Friendly Perfect Storm for White Man

[ladislav]

Why are they so friendly to you?

While Filipinos are taught to be pleasant and hospitable to others, when it comes to 'poreners', the friendliness simply overflows.
Why is that?

Because of a confluence of delusions which have created a perfect storm of causes that all benefit you- without you even seeking them. It is just an incredibly lucky ( for you) convergence of historical circumstances. To wit:

Cause #1. The Spanish Catholic rule. The Spaniards declared all non Christians to be Pagans and put up churches everywhere. They put up statues of Vatican saints as well as Caucasian Jesus or Mary. After 400 years of looking at Caucasian features of these saints and divinities, the Filipinos learned to associate those with, well, divinity and holiness.

Also, the " rich " Spanish rulers often made fun of the Filipinos' SE Asian noses and brown skin declaring them to be " ugly" . A pointed nose and lighter skin ( and that of the Spaniard was " lighter" compared to the natives) came to mean status and social superiority.
Cause #2 The American rule. Americans were also pointed-nose-white-skin people which further perpetuated the admiration. And they were way richer than the Spaniards. After WWII, Americans also became seen as liberators, heroes, and good guys, period. An American represented good hope, better life and just plain goodness, material, physical as well as of character. American movies flooded the local society glorifying Hollywood heroes. Spartacus, Superman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, etc. These are all Americans. Superhuman heroes saving humanity.
Who wouldn't want to greet a Superman?

I remember a lady whom I dated who would sit and stare at me constantly. I asked her why and she told me that it was because I looked like " American Idol" and she could not keep her eyes away from my face.

Cause #3. The (real - or often- perceived) wealth gap. It is human nature to be especially friendly to those who are more powerful and wealthier than one ( unless there is a war). Many Filipinos have been brainwashed that theirs is the poorest country in the world, and that every place is richer, but especially, places where lighter skinned, sharp nosed people live. They see how they live in Hollywood movies. These make dollars, and the exchange rate is 52 now. It means, these are not twice as rich, not thrice as rich but a whopping 52 times richer.
Cause # 3A An average Filipino cannot tell an American from a Brit from a German from a Russian. They are all Americans to them. They are all rich, superhuman heroes packed with golden dollars.

If I asked you if people in your own home town were especially friendly, you would probably not think so. Now, imagine if Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, Prince Charles and Bill Gates ( or their look-alikes) suddenly appeared in it. Think of the smiles, the applause, the shouts they would evoke.
Only that, in the Filipino case, it is mostly based on the delusions which have formed a perfect storm- in your favor.