From the 1896 Revolution to the first Philippine
Republic, the Commonwealth period, the EDSA
Revolt, and the tiger cub economy, history
marches on. Thankfully, however, some things
never change. Like the classics, things irresistibly
Pinoy mark us for life. They’re the indelible stamp
of our identity, the undeniable affinity that binds us
like twins. They celebrate the good in us, the best
of our culture and the infinite possibilities we
are all
capable of. Some are so self-explanatory you only
need mention them for fellow Pinoys to swoon or
drool. Here, from all over this Centennial-crazed
country and in no particular order, are a hundred of
the best things that make us unmistakably Pinoy.
1. Merienda. Where else but in the Philippines is it
normal to eat five times a day?
2. Sawsawan. Assorted sauces that guarantee
freedom of choice, enough room for
experimentation and maximum tolerance for
diverse tastes. Favorites: toyo’t calamansi, suka at
sili, patis.
3. Kuwan, ano. At a loss for words? Try these and
marvel at how Pinoys understand exactly what you
want.
4. Pinoy humour and irreverence. If you’re api and
you know it, crack a joke. Nothing personal, really.
5. Tingi. Thank goodness for small entrepreneurs.
Where else can we buy cigarettes, soap,
condiments and life’s essentials in small affordable
amounts?
6. Spirituality. Even before the Spaniards came,
ethnic tribes had their own anitos, bathalas and
assorted deities, pointing to a strong relationship
with the Creator, who or whatever it may be.
7. Po, opo, mano po. Speech suffixes that define
courtesy, deference, filial respect–a balm to the
spirit in these aggressive times.
8. Pasalubong. Our way of sharing the vicarious
thrills and delights of a trip, and a wonderful excuse
to shop without the customary guilt.
9. Beaches! With 7000 plus islands, we have
miles and miles of shoreline piled high with fine
white sand, lapped by warm waters, and nibbled by
exotic tropical fish. From the stormy seas of
Batanes to the emerald isles of Palawan–over
here, life is truly a beach.
10. Bagoong. Darkly mysterious, this smelly fish
or shrimp paste typifies the underlying theme of
most ethnic foods: disgustingly unhygienic,
unbearably stinky and simply irresistible.
11. Bayanihan. Yes, the internationally-renowned
dance company, but also this habit of pitching in
still common in small communities. Just have that
cold beer and some pulutan ready for the troops.
12. The Balikbayan box. Another way of sharing
life’s bounty, no matter if it seems like we’re
fleeing
Pol Pot every time we head home from anywhere in
the globe. The most wonderful part is that, more
often than not, the contents are carted home to be
distributed.
13. Pilipino komiks. Not to
mention "Hiwaga," "Aliwan," "Tagalog
Classics," "Liwayway" and "Bulaklak" magazines.
Pulpy publications that gave us Darna, Facifica
Falayfay, Lagalag, Kulafu, Kenkoy, Dyesebel,
characters of a time both innocent and worldly.
14. Folk songs. They come unbidden and spring,
full blown, like a second language, at the slightest
nudge from the too-loud stereo of a passing
jeepney or tricycle.
15. Fiesta. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow
is just another day, shrugs the poor man who,
once a year, honors a patron saint with this
sumptuous, no-holds-barred spread. It’s a Pinoy
celebration at its pious and riotous best.
16. Aswang, manananggal, kapre. The whole
underworld of Filipino lower class mythology recalls
our uniquely bizarre childhood, that is, before
political correctness kicked in. Still, their rich
adventures pepper our storytelling.
17. Jeepneys. Colorful, fast, reckless, a vehicle of
postwar Pinoy ingenuity, this Everyman’s
communal cadillac makes for a cheap, interesting
ride. If the driver’s a daredevil (as they usually
are),
hang on to your seat.
18. Dinuguan. Blood stew, a bloodcurdling idea,
until you try it with puto. Best when mined with
jalapeso peppers. Messy but delicious.
19. Santacruzan. More than just a beauty contest,
this one has religious overtones, a tableau of St.
Helena’s and Constantine’s search for the Cross
that seamlessly blends piety, pageantry and ritual.
Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to show off the
prettiest ladies–and the most beautiful gowns.
20. Balut. Unhatched duck’s embryo, another
unspeakable ethnic food to outsiders, but oh, to
indulge in guilty pleasures! Sprinkle some salt and
suck out that soup, with gusto.
21. Pakidala or padala. A personalized door-to-
door remittance and delivery system for overseas
Filipino workers who don’t trust the banking
system, and who expect a family update from the
courier, as well.
22. Choc-nut. Crumbly peanut chocolate bars that
defined childhood ecstasy before M & M’s and
Hershey’s.
23. Kamayan style. To eat with one’s hand and
eschew spoon, fork and table manners–ah, heaven.
24. Chicharon. Pork, fish or chicken crackling.
There is in the crunch a hint of the extravagant, the
decadent and the pedestrian. Perfect with vinegar,
sublime with beer.
25. Pinoy hospitality. Just about everyone gets a
hearty "Kain tayo!" invitation to break bread with
whoever has food to share, no matter how skimpy
or austere it is.
26. Adobo, kare-kare, sinigang and other lutong
bahay stuff. Home-cooked meals that have the
stamp of approval from several generations, who
swear by closely-guarded cooking secrets and
family recipes.
27. Lola Basyang. The voice one heard spinning
tales over the radio, before movies and television
curtailed imagination and defined grown-up tastes.
28. Pambahay. Home is where one can let it all
hang out, where clothes do not make a man or
woman but rather define their level of comfort.
29. Tricycle and trisikad, the poor Pinoy’s taxicab
that delivers you at your doorstep for as little as
P3, with a complimentary dusting of polluted air.
30. Dirty ice cream. Very Pinoy flavors that make
up for the risk: munggo, langka, ube, mais, keso,
macapuno. Plus there’s the colorful cart that
recalls jeepney art.
31. Yayas. The trusted Filipino nanny who,
ironically, has become a major Philippine export as
overseas contract workers. A good one is almost
like a surrogate parent–if you don’t mind the accent
and the predilection for afternoon soap and movie
stars.
32. Sarsi. Pinoy root beer, the enduring taste of
childhood. Our grandfathers had them with an egg
beaten in.
33. Pinoy fruits. Atis, guyabano, chesa, mabolo,
lanzones, durian, langka, makopa, dalanghita,
siniguelas, suha, chico, papaya, singkamas–the
possibilities are endless!
34. Filipino celebrities. Movie stars, broadcasters,
beauty queens, public officials, all-around
controversial figures: Aurora Pijuan, Cardinal Sin,
Carlos P. Romulo, Charito Solis, Cory Aquino,
Emilio Aguinaldo, the Eraserheads, Fidel V.
Ramos, Francis Magalona, Gloria Diaz, Manuel L.
Quezon, Margie Moran, Melanie Marquez, Ninoy
Aquino, Nora Aunor, Pitoy Moreno, Ramon
Magsysay, Richard Gomez, San Lorenzo Ruiz,
Sharon Cuneta, Gemma Cruz, Erap, Tiya Dely,
Mel and Jay, Gary V.
35. World class Pinoys who put us on the global
map: Lea Salonga, Paeng Nepomuceno, Eugene
Torre, Luisito Espinosa, Lydia de Vega-Mercado,
Jocelyn Enriquez, Elma Muros, Onyok Velasco,
Efren "Bata" Reyes, Lilia Calderon-Clemente, Loida
Nicolas-Lewis, Josie Natori.
36. Pinoy tastes. A dietitian’s nightmare: too
sweet, too salty, too fatty, as in burong talangka,
itlog na maalat, crab fat (aligue), bokayo,
kutchinta, sapin-sapin, halo-halo, pastilyas,
palitaw, pulburon, longganisa, tuyo, ensaymada,
ube haleya, sweetened macapuno and garbanzos.
Remember, we’re the guys who put sugar & franks
(horrors) in our spaghetti sauce. Yum!
37. The sights. Banaue Rice Terraces, Boracay,
Bohol’s Chocolate Hills, Corregidor Island, Fort
Santiago, the Hundred Islands, the Las Pinas
Bamboo Organ, Rizal Park, Mt. Banahaw, Mayon
Volcano, Taal Volcano. A land of contrasts and
ever-changing landscapes.
38. Gayuma, agimat and anting-anting. Love
potions and amulets. How the socially-
disadvantaged Pinoy copes.
39. Barangay Ginebra, Jaworski, PBA, MBA and
basketball. How the vertically-challenged Pinoy
compensates, via a national sports obsession that
reduces fans to tears and fistfights.
40. People Power at EDSA. When everyone
became a hero and changed Philippine history
overnight.
41. San Miguel Beer and pulutan. "Isa pa nga!" and
the Philippines’ most popular, world-renowned beer
goes well with peanuts, corniks, tapa, chicharon,
usa, barbecue, sisig, and all manner of spicy,
crunchy and cholesterol-rich chasers.
42. Resiliency. We’ve survived 400 years of
Spanish rule, the US bases, Marcos, the 1990
earthquake, lahar, lambada, Robin Padilla, and
Tamagochi. We’ll survive Cory, Fidel, Erap, Gloria,
and whoever comes next.
43. Yoyo. Truly Filipino in origin, this hunting tool,
weapon, toy and merchandising vehicle remains
the best way to "walk the dog" and "rock the
baby," using just a piece of string.
44. Pinoy games: Pabitin, palosebo, basagan ng
palayok. A few basic rules make individual cunning
and persistence a premium, and guarantee a good
time for all.
45. Ninoy Aquino. For saying that "the Filipino is
worth dying for,” and proving it.
46. Balagtasan. The verbal joust that brings out
rhyme, reason and passion on a public stage.
47. Tabo. All-powerful, ever-useful, hygienically-
triumphant device to scoop water out of a bucket
and help the true Pinoy answer nature’s call. Helps
maintain our famously stringent toilet habits.
48. Pandesal. Despite its shrinking size, still a
good buy. Goes well with any filling, best when hot.
49. Jollibee. Truly Pinoy in taste and sensibility,
and a corporate icon that we can be quite proud of.
Do you know that it’s invaded the Middle East as
well?
50. The butanding, the dolphins and other
creatures in our blessed waters. They’re Pinoys,
too, and they’re here to stay. Now if some folks
would just stop turning them into daing.
51. Pakikisama. It’s what makes people stay
longer at parties, have another drink, join pals in
sickness and health. You can get dead drunk and
still make it home.
52. Sing-a-long. Filipinos love to sing, and thank
God a lot of us do it well!
53. Kayumanggi. Neither pale nor dark, our skin
tone is beautifully healthy, the color of a rich earth
or a mahogany tree growing towards the sun.
54. Hand-woven cloth and native weaves. Colorful,
environment-friendly alternatives to polyester that
feature skillful workmanship and a rich indigenous
culture behind every thread. From the pinukpok of
the north to the malong of the south, it’s the
fiber of
who we are.
55. Movies. Still the cheapest form of
entertainment, especially if you watch the same
movie several times.
56. Bahala na. We cope with uncertainty by
embracing it, and are thus enabled to play life by
ear.
57. Papaitan. An offal stew flavored with bile,
admittedly an acquired taste, but pointing to our
national ability to acquire a taste for almost
anything.
58. English. Whether carabao or Arr-neoww-
accented, it doubles our chances in the global
marketplace.
59. The Press. Irresponsible, sensational, often
inaccurate, but still the liveliest in Asia.
Otherwise,
we’d all be glued to TV.
60. Divisoria. Smelly, crowded, a pickpocket’s
paradise, but you can get anything here, often at
rock-bottom prices. The sensory overload is a
bonus.
61. Barong Tagalog. Enables men to look formal
and dignified without having to strangle themselves
with a necktie. Worn well, it makes any ordinary
Juan look marvelously makisig (good-looking).
62. Filipinas. They make the best friends, lovers,
wives. Too bad they can’t say the same for
Filipinos.
63. Filipinos. So maybe they’re bolero and macho
with an occasional streak of generic infidelity; they
do know how to make a woman feel like one.
64. Catholicism. What fun would sin be without
guilt? Jesus Christ is firmly planted on Philippine
soil.
65. Dolphy. Our favorite, ultra-durable comedian
gives the beleaguered Pinoy everyman an odd
dignity, even in drag.
66. Style. Something we often prefer over
substance. But every Filipino claims it as a
birthright.
67. Bad taste. Clear plastic covers on the vinyl-
upholstered sofa, posters of poker-playing dogs
masquerading as art, over-accessorized jeepneys
and altars–the list is endless, and wealth only
seems to magnify it.
68. Mangoes. Crisp and tart, or lusciously ripe,
they evoke memories of family outings and endless
sunshine in a heart-shaped package. Mangoes.
69. Unbridled optimism. Why we rank so low on
the suicide scale.
70. Street food. Barbecue, lugaw, banana-cue,
fishballs, IUD (chicken entrails), adidas (chicken
feet), warm taho. Forget hepatitis; here’s cheap,
tasty food with gritty ambience.
71. The siesta. Snoozing in the middle of the day
is smart, not lazy.
72. Honorifics and courteous titles: Kuya, ate,
diko, ditse, ineng, totoy, Ingkong, Aling, Mang, etc.
No exact English translation, but these words
connote respect, deference and the value placed
on kinship.
73. Heroes and people who stood up for truth and
freedom. Lapu-lapu started it all, and other heroes
and revolutionaries followed: Diego Silang, Macario
Sakay, Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario
Mabini, Melchora Aquino, Gregorio del Pilar,
Gabriela Silang, Miguel Malvar, Francisco
Balagtas, Juan Luna, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Panday
Pira, Emilio Jacinto, Raha Suliman, Antonio Luna,
Gomburza, Emilio Aguinaldo, the heroes of Bataan
and Corregidor, Pepe Diokno, Satur Ocampo, Dean
Armando Malay, Evelio Javier, Ninoy Aquino, Lola
Rosa and other comfort women who spoke up,
honest cabbie Emilio Advincula, Rona Mahilum,
the women lawyers who didn’t let Jalosjos get
away with rape.
74. Flora and fauna. The sea cow (dugong), the
tarsier, calamian deer, bearcat, Philippine eagle,
sampaguita, ilang-ilang, camia, pandan, the
creatures that make our archipelago unique.
75. Pilipino songs, OPM and composers. "Ama
Namin," "Lupang Hinirang," "Gaano Ko Ikaw
Kamahal," "Ngayon at
Kailanman," "Anak," "Handog,""Hindi Kita
Malilimutan," "Ang Pasko ay Sumapit"; Ryan
Cayabyab, George Canseco, Restie Umali, Levi
Celerio, Manuel Francisco, Freddie Aguilar, and
Florante–living examples of our musical gift.
76. Metro Aides. They started out as Imelda
Marcos’ groupies, but have gallantly proven their
worth. Against all odds, they continuously prove
that cleanliness is next to godliness–especially
now that those darned candidates’ posters have to
be scraped off the face of Manila!
77. Sari-sari store. There’s one in every corner,
offering everything from bananas and floor wax to
Band-Aid and bakya.
78. Philippine National Red Cross. PAWS.
Caritas. Fund drives. They help us help each other.
79. Favorite TV shows through the years: "Tawag
ng Tanghalan," "John and
Marsha," "Champoy," "Ryan, Ryan
Musikahan," "Kuwarta o Kahon," "Public
Forum/Lives," "Student Canteen," "Eat Bulaga." In
the age of inane variety shows, they have
redeemed Philippine television.
80. Quirks of language that can drive crazy any
tourist listening in: "Bababa ba?" "Bababa!"
81. "Sayang!" "Naman!" "Kadiri!" "Ano ba!?" "pala."
Expressions that defy translation but wring out
feelings genuinely Pinoy.
82. Cockfighting. Filipino men love it more than
their wives (sometimes).
83. Dr. Jose Rizal. A category in himself. Hero,
medicine man, genius, athlete, sculptor, fictionist,
poet, essayist, husband, lover, samaritan, martyr.
Truly someone to emulate and be proud of,
anytime, anywhere.
84. Nora Aunor. Short, dark and homely-looking,
she redefined our rigid concept of how leading
ladies should look.
85. Noranian or Vilmanian. Defines the friendly
rivalry between Ate Guy Aunor and Ate Vi Santos
and for many years, the only way to be for many
Filipino fans.
86. Filipino Christmas. The worlds longest holiday
period. A perfect excuse to mix our love for
feasting, gift-giving and music and wrap it up with a
touch of religion.
87. Relatives and kababayan abroad. The best
refuge against loneliness, discrimination and
confusion in a foreign place. Distant relatives and
fellow Pinoys readily roll out the welcome mat even
on the basis of a phone introduction or referral.
88. Festivals. Sinulog, Ati-atihan, Moriones.
Sounds, colors, pagan frenzy and Christian
overtones.
89. Folk dances. Tinikling, pandanggo sa ilaw,
karinosa, kuratsa, itik-itik, alitaptap, rigodon. All
the right moves and a distinct rhythm.
90. Native wear and costumes. Baro’t saya, tapis,
terno, saya, salakot, bakya. Lovely form and
ingenious function in the way we dress.
91. Sunday family gatherings. Or, close family ties
that never get severed. You don’t have to win the
lotto or be a president to have 10,000 relatives.
Everyone’s family tree extends all over the
archipelago, and it’s at its best in times of crisis;
notice how food, hostesses, money, and moral
support materializes during a wake?
92. Calesa and karitela. The colorful and leisurely
way to negotiate narrow streets when loaded down
with a year’s provisions.
93. Quality of life. Where else can an ordinary
employee afford a stay-in helper, a yaya, unlimited
movies, eat-all-you-can buffets, the latest fashion
(Baclaran nga lang), even Viagra in the black
market?
94. All Saints’ Day. In honouring our dead, we also
prove that we know how to live.
95. Handicrafts. Shell craft, rattan craft, abaca
novelties, woodcarvings, banig placemats and
bags, bamboo wind chimes, etc. Portable
memories of home. Hindi lang pang-turista, pang-
balikbayan pa!
96. Pinoy greens. Sitaw. Okra. Ampalaya. Gabi.
Munggo. Dahon ng Sili. Kangkong. Luya. Talong.
Sigarillas. Bataw. Patani. Lutong bahay will never
be the same without them.
97. OCWs. The lengths (and miles) we’d go for a
better life for our family, as proven by these modern-
day heroes of the economy.
98. The Filipino artist. From Luna’s
magnificent "Spolarium" and Amorsolo’s sun-
kissed rice fields, to Ang Kiukok’s jarring
abstractions and Borlongan’s haunting ghosts, and
everybody else in between. Hang a Filipino painting
on your wall, and you’re hanging one of Asia’s best.
99. Tagalog soap operas. From "Gulong ng Palad"
and "Flor de Luna" to today’s incarnations
like "Mula sa Puso"–they’re the story of our lives,
and we feel strongly for them, MariMar
notwithstanding.
100. Midnight madness, weekends sales,
bangketas and baratillos. It’s retail therapy at its
best, with Filipinos braving traffic, crowds, and
human deluge to find a bargain
P.S.
I got this one from the "MABUHAY ang PILIPINAS"
group here in friendster
