What’s right, what’s wrong with us?

We have a lot of endearing traits that make us proud to be Filipino. In the midst of outrage and despair, we can still laugh as we did during EDSA 2. We are a patient and peace-loving people and the world has praised us on how we were able to achieve a bloodless revolution – not just once, but twice.

Alongside our good traits, we have our flaws. With frequent changes in the political climate, our country has become the breeding ground of balimbings. We are so forgiving and have such short memories, if the Sandigan Bayan doesn’t act fast, a lot of us may forget the sins of Erap just as we did the transgressions of the Marcoses. Then there are the political users. These are people who are there when they need you and disappear once they get what they want or when they realize they can’t get anything from you.

I can go on and on, but let’s hear it from this week’s respondents.

Mari Kaimo, TV host, The Correspondents : I like Pinoy hospitality the most because it shows our generous side. I don’t like how utang na loob is constantly abused and used to manipulate people.

Geneva Cruz, singer: One thing I like is the closeness of family. We have gentle hearts and we’re generous by nature. Filipinos are good in business, especially the music industry. We can compete with the best in the world.

I don’t like it that Filipinos love listening to foreign music. They like everything white or black but not brown. I am proud to be a Filipino but most of us kasi hindi eh. Then there’s the crab mentality. Instead of supporting one another, they pull each other down.

Some Filipino women like macho men. They like it when they’re told what to do, they feel special. Some Filipino men like to dictate on women. They always want to be right. I think men and women should be on equal footing.

Ina Calalang Ayala: I like it that Filipinos know how to eat, and they always have an excuse to eat. I like it that we’re so hospitable. I live in Hong Kong and unless you’re a relative, you don’t usually get invited to Chinese homes. What I don’t like about Pinoys is that we don’t know how to say "No." We say "Yes" to everything and then we don’t do it.

Banana Cruz, marketing executive: I like the fact that Filipinos are very warm, social and family-oriented. We also love to eat, we are enterprising because we know how to make tawad and we have beautiful women. Unfortunately, we still practice the mañana system, we are infected with crab mentality, and we still tolerate philandering men. We are also super tsismoso, and always fashionably late.

Albert Martinez, actor: I don’t know if it’s originally Filipino but what I don’t like is the mañana system. If I can do something right now I’ll do it right away. Ang gusto ko yong hospitality ng Filipino which we’re famous for.

Cutie Del Mar, TV host: I especially love how Filipino men treat us women. They open doors, pull our chair, serve us food, carry our shopping bags, take the side of oncoming cars when crossing streets, etc. In other countries, you meet a man for a date, split the bill, then go your separate ways. Here, if the woman drives a car, the man would insist on following her home, just to make sure she arrived safely. It’s great being a woman in this country.

What irritates me most about Filipinos is when they do things because they can get away with it – littering, for instance. We also have a hard time following basic rules. Bus drivers don’t always stick to bus lanes or load and unload passengers at designated bus stops.

Cher Calvin, TV host, F: Nowhere else in Asia are the people more warm and welcoming. You have to love us for that! For example, my car stopped in the middle of EDSA. I hailed a cab and he happily jumped out, started my car with a smile and then went on his way.

I detest that tsismis is so easy.

Cheska Garcia, actress: We always have time for friends and to help those in need or with problems. One trait I don’t like is the bahala na attitude. We leave things undone and rely on others to fix things for us.