100 Best Things About Being a Pinoy
What is being a Pinoy all about--aside from
pointing with our lips and having an action star for our President?
We talked among ourselves and we tried to come up with the 100 best
things about being a Pinoy. Okay, okay! So, the idea is not so
original, after all, the Philippine Sunday Inquirer Magazine already
published their 100 Best Things in their centennial issue. But we
tried to do this on our own, without referring to the SI's article
(really!).
We hope that these will make you smile and
will make you laugh. Above all, we sincerely hope that these things
will make you proud of being a Pinoy.
1. Simbang Gabi. Nine dawn masses during the Christmas
season. Attended by the religious, the people with panata, the uzis,
and the girl and boy watchers. Of course, Simbang Gabi is not
complete without the mouth-watering bibingka and puto bumbong sold
outside the church.
2. Tabô. An absolute way of identifying a kabayan in a
foreign land.
3. Po at opo. Shows the importance and respect accorded to
the elderly and the authority. Children in the Tagalog areas are
taught (trained?) to say po and opo before and after every sentence.
4. Tingi-tingi. Where else can we buy one tablespoon of Star
margarine, peanut butter, or matamis na bao? Or a 10 ml shampoo and
a five gram toothpaste in a sachet?
5. Sawsawan. Patis, toyo at kalamansi, suka at sili. Spices
up ordinary dishes and gives one freedom to experiment with various
concoctions. What better way to stimulate the appetite? Hmmm!
6. San Miguel Beer. Considered to be one of the world's best.
Para sa Pinoy, iba ang may pinagsamahan.
7. Kakanin. Puto, kutsinta, sapin-sapin, suman sa ibus,
bibingka, puto bungbong, maja blanka, bico, atbp. What would
fiestas, Pasko, Bagong Taon, at Pista ng Patay be without these
native delicacies?
8. Kutkutin. Butong pakwan, kalabasa, kornik, at mani. Sa lamayan, sa handaan, sa inuman, o sa kuwentuhan, kutkutin ang
kailangan.
9. Parol. The Pinoy symbol of the Star of Bethlehem. Bright
and colorful, the parol adorns every household during the Christmas
season.
10.Pambahay. Ang isang Pinoy, naka-amerikana man sa opisina
o kaya'y naka-uniporme sa eskuwela, ay siguradong magpapalit sa
duster, puruntong, o kaya'y t-shirt pag-uwi ng bahay. At 'di tulad
ng mga dayuhan na ang tsinelas ay sapatos pa rin, ang tsinelas ng
Pinoy ay Spartan, bakya, o kaya'y abaca.
11.Song translations. Foreign song hits translated to
Filipino to become more madamdamin.
12.Dirty Ice Cream. Well-loved by Filipino children, the
dirty ice cream is pedalled from one household to another. This ice
cream comes in the usual cones and sometimes, on bread bunwiches. It
costs cheap and has a variety of flavors - cheese, mango, avocado,
chocolate. Name it and the Mamang Sorbetero has it!
13.Balut, penoy. Balut is the luscious embryo of ducks.
Penoy, on the other hand, is also duck egg but without the baby
duck. Both are Pinoy delicacies and both are very nutritious. As
they say, "Ang balut at penoy ay pampalakas ng tuhod".
14.Choc-nut. Who could ever forget Choc-nut, the sweet mini
peanut butter bars which give everyone, young and old alike,
delight? As they say, once you get to taste it, there's no stopping
your asking for more!
15.Sabong. The Filipino term for cock derby, sabong is a
favorite Pinoy pasttime, especially in the rural communities. It has
its own mechanics and rules which make the game more exciting.
16.Ninoy Aquino. A model of bravery and self-sacrifice, he
is certainly one Pinoy whom we can be truly proud of. He has uttered
the words "A Filipino is worth dying for" and has thus proven this
by offering his life for the Filipino people.
17.Sing-a-long. This is a clear proof of the Filipino's love
for music. Everywhere you go, may it be in bars, in small
restaurants or even in carnivals, you'll always find a sing-a-long
machine (which can be considered as the modern version of juke box
stations). Just drop a coin or two and pronto!!! - you'll hear the
latest songs on play.
18.Christmas season. We are the folks to observe the longest
Christmas season. And why not? The spirit of giving and sharing is
in our hearts.
19.Soap operas. Flor de Luna, Gulong ng Palad, Anna Luna,
Mula sa Puso. Long before the telenovelas became hits in t.v., these
soap operas captured the interest of the Filipino viewing masses.
With themes tackling the ups and downs of life, these programs
continued to touch and influence the lives of many.
20.Pinoy Komiks. Aliw, Hiwaga, Liwayway. Long before
international magazines like Glamour, Vogue, Teen, etc. came out in
circulation, these Pinoy publications were printed and suited for
the needs of the Filipino masses.
21.Ano, kuwan, eh. These are the expressions Filipinos use
when they find themselves at a loss for the words. It is common to
hear a Filipino saying "yung ano" or "yung kuwan" at the middle of a
conversation. Amusing, isn't it? These 'word-gap-fillers' certainly
work. What's amazing is that we manage to understand each other even
when we're not certain about what the other is talking about!
22.Halo-halo. A very delicious refreshment that offers a
variety of native sweets. Halo-halo is more than just a desert, it
is a meal in itself.
23.Multo, kapre, tikbalang, manananggal, tik-tik, duwende.
Spooky creatures that added spice to our childhood adventures.
Stories about these grotesque creatures never fail to amaze us.
24.Jeans. Comfort is a very important factor to consider
when we're expressing our fashion statement and there's no doubt, we
find comfort in jeans.
25.Hilod. Long before loofah invaded the Filipinos
bathrooms, hilod was the available "scouring pad" of our bodies. It
just proves that we Filipinos value personal hygiene.
26.Darna, Dyesebel, Cap't Barbel, Lastik Man, Kenkoy. They
are the Filipino superheroes who were created by the imaginative
minds of Filipino cartoonists and artists. Initially introduced in
print media, these characters also appeared in television when
special cartoon shows and movies were created for them.
27.Kamag-anak. A Filipino has hundreds of kamag-anak.
Filipinos value kinship so much that we acknowledge even the "pamangkin
of the pinsan of the bayaw of the kapatid...."
28.CJ de Silva. If da Vinci or Van Gogh were still alive,
they would truly hail this very young painter who is, well, a Pinay.
29.Sarao jeepney. A showcase of the Filipino ingenuity, the jeepney is the assembled remnants of World War II. You have to agree
with us , it's much more economical to ride jeepneys, especially in
these days of economic slump.
30.Tricycles, sidecars, pedicabs. Thank God for these
vehicles which can squeeze in at even the narrowest "eskinita" in
our country and for the pedicab drivers who furiously pedal to bring
us to our destinations.
31.Philippine Eagle. This magnificent, royal, and endangered
bird is Filipino, too. Now, if only we could save them from
extinction.
32.Terno, baro't saya, Barong Tagalog. One of the unique and best
ways of representing the Pinoys abroad.
33.Paeng, Akiko, Lydia, Bea, Onyok, Eric, etc. They make
their fellows Pinoys and Pinays gleam with pride and hope that we
will soon be recognized as champions in the Olympic games.
34.Resilience. Spanish colonization, American rule, Japanese
invasion, earthquakes, typhoons, Martial Law, coup d'etats, El
Niño-we have seen them all, we have survived them all.
35.Padala. This is the Filipino system of delivery or
door-to-door remittances. It is usual to hear an OFW asking a
companion to drop an item or two for his family back at the
Philippines.
36.Nora at Vilma. Celebrities who have the largest circle of
LOYAL fans. We should thank them for gracing the Philippine cinema
and stage with their charisma, extraordinary talents, and unique
beauties.
37.Dolphy. The greatest Filipino comedian of all times. Pidol is the longest living, too.
38.Sarsi. You're not a Filipino if you haven't had a gulp of
this sarsaparilla. Known to many as the Filipino root beer, Sarsi
has a distinctive Filipino taste.
39.Jollibee. The Filipino version of McDonald's, this food
chain has captured the taste of the Filipinos with its specialties
like the Yum, the Champ, and the palabok fiesta. Tayo nang magpunta
sa Jollibee at langhapin ang sarap dito!
40.Divisoria. Divisoria offers a variety of items to choose
from at very, very low price-shoes, shirts, bags, textiles, candles,
toys. Name it and Divisoria has it!
41.Bahay-Kubo. The traditional humble homes of Filipinos in
the provinces. This structure, which is made from materials like pawid, kugon, and nipa, manifests the ingenuity and resourcefulness
of Filipinos.
42.Siesta. When the sun is at its peak, what else can one
do? Well, we ordinarily spend our afternoons taking a break from
school or office work or even from household chores by snoozing. We
have devised a way of elluding the heat of the noonday sun. Thank
heavens, there's such a thing as siesta!
43.Balikbayan Box. They say that Filipinos are inherently
generous, especially when it comes to giving pasalubong and other
presents. Well, this is one of the clear proofs that we surely are
generous! Balikbayans come home with 2 × 2 × 2 ft boxes filled with
corned beef, shampoos, and bars of soaps which are to be given to
their relatives and friends.
44.Pasalubong. Ang ina-abangan ng lahat-ang pasalubong.
Pumunta man sa ibang bansa, sa kabilang barrio, o sa kabilang kanto,
kailangan may dalang pasalubong.
45.Pagmamano. Respect for the elders can be shown in various
ways. Pagmamano is THE Filipino way.
46.Bayanihan. Put simply. It's pagtutulngan sa oras ng
pangangailangan.
47.San Lorenzo Ruiz. The first Filipino saint, he is an
exemplar of courage and martyrdom for the Catholic faith. Thank
heavens we have him for a saint. At least now, we can be assured
that someone up there is praying for the Filipino people.
48.Kapit-bahay. He lives outside of your house, he's
certainly not an outsider to your family. He's someone you
frequently chat with when you have nothing else to do at home. You
share your blessing with him, even your family's viand for the day.
Yes, that's your friendly neighbor.
49.Filipino folktales. Who could ever forget the intrepidity
of Lam-ang, the struggles of Malakas at Maganda, and the salient
idleness of Juan Tamad? Well, these are the stories Filipino
children grew up with. Passed on from generation to another by word
of mouth, these folk tales continue to enrich the heritage of the
Filipinos.
50.Bagoong. Who could ever say no to manggang hilaw topped
with mouth-watering bagoong? Well, I can't.! Bagoong, one the
Pinoy's specialties, is made from small fishes or shrimps. Despite
its not so attractive appearance, bagoong simply is irrisistible.
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