Filipinos Are Friendly

[JJReyes]

Recently read another survey placing the Philippines as one of the friendliest and most hospitable countries to visit.  Then you experience it.  

At the airport, I had difficulty using my phone to call the driver of the pre-booked car to our hotel.  A complete stranger asked if he could help.  Giving him the phone number, he called, described what we look like and the number on the pillar next to where we were located.  He waited until our car arrived before calling for his vehicle.  

Two porters at Seda Hotel BGC immediately recognized us upon arrival.  They were extremely friendly and helpful.  One remembered my last name!  We last stayed at this property January 2024.  Maybe it's my generous tips whenever they called for a Grab driver using their personal phone and account, but the hospitality was genuine.

We had dinner near Market! Market! and I asked our waitress for the closest 7-Eleven or Lawson to buy bottled water.  The complimentary bottles supplied by the hotel are not enough.  She suggested packing unopened bottles in a paper bag and plastic to take back.  While the price is higher at the restaurant than a store, it was the thoughtfulness and convenience that mattered.  

It's good to be back.

[Mike J]

21 hours ago, JJReyes said:

One remembered my last name!  We last stayed at this property January 2024.

I agree and can relate.  There is a company several km from us that sells tile.  The wife and I found the tile we needed and went to pay.  A young man standing near the counter said "Hello Mr. Johnson".  I apologized and said I had forgotten his name and where had we met?  His reply; "You bought tile here for your deck three years ago."   Clerks at the local 360 Pharmacy welcome me with "Hello Uncle".   Love the looks it gets from other customers.  The man at the local post office sends me a txt message when mail comes in.   Just three small examples related to the service industry.  And that does not count the local people that I meet while shopping, taking walks, etc.

[MikeyD]

In the link below, the Philippines is ranked as the 3rd most friendly country in the world.  I'm not really a world traveler but some of the rankings don't match with my limited understanding of these countries.  For example, Mexico is ranked #1. Having lived in Texas for 30 years before retiring and moving here to the Philippines last year I never heard of anyone referring to Mexicans as friendly nor did I hear anyone refer to them as unfriendly.  I had heard about the friendliness of Filipinos and have had similar experiences to those expressed above since living here.

The friendliest countries in the world, ranked

Still, I feel like some Filipino's friendliness is directly related to the possibility of getting some kind of financial or other gain but I don't fault them for that, it seems to be part of the culture and I think they are just trying to make the best life for themselves that they can.

[Mike J]

15 hours ago, MikeyD said:

I'm not really a world traveler but some of the rankings don't match with my limited understanding of these countries.

It seems like most of these article that rank countries for one thing or another end up being click bait.  I suppose some are actually researched and based on data, but I suspect they are in the minority.   Especially true when measuring subjective criteria.  

[scott h]

19 minutes ago, Mike J said:

click bait.

I think your right about this site Mike, I have noticed a lot of articles on msn you have to wade through advertisements if you're interested in the story. 

I have come to believe that people are the pretty much the same all over. Rural areas are more friendly than urban areas imo. Ask a question of a stranger in LA or Frisco they look like you're really inconveniencing them. Ask the same question in Booger Hole West Virgina and it is answered with a smile.

On my first visit to the Phil. I really thought the people were super friendly, but I was taken to places like Boracay, Mall of Asia, cathedrals you know places where folks are paid to be nice. But I have been jostled, shoved, stomped on, given short answers, ignored, glared at in the local palenke just as I would in New York city