler. We expect a lot of sunshine any day during the month that could possibly bring warmer weather on Christmas day.  In the end, whatever the weather, the spirit of Christmas is deeply felt beginning the month of September (even through thunderstorms!) in the Philippines.

Sing a Christmas carol

As soon as December starts, the caroling begins. It is common to go from house to house and in public places just like in the West. However, in the Philippines, street children use this opportunity to go around cars during red lights and sing a carol instead of just begging for alms. Luckily for them, it’s the season for giving so they are often given money or food. Despite its uniqueness, this is a dangerous practice and the government must take measures to make sure these children do not have to go through this.

Always extra with decorations

Christmas is always an excuse to decorate and Filipinos are always extra with the decor. Synthetic Christmas trees (since we don’t sell real ones) covered in lights and hanging ornaments are almost always present in houses, offices, and public places. A specific decoration that is distinctly Filipino is the parol. A  parol is an ornamental lantern usually in the shape of a star. They were traditionally constructed using Japanese paper and bamboo and lighted up by candles but now, modern ones are made with sturdy plastic and LED lights. These Filipino ornaments brighten up the Christmas season even during the darkest nights of December. Pretty much, every Filipino household would like to have a Parol hanging by their window or porch.

Never a silent night

Filipinos are very loud festive people when there’s a celebration. In fact, if your party isn’t loud enough, it’s probably not fun enough. There are titos and titas (uncles and aunties) talking on one corner, children playing in another, and cousins singing and dancing to karaoke. Queue in the fireworks as the clock strikes 12. Filipino Christmases are always filled with noisy merrymaking. Karaoke, dancing, and fireworks are fun parts of Filipino Christmas celebrations!

Everybody in the family plus friends and neighbors

Christmas in the Philippines is never celebrated alone. When they say Filipinos are family-oriented, it doesn’t just mean immediate family. This includes all extended family plus adopted family members (a.k.a. super close friends who have turned into a family). This is the essence of a Filipino Christmas. No matter where Filipinos are in the world, they carry the custom of celebrating the Filipino way – with extended family and friends.

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