Filipino Honesty. In Daily Life.

[chris49]

I am going to talk about honesty here, not the other side. Yes, there are so many layers of corruption here, and this corruption has filtered down to the society and permeated the culture at all levels.

But human beings are more naturally honest than dishonest.

Let me kick off with a few examples and see if there will be more added.

1. The small market vendor, the street vendor, the vendors who will come to your house maybe every day or frequently. If you pay "over" it is your own fault, you did not know the correct price. Our wives will most likely tell us thst even if we got a "deal" The vendor quotes his/her price and you do a little negotiation. You are careful not to undercut the price too much as to undermine their profit.

When the deal is cut and they weigh out the product. They give you slightly, even very slightly over the amount eg 1 kg can be 1 kg plus a few grams, but definitely over. Then they count out the change giving you the exact amount down to the last peso, not trying to round it off or keep the excess. They are 100% honest because they value your custom and would like to see you back again.

2. Reference point No.1. If ever you gave a wrong bill by mistake they will make the correction, not trying to take advantage of the situation.

3. The Ex Pat Forum Classic, the haircut. The price is around 50 pesos. Can be in a range of 35-70. The barber knows he's getting a tip. In all likelihood rounded out to a hundred with no change. As such he gives you a few extra minutes and the head shoulder massage because he knows the tip is coming. He will not adjust to foreigner price because he knows if he does that you might not come back. You also must comply by recognizing the extra service and adding the tip. If you don't, you are the one at fault. The barber is 100% honest and that protects his business. Especially if he's an employee in a shop and the tip is his main income.

4. The Tayler guy, the guys all over who fix punctures. Changing a tire can be very easy or incredibly hard. I saw them trying to change a big truck tire without power tools and it can take a few hours to get it off the rim.

And the small repairs, motor cycle and my bike. The rate is 20-30 pesos depending on degree of difficulty. So cheap for 15-20 mins of labor, plus the patch, plus the acetelyne and reinstallation of the tire and putting the wheel back on. The will not in any way waiver the price, but a 20 peso tip is mandatory. If you oberve every customer follows that. If not eg in the barber shop also, he will not get goodservice next time.

That's 100% honesty and it exists here in the Philippines, possibly moreso in provincial area.

Would you have examples of Filipino honesty?

Edited September 3, 2015 by chris49

[not so old china hand]

Would you have examples of Filipino honesty?

Yes many.

 

In Hong Kong, along with most of my friends and acquaintances, I employed Filiipina domestic helpers. I never had any reason to suspect their honesty, nor have I heared of any example of dishonesty from those friends and acquaintances. The same has been generally true of my experience in the Philippines. And although the examples above may be put down as enlightened self-interest I can think of many cases where the people involved are unlikely to see me again.

 

I regret to say that is not always true of people here.

[expatuk2014]

I totally agree when I have my hair cut ( what little there is ) as I am old and grey

we always use the same barber and my brother in law gets a free haircut ( we pay for it )

and my wife has hers cut there also we give 20 peso tip for each of us 20 he gets 180 pesos.

still cant get used to the massage !!

 

Honesty in the Philippines ?

 

you wouldnt think so with all the poverty would you ?

 

my wife went to the local market a while back now and dropped her purse which had over 4000pesos and 2 of her credit cards inside. when she got home and realised we  cancelled the credit cards right away.

my wife and her sister went back to the market to see if anyone had found it and handed it in to someone there.

And yes you guessed it somebody found it and handed it to one of the market traders who then handed it

to the local market security guards ! not one peso had been taken !! 

 you hear stories all the time like this here.

 

my wife and yes me as well has a habit of leaving the gate key in the lock and we get people ringing the door bell to tell us about it !!

 

Honesty in the philippines starts with the poor hardworking people 

and ends there any higher and corruption kicks in.

just recently we were told of a gov dept employee being overlooked for promotion for years when she complained and asked why she was told if you want promotion it will cost you 1.2 million pesos !!

 

 

 

 

[scott h]

That's 100% honesty and it exists here in the Philippines, possibly moreso in provincial area.

 

What you describe Chris I believed is called "Cash Register Honesty" and yes I agree with you. Even here in Metro Manila, when I deal with people on a day to day basis, especially those that I deal with regularly (barber, grocer, mani/pedi lady etc.) I have never been cheated, swindled, scammed or other wise really taken advantage of.

 

Having said that, I can say the same thing is generally true about the people in every country I have lived in or visited. Humans on the whole are basically honest, especially when dealing with people one on one.

 

Institutional and cultural honesty? Well that's a whole different topic :tiphat:

[mogo51]

Institutional and cultural honesty? Well that's a whole different topic

 

 

You nailed it Scott, when working in an environment where corruption is endemic, very few will not step in line!

[Dave Hounddriver]

2. Reference point No.1. If ever you gave a wrong bill by mistake they will make the correction, not trying to take advantage of the situation.

Had that happen.  Got a massage and went to give a 100 peso tip.  The next thing I know I'm getting back a bunch of change.  Seems the therapist thought I was paying the bill because no one ever leaves a 1000 peso tip.  Those dang 100s and 1000s look almost the same to my old eyes in dim light.

 

The barber knows he's getting a tip. In all likelihood rounded out to a hundred with no change.

Wow.  I never pay 2 1/2 times the price for anything. (40 peso haircut times 2 1/2 = 100 peso note.)   Closest  I come to that is when I get a massage and sometimes leave half the cost of the massage as a tip.  That is only because I have been told many times that the therapists get next to nothing from the price you pay for the massage and actually live on their tips.

 

My experience in general is that average Filipinos are as honest as average people anywhere else I have been.  No better and no worse.  Just average.  But that's a good thing.

[chris49]

I do Dave, 50=100 for excellent service by the same barber or the collegue I go to every 4-5 weeks. That's the thing about it. That 100 note, 50 pesos directly to him, influences the service. I notice the extras like fully shaving the neck and meticulous trimming to a point of excess. Noticeably more than he is giving the other customers, so I think it's worth it.

On the massage. I had only one in the last 5 years but it was recent. No extras of course. I notice the variable standard in the massage therapist. They can be lackadaisical, tired, no interaction with the customer or they can be a bit more friendly, have a bit more interaction with the customer. The last one I had cut the time by over 10 minutes. When I mentioned it she had no comment. Of course it's her livelihood, so I can't leave her without tip, so 100. Previously I would spin out 200-300 in typical foreigner style.Not sure now, but maybe like the barber, for excellent service, 200. And they get that a few times a day for only a few hours work, so I covered my obligation.

Edited September 3, 2015 by chris49

[Jack Peterson]

Previously I would spin out 200-300 in typical foreigner style.

 

 

Where on earth did you get this as Typical Foreigner style Tipping? My pockets are short and I got long arms but a days Wages for a Tip.

 

JP :tiphat:

[canadamale]

I was in Palawin with my then gf and her mother. We hired a tricycle to take us around for the three days. He was waiting outside the hotel by 8am and did not finish until after 9pm. yes he did eat with us whenever we did, noon meal and one other. Charge was 1500p I gave him 2000p. He said no no too much, my gf mother said no to much. I said look it is my money and I will pay what I want. I do try to keep my tips to around 15% same as I do in Canada. The trike driver was a good guy, with a wife and two children in school I was more than happy to pay him the $56.00 dollars Canadian for his services

[Jack Peterson]

I was in Palawin with my then gf and her mother. We hired a tricycle to take us around for the three days. He was waiting outside the hotel by 8am and did not finish until after 9pm. yes he did eat with us whenever we did, noon meal and one other. Charge was 1500p I gave him 2000p. He said no no too much, my gf mother said no to much. I said look it is my money and I will pay what I want. I do try to keep my tips to around 15% same as I do in Canada. The trike driver was a good guy, with a wife and two children in school I was more than happy to pay him the $56.00 dollars Canadian for his services

10 marks to you and I admire it but this a total different ball game to barbers and massages, my lunchtime bouts with the guys here usually end up about 400 peso so I give 10% to the Waitress that's 40 peso Yeah! I am not about to double her daily Wage for a Bill of 400 peso. The Boss of the Bar would kill me, Give too much as suggested and we know, don't we, what they will Do? They don't turn up tomorrow and that is no good for anyone. We all know that the Living Wage here is no where near enough but it is not for us to pay their wages.

 

Sorry That's me.

 

JP :tiphat: