Annoying Local Behavior

[Gator]

1 hour ago, Onemore52 said:

One day I asked one of the workers why no one says “thank you” when you do something for them. 
“ in our culture it is assumed “. That people say thank you without actually saying it. 

I failed mind reading in high school, so I need at least a nod of thanks if not a verbal utterance of it. 🤣

[Old55]

2 hours ago, Onemore52 said:

 

“ in our culture it is assumed “. That people say thank you without actually saying it. 

No, that's simply not true. It wasn't spoken so it never happened. These type of lies are annoying. I would have called BS to his face. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

1963 John Wayne movie McClintock. 

Yep.  When John Wayne gives someone a spanking its fair play.  But when Will Smith does it . . . . 

[hk blues]

15 hours ago, mountainside said:

Me too.  No corporal punishment anymore in US public schools.  "Social promotion" up through the grades, pretty much regardless of accomplishment.  I better stop now before I really go on a rant.  The topic is Philippine Annoyances, and I'm gonna be a good boy and stay on topic.  Don't want a moderator taking a belt to me :)

Without wishing to derail the topic toooo much, AFAIK it's mostly the norm in education for students to progress through the grades regardless of achievement, at least that's the case in the UK. In my 13 years of school there was never a case of a student not moving up a year. Based on my experience here with my son, same.

Seems only at university/college do students get kicked out.

[hk blues]

15 hours ago, Gator said:

.Loss of face to them could wind up getting me shot, but I just can’t help myself sometimes. 

It almost certainly won't get you shot but it will automatically put you in the wrong  - any foreigner expressing dissatisfaction at how things work here is immediately 'the ugly American' - we had a post on here a few weeks back which exemplified this. I won't go into great detail but a foreigner got annoyed at what was preferential treatment given to a local and was described as being the one in the wrong when they got uptight.  From time to time here I think we are judged unfairly just for wanting to be judged fairly!

[hk blues]

15 hours ago, mountainside said:

After living in the Phils for a while without a vehicle, I bought a new Mazda.  Backed into a rebar sticking up out of the ground and tore the plastic on the rear bumper.  Arranged with the dealership to order a new bumper and have it painted to match.  Showed up to have it installed.  They'd ordered and painted a FRONT bumper.  So they ordered a new rear bumper, at their cost, of course.  Couple days later a young fella calls me up in tears -- he was the one who'd made the mistake.  The manager had deducted the cost of the bumper and paint job from his pay.  Could I pleeeaaassse help him out?  He'd tried his best, he said, and it was MY car he was trying to get fixed.  Told him I'd call him back.  I was too stunned at the time to continue the conversation.  Calmed down and consulted with my wife.  She thought maybe we could help out a little and have a new friend at the dealership.  So I gave in and helped him out some.  Never anticipated that owning a vehicle in a new country would come with additional expenses like these.  Once I get back I might have to resort to trikes and Jeepneys again. 

Whilst I understand your mixed emotions and your wife's feeling, by 'helping out' it's just feeding a wrong system. A business is generally responsible for its employees and should bear the cost  of their employee's  mistake - they can afford it more than you. 

We had a sort of similar situation where a contractor screwed up a polycarbonate roof panel through carelessness.  The boss said he'd have to fire him for costing him money (indirectly suggesting I could cover the cost and save the guy's job) - my own feeling was it's on the boss, not me. I also knew 99% the guy would get fired either way.

We also had the situation where a contractor ordered materials wrongly and I bore the cost because I knew he was weak at estimation and I took my eye off the ball by not double- checking. I will add though, I didn't give him any bonus on completion of the job. 

Give and take doesn't work here, we will rarely get the benefit of a mistake but always be asked to pay for it.

[hk blues]

6 hours ago, mountainside said:

This thread got my wondering about Philippine laws that foreigners should aware of.  Ran across this gem:

"Anti-Singit Law- one of the more obscure Philippine laws is the anti-Singit Law. This law is designed to stop people pushing in front of others in lines. Even though queue cutters are often irritating, in the Philippines this is an offence that may result in someone being imprisoned for up to 30 days or fined up to 5,000 pesos. So it may be wiser to exercise a little patience whilst in line to avoid any punishment."

Where's an enforcer when I need one?

And another gem:

"Don’t be fooled if vendors tell you that they don’t have change when you’re paying your bill in any establishment. Unfortunately, Filipinos have a habit of using candies instead of coins as change. But RA 10909 prohibits businesses from giving customers insufficient change. So, if you encounter stores doing this act, let them know that they’re violating the law."

Well, not me.  My wife likes candy.  Can't wait to watch the author try this with a trike driver . . .

I've experienced the candy thing in other parts of SE Asia but never here, funnily enough. That said, my own son has a habit of converting my change to candy and snacks!

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Old55 said:

No, that's simply not true. It wasn't spoken so it never happened. These type of lies are annoying. I would have called BS to his face. 

I'm 100% with you on this.  I'm fed up hearing excuses for rude behaviour. There can't be many, if any, cultures where please and thank you is not considered appropriate so why do we try to excuse it ? Fine, let folk behave as they wish but at the same time let me bitch about it!

I'm particularly on this today because we're at the family home and my wife and SIL have been cooking all night and morning with food they provided and not one word of thanks. Oh, and nothing said about the 55" Sony TV I gave them as I replaced with another. On the bright side, after setting it up last night I discovered it doesn't work! F*** em!

Edited March 25, 2023 by hk blues

[hk blues]

For balance-

I'm at the family home for fiesta. Always made welcome and a red horse placed in my hand whenever needed.

Who said these Filipinos weren't the salt of the earth? 

[Onemore52]

2 hours ago, Old55 said:

No, that's simply not true. It wasn't spoken so it never happened. These type of lies are annoying. I would have called BS to his face. 

Yes I realise that but I was in the situation where the locals were after white scalps and any indiscretion could get you on the next helicopter outta there and as the old saying goes “As he kicks another empty coke can down the gutter I sure told him didn’t I “.

And there was a lot of that went on because if someone was to upset a Bumi Petra (the indigenous Malay) they would be sent off the rig in a flash.

Absolute vindictive mongrels.