1. Food (can also be bad…)
The Philippines has
some of the most sinful food in the world. We put sugar in our spaghetti and in
our iced tea; we fry our leftover rice and our fish; and we eat almost everything
with rich sauces. We pair our beers with deep-fried finger foods; we load our
pastries with butter, glazed sugar and cream; we love to snack all day and our gatherings
overflow with food all over.
Eating in the Philippines is
horrible for your diet, but really, if you’re only here for a visit, why
wouldn’t you cheat a little? There are just that many dishes to try; not only
does each region have its own specialties, but we Filipinos have our own
versions of many dishes found elsewhere in the world. The Wikipedia article on
Philippine cuisine gives just a hint of the rich variety visitors can encounter
in our country: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_cuisine.
So come on over and whet your appetites, because there is just nothing in the
world quite like Filipino food.
2. Booze
Drinking is a
major part of Filipino culture, and the country has plenty of local alcohol
that’s worth a try.
The famous local
beer is San Miguel; most establishments
offer buckets of beer at Php200 for five or six bottles. That’s just about a
dollar a drink. There’s also the much stronger Red Horse, also produced by the same corporation, a favorite of
those who want to get drunk hard and fast. A popular local vodka brand is The Bar, which has green apple, orange
and strawberry flavors and is used in many cocktails. Another popular brand is Tanduay Rhum, which also produces gin,
vodka and brandy. All these brands are quite tasty and inexpensive.
For more unique
drinks, try lambanog, which is
commonly made from coconut, sugar cane or rice. Lambanog is proudly touted as an all-natural drink made from
completely natural sources and no chemical ingredients. It is a very
inexpensive drink commonly found in Quezon province. Locals drink it in a
practice called tagayan, in which one
glass is passed around the table for everyone to drink from.
The Philippines
also produces a lot of fruit wines. Mijiah Tropical Fruit Wines is a
multi-award winning wine exporter which has made a name for itself in the US and Europe.
The wines were chosen as one of Best 15 Products of the World during National
Food Week 2005 in Utrecht, Netherlands. The wines are
exclusively distributed at SM Kultura, making them easily accessible anywhere
in Metro Manila and in
most major Philippine cities. Flavors include wild berry, mango, soursop and
plum.
As with any good
thing though, indulging too much can be bad. Stay away from seedy neighborhoods
where loitering drunks can sometimes get violent. There have been cases of
family members and drinking buddies getting stabbed by an enraged drunk, and
people have even been killed for choosing the wrong song to sing during karaoke
night. Drinking in restaurants is often safer, but if you really want to get wasted,
it’s best to stay at a friend’s house or in your hotel room. You don’t want to
fall asleep in a taxi or a jeepney and
wake up to find your wallet gone.
3. Blend of cultures
The Philippines has
always been a melting pot of races. Spanish and American influences are rampant
due to both nations having occupied the Philippines at some point. Over 90%
of the population can speak English well enough to communicate with tourists,
and American food is a favorite. Spanish influences can be seen in the devout
Catholicism of the majority of the population; the Philippines is dotted with churches
and all its greatest festivals have roots in the Catholic religion. Chinese
influences are also strong and can be seen in the Chinese-Filipino population,
and in the popularity of Chinese-inspired food. Filipinos are an adaptive
people and happily embrace aspects of culture from many nations: there are
traces of Indian, Arabic and Japanese. Korean TV shows and pop music are
favorites among many of the youth.
The Philippines also enjoys widespread diversity among its native ethnic populations. There are
over 160 ethnic groups and tribes in the country; however, ethnicity is very
fluid here. Go to almost any major city in Metro Manila, and you can still easily find people
whose parents came from far-flung provinces in the archipelago. What this
brings to the Philippines is
an interesting mix of culture, cuisine, festivals and practices, and traveling
anywhere in the Philippines
is sure to bring with it new things to discover and appreciate.
4. Celebrations
The Philippines has
one of the longest Christmas celebrations in the world. The festivities begin
on December 16 and end on the first Sunday of January – a three-week long
stretch of church celebrations, family reunions, gatherings with friends and lots
of eating. This is the season for Filipinos to celebrate the gifts of family
and friends in their lives; that it also includes New Year is all the more
reason to celebrate. Families often fly many miles to spend the days from Christmas
Day up to New Year’s Eve under one roof. A Filipino Christmas also isn’t
complete without caroling and the Simbang
Gabi, a series of 9 masses held at dawn.
Filipinos also
have some truly epic religious festivals. Cebu’s Sinulog;
Bacolod’s Masskara; Iloilo’s Dinagyang; Baguio’s Panagbenga
are just some of the numerous festivals that go on in the country. In fact,
it is said that there is always at least one barrio somewhere in the Philippines
that is celebrating a festival right now. The majority of these festivals have
Catholic roots, and those that don’t are usually tied to other belief systems.
Yet, most of these are categorized by parades, dances, colorful decorations,
extremely large crushing crowds and plenty of food and partying. It’s not uncommon
for young people to gather their friends and head to one of the big festivals
for a weekend of fun. There are also more sober festivals where the devout head
out on pilgrimages to different churches around the country. Whether you’re
looking for a wild party or a solemn moment with your deity, you will
definitely find at least one festival to your liking.
Filipinos also know how to throw a bash. Birthdays, weddings, baptisms, graduations,
promotions, migrations – almost any major occasion is worth a pakain. Filipinos will invite family and
friends (and sometimes even friends of friends) for a feast to toast their good
fortune. In fact, it is far more common for birthday celebrants to treat their
friends to a meal, than it is for friends to give gifts! Some people take it to
a fault; it is common for even the most humble families to draw from their
savings and splurge on food for a celebration. Filipinos just really believe
that happiness and good fortune should be shared.
One should never
travel to the Philippines
without attending at least one such event. I haven’t been to many parties
abroad, but I’m pretty sure that the Philippines, with its friendly and
welcoming people and wonderful food, can match celebrations thrown anywhere
else in the world.
5. Natural Beauty
Yes, beaches can
be found everywhere in the tropics, I’ll grant you that. But Philippine beaches
can stand there among the best of them. Many of my friends and I share the same
sentiments – why go to Phuket or Bali when you
have so many to choose from here?
Probably the
best part about Philippine beaches is that there are so many to choose from. If
you want to party all night long in mixed crowds of locals and foreigners, hop
on over to Boracay, Mactan or Puerto Galera. If you want luxury and pampering, there
are high-class resorts in Panglao and Davao.
Saving up? Camp out in the Hundred
Islands or in Anawangin. Want
some world-class snorkeling and diving? Head over to Palawan,
Donsol or Anilao. Want seclusion? Several
areas such as Batanes, Guimaras, Pagudpud and Camiguin still receive relatively
few visitors. Always wanted to learn how to surf? Baler and La Union receive a
lot of waves. Love the water but are afraid of the ocean? Check out the water
sports facilities in Camarines Sur. Up for a relaxing cruise? Many ferry
companies offer just such that.
We have more
than just beaches too. Spelunkers can enjoy the caves in Sagada or at Biak-na-Bato Park. Cagayan de Oro offers white-water
rafting; Mounts Apo and Pulag, among others, offer breathtaking views at their
tops; Palawan’s Subterranean River is on the UNESCO World Heritage List; the La Paz san dunes let you
take out a spin on a 4x4. Several areas offer waterfalls or cliffs that you can
jump off; Subic and Bohol, among other spots,
allow you to try ziplining or swinging among the treetops.
With the rise of
the middle classes and the advent of low-cost airlines, more and more Filipinos
are looking to travel for leisure. Tourism within the country has never been
better, and now is a perfect time for travelers to experience the best that
these islands have to offer.
Worst
1. Disregard for the rules
Many hypotheses
are posited for why Filipinos have such a disregard for rules. Is it the lack
of clear and swift consequences? Is it because we are just such a free-spirited
people? Is it a holdover from times past when the normal citizen had to have a
little coin to protect themselves from corrupt officials?
Whatever the
reason, it is a sad reality that Filipinos have a pakiusap mentality. From a young age, we learn to be polite and
nice to authority figures like teachers, bosses and policemen, so that when we
need favors, they may be more inclined to grant them to us. Sadly, bribery is
quite common; if you ever get caught by a cop for a traffic violation, you may
be able to escape after parting with a couple hundred pesos. That is one reason
why traffic jams are so awful; public transport operators often get away with
their horrible driving practices because of bribes. Traffic enforcement is also
quite poor, and you can often find buses occupying two or three lanes on a
four-lane highway. Once you get past the bus stops, you’ll be delighted (or
exasperated) to find that the rest of the way is clear. It is a common joke
among locals and visitors alike that if you’ve learned to drive in Metro Manila, you can drive
well anywhere else in the world. Filipino drivers are just that much more crazy
and unpredictable.
This is another
reason why the country has such a pollution problem. The once proud Pasig River
that runs through Metro Manila is now a dead river due to waste from people
living on its banks. In many areas of the capital, you’ll see numerous signs
telling people that littering, peeing or vandalism is not allowed – yet you can
still spot the occasional violator. One government agency even installed little
sheds for males to pee in, yet the plumbing isn’t exactly all that.
I’ve ridden on
trains in Singapore and Hong Kong, and I can tell you that they have it much
better. Our trains here are cramped, and passengers have to be reminded often
to let alighting passengers depart first. Once, an unfortunate woman was about
to get off when she was met with a literal wave of people rushing in. She was
forced to get off at the next stop instead.
Still, this
problem is not quite so bad in the provinces – although you do have to be
careful of jeepney and tricycle
drivers who will try to overcharge you. That said, if you have some patience
and a good sense of humor, and make sure to exercise caution, you can still
enjoy your travels in the Philippines.
2. Filipino time
Perhaps it is a
tribute to our laid-back vibe, but Filipinos are famous for Filipino time.
While I know some people who are very strict about time, for most, there is an unspoken
15-minute grace period for attendees.
It’s also common
for friends to reply to an invitation with “I’ll try”, or “Go ahead and I’ll
catch up”. This is especially true for large groups, and is unspoken shorthand
for “I have no idea if I can make it, so you’ll be pleasantly surprised if I do
show up!”
Don’t fret,
though, as travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and other people you’d normally
come into contact with as a tourist are professional enough to be strict about
time. And with acquaintances… for best results, don’t schedule too much in one
day. Just take your time and savor the time spent with good company.
3. Rains and flooding
Being an
archipelago and being located in the tropics, typhoons have come to be a way of
life for us Filipinos.
However, what
makes it worse is that even a simple cloudburst wreaks havoc. City streets are
littered with potholes that can’t be seen under the flood water. This, coupled
with Metro Manila’s
legendary traffic, makes getting around a challenge worthy of any obstacle
course.
Visitors can
avoid this by visiting during the summer months. Traffic will still be bad, but
at least your feet will be dry! In fact, unless you’re after a certain festival
or event, it is much, much better to visit during the summer. Visitors during
the rainy season won’t be able to enjoy our lovely beaches or mountains due to
the threats of large waves, landslides, and blocked roads. Most sports and
activities will have to be put on hold as well. Besides, the Philippines is so much more
beautiful in the summer.
4. Heat
and humidity
A visit to
tropical Philippines
means soaking up plenty of sunlight, and breathing in heavy air. Even a short
stroll outside can cause you to sweat any time of the year, even during
December. Most Filipinos would wear shorts and tank tops if we could get away
with it, but dressing too casually in public places is frowned upon. Luckily,
foreigners get a free pass to dress down, so feel free to stroll about in your
slippers and board shorts.
Of course,
the heat isn’t nearly as noticeable at the beach. The cool sea breezes and the
inviting water make it much less noticeable; just make sure to visit during
summer.
Visitors
looking for a change of scenery can head for higher ground and visit Tagaytay
or the Cordillera region. The latter, especially, boasts an almost ancient
vibe; the people of the Cordillera mountains were among the few to escape being
subjugated by the Spaniards, and later on the Americans. As such, they retain
many of their original practices, such as burying their dead in hanging coffins.
These areas also offer spelunking, trekking, and breathtaking views of the
hand-carved rice terraces and golden sunrises piercing the mountains. The best
part is that you’ll hardly remember what the heat in the lower-lying areas is
like.
