From: sobejana@hplabsz.hpl.hp.com (Regina Sobejana)
Subject: Re: Bakit maporma ang mga Pilipino?
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 02:38:05 GMT
Organization: Bill & Dave's Garage

From: bongalon@tcad05.intel.com (Ben Bongalon)
>A friend of mine who currently has no net access is asking:
>
>"Bakit maporma ang mga Pilipino?"
>(Why are Filipinos so ostentatious?)

Is your friend talking about Mr. BONG-GA! ;-)  It's either Mr. BONG-GA 
is all over the place, or your friend is spending too much time with him ;-)

>some examples:
  [...]
>- kahit sa school lang pupunta, nakabihis pang-party.
>- etc..
>
[...]
>my initial thoughts:
>1. it's in our culture

The 'formal' or semi-formal use of clothing wear (dressed-up, pang-party 
etc..), I think, is part of our culture (influenced from Spain). 

I've often thought that our society back home, tends to be more 
'semi/formal' -- dressed-up, spruced-up, ala-pang party...etc, 
than casual (casual gathering, to school, etc).   

I must admit, I was like the above when I first came here.  Back home, 
though sometimes I hate it,  I could never go out of the house without 
a well pressed - skirt, shirt, dress, and jeans on (kung minsan, naka-armirol
pa, ouch! especially those darn uniforms...), except when I play ofcourse.  
That's because that's how I've been raised as a kid/young teenager.
[But now, that Mama lost control of me (sorry Ma, I've always hated your 
 "armirol" on my cotton shirts), I've dressed down quite a bit...;-) ]

>2. it's a biased observation because only the flashy Pinoys get
>   noticed while the plain Pinoys don't get noticed and are
>   consequently not included in the sample.

Sabi na nga bah eh (see above).   Tell your friend to get a life
and spend more time with the AbsentMindedNonFlashyPinoyTechnocrats ;-)
There're quite a bit of us here -- "d-baduys & d-wapoys"

>3. it's a biased observation because other cultures are just as
>   guilty ...

Our culture is not the only one.  I also noticed this with other
countries whose culture were influenced by Europeans  -- 
(ie: Spanish --- countries of latin America;  British -- Hong Kong ...etc...).

>...but the way they express their ostentatiousness is
>   not so obvious from the observer.

Maybe the observer should consider looking at the mirror ;-)
That will count... ;-)  whether the obeserver is pino/ay or not.
(if the oberserver is your friend is pino/ay, your friend should be able
 to tell between 'maporma' and 'de-porms' ...check with Mr. B  ;-)

>4. colonial mentality  :-)

Hmmm.... you mean yung mga "trying-hard"?  And folks who put up 
label first vs. practical use?   Yah...they're around, 
pero hindi lang mga Pilipino.   This may have something to do
with low self-esteem, "..got to look good to be noticed..." kinda
mentality.  And then again, this isn't just a Filipino thing.

For 'maporma' == trendy....pino/ays, well I noticed that our society back
home are a bit trendy.  There's an emphasis on fashion clothings...latest
style (mostly European style) and etc.  So yes, this may have
something to do with colonial mentality ;-)

I wouldn't be surprise if there are many filipinos here in the US, that
are into that.

Anyway, let's face it!  Magaling lang talaga magdala ang mga Pina/oys! ;-)
I'm sure you're friend would agree  ;-)

-Ginnie
:-) Stereotype:  Bakit nga ba mga Pinoy sa North Bay Area (SF/Daly City)
                 'mapoporma' kesa sa mga taga South Bay Area?
                 Dahil:  mga taga No. BA ay "ma-art-keting" (business-minded) 
                         and "ma-arti-crats" (art-minded)" :-)
                         mga taga So. BA ay "absent-minded technocrats" :-)
                 (no flame intended for humor-impaired)
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