QUEZON City, Philippines (February 18) – Filipinos are known for being hospitable and jolly blokes. We’re willing to push the limit of our wallets just to pamper our bisitas and smile and laugh to all things despite of an earthquake or a savage storm that struck our country. But as the famous saying goes, we cannot have it all. All Pinoys out there are guilty of doing one, two or more of these bad habits. Brace yourselves, here they are:
- Ningas Cogon
Show off attitude that results in half-baked work. This is a situation when you’re enthusiastic at first, and then it fades, with no complete results. This phrase’s reference is the burning of cogon grass, where it blazes like grassfire, and loses its flame within a matter of minutes.
- Filipino Time
No punctuality. It’s our own brand, being late many minutes and even hours behind the time set. It’s one of the side effects of our care-free attitude.
- Mañana Habit
Originally, this bad trait came from the Spanish colonizers and sadly, carried and applied by our forefathers. It is just simply procrastination at its finest, but strengthenedby hundreds of years of being carefree.
- Crab Mentality
Preventing someone from getting an achievement due to envy. One who doesn’t want anyone to win except him/herself, and will do anything just to pull them down. No praise, no assistance, just injury by purpose.
- Balat Sibuyas
Too sensitive to receive criticisms and insults, making us react in a colossal way. Just a simple jab against us, be it a racist remark or joke, and BOOM! It can be a subject of our local news headlines.
- Xenocentrism
Colonial mentality is its longer form. Our love for anything that is imported roots back to the early days of our history. Times when our ancestors were reminded that our culture is just a waste, and therefore embrace the mentality brought by colonizers. Food, clothing, music and even the desire to change complexion; everything that is pleasant to our eyes and tastes are nothing to be found on our own, but on others.
- Bahala Na Attitude (come what may)
The sibling of mañana and ningas cogon, this is the belief of leaving everything to the hands of fate. It represents the attitude of being weak and helpless to change our destiny, leading life to a game of chances. And for some reason, Batman is always invoked.
- Patigasan
This is the act of resisting any forms of reconciliation, just for the sake of amor propioor ego-defensiveness. It’s better for them to act tough, rather than saying or accepting apologies.
- Chismis
Probably, one or more of your neighbors – or even a relative—is guilty on being tsismoso/tsismosa. Spreading and forming gossip just to gank someone or serve as a hobby is a big no-no, no matter how miserable other’s lifeis.
- Passivity
Lack of initiative and over-dependency on someone or a group. We blame the government or any influential body why our country don’t progress, but the truth is we’re the ones that should receive complains due to lack of discipline and courage to do what we think is right.
- Epal
The sake of doing anything just for the sake of attention. Commonly done by politicians who prioritize to put their face on posters of edifices that were built with the use of people’s taxes, or a person who do embarrassing acts just to highlight themselves.
(written by Rex Felix C. Salvador I, edited by Jay Paul Carlos, additional research by Lovely Ann Cruz)
