UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURE, PERSONALITY TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS

HIS VALUES, ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR

TOMAS D. ANDRES

UNDERSTANDING THE

FILIPPINO SEAMAN: HIS VALUS,

ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR

DR. TOMAS QUINTIN D. ANDRES

Published by Our Lady of Manaoag Publishers

3078 – B Reposo St., Ext., Sta. Mesa, Manila

Philippines

Research Funding Assistance by

Denholm Management

D EN K L A V M A R I T I ME A G E N C Y, I N C.

M A N I L A

PREFACE

Extending positive understanding towards people is a central part of the professional role of every Master and officer. Whether you are in charge of the engineering crew or of the deck crew, getting to know and understand the people you’re dealing with is a necessity for success!

Masters and officers cannot operate in a vacuum. You have to know how to convince and inspire cooperate and communicate with your people to be successful. Aboard a multinational crewed vessels ship you have to get people to trust and understand each other in spite of considerable barriers, erected by differences in language, values, ethics, attitudes, traditions, customs, and ways of thinking.

This book is a concise study of Filipino values, etiquette, mores, customs and manners which show the differences as well as similarities in behavioral expectations that arise when Masters and officers come to live and work with Filipinos. This book has two intended uses. It is a tool for intercultural relations training aboard ship that, hopefully, will provide a wealth of data for Masters and officers who wish to relate effectively with Filipinos. It is hoped that this book will also be used informally by individuals going to work with Filipinos who will be unable to attend intercultural relations training.

Coming to terms with people of other cultures can be difficult. Time-consuming, too, and very expensive if one fails to build up the necessary confidence. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with Filipinos! It’s a wise investment that soon pays off.

DR. TOMAS QUINTIN D. ANDRES

Values & Technologies Management Centre

3078-B Reposo St., Sta. Mesa, Manila

Philippines

by Tomas D. Andres and Our Lady of Manaoag Publishers

DEDICATION

To the thousands of Filipino seafarers

onboard international ocean-going vessels,

the REAL AND TRUE HEROES OF OUR MOTHERLAND

this book I humbly dedicate

Cover design: Renato D. Marbella, Jr.

ISBN (bp) – 971-26-0004-1

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgments

CHAPTER

1 UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURE,PERSONALITY TRAITS

AND CHARACTERISTICS OF FILIPINO SEAMEN……………… 1

2 THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION TO FILIPINOS……………… 4

3 DIETARY REQUIREMENTS……………………………………….. 6

4 UNDERSTANDING THE FILIPINO MALE ENVIRONMENT,

ATTITUDES TO DRINK/DRUG USAGE AND

SOCIAL HABITS…………………………………………………….. 7

5 HOW TO MAKE THE FILIPINO TICK AND CLICK……………… 11

6 COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH FILIPINOS………….. 13

7 HOW TO MOTIVATE AND BRING OUT THE BEST

IN THE FILIPINO …………………………………………………... 19

8 HOW TO NEGOTIATE AND HANDLE CONFLICTS

WITH FILIPINOS……………………………………………………. 21

9 DO’S AND DON’T’S WITH FILIPINOS…………………………… 24

Bibliography

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many people helped shape and complete this work. Authorities in the field of anthropology, sociology, psychology, Philippine culture, ship management and other related disciplines as well as practitioners shared their insights with the writer.

In the preparation of this work, the writer wishes to give due recognition to

Mr. Stephen G. Treadwell, Denholm Representative of Denklav Maritime Agency, Inc. who strongly encouraged the author to write this book for their seagoing personnel’s who interact with their thousand Filipino seafarers onboard international ocean-going vessels. The writer’s gratitude also goes to the Denholm Management for their financial support for this book.

As the saying goes, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” The writer fully acknowledges that what he had written here has been taken from other sources and experiences and from his lectures, briefings, and personal teaching notes. As much as he can he acknowledges all the references used in the bibliography; however, human frailty dictates that some authors or sources may not have been acknowledged or mentioned explicitly due to inadvertence or lack of documentation. To them the author gives due thanks and acknowledgment.

Last but not least, the writer’s thanks and gratitude go to his loving children, Thomas Philamer, Pilar Philamer, Picrreangelo Philamer, Lord Philamer, Patrician Philamer, Bernard Philamer, David Ben Philamer for their cooperation and to his loving wife, Pilar Corazon, for her inspiration.

THE AUTHOR

UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURE, PERSONALITY TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS

OF FILIPINO SEAMEN

The Philippines is compose of 7,107 islands with a total area of 296,912 square kilometers. The country is bounded on the west by the China Sea, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, and on the south by the Celebes Sea. It lies a little above the equator and is 965 kilometers off the southeast coast of the Asian mainland.

The Philippines has for its languages Filipino, English and Spanish; it has 87 different major dialects ranging from Tagalog, Sugbuanon, Hiligaynon, Samarnon, Bikol, Pampango, Ilocano, Maguindanao, Maranaw to Tausug. English is widely spoken; in fact, this country is the third largest English-speaking nation in the world. The Filipino seamen have a good grasp of the English language and high levels of secondary and tertiary education.

The biggest islands of the Philippines are Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro, Samara, Panay, Cebu, Palawan, Leyte, Bohol and Masbate. Its largest cities are Manila, Quezon City, Davaoand Cebu. A big number of Filipino seamen come from Luzon and Visayas.

Filipino seamen are a happy blend of several races, basically Malay with Chinese, Spanish, Indian and American admixtures. Their values and ways of life were shaped by several, sometimes conflicting cultures, and the resulting blend is what makes their own uniquely Filipino. In their veins run the rich Christian values of Europe, the pragmatic and democratic values of America, and the spiritual values of Asia.

To the predominantly Malay Filipino seaman, frankness is a breach of courtesy, righteousness and eccentricity. Thus, he says nothing negative of anything that he does not approve of. The best man for him is one who is “easy to get along with.” He is trusting as a child, naturally tolerant, forbearing and king but belligerent when provoked.

The predominantly Chinese Filipino seaman has the values of patience and perseverance, hardiness and foresight, frugality and thrift. The Chinese ideal of filial piety, the emphasis on man as a social being and “sageness within and kingliness without” ideal have been carried over into Filipino seaman’s life. Relations between parents and children and lateral relatives is a matter of ethics and honor. Getting along with one’s fellowmen is a fundamental prerequisite to prosperity, happiness and human existence.

The predominantly Spanish Filipino seaman is generous but arrogant. For him the emphasis is on appearance, reputation, privilege and status. He observes the family rituals of Sunday worship and follows social standards.

The predominantly American Filipino seaman is trained to ask two questions: “Does it work” and, “What has he done?” He possesses the modern mechanics and the techniques of Westernized democracy, the Protestant ethics of rationality, of questioning, of independent thinking, and of direct communication.