11. Life makes no sense without plane rice on the plate…
Who wants a burger, pizza, foie grass, tenderloin… having plane rice??
RICE CULTURE: Rice is the Filipino’s staple food by excellence, being known as “Filipino power”.
Rice is what many farmers grow, but it is also what nearly all consumers eat.
The Philippines is the world’s eighth-largest rice producer; with a total of 5.4 million hectares of arable lands, located mainly in the areas of Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley.
However, local rice production can’t support current demand of the population. That makes the Philippines a major importer of rice. The Philippines imports about 10% of its annual consumption requirements. In 2010 and 2011, the country was the biggest rice importer.
12. You can be healed, no matter what, with Malunggay.
MALUNGGAY: Malunggay (Moringa Oleifera) has been used as herbal medicine in many cultures for hundreds of years. Malunggay is known as a very nutritious plant. It is used to combat malnutrition in third world countries especially for infants and nursing mothers.
This plant is widely believed to contain high value nutrients. Its consumption promotes general well being.
The “miracle vegetable,” as some scientists called it, has been promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a low-cost health enhancer in poor countries around the globe.
Malunggay is so rich in nutrients and vitamins that its image is used as the official logo of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology. “If Manny Pacquiao shows how a Filipino fights in the ring,” said one commentator, “malunggay is the symbol of Filipino fight against malnutrition.”
Also, nutritionists affirm that 200 grams of malunggay leaves would give a nutritive value roughly equivalent to four eggs and two glasses of milk. Its iron compound prevents deficiency of red blood cells known as anemia. And being a very rich source of calcium, it aids in maintaining healthy bones and teeth.
Among others, Malunggay is usually used in treatments for: scalp problems, boosting immune system, increase milk production in nursing mothers, asthma, skin rejuvenation, hypertension, relaxation, diabetes, anti-inflammatory… and many more.
(SOURCE: http://www.medicalhealthguide.com/ and http://www.businessmirror.com.ph )
13. You are able to renew your closet for less than 1,000 php. God bless the ukay-ukay!
UKAY-UKAY: An ukay-ukay (/ˈuːkaɪ.uːkaɪ/ OO-ky-oo-ky) is a Philippine store where secondhand items are sold at a cheap price. Items sold at the ukay-ukay are commonly imported from North American or European countries.
The term ukay-ukay is derived from the Cebuano verb ukay. It means “to dig” or “to sift through” respectively. Technically, the English term of Ukay-Ukay is “DIG-DIG”.
The first ukay-ukay was founded in the early 1980s in Baguio. Several calamities frequented the Philippines during that year. The Philippine Salvation Army sent secondhand garments and other goods to the refugees and victims as humanitarian assistance to the victims of those calamities. Soon enough, the shipped goods, upon piling up, were bought in bulk by traders and sold to the public at significantly low prices.
(SOURCE: wikipedia)
14. You know the basic survival actions in case of looooong brownouts:
- Unplug all the important devices you have at home if you want them to survive. A classic is to have a brownout just the day you decided to fill your fridge with fresh food.
- Have auto-rechargeable bulbs in strategic points like toilet, kitchen, garden… No-one enjoys cooking using the flash light of his cell phone…
- IMPORTANT: in case of scheduled brownout, charge laptop, cell phone, power bank… download enough TV shows/movies from Netflix…
- Prepare candles and matchbox just in case…
- Always have coils to avoid to die for mosquito bites
- Level GOD: having a fan with rechargeable battery.
15. The biggest party you ever assisted: lechon, karaoke, drinks, games, dancing, big signs… is the birthday of a one year old child.
Normally we all use to celebrate birthdays and more specially the 18th or 21st when you start being considered an adult.
In the Philippines, being 1 and 7 years old are also big celebrations where the parents organize big parties that use to include a lechon, videoke, big tarpulins with pictures of the child and tones of food.
One of the most significant birthdays for any Filipino family is the first birthday of their child. This one is more of a thank you to the parents rather than the child’s actual first birthday. Gifts are usually meant for both the parent and the child: baby clothes, feeding bottles, a larger crib, etc. Expect a lot of cheek pinching and catching up between the parent and the godparents, uncles, and aunts.
The 7th birthday marks the year when the child can be held more accountable to his/her actions. It’s also the time when they develop their sense of right and wrong, as well as when they graduate from pre-school to primary school. It’s a big leap, and most parents throw lavish children’s parties for such an occasion.
(SOURCE: https://primer.com.ph)
16. The shower doesn’t seem that important anymore, who need a shower having a “tabo”.
Majority of Filipinos do not have a shower installed in their bathrooms. This is because of issues with water pressure (without a pump, the pressure with not bring the water up to the shower head or there is no pump) or in more remote areas, lack of indoor plumbing. Because of the lack of shower heads or bath tubs in most Filipino bathrooms, Filipinos have to be inventive in order to take a bath. The most common way to do it is using a “Tabo” (small bucket like a pitcher, smaller than a pail but bigger than a mug) to scoop up water from a bucket and pour the water down to their body.
Another popular instance for taking a bath is under the rain. When it rains, the outside becomes a large shower room that you can share with other people. Children, in particular, enjoy playing while taking a bath in the rain.
(Source:https://asiancustoms.eu/ and http://an-american-in-the-philippines.blogspot.com/)
17. A bolo becomes a MUST in your life.
BOLO: A bolo is a large cutting tool of Filipino origin similar to the machete, used particularly in the jungles of Indonesia, the Philippines, and in the sugar fields of Cuba. The primary uses for the bolo are clearing vegetation and cutting coconuts.
18. The sari-sari shops become your best friend at late hours.
Typical moment late night that you need to buy food, coffee for the breakfast, cigarettes, toilet paper… Sari-saris will save your life. Kind of the 7 Eleven in many other countries, sari-saris offer all kind of products and many of them are open 24-7.
SARI-SARI: In Tagalog, Sari Sari means “variety” or “everything”. It’s a family run convenience store, often attached to the front of their homes, found on almost every street corner in the Philippines.
Sari Sari Stores are not only a one stop shop providing locals with everything from daily food necessities to cleaning supplies but they are a colorful, cultural icon that brings together the community.
It is a place where locals catch up with their neighbors and children play with each other.
They are readily accessible and some even operate 24/7.
(SOURCE: http://sarisaristorela.com/blog/history-of-sari-sari-stores/ and https://steemit.com/travel/@shellany/the-sari-sari-store-philippines-symbol-of-entrepreneurship-culture)