Читать книгу Exciting Philippines - Elizabeth V. Reyes - Страница 6

meet the filipinos

A Manila wedding in grand style.

Beauty and boungainvilleas on a footbridge in Davao.

They are natural musicians and Westernized Asians—a combination of dusky Malay and fiery Spanish, with a touch of Chinese and a generous topping of hip, savvy America.

Blue face paint on a brown-face windsurfer; it’s just sunblock, the bathing costume of party island Boracay.

Exotic Davao beckons with a pretty face.

Rice harvest in Bicol, under the gaze of Mt Mayon.

fILIPINOS are dancingest folks with smiles, easygoing characters and personal kinship systems that keep their world going. Thespian Rolando Tinio said it best: “Like islanders everywhere in the tropics, Filipinos do tend to be quite blissful.” There are two sources of the inner strength and friendliness of the typical Filipino: a fervent belief in the goodness of God, Life and Nature, and a sense of security in and reliance on family ties and neighborhood associations. The typical Filipino is long on religiosity, family, hometown loyalty and cockeyed optimism.

The jaunty jeepney driver in his psychedelic chimera of public transport is the macho man of Metro Manila.

sTUDIES ON FILIPINO BEHAVIOR have pointed out distinct values and patterns in Filipino society: pakikisama or getting on well with associates; utang na loob, which means a deep sense of gratitude for favors received; hiya or a strong fear of losing face; and a bahala na attitude—things will take care of themselves. Filipinos live in a modern world without being thoroughly modern. The majority are people still in the bosom of Mother Nature—noble savages, both charming and exasperating.

Smiling Davao girl with Mindanao dove.

Proud Maranao women before a highborn household of Marawi City.

Flamenco dance in front of the old Philippine Senate building.

Selling fresh buko juice at the Carbon Market in Cebu.