Pakitang Tao: The Civil Game

Filipinos are famous for being conscientious employees when in other countries, but when it comes to working here in the Philippines, we usually have a darker side – and it ties into a somewhat disturbing cultural trait, the pakitang tao. There are good and bad sides to this cultural habit, and it’s important to know how it can even make some social interactions smoother.


Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles.

Photos (from Flickr.com):
“slack,” by Tim Patterson

Single, by choice

When people talk about being single, there is usually a mix of loneliness, bitterness, and a bit of despair, as many people think of being single as an unnatural situation. People, after all, are meant to pair up as couples (or more, if so inclined). Living alone seems to be an untenable thing, and single people are usually suspected of having issues and problems that prevent them from being in a relationship.

However, a person can be single by choice, and be very much happy, at peace, or both (there is a difference).


Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles

Photo, c/o Flickr.com:
“Snuff Buff,” Gaer Tonnesen

The upside of being ‘pasaway’

For most Pinoys, being the pasaway means that you are marked as the one to watch out for, in the negative sense. You are the troublemaker, the one whom everyone expects to do the worst thing possible. And even if you do try to help, you’ll probably do it in a way that will cause people headaches. Let’s face it, if the root word of the term for you means that you are always being reprimanded, then you know that you’re not on Santa’s “nice” list for Christmas.

However, that shouldn’t get you down. There are advantages to being the pasaway.

Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles







“Stubbornness is sometimes a place to sit and fume,” by Lars Plougmann, c/o flickr.com
 

Living in the City

Many people don’t think much about living in the city, let alone living in a a burgeoning metropolis like Metro Manila. Sure, we have the hokey “Anak ng Pasig” city-loyalty ballads, and you can think about all the North and South comparisons, but at the end of the day, most people don’t think about how the city has changed the way we lived. Sometimes, it’s for the better, and sometimes it’s for the worse. And it always is somehow interesting, if you think about it.

Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles


“Untitled,” by FEDRA Studio, c/o Flickr.com

North and South – The Metro Manila Divide

If you grew up anywhere in Metro Manila, chances are you had the idea of how the Northern Metro area was very different from the South – and we’re not just talking about geography. Somehow, there was a basic difference in how people were between the North and South of Metro Manila.


Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles


Photos by Richard Ramos

Unleash your inner Ninja

Ninjas have captured the public’s imagination, thanks to how entertainment media has portrayed them: silent, cunning, and ready with a trick or two that can make them look at the very least eerie, and at the best (or worst) magical.
So you’re probably thinking: can you be a ninja?

Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles 



“ninja.jpg-tm,” by Andrés Álvarez Iglesias

‘Pag may time': The Pinoy art of not doing something

I’m sure that most people reading this article has either been exasperated that someone is avoiding giving you time for something you want them to do, or have themselves avoided doing something for someone else, citing time issues. Among Filipinos, this habit can reach epic proportions, and may, in fact, be the root cause of many social issues today.

Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles

“Time Card,” by Matti Mattila, c/o Flickr.Com

Social climbing in the digital age

With the advent of the Internet, it’s inevitable that even there, social classes will emerge. And, unfortunately, with social classes comes the need for some people to climb the ladders, so to speak. It’s not necessarily a good or bad thing, but it can be done in bad taste – hence, the negative connotation of “social climbing.” But what constitutes social climbing in the digital age?
Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles


“Party 1950s Style,” by Nina Zed

Who or what is the Pinoy Millennial? Selfie

One should suppose that it is inevitable that each generation will have unique characteristics, all of which have been shaped by what has been happening in their times. If Generation X is known for its open-minded and philosophical bent (perhaps as a result of higher living standards and a reaction to the last decades of the Cold War), then what is Generation Y – The Millennials – all about?


Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

The month of January is named after the god Janus, a god who had two faces, each one looking the other way. He symbolized beginnings and endings, and was the god of doorways, gates, and passages – essentially anything that was a beginning, a transition, or an ending. Taking from that idea, one thing we should probably consider is to look back.
Seeing as we are talking about beginnings, why don’t we think about it: when was the last time you did something for the first time? And what should you do for the first time this coming year?

Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles


“Preparing for Flight,” by Daniel Flower (Flickr.com)

The ‘Peter Pan Generation': Adult toy collectors

It’s a common thing these days for people to say that they know of an adult friend who still has a thing for collecting children’s toys and books, or has a growing collection of comic books or some other kind of collection that seems to be “not right” for their age.

And let’s be honest: for many of us, adults who like collecting toys or children’s stuff seems to really be a question of maturity, and can even be deeply disturbing. However, have we ever really asked ourselves if it’s not some sort of imposed standard on other people – one that is unfairly biased against them?

In short: why do some adults have toy collections that seem to make them some sort of “Peter Pan,” someone who refuses to grow up?

Read the full article at the Philippine Online Chronicles


Photo by Mark van Seeters, c/o Flickr.com

Vanity, thy name is Pinoy

When Pinoys talk about vanity, it’s like talking about the whole virgin and whore paradox: We seem to hold it as an essential thing, but at the same time, we think of it with disdain. It’s as if we love the idea of looking good, and yet we loathe making it obvious that we have a vain side to our personalities.
So why is it that Pinoys love to be books with great-looking covers, even if their pages are full of good content (to stretch the metaphor to painful lengths)?

Click here to read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles
“Vanity,” by A. Pagliaricci, c/o Flickr.com

Skin deep: The importance of good looks

While good looks may not mean everything, first impressions do count – as well as being good-looking (or at least presentable) for our loved ones. However, it’s not just about good looks, it’s about good looks in the overall sense.


Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles

“Venus” by John Robinson, from Flickr.com

America: The Philippine Love-Hate Affair

The Philippines has always had an ambiguous relationship with the United States of America. While officially, the Philippine government is mostly friendly with the USA, there are notable times (such as the removal of US bases, requested in 1991) that the relationship has been less than cordial. The situation becomes more complicated when you check on the normal person on the street, where the reaction to Americans vary from neutral, to welcoming, to utter rejection of their presence in the country, even as tourists.

So why is it that Pinoys have a love-hate affair with the United State of America?


Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles


Photo: “Fil-Am Friendship Park” by Roberto Verzo, c/o Flickr.com

When to give a child cell phone and social media rights

When the youngest in our family was growing up, the Internet had just started up here in the country. I do remember having to listen to the whistling handshake of older modems as connection was established. However, what did that mean to our youngest sister? Surprisingly, when she was around twelve, we let her have access to the Internet, and I am glad to say that she is more or less well-adjusted, if not savvy about online concerns.

However, it’s important to note that before she went online, she was immersed in a family that encouraged reading (she still has her library, as do I), and that we were also very much involved in making sure that if she did watch movies, we would be there with her (for the most part). Thus, she has developed a healthy appetite for good movies… and outstandingly whacky B-movies as well.

The key, in retrospect, with how my sister was prepared for the Internet was that we had already been preparing her somehow through the way we introduced literature to her, and that also, thanks to how history turned out… there was no chance for her to be exposed to the Internet at a younger age.

Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles


Photo: “Instagram and Other Social Media Apps” by Jason Howie, c/o Flickr.com

The changing importance of being a virgin

As a mental exercise, I tried to imagine when I first heard the term “virgin” when used to describe a person’s state of non-experience with in terms of sexual relations. To be honest, I realized that I first heard it among friends, when talking about girls they liked – in the sense that “do you think so-and-so is still a virgin? That would be so hot! I hope I’ll be the first to get her!”

At the time, it didn’t matter to our teenage minds just how wrong all of that sounded (I’ll expound more on that later). All that mattered was that we were thinking of how great it would be if the girl were a virgin.

Of course, as we grew older, the value that was given to a person being a virgin changed. Here are some interesting observations about how the “virgin value” changes, depending on who it is, and what generation you’re talking about.

Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles


Photo: “Died a Virgin,” by Quinn Dombrowski, c/o Flickr.com

The Waiter Rule: How we act when we don’t have to be nice

It’s a common saying these days, with many variations on what is said, and the basic thing is: How you act towards people who you have no attachment to, or need to be nice to (like waiters), will show your real personality. While this saying immediately sounds true and good, the fact is, it has many layers to whether or not it is true.

Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicles

Photo: “Day 331” by Pascal, c/o Flickr.com

Parenting, Pinoy Style

For many Filipinos, parents are seen with a somewhat confusing dichotomy: while they are, short of one’s life partner, the most beloved of people in one’s life, they can also be the ones who can embarrass you the most, or be the ones that you would practically consider as your worst enemies – if they weren’t your parents.

Now, most people would probably argue: isn’t that similar to how parents are viewed everywhere else? Well, the truth is, Pinoy parents tend to have their own ways of doing things – things that we may not necessarily agree with, until we become parents ourselves.


Go to the Philippine Online Chronicles for the full article

“Parenting,” by Leonid Mamchenkov c/o Flickr.com

Bromance in the Philippines

Once upon a time, while my family was engaging in dinner conversation, the subject of the Pinoy being touchy-feely was brought up – at the time, the term “bromance” had yet to be coined. My dad would say that in the olden days (insert 1950s music here), he and his friends had no problem hugging each other, or walking around with their arms around each other’s shoulders. In fact, they were very much unaware of the current “don’t touch me too much” mentality, except, expectedly, for the kissing part. We ended the conversation and proceeded to other subjects for our after-dinner coffee with the conclusion that people these days were more self-aware and praning about how they would be viewed if they were too affectionate with their same-sex friends.


Go to the Philippine Online Chronicles for the full article

Photo: “Bromance,” by bostankorkulugu, c/o Flicker.com

Monster Traffic Jams: The Horror

Traffic has become a part of life in the metro, with people resigned to hours on the road, be it as drivers or as passengers. However, aside from the headaches, annoyance, and general bad mood that heavy traffic generates in people, what are the real costs of heavy traffic? What do citywide traffic jams really do to us?

Go to the Philippine Online Chronicles for the full article



Photo: “London traffic lights – t2i” by @Doug88888 c/o Flickr.com