Connecting to family and friends (cheaply!)
by Tijavi
When in Manila, keep your own city's SIM card. If your phone is GSM-compatible, get a local prepaid SIM card from any of the three cellular phone operators - Globe, Smart, Sun - costing less than US$4. Calls through your new SIM card should be cheaper than when you use your home city's global roaming service - US$0.40/minute for IDD calls, and about US$0.15 for local calls. Catch is, calls are charged on a per-minute pulse rate basis, rather than the more equitable 6-second pulse rate in most cities around the world.
Intramuros
by herzog63
Intramuros is an old area of Manila that was established by the Spaniards in 1571. It is a really fun area of small streets and alleys to wander around. There is also a Fort Santiago and a musuem that has alot of interesting Filipino history and information.
A Cross in the Corner
by asianbelle
Being a predominantly Catholic country, even Chinese settlers have to adapt to the Philippines local customs. Through their ingenuity, the Chinese were able to reconcile their religion with Catholicism. Hence, it's not surprising to see small altars along the road where people offer flowers, light candles, and pray.
Filipinos prefer to eat their food in lukewarm
by mlt_t
Filipinos prefer to eat their food in lukewarm. Traditionally, food was eaten with the hands and this practice still persists in kamayan restaurant (but you can asked spoon and fork if you rather prefer to used it) today, forks and spoons are the main eating utensils. Table knives are rarely used to offer, except in major cities and tourist destination.
Saving Face (Hiya)
by machomikemd
Saving Face is a common asian characteristic and is also present here in the philippines. Face saving (or saving face) refers to maintaining a good self image. People who are involved in a conflict and secretly know they are wrong will often not admit that they are wrong because they don’t want to admit they made a mistake. They therefore continue the conflict, just to avoid the embarrassment of looking bad.
To avoid this problem, it is important to allow one’s opponents to make concessions gracefully, without having to admit that they made a mistake or backed down. Often a simple change in wording, or an exchange of concessions will help negotiators maintain a positive image, even when they are actually giving in very substantially.
(it has both positive and negative conotations: Negative, because, being closely related to hiya and kasi, it enables a person to shirk responsibility. One is never accountable for anything. Positive, because one's psyche is saved from undue embarrassment, sleepless nights, remorse of conscience. It saves one from accountability or responsibility) This trait enables one to make a graceful exit from guilt instead of facing the music and owning responsibility for an offense
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Collage for Jumping VT Manila Meet 2010
San Augustin church
My Birthday 2006 at Barrio Fiesta, Philippines
The Post Office seen from Intramuros area
