COMMUNICATIO

N AMONG
FILIPINOS
Bes 102: Filipino Psychology and Management
 COMMUNICATION
AMONG
FILIPINOS
• Verbal
• Communication Style
• Indirect
Communication
• Refusals
• Respect
 1. INDIRECT
COMMUNICATION
• Filipinos often communicate indirectly in order to prevent a
loss of face and evoking hiya on either side of an
exchange.

• They tend to avoid interrupting others and are more

attentive to posture, expression and tone of voice to draw
meaning.
 2. COMMUNICAT ION
STYLE
• Filipinos will try to express their opinions and ideas
diplomatically and with humility to avoid appearing
arroga nt.

• The tone of voice varies widely by language, dialect

and region.
 4 T YPES OF COMMUNICATION

S T YLE S
• Passive
• Aggressive
• Passive
-Aggressive
• Assertive
 PAS S IVE
• Individuals who use the passive communication style often
act indifferently, yielding to others.

• Passive communicators usually fail to express their feelings

or needs, allowing others to express themselves.

• Passive communicators often display a lack of eye

contact, poor body posture and an inability to say “ no.”
 AGGRE S S
IVE
• It’s often apparent when someone communic ates in
an aggressive manner .

• Aggressive communic ators often issue

commands, ask questions rudely and fail to listen
to others.
 PASSIVE-
AGGRESSIVE
• Most passive -aggressive communicators will mutter to
themselves rather than confront a person or issue.

• Passive- aggressive communicators are most likely to

communicate with body language or a lack of open
communication to another person, such as giving
someone
the silent treatment, spreading rumors behind people’s
backs or sabotaging others’ efforts.
 AS S E RT
IVE
• The assertive communic ation style features an open
communic ation link while not being overbearing.

• Assertive communic ators c an express their

own needs, desires, ideas and feelings, while
also
considering the needs of others.
 3. R E F U SAL
S
• Since many Filipinos try to save face and avoid hiya in their
interactions, many will be overly polite and seldom give a
flat ‘no’ or negative response.

• When conversing with your Filipino counterpart, try to

focus on hints of hesitation. Listen to what they say and also
pay close attention to what they don’t say.
 4. R ES PECT
• When speaking to those who are older or of higher status,
Filipinos tend to use the polite forms of speech.

• At the end of phrases, sentences or questions, they will say

‘ po ’ to demonstrate this respect for hierarchy.

• For example, when conversing with an elder or someone of

higher status, one will say ‘ salamat po ’ (‘thank you po’).
 COMMUNICATION
AMONG
FILIPINOS
• Non-verbal
• Physic al
Contact
• Personal Space
• Laughter
• Pointing
• Gestures
• Beckoning
 1. PHYSICAL CONTACT
• Among relatives or friends of the same gender, it is common
for Filipinos to walk hand in hand or arm in arm.

• This is generally done so as a sign of affection, friendship or if

they are shy and would like someone to accompany them.

• Filipinos tend to be modest and conservative in their

interactions with their significant other, and public displays
of affection among couples (such as kissing or hugging) is
quite uncommon.
 2. PERSONAL SPACE
• When interacting with people they are familiar with,
Filipinos tend to prefer standing at an arm's length
from one another. Around strangers this distance
is farther.

• However , in public areas like a market or subway,

personal space is often limited and pushing is
common.
 3. LAUGHTER
• While Filipinos often laugh in conversations, the
meaning of laughter tends to depend on the
situation.

• At times, laughing may indic ate happiness or

pleasure, while other times it may be used to relieve
tension. In some circumstances, laughter is used as
an attempt to cover embarrassment.
 4. POINTING
• LIP POINTING: Watch Filipinos use their lips to point at
an object, or a person .

• HEAD TILTING: Another gesture used to point at an

object. "Come this way" (head tilted to a certain
direction/ point).
 5. GESTURES
• Putting one’s hands on their hips is a sign of anger .

• FOREFINGER IN CIRCULAR MOTION: A sign that someone is

"kulang -kulang ,”
"maluwag ang turnilyo " "medyo- medyo" (crazy, lose
screws).

• DILATED EYES/PUPIL means "discontinue" whatever it is a

child is doing. We call this "makuha ka sa tingin.“
 6. BECKONING
• The common way to beckon someone is by gesturing with
the hand facing downwards and waving fingers towards
oneself

• If a Filipino wants someone’s attention, it is common for

them to make a sound like ‘ pssst ’.

• While some Filipinos would consider this gesture impolite,

you will always come across lo cals who hiss to get the
attention of other people.