How to Treat Your Elders if You Are Filipino

Filipinos treat elders with the utmost respect. Mannerisms, gestures and language are used to convey this respect for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, acquaintances and even strangers.

Things You'll Need

• Filipino Woven Baskets

Instructions

1. Adopt an attitude of modesty around elders.

2. Approach elders with your head slightly bowed, shoulders slightly tucked in and hands clasped in front of you.

3. Always acknowledge the elders first when approaching a group of people.

4. Gently take the hand of an elder with your palm facing up and her palm facing down, and lightly touch her hand to your forehead as you slightly bow. Gently release the hand. This gesture is known as "mano."

5. Always "mano" to grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and older friends of the family.

6. Always say the word "ho" or "po" in midsentence (after approximately every fourth word) and at the end of each sentence when speaking to anyone about 20 years older than yourself, whether they are family or not. This applies even when you are answering with a simple yes or no.

7. Address older sisters and female cousins with the expression "manang" or "até," which is pronounced "latte."

8. Address older brothers and male cousins with the expression "manong" or "cougha," which is pronounced "kooia."

Tips & Warnings

• Cousins and siblings five or more years older than yourself are also addressed in an appropriate respectful manner.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish