That Big Bring Home Box.

The balikbayan box is a staple for Filipino travelers. Instead of using luggage, they opt to use a big box because it’s easier to pack, easier to carry and is much lighter than travel bags. When a relative comes home from abroad, the whole family is always so excited to go home and open up the balikbayan box. They all gather around it hoping they get first dibs on the huge bags of imported chocolate inside. The things in the box are labeled with names and are passed to the person they were bought for. After the box is empty, the whole family shows each other what they’ve gotten while munching on the delicious M&M’s.

Pacman Mania

Sunday means family day, and coincidentally, Manny Pacquiao’s fights always land on that day. When there are boxing matches, every person in the household stops whatever they are doing to sit in front of the television and cheer for Manny. Families sometimes even hold parties and invite relatives over to their houses so they can all watch the game together. And if they’re lucky, they might even be able to score tickets to watch the game together in the movie theatre, bringing along everyone from Lolo to bunso.

I’ll Teach You Technology.

Communication is key in any relationship. But of course, we always want to keep the ones we love most, like our parents and our grandparents, closest to us. But with the way technology is skyrocketing, most of the time, it is very difficult for the older generation to keep up and we have a hard time getting in touch with them. Nowadays, the younger generation is teaching their elders how to text and make calls using a cell phone and even how to use a web cam. It’s the easiest and most efficient way to get in touch with them, that’s why more and more grandparents and parents are becoming mobile and internet users.

Pera O Bayong?

Filipinos always love the idea of playing games. Noontime and late night game shows are always a Filipino family favorite. They always gather around the television screaming their hearts out because of the suspense of finding out if the contestant won the million peso jackpot or goes home bokya. It’s great bonding time when all the family members try to play along for the fun of it, shouting briefcase numbers on Deal or No Deal, the answers to the quiz questions Game Ka Na Ba and Wowowee, or singing along to the missing words to a song on The Singing Bee.

Online Scrapbook

Everyone wants to share their pictures with their families. But because typical Filipino families have their members scattered all over the world, it is difficult to show each other pictures of their trips and other special occasions. That’s why community websites such as Multiply, Friendster, and Facebook became such hits. With websites like these, people are able to upload their pictures and make them into public or private albums that their family members can view anytime they desire. What makes it even better is that the viewers are allowed to comment and leave messages about the pictures. Another great thing about these websites is that you can make your family members contacts, which means you will be sent updates every time they post new pictures or videos online. This is the best way to let family members know what’s been going on in your life.

Picture Perfect.

You’ll never see a Filipino without a camera. Everywhere they go, they just have to have their picture taken there. During family trips, their pictures can reach up to 300, which is a lot compared to families in other cultures. Taking pictures is their way of preserving the memories the families share. Whether it be a film camera, an SLR, a digital camera, and even a phone camera, the sound of that shutter, when it comes to Filipino families, will never go away.

Dinner Time!

Everyone in the Philippines gives great importance to eating with the family—so important that they won’t eat unless everyone is present. But with everyone being so busy, they don’t really have time to cook food or even go to the grocery. Fast food restaurants have always been a Filipino favorite because of how quickly the food is served and how satisfying it can make the customer feel. So, after a long day, the whole family takes a trip down to their favorite fast food restaurant to eat while sharing stories about what happened that day.

Mall Rats.

The weather in the Philippines, as everyone knows, is very hot so having an air-conditioner or an electric fan is a family must-have. Having these appliances though, will mean having to pay for the electricity it needs, which most Filipino families cannot do. So, instead of having the appliances turned on all day, they resort to going to the shopping malls. Shopping malls are cold everywhere you go and there are so many things you can do there. That’s where most families hang out during their weekends to spend time with each other, feeling comfortable because it’s cold, and not spending money because most the people in the malls don’t buy anything.

Couch Potato.

Betty La Fea, Dyosa, My Husband's Woman, and Kahit Isang Saglit are just some of the shows that typical Filipino families watch every night. Watching television is something that completes their day. They watch teleseryes together as a family. They are always excited to know what will happen next. In schools and even in offices, they talk about the teleserye they watched the night before, and even get the theme songs stuck in their heads. The shows that air every night are the reason why Filipino families get to spend so much quality time with each other.

Birthday On A Budget

It is a big deal for us Filipinos to celebrate special occasions like birthdays. Knowing that our country is one of the third world countries, many Filipinos do something just to celebrate the occasion. Many Filipino families are in the poverty line but they make sure that they will celebrate if they can. It shows that Filipinos prioritize the happiness of their friends and especially their family members. That's why it is said that Filipinos are the happiest people in the world.

Buhay Coke, Buksan Mo

Coke has always been a representation of a celebration. Filipinos love to drink it. During dinner time, it is very common to find a bottle of Coke standing on the center of the table because it gives a more "celebration" feel. It has always brought families together because everyone is always excited to have their glass filled. Filipino families love to tell their stories over glasses of this carbonated beverage.

"Ma, pauwi ng food."

When the clock strikes about 6 o'clock, that line is heard through millions of phones of parents. Filipinos always have the need for a pasalubong. A simple take-out from McDonald's or Jollibee will do just the trick. When the parents get home, they gather around the dinner table or in front of the television together with the children and have a small feast over the delicious food that was brought home.

The Western Union

Family members who go abroad are there to work and earn a living for their families back in the Philippines. Like any other worker, Overseas Filipino Workers have a special day they look forward to every month--payday. To Filipinos, this day is just like Christmas. Right after they get their salaries, they immediately send most of what they earn to their families back home, who are located in all parts of the country. Hence, the flashing yellow Western Union stall in almost every corner of the island.

Globe Bridges

Now that the economy is very low, most people resort to moving abroad to work and earn enough money to be able to provide for their families. They are usually under a contract so going home to the Philippines is something they can't do very often. International calls have become very popular because of the growing population of Overseas Filipino Workers. Day by day, telecommunication companies are finding ways to lower the rates of international calls to bring families closer together.