Greeting

The accepted form of greeting in Philippine practice is a light handshake accompanied by a smile.

If a woman is present at a business meeting, the greeting man must wait until she extends her hand to greet him. A woman is more likely to simply bow her head (a slight bow of sorts) or wave her hand in greeting than shake hands.

Philippine women generally kiss each other on the cheek when greeting (once on either side).

Kinship friends and relatives shake hands accompanied by a pat on the back when greeting. Women hug and kiss each other.

The traditional greeting in this country is "Kumusta kayo" (How do you do? - in Tagalog).

Introduction

Owing to its historical development and geographical location, this island nation is home to a wide variety of nationalities and ethnicities. The largest group is the Christian peoples of the northern and central islands, whose cultural traditions are marked by Spanish and American influences.

Many Filipinos have Spanish names without having Spanish roots. This is due to a law of 1849, which made it mandatory for residents of the state to choose a Spanish name in addition to the local one. A catalog of Spanish names was sent to cities and municipalities.

As a result, your Filipino partner can have one or two names, and a last name consisting of two parts, the first being the mother's maiden name and the second being the father's last name, such as Pedro Garcia Santos or Analyn Mendoza Lopez.

Sometimes you can see the prefix "y", which means "and", such as Analyn Mendoza y Lopez in a Filipino last name. It is also quite common to use the abbreviation Jr. (Junior). This is due to the widespread tradition in the country of naming a son after his father.

Women after marriage usually take their husband's surname. However, many also keep their maiden name, hyphenating it with their husband's.

Little relatives and friends as well as good acquaintances call each other by name or use nicknames, which are common in everyday Filipino life. Wait until your partner suggests that you call him or her by his or her first name. If he says his nickname, you may have to share yours with him (if you have one, of course). This might work out by giving your Filipino partner a shorter version of your name (e.g., Nickname).

When you speak to your partner in the Philippines, be sure to give their title, job title, or academic rank if you have one, like Professor Cruz or Engineer Santos.

If you do not know your partner's title/degree, position or qualifications, or do not have them, use the common polite forms of address: Mr, Mrs, Ms, Miss, followed by the last name.

Exchange of Business Cards

The exchange of business cards in Philippine society happens quite regularly in both business and social situations. It is always best to have an ample supply of business cards.

In official meetings, business cards may be exchanged at the beginning as well as at the end of the meeting.

The text of a business card may be in English. This along with Filipino is the official language of the state.

If your Filipino acquaintance or partner puts his home or private cell phone number on his business card, it means he is willing to discuss business with you even outside your office hours.

There is no special procedure for exchanging business cards in Philippine business practice.

Small Talk: Overview

In the beginning of a business meeting, prepare for light small talk in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. It is important for your Filipino partner to get an idea of the person he or she may have to work with. Talking about non-business topics provides that opportunity.

In social situations it is best to keep a soft, neutral, and polite tone, preferring streamlined and non-committal language, and make sure no one is hurt, even inadvertently. Family is central to Filipino life.

Hierarchical relationships are very important in Filipino society, based on age and status (e.g., position or academic rank). It is important to be especially respectful of these people. Be sure to consider their opinions as you communicate.

Don't forget to smile. Filipinos often smile, trying to create a friendly and warm atmosphere in conversations.

Preferred Topics

Family, events relevant to family.

Common acquaintances and business contacts.

Local tourist attractions.

Common economic issues relevant to business practices.

Taboo Topics

Political issues, especially those affecting the Philippines for one reason or another.

Social and economic conditions of people in the state.

Inquiries about foreign aid may cause painful reactions.

Different religious issues.

Corruption topics should not be discussed in Philippine society.

Any topic that may lead to loss of "face" of the interlocutor. If it has arisen for some reason, one should refrain from harsh, tendentious remarks.

A straightforward and perhaps overly explicit opinion to which a Filipino must respond may cause a reaction of rejection.

Any topic that may cause a Filipino to lose his or her "face" may cause a reaction of rejection.

Any topic that may cause a Filipino to lose his or her "face.

Personal Space

The distance for comfortable communication in Philippine society is shorter than in other cultures (such as those in Central and Northern Europe). During conversations, people stand quite close to each other, which may be unusual for newcomers. They are more likely to feel uncomfortable.

Philipinos can be quite expressive when talking, especially if they're getting excited. They often touch each other, such as patting each other on the back or on the arm.

Communication Specifics

In Philippine culture, an important concept is "face" and the associated "loss of face" and "saving face. This concept refers to a person's reputation, outward impression, image. Loss of face can occur even if one is forced to respond to someone's overly explicit direct statement.

Philippine society can be characterized as highly contextual. This means some information is left unspoken or left unsaid, because all necessary information is either derived from the situation itself or is understood without words by everyone involved in communication because it is embedded in the culture itself.

Sometimes nonverbal signals have much more information than the actual explicit, verbal part of speech. These include a gesture everyone in the culture understands, a facial expression or body movement.

This style of communication is based on a long-standing bond of mutual dependency among members of a (mostly extended) family or clan, which leads to a shared understanding and appreciation of everything that happens.

foreign partners should seek clarification from their Filipino caller if they have any misunderstanding or confusion about what is being said. Filipinos do not like to say "no" in response to a request, as they always try to be polite and avoid conflict situations.

Building business relations with partners from this Asian country, it is important to always keep in mind the peculiarities of their communication (first of all, the concept of face). In sensitive situations it is better to return to the topic under discussion under various pretexts and ask the question you are interested in several times, but as if in a different perspective. Questions that require direct "yes" or "no" answers should generally be avoided.