Are Filipinos Violent People?

[Travis]

I have found them to be kind considerate loving people but I read story after story of Filipinos shooting & knifing each other & sometimes foreigners that it makes me wonder if deep down inside they are actually violent & especially when drunk. this is just 1 of many stories I have read over the years http://www.philstar....bCategoryId=107 which includes a knifing

[sjp52]

Hi Traveler, I was wondering the same thing. I think if you go any where is the world where there are a lot of poor people sometimes desperate for food or no chance to get a job you will find this sort of thing happening.

[Jake]

Hi Traveler, I was wondering the same thing. I think if you go any where is the world where there are a lot of poor people sometimes desperate for food or no chance to get a job you will find this sort of thing happening.

You're quite right Sjp52 -- it's the nature of the beast and the beast being desperation, oppression, jealousy and tribal mentality. During off season for the fishermen and farmers, some of these folks will turn to drinking sessions or drugs (mostly shabu) and will resort to spontaneous violence, even against their own relatives.Respectfully -- Jake

[Mr Lee]

Well guys to give my POV, I could understand people killed during robberies, while of course I do not like it, but people killing or seriously hurting each other over trivial things, has to make me wonder why, and poverty is no excuse when you take away the money issue, so I often wondered if hot tempers were partly, or mostly to blame for some of these things, and of course people getting drunk. So I wonder if the happy drunk percentage of Filipinos is as high as in any other races, or if the violent drunk is more prevalent in any one race? I believe that violence is everywhere in the world nowadays, and maybe it just seems to stand out to us while we are in the Philippines because we tend to read nationwide news where they sensationalize crimes which probably would never even make the news back home. 

[Jake]

Well guys to give my POV, I could understand people killed during robberies, while of course I do not like it, but people killing or seriously hurting each other over trivial things, has to make me wonder why, and poverty is no excuse when you take away the money issue, so I often wondered if hot tempers were partly, or mostly to blame for some of these things, and of course people getting drunk. So I wonder if the happy drunk percentage of Filipinos is as high as in any other races, or if the violent drunk is more prevalent in any one race? I believe that violence is everywhere in the world nowadays, and maybe it just seems to stand out to us while we are in the Philippines because we tend to read nationwide news where they sensationalize crimes which probably would never even make the news back home.

As always Lee, you have brought up another good point whether major news articles get the front page even if it involves local matters far from Manila. As compared to each state in USA having many resources for news (TV, news papers and internet), only less than a dozen news outlets in the Philippines continue to "sensationalize" in order to attract advertisers.I could remember a news article about a Filipino killing another Filipino due to the song "My Way". Apparently, that song isnow black-listed from all karaoke bars. Is that something unique to the Filipino's ego, which often times turns violent during drinking session? Do we have more happy drunks or violent drunks? Good question Lee and hopefully other members could shed some light in this matter. I am curious myself -- Jake

[sjp52]

I have noticed quite a few Filipinos drink rum (cheap) and they drink it straight and fast. I have always noticed that people who drink liquor usually get out of control a lot easier than a person drinking beer. of course there is always exceptions to the this. Also when you drink on an empty stomach you get drunk faster. They might also be thinking I have nothing to lose if I screw up. I hang out sometimes with the same bunch of guys and they all have jobs and seem very respectable and I never worry about any of them getting out of hand. Great bunch of guys. But I think there is a big drug problem here because of the need to escape a reality that sucks for some.I think Lee is right though. If you took a look at all the reports of killing and murder in the whole of the US a foreigner there would be very nervous too. I live in a city in Canada that is 60 miles from Detroit and there is a lot more news about killings and murders than here.

[ekimswish]

Another thing about money is, I think we'd have a lot more murders ANYWHERE in the world - including Canada - if you could buy your way out of jail with a half a year's salary. Most poor Filipinos seem to settle on a to-them-significant amount of money when another poor Filipino kills their family member. That significant amount of money is rather small relative to what the killer's OFW family member is making, so they roll the dice that they'll be out of jail in a few months to a year. When the justice system is broken, all bets are off.

[joeatmanila]

Ekimswish you are spot on. I do have exactly the same opinion.

[No name]

I think they are overall less violent, except for maybe waray-waray (haha I'm only poking fun at my hot blooded waray gf).....I tell you what though, if you push a Filipino to the breaking point, look for trouble and lots of it.My impression is they take a lot of crap but if you set them off, there will be hell to pay.Of course drinking and hunger change things.

[Travis]

Hi Traveler, I was wondering the same thing. I think if you go any where is the world where there are a lot of poor people sometimes desperate for food or no chance to get a job you will find this sort of thing happening.

You're quite right Sjp52 -- it's the nature of the beast and the beast being desperation, oppression, jealousy and tribal mentality. During off season for the fishermen and farmers, some of these folks will turn to drinking sessions or drugs (mostly shabu) andwill resort to spontaneous violence, even against their own relatives.Respectfully -- Jake

maybe so but how do such kind friendly smiling people become animals that kill unless it is embedded in them to start with? & why is drugs always blamed coz if there is no money then how do they get the money for drugs or even booze?