Why are nurses mostly Filipinos?

 

By: Adelaimar C. Arias-Jose

Registered and licensed attorney in the Philippines

I’m an avid reader and published author. I am a public speaker and mentor. I am a mother and wife.

If you go to the Middle East, there are a lot of Filipino nurses working there. The same goes for countries such as the UK, Canada and the US. Yes, there are a lot of Filipino nurses working outside the Philippines.

Why? There are two general reasons: there is a shortage of nurses in Western countries and a high demand for nurses; in the Philippines, there is an oversupply of nurses who study nursing specifically because they want to work in Western countries.

As for the Philippines being a poor country:

1. Nurses in the Philippines do not earn very much and yet they spend a fortune on education to become nurses. They work abroad to get a good return on their investment.
2. Filipinos are very family-oriented. We care for the elderly members of our families in intergenerational homes and family structures. It is this caring and nurturing trait in Filipino nurses that make them attractive to foreign recruiters.
3. Since the 1970s, the Philippine government has encouraged the migration of Filipino skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled laborers, as well as professionals. The dollars they earn help maintain the Philippine economy. Nursing is one job that allow nurses to travel and work abroad, and maybe migrate and become naturalized citizens of Western countries.
4. In the Philippines, professionals are highly esteemed. Doctors, nurses, dentists, lawyers, accountants, engineers - - all types of work that require a four-year college education, passing a board examination, and obtaining a license has much social prestige. Filipinos are quite determined to study hard to become licensed professionals and by being a professional, to gain societal prestige and the social mobility that accompanies it.
5. Most students in the Philippines who cannot afford medical or dental school will take nursing or physical therapy or other allied medical professional training. Some use a nursing degree to work and earn money so that they can go on and finance their medical education.
6. I have heard of Filipinos who obtained medical degrees in the Philippines but cannot make enough money so they go abroad and qualify as nurses first. They seem to find qualifying as nurses easier than qualifying as doctors. They save the money they earn as nurses to finance their training to be doctors.

As for the shortage of nurses in Western countries:

1. There is a greater need for nurses in developed countries that are now experiencing a “graying” of their population. In Western countries, people aged 60 and above are slowly outnumbering younger people. The elderly require nursing care and the number of nurses produced by Western countries cannot satisfy the increasing demand for nurses and nursing services. Thus, a lot of hospitals must recruit nurses from Asia. The Philippines, on the other hand, has an over-supply of nurses.
2. A nursing education in Western countries is quite expensive. American university students often accumulate a lot of student debts. Thus, studying to be a nurse will drive them deeper into debt and poverty. Being a nurse is often just not worth the financial risk.
3. Nursing is probably not a very attractive career for people in advanced economies. People in countries like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Canada, the UK and the US do not wish to work at jobs that are physically demanding such as nursing. Besides, nursing requires people to work with the sick or the injured and this often causes them depression or anxiety, burnout or compassion fatigue. Some of them find the sight of blood unnerving. Working as a nurse exposes them to these emotional, psychological and mental hazards at work.
4. Nursing is highly competitive. A nursing student must do internships, they must pass licensure examinations and get periodic training and retraining in the use of technology and processes that have been recently developed. A lot of younger Westerners are turned off by all the studying that nurses have to do just to get their license. On the other hand, Filipinos are trained from childhood to respect the value of education. Filipinos are raised with the idea that education is the ticket out of poverty. Most parents are willing to work hard and spend their money to have their children become nurses because they fully expect their children to land nursing jobs abroad.
5. Western countries are litigious societies. Medical malpractice cases are inevitable and so medical and healthcare professionals need to spend on malpractice insurance. This is another reason why there are few young people who opt for nursing careers in Western countries. It is too financially risky to practice as a nurse when you can be sued for malpractice and lose your license and your source of livelihood.
6. In order to rise in the nursing profession, there is a requirement for specialization. This means more studying, more training, and more expenses for further nursing education. To be promoted to an administrative nursing position, nurses must study and train, and get different licenses. They must undertake studies and write papers if they want to get promoted. This makes nursing an unpopular career choice for Westerners who want to rise in their profession without costing them too much time and too much effort.
7. There is also a growing incidence of bullying experienced by nurses in Western countries. Some nurses become a target of hostility or violence perpetrated by patients or patients’ relatives. Thus, people in Western countries are not keen on working as nurses. Whereas, Filipinos, because of their long history of colonization and because they live in an archipelago that endures devastating typhoons, well, Filipinos have developed resilience and emotional self-regulation necessary to thrive in less than friendly working conditions.
8. These factors (numbers 2–7) cause a shortage of nurses and severe understaffing in hospitals in Western countries. This understaffing often mean longer shifts and more overtime work for nurses already employed. These conditions put nurses at risk of mental illness, injury, and burnout or compassion fatigue. Thus, nursing is not a popular career choice for Western teenagers. It is considered by some a very risky type of job as nurses are exposed to all manner of stresses. On the other hand, Filipino nurses are willing to face these risks in exchange for salaries that are higher than what they would earn working in the Philippines.
9. Filipino nurses do not have as much difficulty with English as it is one of the official languages in the Philippines as well as the medium of instruction in schools. Naturally, when there are nursing staff shortages in English-speaking countries, they will hire Filipino nurses who are already speakers of English because it will not cost as much to train them in using English as a second language.

These are some reasons why you see a lot of Filipino nurses working in the US, Canada, the UK and the Middle East. Once, there was a news report of Filipino nursing staff getting caught in armed conflict in Libya. The Philippine president threatened to recall all the Filipino nursing and other medical and healthcare professionals working in Libya if the government of Libya cannot ensure their safety. The medical and healthcare system of Libya will fail if all the Filipino staff will repatriate.

Yes, there are a lot of Filipino nurses working abroad. Even countries such as Japan and Germany have begun recruiting Filipino nurses because of the graying of their population, because of the understaffing and because Filipino nurses are willing to work abroad.

UPDATE:

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, nurses have become frontliners in this struggle. Filipino nurses are fighting. They are caring for their patients to the best of their ability and with what materials and resources are available.

There are two sides to this: the side of the patients in rich countries where Filipino nurses work and the side of the Filipino nation they had left behind.

Filipino nurses are working abroad caring for patients in their adoptive countries where they often suffer discrimination. Yet, they serve. They are unable to care for patients in their own country. They are unable to see or be with their families at home and they are certainly away from their families back in the Philippines.

The Philippine medical community is overwhelmed. Numerous nurses and doctors have died in the fight. It is ironic that the nation known for exporting nurses abroad is now in dire need of them.

If you are hospitalized and cared for a Filipino nurse or doctor, please bear in mind that they are caring for you instead of caring for their own family and countrymen. They may likely get sick or die while caring for sick people thousands of miles away from their homes and family. If they die, they will very likely not see their families. They will not even return home in a pine box for their families to give them a proper burial. They may come home in an urn.

Please be kind to Filipino nurses in your community. Tell them the truth about your travel history and exposure, symptoms and underlying conditions when you see them. Your life and their May depend on your honesty.

Do not hoard essential supplies such as alcohol, gloves, personal protective equipment, N95 masks.

Most importantly, do not add to the number of the sick they have to care for. Stay at home if you can. Maintain social distance. Help them fight. Help them survive the fight. Help them see their families again.

EMIGRATION OF WORKERS AND EMPLOYEES

When the pandemic began, I was already a retiree following German law. But I still enjoyed teaching German language. I really loved communicating with my students "face-to-face". At the moment,  I only do have the chance to teach online. All of my work and communication with the outside world now takes place in my home office. Actually, I am still lucky. Why?

Well, throughout the pandemic, essential workers and employees – often in lower paid positions – have borne the brunt of employers’ decisions. Many were working longer hours on smaller staffs, in positions that required interaction with the public with little to no safety measures put in place by the company and, at least in the US, no guarantee of paid sick leave. It quickly burnt workers out.

Many people are leaving their jobs – or thinking about it – in droves. A Microsoft survey of more than 30,000 global workers showed that 41% of workers were considering quitting or changing professions this year, and a study from HR software company Personio of workers in the UK and Ireland showed 38% of those surveyed planned to quit in the next six months to a year. In the US alone, April saw more than four million people quit their jobs, according to a summary from the Department of Labor – the biggest spike on record.

There are a number of reasons people are seeking a change, in what some have dubbed the ‘Great Resignation’. For some, the pandemic precipitated a shift in priorities, encouraging them to pursue a ‘dream job’, or transition to being a stay-at-home parent. But for many, many others, the decision to leave came as a result of the way their employer treated them during the pandemic.

As I learned from the recent Stanford Study, workers who, pre-pandemic, may already be teetering on the edge of quitting companies with existing poor company culture saw themselves pushed to a breaking point. That’s because, as evidenced by this Stanford Study, many of these companies with bad environments doubled-down on decisions that didn’t support workers, such as layoffs (while, conversely, companies that had good culture tended to treat employees well). This drove out already disgruntled workers who survived the layoffs, but could plainly see they were working in unsupportive environments.

And although workers have always cared about the environments in which they work, the pandemic added an entirely new dimension: an increased willingness to act, says Alison Omens, chief strategy officer of JUST Capital, the research firm that collected much of the data for the study.

"The early days of the pandemic reminded us that people are not machines",  says Alison Omens. In the wake of the pandemic, “the intensity has increased in terms of that expectation; people are expecting more from companies. The early days of the pandemic reminded us that people are not machines”, says Omens. “If you’re worried about your kids, about your health, financial insecurity and covering your bills, and all the things that come with being human, you’re less likely to be productive. And we were all worried about those things.”

Yes, it's indeed an across-the-board exodus. The mass departure is happening at all levels of work, and is especially evident in service and retail jobs. “Many of the stories have tended to focus on white collar jobs, but the biggest trends are really around traditionally low-wage roles and essential workers,” says Omens. “That’s a really interesting element of this.”

Could this Great Resignation bring about meaningful, long-term change to workplace culture and the way companies invest in their employees? Omens believes the answer is yes. The change was happening before the pandemic, she says, with a “real increase in what people are looking for in terms of their expectations of CEOs and companies”.

PHP20M infra-project ground breaks in New Bataan barangay

 ... and 

Fellowship Breakfast sa mga lideres sa Davao de Oro

Davao de Oro --- To spur economic development and put an end to the insurgency problem in the Province of Davao de Oro, the provincial, local and military officials hold the first groundbreaking ceremony of upgrading “Farm to Market Road” in Barangay Pagsabangan, New Bataan on July 7, 2021. 

Of the PHP 1.3 billion total budget allotted in the province, the barangay Pagsabangan is one of the 65 identified recipients of programs and projects worth PHP20 million to aid in the development of their community.

The farm-to-market-road project is under the Local Support Fund-Support to Barangay Development Program of the National Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) which aims to deliver various government programs in conflict-affected communities that have been considered "cleared" from the influence of communist rebels. 

Present during the ceremony were Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy, Municipal Mayor Geraldford N. Balbin, 66th Infantry KABALIKAT Battalion Commander, LTC Julius M Munar, DepEd DdO Chief Education Supervisor Ruben J. Reponte, PNP RPSB New Bataan Cluster lead by PLT Ramil Anthony Maxey, and PLT Jimmy Quiacusan, and officials from barangay, municipal and provincial office. 

Pagsabangan Barangay Captain, Raymond Baugto expressed gratitude for benefiting the government’s project that gives an assurance of safe travel and transport of their agricultural produce to the center town.

“Dako kaayu amuang kalipay tungod kay ang kaniadtong mga damgo nga proyekto naabot na jud dria sa amuang barangay diin dako kining tabang labaw na sa mga residente ug mag-uuma nga mapadali ang amuang transportasyon padulong sa lungsod,” Baugto said. (Rheafe Hortizano –Provincial Information Office of DdO, Photos by Ronel Alvarez)

Fellowship Breakfast sa mga lideres sa Davao de Oro

Ang malipayong salo-salo sa pamahaw sa mga dagkong lideres sa Davao de Oro nga sila si Gov. Jayvee Tyron Uy, Papagov Senior BM Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy, Vice Gov. Maricar Zamora, Cong. Manuel “Way Kuray” Zamora ug Cong. Atty. Ruwell Peter Gonzaga diha sa balay ni Brgy. Capt. Rembert Delumbar ug laing fellowship breakfast kauban si Mayor Rupet Gonzaga mensahe sa hugot ug lig-on nga panagsuod, panaghigalaay, ug panaghiusa.

Laoman sa mga katawhan ang malahutayong kalinaw ug ang mas kusog nga pagtunol sa dekalidad nga mga serbisyo tumong sa talagsaong hunat sa paspas nga paglambo sa DdO.

“Salamat sa pamahaw kap. Remboy. We eat as one, We heal as one. This shared meal and communion paved way to our covenant for peace and unity last May 28. Thank you to all my partners in public service Cong Way Kurat Zamora, Cong Ruwel Gonzaga, VG maricar and Papa Gov CK Uy...” Matud ni Gov. Tyron Uy. (Gilbert M Cabahug PAO-ID DdO)

Why did Metro Manila not become one city?

George Bennett

I’m proud to be a Filipino, and an Asian.

#StopAsianHate

But instead it became 16 cities as it is today, even though if we compare the area and population of Metro Manila is equivalent to the average area and population of big cities in the world?

Because it wasn’t meant to be just one city. It was meant to be a province.

Metro Manila is the modern-day restoration of the historic Province of Manila (formerly called Tondo until the 1850s). The province of Manila’s territory encompassed the pre-hispanic states of Namayan, Tondo, and Maynila

The cities we know now in Metro Manila are basically the same municipalities and arrabales that made up the province of Manila until it was dissolved in 1901 to make way for the creation of the Province of Rizal, which took territories from both Manila and Morong provinces.

During the American Period, Manila was treated the same way as Washington D.C., a separate, unincorporated area we call a chartered city.

It stayed that way for most of the20th Century when Ferdinand Marcos re-unified the old territories of the Province of Manila, with the exception of Montalban and San Mateo in 1975.

However, despite the reunification, Marcos didn’t reestablish a province, instead, the territories formed a special region in the country, the National Capital Region, a region composed of towns and self-governing chartered cities like Manila, Quezon City, Pasig, etc. As years passed, due to urban sprawl, other towns within the NCR gradually developed into cityhood, most notable being Makati which became a city in 1995.

In the present day, only one municipality remained in the region, Pateros while the rest of the region’s territory has developed into cities.

---

To conclude, Metro Manila did not become one city because it was never treated like one. Historically it was a province, while in the present day it worked as a collection of independent, self-governing cities with their own rules and laws. It would be very impractical to make it one city when the cities themselves are autonomous.

I think a better way is to re-establish the old Province of Manila so the territory will have better-unified control under a Provincial Governor because as of the present, only MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) has power over the NCR, but even their power is limited. By re-establishing the old Province of Manila, the Provincial Governor can have full control of the province without affecting the city status of the cities in Metro Manila.

www.quora.com

Typical Filipino (XXVI) - Typisch Philippinisch (XXVI): The Elder Sister ATE / Die ältere Schwester ATE

 

Schwestern, besonders ältere Schwestern, spielen in philippinischen Familien eine große Rolle. Eine ältere Schwester wird von den jüngeren Schwestern ATE genannt. ATE ist immer für die Jüngeren verantwortlich und kümmert sich um alles. Das ist in großen Familien auch unbedingt notwendig, da die Mutter oftmals nicht für alle Kinder gleichzeitig sorgen kann. Ihre Rolle als stellvertretende Mutter verschafft ATE den Respekt der jüngeren Geschwister, die sie in persönlichen Dingen um Rat fragen und ihr gegenenfalls zu gehorchen haben wie der Mutter.  Nach einem eventuellen Tod der Eltern übernimmt ATE die Verantwortung  für den Zusammenhalt der gesamten Familie.

Sisters, especially older sisters, play an important role in Filipino families. An older sister is called ATE by the younger sisters. ATE is always responsible for the younger ones and taking care of everything. This is absolutely necessary in large families, as the mother can often not care for all the children at the same time. Her role as substitute mother gives her the respect of her younger siblings, who ask her for advice on personal mattes and, if necessary, obey her, like the mother. After the eventual death of the parents, ATE takes on responsibility for the cohesion of the entire family.

11 Things Tourists Should Never Do in the Philippines, Ever

By: Katrina Escalona

Traveling, more than just an exciting, Instagram-worthy experience, is one you will always learn from. But there are simply some things that are more than helpful to learn beforehand. These are the things that will save you from the possibility of outright insulting someone or ending up on the wrong side of town. Here’s what not to do when visiting the Philippines.

Don’t insult the country or its people

First and foremost, it should go without saying that you shouldn’t insult your host country, but the Philippines is a bit of a special case. Filipinos are proud of anything and everything Filipino (this is why “Filipino Pride” is a thing), so to say anything that could offend them or the country could be a huge blunder. They tend to be very protective of their country and people, so the slightest criticism could be taken the wrong way. In fact, the Philippines has a growing list of celebrities from whom they’ve either demanded an apology—or worse, declared persona non grata (an unwelcome person)—actress Claire Danes is living proof that it might be better to tread lightly on the criticism.

Don’t disrespect your elders

Filipinos highly revere their elders, and this is obvious in the way they are spoken to. The words po and opo, for example, are used to show respect. While foreigners are clearly not required to be familiar with the use of such words, the value of respect is still expected from them. One way this can be shown is through a local greeting practice known as pagmamano (mano is the Spanish word for hand). This constitutes a slight bow, taking the hand of the elder, and touching it to your forehead. This act is most commonly done to grandparents, and they’ll likely be pleasantly surprised should it be done to them by a foreigner.

Don’t use first names to address someone older

Another giveaway that respect is a big deal in the Philippines is the avoidance of being on a first-name basis with someone older. Depending on the age gap, there is a more respectful term to address an older person. There’s ate (older sister) and kuya (older brother), tita (aunt) and tito (uncle), and lola (grandmother) and lolo (grandfather). These titles are used regardless of blood relation, and simply based on how much older the person is than you. The default titles for a complete stranger, say, driving your cab or selling you something at a store, would be ate and kuya.

Avoid confrontation and coming off too strong

Filipinos are very non-confrontational and are a rather timid bunch when it comes to people they’ve just met. So should a problem arise, try not to lose your temper, and remain calm and pleasant. When meeting locals, be friendly (Filipinos are generally very friendly), but avoid being cocky or intrusive. It’s also important to note that Filipinos are quite indirect and will avoid giving an outright “no” at all costs, as they fear it could come off offensive. This might be a bit frustrating to a foreigner, especially when trying to set up a gathering or extending an invitation, but the Filipino way of saying no can come in the form of phrases like “We’ll see,” “I’m not sure,” or “I’ll try to make it but…”.

Don’t arrive on time

…at least to casual gatherings. Filipinos are notorious for adhering to something called “Filipino time”, which refers to anywhere from a 15-minute to an hour-long delay on the clock. So Filipino events will almost always start at least a few minutes late. Many are trying to get rid of this stereotype and formal gatherings are much more likely to begin on schedule, but don’t be surprised when your Filipino friends are only leaving their homes by the time you’ve gotten to your meeting place.

Don’t get offended too easily

I know what you’re thinking—Filipinos get offended and immediately declare persona non grata, but everyone else isn’t allowed to? The thing is that Filipinos are mostly very happy, fun-loving people. However, their sense of humor might not always fit yours. As opposed to dry humor, Filipinos usually enjoy a more slapstick, situational, silly kind of humor. So in a circumstance where a local imitates your accent, for example, and proceeds to laugh, this isn’t a form of mockery, but simply a good-natured joke, expressing amusement over something different. It might become annoying to some, but just remember, it’s hardly, if ever, done out of spite.

Don’t go without prior research

The Philippines is one of those countries many people assume is unsafe due to how it’s portrayed in the media. It’s important to remember that the media tend to magnify the extremes and attention-grabbing events. While there are places in the country best avoided by tourists to be on the safe side, like certain provinces in Mindanao, as long as you travel smartly, taking common precaution, you should be perfectly fine elsewhere in the archipelago. Prior research will help you decide where to go, what to do, and for those whose cultures are extremely different from that of Filipinos’, what to expect. It also won’t hurt to know a few Filipino words to exchange with the locals. They love hearing visitors trying to speak their language (and again, don’t get offended if they respond with laughter—this is an indication of amusement).

Don’t let the bizarre-sounding food scare you

This will almost always apply to food. On the one hand, Filipinos are food aficionados. They love to eat and food is a huge part of their culture. And on the other, they are fantastic cooks who don’t let anything go to waste—so brace yourself for dishes made of animal parts you never considered edible. You’ll be in the land of chopped up pig’s face on a sizzling plate (sisig), hard-boiled duck embryo (balut), and grilled chicken intestines on a stick (isaw). If you’re the type to get squeamish quite easily, you might be better off not asking what something is. Just try it and should it not suit your fancy, simply don’t have it again. But do try to step out of your comfort zone. This is the perfect place to channel your more adventurous side.

Don’t drive in Manila unless absolutely necessary

Instead of sharing the road, driving in Manila feels like Darwin’s survival of the fittest. Not only is it a challenge manoeuvring through the Metro’s complicated routes, the difficulty is upped a level by having to compete with the jeepneys that pull over without warning and the huge buses that swerve carelessly, expecting other motorists to automatically give way. The extreme road congestion and ceaseless rush-hour traffic don’t help much either. So unless you absolutely must, you’ll be best off leaving the driving to your Uber.

Don’t expect everything to be dirt cheap

Sure, the Philippines is a much cheaper country than the US or many of those in Europe, but don’t assume you’re being cheated just because you’re being charged a bit more than what you hoped for. To avoid a heated exchange with a store owner or a pedicab driver, the best way to go about things is by firmly agreeing on a price beforehand. If they insist on an amount you wouldn’t be happy to pay, simply walk away. When bargaining, pleasantly make your offers and if you’re not happy with theirs, politely decline. Remember, while you’re trying to make a good buy on your end, they’re making a living on theirs.

Don’t bring up religion

At least during casual conversation, try to avoid getting into a discussion on religion. The Philippines is a significantly Catholic nation, and many, especially those of the older generations, are very pious. In fact, in the Philippines divorce is illegal, and the use of sexual contraception is still largely frowned upon (some things the younger generations are trying to change). So in the attempt to not upset a tita or lola, it would probably be best to reserve the atheism talks for another trip.

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (XXII): New Start with many Challenges

All four of us (my mother, Rossana and her brother Archie and myself) were standing in front of our two containers. Expectant and happy at the same time. But, our knees kept on shaking. The faces of the customs officers looked very, very serious. Of course, our inventory list for both containers was excessively long. "Why did you bring three washing machines, three bicycles, three television sets, three radios, three stereo units and so on...! Maybe you are hiding three cars too?"  Rossana replied quickly and with presence of mind, " Because we are three migrants to the Philippines and we belong to the same household!" The customs officers were flabbergasted and smiled. After a few hours of waiting and a lot of paperwork, our two containers were released. 

Yes, our first two years were full of surprises. Father Bacarez, our former Philippine Community Berlin chaplain visited us and blessed our whole compound. Meanwhile my mentor returned back to the Philippines and taught at Santo Tomas University Manila - among several subjects European History and also German Language. His books about German-Philippine Relationships and many talks with Monsignore Hermogenes "Gene' Bacareza gave me many inputs and knowledge. On January 25, 2003 in appreciation of his efforts promoting harmonious relations between both countries, Dr. Johannes Rau, then German Federal President conferred on Father Gene the highest honor of Germany, das Grosse Bundesverdienstkreuz  1. Klasse (Insignia of the Order of Merit). 

Father Gene was so happy knowing of my new work in Philippine media. Yes, meanwhile I had become Marketing Director of the Davao Carholic Herald and the radio station DXGN 89.9 "Good News Radio '', both located at the Bishop Thibault Center Davao City in the San Pablo Church Compound. I was allowed to contribute my regular column "The Daily Life" - and, I started my first radio program - entitled "The Passion of Music". Ludwig van Beethoven and all other classical masters could be heard in my Sunday program right after the life coverage of the 9 o'clock mass from San Pablo Church. Yes, it became true: Beethoven resides already under palms... . 

Rossana suffered from her first culture shock. "In Germany everything is so fast - the traffic, people, talking, everything somehow", she let me know. After 16 years she had become a typical German. We looked at photos together - photos from back then. Like this one from 1977: American-Philippine Friendship Day at Talomo Beach in Davao City. I felt that she was longing to dance again. Said and done. 

Maybe we became (again) risk takers. But the Manisan Dance Studio opened ... ! 

When we were strolling through the Victoria Plaza Mall on a beautiful Sunday morning after attending mass, Rossana wondered to herself; "Look over there, there is a TV recording or even life broadcasting. Yes, it was "Singgit Davao", and the host and director were former classmates of Rossana. And it was indeed life. 

Finally a big surprise happened!

(To be continued!)

Typical Filipino (XXV) - Typisch Philippinisch (XXV): Showing Respects to Elders/Respekt gegenüber Älteren zeigen

 

The term "Kuya" is used in Filipino for older brother and "Ate" is used in Filipino for older sister, and those terms are what one also usually uses to refer to or show respect to other people (including cousins and other strangers) who are in the same generation but a little older, or one could use the older term. The elder sister/die ältere Schwester hat eine ganz besondere Funktion auf den Philippinen. Mehr dazu hier sehr bald! 

Filipino Culture: Showing Respect to Elders

By: PRECY ANZA

Respect for your elders is important in Filipino culture.

Guillaume de Germain

Like in many other Asian countries, people in the Philippines show their respect to the elder population with certain gestures and honorifics they use before the person's name. Calling someone older than you by their first name is considered impolite and rude. If you've ever been to the Philippines, you've probably noticed Filipinos addressing anyone older than them using a word before their first name.

Respectful Ways to Say 'Yes' and 'No'

Some of the most common words for showing respect in a Filipino household are po and opo. Both basically mean "yes" in a respectful way, rather than just saying oo, or yes normally.

For a better understanding of how to use po and opo and to learn the difference between the two, look at the examples below.

Po is used to show respect when speaking or called by someone older or a person with authority. Also use po when saying salamat, or "thank you". If you are called by someone older than you (such as your mom, dad, uncle, auntie, or an elderly neighbor), you should answer po. 

Example: If an elderly person calls"Jasmin! Jasmin!", a Filipino child would answer "Po?" which is a polite way of saying "Yes?" or "Bakit po?" which means "Why?" (politely).

• Po is used when answering basic questions such as why, when, who, which and what, or when answering a yes or no question from someone older. Ex. "Jasmin, have you seen your brother?" Saying "Hindi" means "No." To answer politely, they would say po is "Hindi po." Adding po when answering yes or no portrays respect.

Opo is used to answer questions that has something to do with actions.

1. "Have you eaten? It's already lunch time." Answering with "Oo" means "Yes," but answering "Opo" would be the polite way.

But aside from using po and opo, there are other ways Filipinos show respect when speaking to someone older.

Words Used to Show Respect

Ate

This is used to show respect to an older sister. The younger siblings should address or call their older sister ate. If there is more than one older female sister, the younger ones would call the older siblings "ate____(name).

Example: If the youngest, 12 years old, is relating to her mom about the fun she had with her two older sisters, she would say, "Mom! I went to the town fiesta with ate Jasmine and ate Hope."

Ate is also used to show respect to older cousins.

Itay, Tatay, and Papa

Although some Filipinos call their parents dad and mom, there are still quite a few names for 'dad' that show respect. Itay, tatay, and papa all mean dad and are used by the siblings to call or address their dad.

In the case of stepfather, they are also shown respect by being addressed as itay, tatay, papa, or daddy, sometimes followed by their first names. 

For example, a young boy might address his stepdad as, "Tatay Manny" or "Papa Manny."

Inay, Nanay, or Mama

Just like with dads, substantial families or those who really are wealthy usually addressed as mom or mommy. Another percentage of Filipino children address their moms as inay, nanay or mama.

Similarly to stepfathers, stepmothers, Filipino kids address their stepmoms by calling them mom and then their first name, such as "Mommy Julie" or "Mama Julie."

Auntie, or Tita

Filipino used either of these two to address their aunt. But there are also cases where Filipinos call their stepmothers tita.

Tita is also used to show respect to people outside of the family. I do this myself. I address my mom's coworkers and friends as tita, like "Tita Fhil". Another example would be when my friend comes over to my house and addresses my mom as tita.

Uncle, or Tito

Children or siblings used this to address their parents' brothers. There's a bit of difference between uncle and tito, though they refer to the same respect given to one's dad or mom's brother.

Example: A 14-year-old would mostly use the word uncle to address his dad or mom's brother who's close in age to his parents. But if there's a small age gap, between the kid and his uncle, the 14-year-old would probably prefer to call his mother's younger brother as tito.

Lola and Lolo

Lola means grandma and lolo means grandpa. This is how Filipino children address their grandparents.

'Lolo' is 'grandpa' in the Philipines.

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What About Other People?

Filipino children also show respect to other people outside of the family. Here are some other names that are used to address elders.

Ninang and Ninong

Ninang, which means godmother, and ninong, which means godfather, are used by Filipino kids to address their godparents. Filipinos don't call their godparents by their first names. Instead, they use ninang and ninong. Examples would be, "I went to see ninang and ninong and they gave me presents."

Mang

Children and young adults use mang before the name as a sign of respect to males older than them in their town or neighborhood.

Aleng

Use before the first name of an older female as a sign of respect—if you know their name. If not, ale is used to address a stranger. Ale is pronounced ah-le, and it is the female counterpart of mang. For example:

1. I saw Aleng Mae and Mang John as I walked home from school. They are new in the neighborhood.
2. Aleng Mae owns a mini grocery store on 24th Street.

LIFE CHANGES DRAMATICALLY

Do you remember, my dear readers, what I wrote already months ago at this corner? Our life will never be the way it used to be - due to Covid-19. Everything in our life changed. Really everything. 

Being in online classes while teaching or in the daily home office, I experienced a total change when it comes to the digital body language:  cues you send – or don't send. Writer David Robson gets to the point in a nutshell: "Online, as in real-life, it's not just what you say – but how you say it".

Think about the last work email that you sent. Did its sentences end with full stops or exclamation marks, or did you forgo punctuation altogether? Was it peppered with emoji – or plain text? And was your response prompt, or did you have to apologize for the time it had taken to reply?

Now, consider your last Zoom call. Did you check your phone or email at least once during the meeting? And did you pause to be sure that the other speaker had finished? Or did you find yourself frequently interrupting their sentences, as you failed to take into account the slight delays in the connection?

According to the leadership expert Erica Dhawan, these are all examples of our “digital body language” – a concept that serves as the title of her new book. Like our in-person physical body language, digital body language concerns the subtle cues that signal things like our mood or engagement, and change the meaning of the words we say – be it in text, on the phone or in a video call.

Following David Robson, it is needless to say, the rise of remote working during the pandemic has only made these issues more urgent, but psychologists have long known that digital communication is ripe for misunderstanding.

So, what can be done? It’s indeed a question of mindfulness, so that we can be sure that our digital body language is intentional and appropriate to the situation at hand.

Do you like emojis?!? Well, first consider written communication, starting with the use of emoji and punctuation marks, like the exclamation point. Stylists may sneer, but many people (and include me in!) argue that they often help to clarify the meanings of the words themselves, much in the same way as a nodding head or a smirk in person. Whether you’re signalling urgency or excitement with ALL CAPS, impatience and irritation with an “?!?” or mutual appreciation with a fist-bump emoji, you are helping your text to convey the feelings you would have embodied in person.

It took me almost a whole year, but right now allow me to tell you: don’t feel shy about adopting these more informal digital cues, where appropriate – and be aware that others may well be expecting them.

Broadly, your use of punctuation and emojis are part of a bigger set of cues that will establish the tone of your exchanges – whether they feel formal or informal, enthusiastic or bored. Other signals will include your greetings (whether you include a friendly “Hello” at the start of the message or simply dive straight in), and your sign off (an emotionally distant “Regards” versus an enthusiastic “Thanks!”).

Honestly, sometimes I'm really getting tired of video calls and zoom meetings. They present their own unique problems. Your body language, manners and level of engagement on video-chat platforms can influence how colleagues see you and interpret your message. Even during my online teaching, I observed some student being absent-minded or even not being dressed well.

Whatever medium you use, you should remain conscious of two factors – trust and power – in all your interactions. These ratings will be subjective, of course, but if you sense there is a clear gap on either of these dimensions, you need to be more cautious.

In the past, the handshake, the smile and the smile gave us many well trusted signals,– but in online communication, our gratitude is often less apparent, or may not be expressed at all. Measures to remedy this could be as simple as sending a follow-up email, after a virtual meeting, to make it clear that you valued someone’s input, or cc’ing a junior colleague on an email to a client, acknowledging the role they played in a project. We can’t just assume that our colleagues will know how much we value them.

Erica Dhawan’s book Digital Body Language, is out now from St Martin’s Press. I learned a lot from her, especially perfecting our digital body language will take practice – but a few moments of thought each day may save hours of anxiety and confusion in the days and weeks ahead.

Earlier in this writeup, I mentioned David Robson. He is the author of The Intelligence Trap: Revolutionise Your Thinking and Make Wiser Decisions (Hodder & Stoughton/WW Norton) – out now in paperback. He is @d_a_robson on Twitter.

Since the pandemic, employees are leaving the workforce or switching jobs in droves. For many, employers have played a big part in why they're walking away. It's another big change in our business world. Read more about my thoughts in my next column here at this corner.

Is it hard to be a Filipino?

by: Rosmary Roque

Nurse since 2011, thinker since birth

Sometimes nomadic, often dramatic, mostly human.

Like in all things, being a Filipino is both hard and easy at the same time.

For one, we are constantly trying to prove ourselves to the world as a whole. I own at least 3 nursing licenses just because the license from my country is not up to par with those of the countries I wished to work for. I had to pass three different English exams just to prove that I can communicate in that language well enough despite having learnt it since I was 2. In the workplace, Filipino workers are constantly having to prove themselves over and over to their bosses just to keep their jobs. To make matters worse, even their own countrymen try to bring them down.

Another reason that it’s difficult is the weather. The Philippines is both in the Pacific ring of fire and in close proximity to the Pacific oceans, which means that a buttload of typhoons and earthquakes hit it each year. In 2013, a supertyphoon hit the southern region just a few weeks after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake did.

Lastly, we live in a society that has a lot going against development. Corrupt officials, lack of punctuality and other bad habits are rampant. This is unfortunate for a country trying to pick itself up.

Amidst this series of unfortunate events (heh), we’ve got one thing going for us. The adversity advantage.

We are resilient. No matter how hard life beats us, we fight back and cope the best way we can. This is why you see smiling faces in the background of newscasters reporting from flooded areas.

We are everywhere and we are close with our family. When you go to any mall in the United Arab Emirates, it is very likely to see many Filipino workers. We also have close family ties which help keep us sane in the face of trials.

Lastly, we are a generally tolerant, laid back people (so laid back sometimes that we are always late). While some could argue that this is just setting too low a standard, I think it is important to be kind to others and above all to be kind to ourselves.

That is the Filipino way.

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