5 signs that say you’re a true Filipino

5 signs that say you’re a true Filipino

February 19, 2018 | Filipino Culture

You may not know it because you see and experience it every day, but we have certain mannerisms and practices that are unique to us. Have you ever wondered why they don’t put Last Supper paintings in dining rooms in foreign movies? The answer is simple: tayo lang kasi talaga ang gumagawa niyan.

In this article, we list down five of the most popular quirks and habits we have as Pinoys.

1. You point with your lips
We do this simply because it’s convenient! Pointing with your fingers can be a waste of energy and besides, ‘di ba sabi nila masamang mag-turo?

2. You nod when you greet someone

Again, it’s much easier and less energy-consuming to nod instead of say “Hi!” or “Uy, musta?”. Pero siyempre, ‘pag ang class muse or si principal ang nakasalubong, kailangan mabilis ka mag isip ng greeting.

3. You like eating, but you don’t want the last bite
Bakit nga ba? Nag-kakahiyaan ba? Malamig na ba yung food kaya ayaw na kainin? O sadyang nagiging mapagbigay lang tayo kapag last piece na?

4. You collect “souvenirs” from hotels and restaurants

At some point in our lives, we all have discovered how our mamas and titas hoarded soaps, shampoos, ketchup packs, and sometimes even towels, as soon as we get home after that memorable beach or out-of-town trip we had as kids.

5. You complete sentences with “ano” and “kwan”
These words are the temporary substitutes sa mga salitang nasa “dulo ng dila” natin. It can be confusing hearing this at first but as you grow old, you’ll somehow develop telepathic powers and magegets mo na din siya.

Do you have more to add to this list? Send us a PM at facebook.com/KuyaJRestaurant and share it with us!

Sugod na sa Sinulog Festival!

Sugod na sa Sinulog Festival!

January 15, 2018 | Filipino Culture

The Sinulog Festival is perhaps the biggest and most recognizable festival in the Philippines and it wouldn’t be dubbed as “the mother of all festivals” for nothing. Its name came from the Cebuano word “sulog” which means “water-like” which explains why Sinulog dances look like choreographed waves from afar.

The entire festival runs for an entire month, with the highlight, the Sinulog parade, done in the third week of January. That’s right, it takes one whole month to complete. Eh kasi naman, sobrang siksik ng fiesta na ‘to and there’s so much to see! Kaya, kung trip mong pumunta, here are some Sinulog feats you shouldn’t miss.

Higantes
12-foot paper mache giants depicting various characters and icons. We can’t help but notice the details in each Higante. Sa size pa lang nito, masasabi na nating higante din ang creativity ng mga Pinoy.

But why Higantes? ‘Diba meron na tayong Higantes Festival? Okay, game. Quick trivia! The Higantes Festival, like Sinulog, is a Sto. Nino-based festival. After accepting Christianity 44 years after Magellan’s death, our ancestors created the Higantes to guard the baby Christ, the Sto. Nino. There! Buti na lang nakinig ako sa Hekasi teacher ko nung elementary.

Puppeteers
Almost like the Higantes, but more “high-tech”. Imagine, how can a single person control a puppet three times his size?

The Higantes and the Puppeteers are paraded for an entire day which concludes with a dance-off between the two groups. Imagine how cool that is. Step up the movie stepped up!

Sinulog Float Parade
Every year, various companies from around the Philippines sponsor Cebuano artists to showcase their talents in the annual Sinulog Float Parade. And with the total visitor count reaching 1 to 2 million, we can say that there’s really something special about their art. The floats wear unique themes of their own; every detail delicately placed and well thought-of.

If you happen to be in Cebu on January 21, 2018, sugod na sa Sinulog Festival! For inquiries, you can reach them at (63.32) 253-3700, or through e-mail at info@sinulog.ph.

Mamaya na nga!

Mamaya na nga!

July 14, 2017 | Filipino Culture

9:01 AM: Isusulat ko na ba ‘to? Maya-maya, 5 minutes. (Prepares coffee, browses Facebook, trolls 5 different people on a single post about cats being useless bags of fur and rage, drinks coffee, watches cat videos on YouTube, prepares a second cup.)

Time check! 11:30. Game, I’m going to write this copy and do my job. But first, research! (Googles “Mañana habit”, opens a couple of new tabs and checks YouTube for additional info, sees Indian dance videos under “suggested video” section, Googles “trypophobia”, ends up watching pimple popping videos on Facebook.) Time check: 5:50 PM! Pambihira!

The Mañana habit is one attitude we should change. How, you ask? Ay, teka, wait. Mamaya ko na explain. Andito na season 7 ng GOT eh!

Bahala na si Batman

Oh wait! May isa pa pala akong kailangang isulat! Pero pano ko ba to sisimulan? Argh. Bahala na!

The phrase “bahala na” is commonly used in the Philippines and it is an attitude which can be interpreted in a number of ways. Some say that it is a way to avoid responsibility and an excuse for laziness, while others say that it is good because it is a way to acknowledge that a supreme being or a “bathala” (hence the word “bahala”) has greater power than man, which eventually becomes a motivation to turn oneself stronger and more capable of doing something.

Turns out, mine works like the latter interpretation. May natapos din!

Rainy Omens

Rainy Omens

July 14, 2017 | Filipino Culture

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome and give a thunderous round of applause to the rainy season! Oo, whether you like it or not, nandito na siya. Damang-dama na nga natin ang pabugso-bugso niyang effect diba? At dahil diyan, I’ve gathered several rainy haka-haka na, for some reason, matagal na nating sinusunod o pinaniniwalaan.

1. Umaaraw at umuulan? May kinakasal na tikbalang!

Hanggang ngayon, di ko pa rin alam kung saan o paano nagsimula ang haka-haka na ‘to. Pero come to think of it, baka nga naman nasa kasagsagan ng merry-making ang mga tikbalang. At ang mga nararamdaman nating mga patak is actually the aftermath of the popping bottles of champagne part of their program.

2. Ayaw kong maulanan, baka dumami ako.

This one’s pretty easy. If you’ve watched the movie, Gremlins, you’ll get it. Pero kung hindi, panoorin mo na. May torrent naman. Siyempre joke lang yun. Piracy is stealing. Stealing is against the law. Piracy is a crime. Anyway, sa movie kasi, kapag nabasa yung “mogwai” a.k.a. gremlin, nagmu-multiply siya. That’s it. Sana applicable siya sa pera ‘no? Para naman mas maging masaya ang kasabihang, when it rains it pours.

3. ‘Pag naambunan ka, maligo ka or else magkakasakit ka.

Scientifically, getting wet, whether sa ulan o sa isang tabo man ng tubig will not give you a cold. Why? Because only a flu virus can make you sick. So hindi mo talaga kailangang maligo ‘pag naumbunan ka. Though, the only person who can convince/force you is your mother. Isa!

4. ‘Pag may kidlat, pinapagalitan ni Zeus si Hercules.

Remember the days when your parents would teach you a lesson by using their favorite pamalo? Well, the Greek gods also do the same. Case in point Zeus, the Greek god of sky and thunder, and his demigod son Hercules. Sadyang magaling lang talaga umilag si Kuya Hercules sa mga thunder strikes ni popsy. Now you know.

5. ‘Pag may kulog, nagbu-bowling si San Pedro.

San Pedro takes his bowling games in 7th Heaven Bowling Inn seriously. Kaya naman ‘pag malakas nag kulog, strike yun for sure. Pero kapag kumulog sabay ulan, naku, siguradong talo siya.

Oh hayan. It’s up to you if you still want to continue believing or doubting these omens. The important thing is to keep safe and stay dry this rainy season. Kung meron din kayong alam na iba pang rainy omens, message niyo lang us sa Facebook at facebook.com/KuyaJResto.