{"id":16893,"date":"2011-09-26T07:28:12","date_gmt":"2011-09-25T23:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/?p=16893"},"modified":"2026-03-03T14:43:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T04:43:53","slug":"filipino-bad-traits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/16893-filipino-bad-traits.html","title":{"rendered":"14 Bad Traits of Many Filipinos"},"content":{"rendered":"

We realized our earlier list of common Filipino attitudes<\/a> still missed a few classics \u2014 plus some new 2026 behaviors powered by social media, group chats, and the never-ending \u201cpa\u2011cute\u201d culture. So here\u2019s a funnier, fresher, and more brutally relatable list.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When someone goes on a trip, they ask for pasalubong<\/h2>\n

Filipinos love pasalubong \u2014 but some love it a little too much. A friend might say \u201cDalhan mo ako ng polvoron ha, hehe<\/em>,\u201d but the \u201chehe\u201d is just a polite cover for \u201cseryoso ako<\/em>.\u201d If the traveler forgets, the requester suddenly becomes a human CCTV: \u201cAy, wala? Grabe, ang damot mo.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Pasalubong is a gesture, not a legal obligation. But in the Philippines, emotional receipts are stronger than official receipts.<\/p>\n

Greets \u201cMerry Christmas\u201d first to claim a gift<\/h2>\n

As soon as September hits, someone will greet you: \u201cMerry Christmas! O, nauna ako. Gift ko ha.<\/em>\u201d It\u2019s said jokingly, but the eyes say: \u201cHindi ako nagbibiro.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Christmas is about generosity \u2014 but some people treat it like a rewards program.<\/p>\n

Gatecrashes a party \u2014 and takes home food<\/h2>\n

Filipino gatherings are open-door events\u2026 sometimes too open. Someone hears you passed an exam and suddenly says \u201cPakain naman d\u2019yan<\/em>.\u201d Out of pakikisama<\/em>, you agree. Then they bring two cousins, a neighbor, and a friend who \u201cjust happened to be nearby.\u201d<\/p>\n

And before leaving: \u201cPwede pa\u2011takeout?<\/em>\u201d The real miracle is how the host stays polite.<\/p>\n

\"Bad
Some Filipino habits are rooted in culture, but can be improved with awareness.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Complains that life is hard, but spending habits say otherwise<\/h2>\n

\u201cAng hirap ng buhay<\/em>,\u201d says someone who just bought milk tea, fast food, and a Shopee haul \u2014 all in one afternoon. Financial stress is real, but so is the urge to \u201ctreat yourself\u201d every day.<\/p>\n

Filipinos deserve joy, but budgeting deserves a chance too.<\/p>\n

Doesn\u2019t take work seriously at times<\/h2>\n

Office culture is warm and social \u2014 sometimes too social. There\u2019s a birthday every week, a potluck every month, and a \u201cquick merienda\u201d that lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes. Productivity? \u201cNext week na, pag hindi na busy.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Low wages, burnout, and lack of growth contribute to this \u2014 but discipline still matters.<\/p>\n

Always wants to be first \u2014 even if there\u2019s a line<\/h2>\n

In the MRT, the rule is simple: fall in line. But some Filipinos treat lines as \u201csuggestions.\u201d They squeeze, slide, and teleport their way to the front like it\u2019s a sport.<\/p>\n

On the road, drivers rarely give way. \u201cKung hindi ako uuna, mauunahan ako.<\/em>\u201d It\u2019s not aggression \u2014 it\u2019s survival instinct.<\/p>\n

Struggles with innovation and long-term improvement<\/h2>\n

Filipinos are talented, but many small businesses still hesitate to innovate. Local snacks, fruits, and crafts are world-class \u2014 but packaging sometimes looks like it came from 1998.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Thailand\u2019s fish crackers look like they\u2019re ready for an international beauty pageant.<\/p>\n

Plays victim but applies double standards<\/h2>\n

Some Filipinos treat foreigners differently depending on race. Westerners get VIP treatment; others get stereotypes. It\u2019s a contradiction to our famous hospitality \u2014 and a reminder that colonial mentality still lingers.<\/p>\n

New for 2026: The \u201cpa\u2011share naman\u201d culture<\/h2>\n

Someone sees you eating fries and suddenly says, \u201cPa-share naman<\/em>.\u201d You give them one. They take five. It\u2019s not sharing \u2014 it\u2019s a small-scale heist.<\/p>\n

Bonus level: \u201cPa\u2011tikim<\/em>\u201d of your milk tea. One sip becomes a full custody battle.<\/p>\n

New for 2026: The GC (group chat) ghoster<\/h2>\n

Filipinos love group chats \u2014 but some people only appear when there\u2019s food, a trip, or a contribution they can avoid. When it\u2019s time to pay: \u201cSorry, nag-lag ako.<\/em>\u201d When it\u2019s time to eat: \u201cOn the way na ako!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

GCs reveal true character more than Facebook profiles.<\/p>\n

New for 2026: The \u201cpa\u2011humble\u201d flex<\/h2>\n

Filipinos have mastered the art of humble bragging. \u201cGrabe, ang pangit ko dito<\/em>,\u201d they say while posting a perfectly lit selfie. \u201cHindi ako marunong magluto<\/em>,\u201d they say while plating a dish worthy of MasterChef.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not lying \u2014 it\u2019s cultural seasoning.<\/p>\n

New for 2026: The \u201cpa\u2011utang\u201d ninja<\/h2>\n

Some Filipinos borrow money with the speed of a ninja \u2014 but when it\u2019s time to pay, they vanish like a Marvel character after the snap. \u201cNext week na, promise<\/em>\u201d becomes \u201cSeen<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Borrowing is normal. Disappearing is not.<\/p>\n

New for 2026: The \u201cpa\u2011reserve\u201d expert<\/h2>\n

Filipinos love reserving seats \u2014 even when they\u2019re not physically present. A towel on a chair? Reserved. A bag on a table? Reserved. A glance from across the room? Reserved daw.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s like claiming land, but for chairs.<\/p>\n

New for 2026: The \u201cpa\u2011awa\u201d strategy<\/h2>\n

When caught doing something wrong, some Filipinos activate the \u201cpa\u2011awa mode.\u201d Suddenly, they\u2019re the victim. Tears appear. Backstory unlocked. Emotional DLC activated.<\/p>\n

Accountability? \u201cHindi ko sinasadya.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

These behaviors don\u2019t define all Filipinos \u2014 but they\u2019re common enough to laugh at, reflect on, and improve. Humor helps us see our quirks more clearly, and awareness helps us grow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We realized our earlier list of common Filipino attitudes still missed a few classics \u2014 plus some new 2026 behaviors powered by social media, group chats, and the never-ending \u201cpa\u2011cute\u201d culture. So here\u2019s a funnier, fresher, and more brutally relatable list. When someone goes on a trip, they ask for pasalubong Filipinos love pasalubong \u2014 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36310,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[133],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-culture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16893","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16893"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16893\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48444,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16893\/revisions\/48444"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinoy-ofw.com\/pinas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}