Attitudes to Drink and Drug Usage
Filipino males are fond of drinking especially on occasions of gatherings and celebrations. As early as in 1621, when Magellan and his men arrived in the Philippines, the feast set before then included earthen jugs filled with tuba (a stinging and bitter-sweet hard drink made by extracting the sap of an unopened coconut bud.)
Any inclination to alcohol or drug use is directly related to a high degree of peer pressure and openness to new experiences, tolerance of deviance and non-conformity, independence, low self-esteem, and depression. Cautious, dependent, conforming, socially inhibited, achievement oriented, and religious Filipino males are relatively unlikely to try drugs or alcohol. Situational influences may also influence any likelihood of a Filipino male turning to alcohol or drugs. A shipboard situation with few outlets for recreational activities or programs may result in bored seafarers looking towards less healthy outlets for their energies.
Filipinos appreciate the restraint of rules, particularly when they have helped formulate them. Develop guidelines for drinking and celebrations – include hours, places that are allowed for drinking, the kind of supervision needed, and conventions about the
use of alcohol and prohibition of drugs.
Encourage the Filipino seamen to become involved in activities which allow them to have a good time such as chess, dama, contests, bible study, during their free time.
Establish responsible drinking pattern. Use alcohol responsibly and in moderation. It is important to emphasize that the limits of bottle of drinks per person or nationality may be different. Westerners may drink five bottles of beer and still be not drunk while for a Filipino one bottle of beer may be enough to make him drunk. Establish ground rules for using or not using alcohol. Emphasize acceptance of another’s wish not to drink.
A Filipino may turn to alcohol for relief from problems-personal, family, work and others. This is his way of withdrawing temporarily form the realities of his problems. It is advisable to counsel Filipino seamen to approach their officers if they have any problem and be given proper counseling by them or any competent professional for that purpose.
Encourage them to share their problems with their trusted fellow-seamen. Encourage them to write frequently as possible their loved ones and family.
Filipinos value very much their family’s well-being and security. Ensure that the Filipino seamen’s families are receiving regularly their hard-earned money. A letter to a seaman by his wife that she is not receiving money can lead to negative reaction toward his officers.
HOW TO MAKE THE FILIPINO TICK AND CLICK
Some Filipino seamen have created an image of the Filipino as a quarrelsome breed who tends to gang up with others of his country to fight it out with any other ethnic group willing to take them on. In general, this is not so. The Filipinos are a peace-loving people. They can easily accept as friends and brothers nationals of other countries, both from the East and West.
The Filipino seaman is responsible, hardworking, industrious and dependable. However, his Masters, Chief Engineers and officers should treat him under their command with consideration and social justice and keep him happy and contented no matter what circumstances are. They should visit him in his quarter in a fatherly fashion once in a while to inquire after his well-being; they should be his advisers and confidant regarding personal problems and should be ready to lend a helping hand when needed. They should keep their cabins open any time to him when he has complaints. Treated in this way, he is bound to look up to his superiors with respect and give them their cooperation.
Conduct and Discipline
Stern discipline should only be imposed at the right time, and if possible, within the confines and privacy of a cabin. Calling crew’s attention with harsh words where others can hear will only cause embarrassment and a feeling of resentment toward the superior.
A ship is an isolated community, far from families and friends. Officers should, therefore, organize Filipino seamen and activities on board in such a way that living conditions become more bearable in – spite of the hard work. If an officer is held in esteem and loved by his Filipino subordinates, thy will think twice before committing any infraction on the ship such as pilferages, quarrels, or acts or insubordination.
Personalism (person-to-person relationship) carries a premium in managing Filipino seamen. Authority may make the Filipino seaman work, but it won’t make him work to his fullest capacity. A personalistic management style stimulates productivity, good conduct and discipline in Filipino seamen. He works and works hard for the officer whom he can consider not only his superior but also his friend. Thus, Filipino seamen are likely to be motivated more by gestures of personal concern and attention from their officers that by raising of voice or swearing.
Deep rooted values should be understood more clearly by Westerns who manage Filipino seamen. Work to most Filipino seamen is only a means to an end. Their ultimate achievement imagery is knowing that their respective families are enjoying some luxuries while they work on board and they look forward to a changed social status one day.
The social value of “utang na-loob” (loosely translated as “debts of gratitude”) is very much in operation in the Filipino seamen. They work hard for an officer to whom they have “utang na-loob” but they also expect him to continue feeding their feelings of self-worth. The officer’s gestures of personal concern and attention will be more valued and repayed with productivity, and loyalty. Pats on their backs and one or two drinks are some ways of repaying the Filipino seamen after doing a good job.
Should the necessity arise for a Filipino seaman to be reprimanded, the officer should give him feedback about both his desirable and undesirable behaviors. The officer should do it in private, avoiding doing so in the presence of other people or else the Filipino will very likely feel that he has been publicly humiliated. An officer’s hasty action, nasty remark, public reprimand, loss of temper, etc. will provoke the Filipino to belligerence.
Gambling
Filipinos have a penchant for gambling even at a very early age. They have the tendency to play or gamble anytime and anywhere. Family celebrations and funeral wakes are never complete without mahjong or poker or bingo sessions. The rich and earning Filipinos have pusoy, pekwa, casinos, horse racing, etc. elderly Filipinos have their sakla, jueteng, and sabong or cockfighting, this fondness for gambling is carried over to sea by Filipino seamen.
Gambling can have relaxational and recreational purposes for Filipinos, if properly regulated and managed. They should gamble only with their excess money; thus the bets should not be large. The officers should fix and delimit the site or area and time wherein mahjong and various card games may be played. Troubles arising through gambling must be prevented by the officers by their proper supervision of it.
COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY
WITH FILLIPINOS
To communicate effectively with Filipinos one has to step back and look at how they develop perception. Meanings are not in words but in people. The Westerner has to listen two or three times as hard to Filipinos in order to find out what they really mean.
Filipinos prefer to use body language rather than words to express themselves. Westerners look for meaning and understanding in what is said; the Filipino in what is not said. The silences for Filipinos together with the pauses between silences are very meaningful. They do convey messages.
The westerner should have in mind the indirectness of the Filipino is contrast to his directness. The Filipino is indirect because he wants to keep his interpersonal encounters pleasant and friendly, because that way the channels of communication will remain open. The westerner puts a premium on honesty and frankness and feels that communication has to be direct to be effective. For the Filipino, directness and frankness is rude and brutal.
Among intimates the indirect way of communicating is in the form of teasing or biruan. A form of teasing is the Filipino’s propensity to giving nicknames. To the Westerner, some nicknames may appear unkind, especially if they are directed at the persons most obvious physical trait.
In Filipino culture, curiosity about another individual’s personal life precedes entry into any relationship with him. So an officer must not be annoyed if, in trying to be friendly, a Filipino seaman asks him questions that seem to invade his privacy, like “How much is your salary?”; “Why don’t you have any children”, or “Where did you come from?” These are simply a form of greeting and may not be seriously answered. A simple: “Oh, just around the corner.” will do. Privacy is not given as much importance among Filipinos as among Westerners.