The generous and helpful nature of the Filipino people

[Gene and Viol]

In the United States and perhaps other places it is common practice to go to a neighbors house to borrow a cup of sugar if you run out. You might even go to a neighbor and borrow screwdriver or wrench if needed. But that’s about all.

Here in the Philippines most all people, friends and even those you do not know are quite willing to lend items to anyone who is in need. A few good examples of this is if you are going to the store and can’t or don’t want to walk for some reason, someone will loan you a bicycle. That’s all well and good; but how about something major?
Yesterday for example, our washing machine decided to short circuit and burned itself out before our washing was even half done. Anywhere else that would have created a major problem. I would have had to load all the wet and dripping clothes into the car and take my wife and dirty, wet clothes to the Laundromat.
Here on the other hand there was no problem at all and laundry still got done within the same amount of time. My wife, Viol and her sister simply went to a neighbor down the street for help. No, they didn’t take our laundry there. They simply “borrowed� the neighbors washing machine and brought the machine to our house to wash the clothes!

I also remember about two years ago, we ran out of LPG gas (used for cooking) about five minutes after my wife started fixing dinner.
Again no problem. My wife simply took all the food and pans to another neighbors house and they started a wood fire and our dinner was cooked in minutes.

Even if someone or a family has no food to eat (it happens to many people here) for some reason. If the need is known, again, neighbors and even strangers are there to give whatever food or baby formula is needed. Or if out of food people will ask neighbors for some food to feed their families. Each time, the result is the same. Everyone helps everyone else.

That’s just one more reason I chose this beautiful country to call home and continue to stay. Quite simply, It’s the wonderful people…

[globetrotter]

No one borrows sugar anymore. That time is from 1970 or before and it is LONG GONE.

[Mr S]

I don't let Filipinos borrow anything of mine anymore cause usually 'borrow' means 'keep'; too many times I've lent something and had to go physically to get it back and I was looked cross-eyed like, "why does this white foreigner want this back? He is rich he should just give it to us." Usually when I get the said item back its usually broken somehow. Thats one thing I haven't figured out about Filipinos, why can't they take care of anything properly? I constantly have to buy new things because they are broken because of carelessness (when a Filipino uses it)

Philippines is an okay place for somethings but it or it's people are not heaven on Earth, that's delusional.

I don't care if it's their culture to share and steal things from people without giving things back, I'll figure out how to get by on my own thank you, without their help. Usually they want something in return anyways so they aren't really helping from the bottom of their heart, there are almost always ulterior motives involved.

I've lived here almost 6 years now and I'm not talking out of my ass either. People see and believe what they want to, leave it at that.

[ladislav]

Where in the Philippines do you live? Because in big cities here people do not do that. They just take it and never return. And it also depends on the neighborhood. I guess you are living in a middle class neighborhood where people are a bit better educated. And they know your wife.

I was in General Santos just recently. I met a person there at a bank who seemed educated but this is what she already "knew" about me:

1) I was rich
2) I was getting paid in dollars ( I have not made dollars in a couple of decades actually)
3) The exchange rate of peso to the dollar was 46 so that meant I was 46 times richer.

That sums it up.

In over 25 years in which I have known Filipinos, I only knew ONE who returned money to me and that was after a two months' delay and nagging.

If there is one good thing about the Philippines is that they do it each other and take advantage of other Filipinos whom they perceive rich. Also, they warn you about the cheating nature of the people here. They have no illusions about how their society is. Unlike the Thais who think they have the kindest people on earth and the best country on the face of the planet that is a great leader of Asia and a master race to boot. Here people's self respect is actually conmesurate with the state their society is in. They write in newspapers how corrupt everyone is and how faulty their national character is.

[globetrotter]

1) I was rich
2) I was getting paid in dollars ( I have not made dollars in a couple of decades actually)
3) The exchange rate of peso to the dollar was 46 so that meant I was 46 times richer.

1) Well, you are. You can buy a house in the RP or Malaysia or Indonesia on one of your credit cards.

3) Americans do exactly the same thing. Try to convince 999 out of 1000 Americans that because the PPP GDP in RP is 3,500 year, the average Filipino does NOT live like they would in the USA if they earned 3,500 a year. Americans see that number, look at their monthly total expenses, and conclude everyone in the RP is living in the street in a cardboard box and that they eat once a week.

Why?

Because in Indio, CA 3,500 a year is 1/5th the poverty line. You cannot even EAT for a year on that much in Socal, let along pay rent and have transportation to work.

This is a good thing, for if most Americans knew that most of the world has a far lower cost of living and administrative overhead, and that earning $700 a month teaching ESL would make one well-off in 3 years because one has no expenses and can save 95% of ones pay, you and I would have far more competition for jobs, girls and the excellent food found around the globe.

[Repatriate]

If there is one good thing about the Philippines is that they do it each other and take advantage of other Filipinos whom they perceive rich. Also, they warn you about the cheating nature of the people here. They have no illusions about how their society is. Unlike the Thais who think they have the kindest people on earth and the best country on the face of the planet that is a great leader of Asia and a master race to boot. Here people's self respect is actually conmesurate with the state their society is in. They write in newspapers how corrupt everyone is and how faulty their national character is.

Thais are actually very self critical at times and it depends on who you socialize with. There's some really nationalist and delusional plebeians here but it's not really different from America in that respect. The only difference is that Thais are less in your face and don't try to intrude on your personal space over it which already makes them more tolerable.

[Winston]

I think Gene has different karma and vibes than most people. He is very kind and gracious, so people pick up on that vibe and are thus kind in turn to him. Some people are like that, they have this aura that brings out good in others and makes them feel differently.

That might be why he gets treated differently in the PH than most of us do.

Still, I would like to visit his neighborhood sometime and see if the folks there are different than what I'm used to.

I know a foreigner who lives in the squatter area and he says that the neighbors all treat him kindly, cause they know he is poor too.