To help carry on the celebration this October of Filipino Heritage Month, Filipino students were asked to share about their favorite aspects of Filipino culture and what makes them proud to be Filipino. It is always intriguing to hear the plethora of rich responses that can be gleaned on campus.
“I’m proud of being Filipino because it means that I am a natural empath.”
Rod Olofernes (sophomore, medical laboratory sciences)
“One of my favorite things that I love about Filipino culture is how quickly we bond and are connected with one another. No matter where you are in the world, everyone is your relative in spirit. We are so welcoming and caring, no matter who you are, and I’ve experienced being welcomed in and helped by titas and titos, ates and kuyas. I remember coming to Andrews freshman year not knowing anyone, but my parents met up with my Tita Charity and my cousins. Although I didn’t know them before that point, since then, they have treated me and helped me like family they’ve always known. Something unique is our use of “titles.” If someone is a bit older than you, it is common to refer to them as “ate” (ah-teh) if they are a woman and “kuya” (koo-yah) if they are a man. Middle-aged aunties are referred to as “tita” (tee-tah) and uncles are referred to as “tito” (tee-toe). And grandmas are lola (low-ah) while grandpas are lolo (low-low). I grew up in a big Filipino community, so I always turn my head, prepared to greet a “cousin,” whenever I hear a voice call “Ate Charisse?” I love being able to be a part of a community!”
Charisse Lapuebla, (junior, speech-language pathology)
“I love how Filipino culture embraces everyone as family, Filipino or not. It makes me proud to represent such a loving community that is so diverse and welcoming. Something unique about Filipino culture is that they start celebrating and decorating for Christmas in September!”
Jaden Leiterman (senior, medical laboratory sciences)
“My favorite aspect of Filipino culture and community is that we are very quick to offer help to each other without expecting things in return. Growing up, I learned how to be more selfless through my parents and titas/titos because they gave their time and resources to others just because they could. I find that the spirit of giving is very abundant in our community! I also love how my Filipino community is always laughing. As long as you are surrounded by your people, you will always be having a good time. This makes me very proud to be a Filipino because it shows me how resilient the people of the Philippines are, and how circumstances don’t affect their smiles. I think something that’s unique about Filipino culture is that we love Christmas so much that we like to celebrate super early, like weeks-months early.”
Mahal Tio (junior, graphic design)
“My favorite aspect of Filipino culture is the importance and closeness of family. When I visited this last summer I really loved spending time with my family. Everyone lived in close proximity to each other: you can just call for someone from your house and they will hear you. Your cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents (and more), all eat meals together regularly. Whenever you arrive in a house, you go up to all of your elders and have them "bless" you (mano po), and you also do that as people arrive. I think that being in that sort of close-knit community and spending time with all of your family members is so special.”
Daena Holbrook (sophomore, mechanical engineering)
“One thing I appreciate about Filipino culture and the Filipino community is its global presence. Regardless of where you find yourself in the world, you're likely to encounter a Filipino community, be it big or small, that will always welcome you and make you feel right at home. I take pride in my Filipino heritage because of our remarkable resilience and toughness in challenging times, our ability to adapt to diverse circumstances, and the fact that we could still find happiness despite all of this. A unique aspect of Filipino culture is the ‘Bayanihan Spirit,’ which means that when a challenge or task is too big for one person or family, the community comes together to help each other. It is helpful to Filipinos as it unites communities to tackle challenges, making them more resilient and resourceful in the face of adversity.”
Jeimster Cruzata (junior, aviation)
“Something I’ve observed about my Filipino community is how much they love to take care of people (which is why I guess a lot of Filipinos end up in the medical field). I know that Filipinos are known for hospitality, but it’s one thing to be welcoming to guests you let in your home, and another to go wherever they are and help them feel comfortable and safe there. I remember helping my mom make these egg pies to become closer with our neighbors, and at the time I was still young and was just mad that we were making these pies that I wasn’t allowed to eat. My parents would do more things like give new parents my old baby clothes, send my dad to help fix their car, offer to look after the other neighborhood kids, and even lend a listening ear to this grandmother, who lived by herself. I would hear the same stories of my Tita’s (aunts) and Tito’s (uncles) doing similar things in their communities, which to this day really inspire me to make more connections and be more compassionate to the people around me. Now looking back on those memories, I have become more aware of why I love my community and love being Filipino.” Chloee de Leon (junior, graphic design)
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.