Rules for the Road-Part Two
0, July 15, 2009
Rules for the Road – Part 2
Here we are in the Second Part of our Rules for the road for travelling in the Philippines. As you may have read already, some of the Rules may be applicable to travelling anywhere else other than the Philippines. However, I do believe that all of them are especially true when you travel here in the Pearl of the Orient.
What I am giving are little warnings and little reminders for all of you who may not be familiar with how it is here and hopefully, I am making the country more appealing than scary.
The Philippines is a very special place and we have many things to offer that would appeal most everyone. I am telling you these reminders so that you will be able to fully enjoy your time in the country. With these few guidelines, you will feel secure and prepared and you will only have to worry about having the time of your life and nothing else.
Here are some more tips that will guide you, protect you and make your trip more enjoyable.
6) Know the Religion
The country is predominantly Roman Catholic. There are also a lot of Christian groups and other sects that are in some form or another related to Christianity. However, there is a small portion that are Muslim and it would be best to know this now so as not to make the mistake of insulting them.
The Muslims in the Philippines are more or less concentrated in some of the provinces in the third and southernmost island group of Mindanao. This does not mean however that they aren’t in other parts of the country. Indeed they can be found anywhere and can be seen doing most number of things depending on their tribe, I suppose.
You need to be familiar with their culture or at least know a few things about them so as not to step on their foot. The worst thing that you could do however, is treat them any differently than you would any other person. Sure there are some differences but the bottom line is that they are still one of us and they should be treated as such.
There are also many Christian groups in the country and sometimes you could make the mistake of offending them. Mostly though, Filipinos let go of things very easily and if you apologize sincerely after committing a mistake, you will be forgiven. Be mindful with what you say. While some Westerners are not very serious with their Religion, here in the Philippines, nothing can be more serious than one’s Religion. Religious jokes therefore, no matter how funny you think they are is a definite no-no. You cannot hide behind the veil of “I was only joking” when it comes to Religion.
7) Know the Cost of Help
You may find this one baffling but as a foreigner or a traveler, you will find yourself in many positions where you will need the help of a local. This isn’t anything new although it may be something that you are completely aware of. Just off of the top of my head, I can mention several situations where you may need the help of someone while travelling.
1) You got lost, you need to ask directions in getting back to the proper route.
2) You suffer a flat tire or your car breaks down. You need to move your vehicle and move it to a safer place and/or have it fixed.
3) You’re in a restaurant and you are being served by the waitress.
4) You are attended to at the gas station by the gasoline boy.
5) You fall victim to a crime and you go to a police officer for assistance.
The thing is sometimes when you are in the Philippines, you would need to give some monetary contribution to some of the help that you get. This is probably true in all nations but it is important to know when it is proper to give money and then how much.
Here’s a good rule of thumb. If it has some physical activity involved in it, like pushing the car to a far place, you may need to tip the guys who helped you out. Depending on the situation, anything from ten pesos to twenty pesos is acceptable. Do not give out more than this as it would be too much. If there are five people who helped you out, give fifty to one and tell them to take care of the others. Of course if you’re the generous and rich type, you can give more than you can but I would strongly advise against this.
Waiters and waitresses get too little from the customers here. The ten percent rule isn’t really followed here and people usually give ten pesos or a little above that no matter what they ordered or how much it cost. It would be great though if you did follow the ten percent rule. They could use all the help they could get.
Some people don’t pay anymore when the bill includes the service charge. While this may be logical, it is also important to know where the service charge goes. The common thinking is that the service charge gets pooled together and then distributed to the entire staff and crew during pay day. This is not entirely true. Sometimes only half gets to them and sometimes none at all. Moreover, if the person who served you is a trainee, 99 times out of a 100, he will not get anything from the service charge.
So if you’re happy with the way you were served, please give more. Please tip.
Other services do not cost a thing. The real danger is in overpaying. I’m sure some of you will be surprised with the small cost but remember that the cost of living here is not as high as in 1st world nations.
Be careful when you’re paying. Sometimes it can also be insulting when people give you money when it’s not proper. In the Philippines, this can be deemed n such a way that you think of them as moneyed. Sometimes, they really just want to help you out and you downgrade their service by trying to pay them. Sometimes the best way to thank someone is by saying “Thank you.”
Respect the LadiesOkay I’m pretty sure that the men who are reading this are wondering what I meant by this. They may be thinking “What the hell is this guy saying? Of course we’ll respect women! Does he think we’re animals???”
I understand that sentiment but I’m speaking on a cultural perspective. Most westerners may have this girl power thing where women are so full of fight in them to be respected as equals that men started treating them almost like men. They speak to them as if they were guys as well without a hint of holding back anything.
This isn’t the same in this country. For sure the women here wants to be treated as equals and they should be, but don’t treat them like they’re of the male sex. Chivalry here isn’t dead and respect for women here isn’t equated with letting them be independent.
The thing is in some nations, women are expected to act like men almost because of their own convictions. However, in the Philippines, gender roles are still pretty much distinct although there has already been some shift already as well. Still, being respectful to them is still done through helping them out like any gentleman would.
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