Cultural Connections > The Filipino Hospitality

You are unlikely to be invited to someone's home. Filipinos like to entertain at restaurants and in clubs and when they do entertain it is quite lavish.

Wealthy Filipinos, however, will be proud to show you their palatial homes. Average middle class or professional Filipinos would probably live in modest houses more modest than the one they imagine you live in either in the Philippines or in Australia. They may feel shy or embarrassed about this despite your attempts to reassure them that you also live modestly or that you are not bothered by this.

Invite Filipinos to your home and feel comfortable about doing this but don't be surprised if in return you are entertained in restaurants.

When entertaining be aware that the population is made up of Christians and Moslems Ensure that the meal does not include pork exclusively, although pork is popular amongst Christian groups. Chicken is popular and beef, if you can afford it, will be greatly appreciated as it is a luxury food.

Filipinos tend to put many types of food on a plate even to the extent of mixing hot and cold such as ice cream and hot foods. This tendency makes the buffet style of entertaining most acceptable.

Filipinos love Filipino food and they love fatty foods if they serve pork to you they will serve you large pieces of fat which they consider a delicacy. You may have to spend a long time eating this to ensure that you do not give offence.

However, Filipinos also love Western food Some American tastes have been adopted and beef and lamb are very popular. They are quite expensive, extremely expensive in the case of lamb, and will be enjoyed as a great luxury.

Many non alcoholic drinks should be provided. Even apart from Moslems, many Filipinos will drink very little or no alcohol. Those who do will be most likely to drink beer or perhaps rum. They are not great wine drinkers Some Filipinos will be keen to try Australian wines but do not expect in general that they will drink wine. They might like to be given the choice but do not insist upon it

If you have helpers in your household and you are inviting guests who come with drivers or maids, then your helpers will be expected to provide food and a place to sit for those coming with your guests.

Make sure that this additional food is included in preparations for functions. Generally the noodles (pansit) is quite an acceptable dish in these situations

Dinner arrangements appear more informal in Filipino households than in Australia. Food is often placed on the table buffet style and different members of the family come and go and serve themselves as they please.

Breakfast may run into lunch which may later run into dinner.

Household staff do not like to waste food and may be reluctant to throw anything away no matter how old it is. A solution to this problem is to suggest that they take it home with them.

Some Filipino food is interesting for Australians. There is a local delicacy called 6alut made from a duck egg about two weeks prior to hatching. This is half cooked, a small hole is punched in it and then it is eaten feathers, beak and all. The Filipinos love this; they learn to eat it from a very young age and it is supposed to give you strength.

If offered something you find distasteful you can say you can't eat it because you are not used to it and Filipinos will understand; even some Filipinos object to balut.

There is a Filipino dish made of tongue, liver and kidneys mashed together and made into a stew. A gracious 'thank you but no' is acceptable if you do not wish to try a dish.

Some Filipinos are extremely wealthy and will insist on paying all expenses when entertaining. Others who may not be so well off can be repaid with hospitality in the future. Use tact to assess whether to offer to share the cost or not. It could be seen as highlighting economic differences if you insist on paying. Normally if you are invited out by Filipinos you are the guest and they will pay.

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Recommended Readings:
Doing Business in the Philippines: prepared by Arthur Andersen
http://www.us-asean.org/arthur/Philippines/Default.htm

Useful Link:
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Australia

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