5 Filipino Values That Spell L O V E

Distinct and unique

Photo by John Tyson Unsplash

Humans everywhere pride themselves of their own set of core values that make them distinct. And that is all good.

Filipinos are no exemption to this. Although we have many values that makes us proud, there are 5 that truly stand out. Many of my foreigner friends are amused by these, precisely because they are so distinct. Here they are:

Photo courtesy of https://vovworld.vn/en-US/cultural-rendezvous/mano-or-pagmamano-an-honoring-gesture-in-filipino-culture-800534.vov

1. ‘Mano Po’ — Is the gesture where this young girl reaches out for the right hand of the grandmother, presses it against her little forehead and respectfully says ‘Mano po’. This gesture is what defines the Filipino family unit. It is a gesture that is very much practiced all over our islands even up to this day. This practice has kept Filipino families together, almost always. Filipino parents will never send their adult children (above 18 years) away from the house. They can stay as long as they want. Sometimes that means even until marriage. This is the very reason why Filipino sons and daughters take care of their elderly parents until their deaths. Does that sound like a quid pro quo? The thought of sending parents packing to elderly homes is very un-Filipino.
2. ‘Kain Po’ — is a…