Hospitality that is Filipino, an innate bound culture

The culture of hospitality 

Binalbal Festival 2018
Tudela, Misamis Occidental

Foreign visitors and travelers from different walks of life get to experience the infamous hospitality of the Filipinos here in the Philippines. A purely innate culture that eventually captivates the hearts of many in the likes of among tourist explorers whenever they came to visit or stumble upon in our country. It eventually becomes a national pride. If you visit foreign vlogs and read travel blogs about their adventure island, the hospitality of Filipinos would always seem to be one on their top of the lists that made them keep on coming back. Numerous tourists would even call Philippines as their second home. Others would never go back or stay here for good, and eventually call it home. You could even hear stories that some would sold all their properties in their homeland and then left the country to settle for good because they fell in love with the Philippines. And, that one of the reasons is the kind of hospitality we, Filipinos, possessed. Even state foreign leaders and dignitaries got amazed and fascinated by the kind of reception they received. The kind of hospitality Filipinos provide tend to make them feel like kind ‘a celebrity on their entire visit. I don’t exactly know if that’s what they feel. But that’s the way guests are are being treated especially from other nations. Hence, hospitality has become one of the Filipino core values that attracted many itinerants. 

As far as I could read from various views and feedback online among foreign bloggers/vloggers about Filipino hospitality, most were fancied to this values.

Social Media influencer and vlogger "Kulas"

I recently got to hear and see how foreign tourists being treated here in the country. In one of the festivals I came to witness, one popular blogger/vlogger was provided with utmost welcomed by local folks and officials. His only intention was to immerse himself with the people and experience the jubilation of revelry. This social media influencer Kyle Jennermann behind BecomingFilipino Blog/Vlog channel who is quite known to his Filipino moniker “Kulas” together with his foreign friends (also rising vloggers/bloggers) took the time wandering the local town to join the fun and excitement. He is quite popular online about his quest of becoming a Filipino at heart but with an ultimate goal of sharing the smile and happiness to the world. His presence in the gaiety was acknowledged with accolades – welcoming and treating the guests like celebrities. Notwithstanding, that’s one face value of hospitality. And, Kulas never fail to acknowledge and always in awe with the kind of reception and generosity he received from every people who embraced him wholeheartedly. He is also doing good deed, very active on helping and assisting our fellow Filipinos in small communities on the best effort he could give and offer.  

Does the culture of being hospitable really an inherent trait reflected amongst every Filipino?

It was 5 days before Christmas Day (2017) on our way home from the city, my brother and I happened to meet an Uncle Sam passenger while riding a public vehicle multicab. He took the first conversation when he saw the "OHIO" prints on my brother's cap. You would think that it was improper of me but I was the one who responded in behalf of my brother because he is not so well conversant in English though he can understand. Even during our exchanged of talks, I don’t have any idea about the “OHIO” things and stuff of sorts. I just did go with the flow of the whole conversation. Nevertheless I did find ways to shift and divert to another matter in order the chitchat continues. I wasn't able to ask him about his choice or reason of visit or vacation. But I was guessing it’s her Filipina fiancée’s invitation… To make the story short, I asked him: how was his stay so far? To my understanding, he had so much appreciation for Filipinos’ hospitality (“the people are amazing… very hospitable…”). From his expressions, I could understand his gratification and delight based on the kind of treatment accorded to him. While I extended my thanks and appreciation to Mister American from Texas, that time at the back of my head, am feel obliged to entertain him kindly and so he won''t feel insulted or disrespected. Although it wasn’t my first time to meet foreigners, but as far as I can recollect, hospitality has been one of the most praiseworthy traits they commonly admired to Filipinos.

Hospitality of my fellows...

I came to fully understand hospitality at one point in my prime: Family hosting. In one church’s based youth oriented group I was affiliated with long ago, one or two or sometimes three members had to be assigned to a house in one family to spend couple of night sleeps while on the course of our 5-day straight gathering program. All young members came from all different walks of life. The place where we housed were not only act as a family host but also served as our parents - that we have to behave accordingly; that we should be fussy and picky; that we have to help household chores and other stuffs; that we need to treat them like our real parents and treat their children as our brothers and or sisters. Not all family sponsors are well-off, mostly belonged to middle-lower classes… their reception were fascinating and quite remarkable. I found out that it has been a practice and a tradition since the early days of the youth program. At the last day of the program, parents were invited (host family) to a get together gathering in honor of their acceptance, kindness and above all, of their hospitality. 

We have had different shared told stories. The experienced was quite poignant, heartrending and inspiring. Like anyone else’s testimonials, host families were heartwarming and embraces everyone like their own child/children regardless of their stature in life. The family’s received was full of heart. Very Filipino, a typical one: we ate the same food together at the same time; doing and helping the same household chores; fetching gallons of water along flowing cold spring pits or well; exchanging jokes and chitchatting dramas in life; sang songs together while playing the guitars of music under the moon and or night-sky in a small “bamboo made hut or coconut-wood made hut”, and; sleep together with their children in the same room while others mostly were having fun sleeping altogether at living room’s floor with all simple the “banig” (a traditional “mat” made of abaca fiber used by typical Filipinos usually by not so well-off people). 

That kind of experience taught us how to live the simple way of life in a country-side. I must say, that the cordiality spirit of this values truly exist in the far-flung corners of rural-provincial dwellings. Very welcoming, friendly and quite receiving. In 5 days straight of sleep over, their simple ways eventually became our life. 

Hospitality is indeed simply an innate ethos to many Filipinos, a culture-bound thriving still its very best since then. I don’t know if it’s good or bad, advantage or disadvantage, but hospitality is a virtue that naturally exist within us. It instinctively dictates our heart. Thus, hospitality is a simple act of kindness. I thinks that's enough description for being a Filipino.