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Friday, March 29, 2024

Understanding the Filipino hospitality

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Philippines has been hailed one of the most hospitable places to ever exist in the world. In year 2012, Forbes magazine published a listicle on its website claiming that the Philippines is the eighth friendliest country in the world, following New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada, United States, Turkey, and the United Kingdom respectively.

Contrary to this, the experience of Jiwan Kim, a Korean contestant in an episode of ‘Pilipinas Got Talent’ last Saturday, January 13, cannot attest to the acknowledgement given by several media platforms.

During the episode, Kim asked the help of celebrity judge Robin Padilla for the magic trick he was bound to perform, but before he started, Padilla insisted that the Korean contestant must speak Filipino as he has been living in the Philippines for a long time.

This startled the people on social media, saying that Padilla was being racist and disrespectful when he dropped his insensitive remarks.

Despite all the comments, Padilla showed no remorse for reprimanding the Korean contestant. “Wala akong pinagsisisihan kasi ako pumupunta rin ako sa ibang bansa at pagpumunta ako sa ibang bansa pinipilit kong malaman kung ano ‘yung salita don kasi bisita ka don eh, ikaw ang makikibagay,” Padilla said in an interview.

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There can be one prevalent reason as to why situations like this exist, it could be because of our insufficient knowledge and understanding of cultural diversion as it adapts to the ravages of time. With all the points given both by Padilla and the ‘netizens’, no one can truly say who is being rational and who is not.

Even in history, the Filipino people pride themselves for being able to establish good diplomatic relations with other countries. The Department of Tourism (DOT) also has its ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ campaign where they publish advertisements about Filipino values and hospitality.

While there are many instances where we could be exquisitely branded, the question now runs in between two parallel arguments: Must we sacrifice our language and adjust to various foreign expressions for hospitality’s sake? Or must we impose that the foreigners strictly follow our culture on the expense of being insensitive?

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