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Adulting

Filipino Social Etiquette: 100 Unspoken Rules to Dodge Tita’s Wrath (Or Get Cancelled)

Filipino Social Etiquette: 100 Unspoken Rules to Dodge Tita’s Wrath (Or Get Cancelled)

Intro: Ever Been Called “Walang Modo” by Your Tita?

Let’s cut the act—Filipinos are experts at side-eye. One wrong move at a family reunion, and suddenly Tita’s calling you “bastos” while resharing your kamote moment on Facebook. But hey, surviving Pinoy society isn’t rocket science. It’s about knowing the Filipino social etiquette and the hindi binabanggit na rules that keep you off the gossip list. Whether you’re in Quezon City or Dubai, here’s your cheat sheet to living with delikadesa and dodging tsismis.

Paggalang 101 – Respect Like You Mean It

  1. Never correct an elder publicly. Kahit mali siya, “Yes po” muna.
  2. Cover your mouth when yawning. Para kang tambay sa kanto kung hindi.
  3. Offer your seat to elders on public transit. Kahit nakapaa ka na sa jeepney.
  4. Avoid direct eye contact with superiors. Staring = parang naghahamon ka.
  5. Never refuse a blessing (pagmamano). *Kahit may COVID, dahan-dahan lang.
  6. Let elders enter/exist rooms first. Para kang bouncer sa club, teh.
  7. Lower your voice when elders are talking. *Hindi ka ASAP Rocky, besh.
  8. Never sit higher than an elder. *Adjust that monobloc chair, prangka.
  9. Greet everyone when entering a room. “Good morning po” > silent treatment.
  10. Never walk in front of someone praying. *Respeto sa naglalakad-lakad na dasal.

Pakikisama Survival Tactics

  1. Join karaoke even if you hate it. “My Way” pa more, kahit paltos na.
  2. Never say “no” to inom invites. “Next time” lang, pero laging may next time.
  3. Pretend to love their ulam. “Ang sarap po!” (While hiding under rice).
  4. Help with dishes after eating. Kahit tuyo ang kamay mo sa labada.
  5. Never leave a gathering early. “Uuwi na po ako” = instant guilt trip.
  6. Laugh at boomer Facebook memes. “HAHA relatable po!” (Dead inside).
  7. Agree with Tita’s hugot about marriage. “Single pa po ako, teka lang!”
  8. Never skip fiesta food tasting. “Busog na po ako” = personal insult.
  9. Share chismis but act innocent. “Ay, hindi ko po alam yun!”
  10. Always defend your barkada. *Kahit sila ang may kasalanan, loyalty first.ba?

Dirty Habits That Scream “Squammy”

  1. Spitting in public. Para kang may TB sa kalsada.
  2. Leaving trash at jollijeep. *Hindi ka exempted sa basura mo, teh.
  3. Blasting music on jeepney rides. Wala kang earphones, gaga?
  4. Not flushing CR toilets. “Bahala na si Batman” mindset.
  5. Picking teeth with fingers. Nakaka-ick, pre.
  6. Burping without covering your mouth. *“Excuse me” is free, besh.
  7. Wearing pajamas to the mall. Hindi ka nasa bahay niyo, ha.
  8. Double-dipping in sawsawan. May hepa ka ba?
  9. Leaving tingi wrappers everywhere. Hindi ka bata, magtapon sa basurahan.
  10. Not washing hands before eating. Basic hygiene, hoy!tal.

Modern Etiquette for Gen Z Pinoys

  1. Never post sad songs at 2 AM. “May pinagdadaanan ka nanaman?”
  2. Avoid clout-chasing on Tiktok. “Cringe ka, teh!”
  3. Don’t slide into DMs with “Hi” only. “Ano ‘to, job interview?”
  4. Never tag exes in memes. “Move on ka na, bes!”
  5. Skip flexing brand names. “Pang-Shopee lang kita.”
  6. Don’t screenshot private stories. “Bakit ka naka-save, stalker?”
  7. Avoid reply reactions to drama. “Bakit ka affected, teh?”
  8. Never subtweet your barkada. “Direct message mo na lang ako!”
  9. Don’t overuse hashtags. “#PaCoolKids #SanaAll” is so 2016.
  10. Skip duets with strangers. “Hindi kita kilala, ha!”
  11. No vaguebooking after breakups. *”Ang *hugot* mo, teh!”*
  12. Reply to your boss’s texts. “Noted po” > seen zone.
  13. Never post family drama online. Para kang si Marites ng brgy.
  14. Skip gym selfies. Hindi ka naman si James Reid.

Mga Life Rules for OFWs & Global Pinoys

  1. Never say “Pilipinas kayo, eh”. “Ikaw nga naka-Aircon dyan!”
  2. Mail pancit canton to homesick friends. Instant hero status.
  3. Defend jeepneys to foreigners. “You have buses? We have art!”
  4. Never miss Simbang Gabi Zoom calls. “Nasa Dubai ako, pero dasal pa rin!”
  5. Teach foreigners “bahala na” philosophy. “It’s not laziness, it’s faith!”
  6. Send suka and toyo in balikbayan boxes. Essential as oxygen.
  7. Never forget Pinoy Time jokes. “Late ka? Filipino Time strikes again!”
  8. Host potluck parties abroad. “Bring sinigang or don’t come.”
  9. Wear barong to formal events. Flex that heritage, pre.
  10. Never skip kape with fellow OFWs. “Kapeng sachet, solved!”

Workplace Diskarte

  1. Greet everyone with “Good morning”. Even if you’re tamad AF.
  2. Never skip merienda invites. “Diet ka? Sige, kami na lang kakain.”
  3. Avoid office gossip. Chismis spreads faster than bagoong.
  4. Bring baon to share. Adobo = instant office brownie points.
  5. Never embarrass your boss publicly. Kahit siya ang mali, tiis ganda muna.
  6. Never be late without pasalubong. “Sorry po, traffic… pero may ensaymada ako!”
  7. Use “po” in work emails. Kahit naka-BCC si boss, delikadesa pa rin.
  8. Never steal credit for ideas. *Team effort lagi, pre.
  9. Hide your eye roll during meetings. Practice your poker face sa CR.
  10. Join Christmas party games. Kahit nakakahiya, pakikisama is key.

Money Matters Without the Awkwardness

  1. Never ask “Magkano sahod mo?” Rude yan, teh.
  2. Avoid utang if possible. Pero kung mangungutang ka, pay on time.
  3. Don’t flaunt new purchases. “Ang yaman mo na!” = backhanded compliment.
  4. Give pamasko to kids. Even ₱20 keeps you off the “kuripot” list.
  5. Never split bills exactly. Round up—walang sukli-sukli sa mga kaibigan.
  6. Lend emergency money discreetly. “Wag mo na ipost sa GC, teh.”
  7. Never discuss salaries at inuman. Baka ma-insecure si tropa.
  8. Avoid “libre mo naman” jokes. Nakakairita, pre.
  9. Return borrowed piso promptly. *Kahit gaano kaliit, utang is utang.
  10. Never haggle with suki vendors. “Sige na, ate, kawawa naman.”

Family First… But Set Boundaries

  1. Attend fiesta even if you’re tired. “Wala ka namang ginagawa!”
  2. Never refuse turo-turo food from Nanay. “Busog na ako” = “Ayaw ko ng luto mo.”*
  3. Don’t argue with tambay cousins. “Wala kang mararating” incoming.
  4. Hide your jowa until it’s serious. *Baka ma-*interrogate ng pamilya.
  5. Never skip Sunday mass. Kahit agnostic ka, sumama ka pa rin.
  6. Pretend to love Tito’s advice. “Salamat po, try ko po yan!”
  7. Avoid criticizing lola’s TV habits. “Bakit? Mayaman ka na?”
  8. Never say “ang tanda mo na” to parents. Instant sermon alert.
  9. Send baon to siblings in school. Kahit last ₱50 mo na.
  10. Never post family fights on FB. “Para kang naghahanap ng kakampi!”

Social Media Without the Cringe

  1. No hugot quotes with sunset pics. “Ang OA mo, teh.”
  2. Avoid oversharing vacation photos. “Ang yabang mo naman!”
  3. Never tag friends in memes during work hours. *Baka ma-*HR ka.
  4. Keep political rants offline. *Baka ma-*cancel ka ng tito mo.
  5. Don’t post gym selfies daily. “Nakakaumay ka na, pre.”
  6. Never subtweet your barkada. “Direct message mo na lang ako!”
  7. Avoid “check-in” at hospitals. “Nagpa-ER ka, hindi vacation.”
  8. Skip duckface in group photos. “2008 called, teh.”
  9. Never post “sana all” on ex’s pics. “Move on ka na, bes!”
  10. Hide cringey childhood photos. Baka ma-blackmail ka sa GC.

Bonus Personal Conduct Rules for Ultimate Pasalubong Status

  1. Always offer food to guests. “Kain tayo!” even if there’s only asin left.
  2. Never arrive empty-handed. Kahit fishball from the street vendor.
  3. Overcook rice for visitors. “Mas marami, mas masaya.”*
  4. Send leftovers home with guests. “Para sa mga bata.”*
  5. Walk guests to the gate. “Sige, hatid kita!” even if it’s just 3 steps.
  6. Remember favorite snacks of relatives. *“Uy, dalawang Chippy ang dala mo!”
  7. Never reuse pasalubong wrappers. “Ah, binigay lang pala ‘to sa ‘yo?”
  8. Bring extra for surprise visitors. “Naku, dumami sila!”
  9. Hide prices of imported gifts. “Shopee lang ‘to, teka!”
  10. Apologize if pasalubong is late. “Na-traffic po ako sa EDSA!”st 3 steps.

FAQs: Sagot sa Mga Tanong ng Naguguluhan

  1. “What if I accidentally broke a rule?”
    Apologize with “Pasensya na po” and a blessing hand gesture. Works 99% of the time.
  2. “Why do Filipinos care so much about reputation?”
    Kasi “Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan…” is our national motto.
  3. “How to say ‘no’ without sounding rude?”
    Try “Next time na lang po” with a smile. Pero next time never comes.

Final Sermon: Live Right or Suffer the words from Marites

Look, di naman kailangan maging santo. But in a country where reputation is currency, these personal conduct rules and Filipino values keep you from becoming “topic ng lunch” at the next fiesta. Share this with your barkada—or keep it secret and stay ahead of the marites crowd. Bahala ka, besh.

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