A couple of weeks ago, I invited a friend, Blogie Robillo over to my house to talk about some business stuff that we are considering doing together. It was around dinner time when I invited him over, so I asked him if he would have dinner with us, and he graciously accepted. Blogie has been a friend for more than 10 years now, I guess. We originally met on the Internet, but met in person in 2000 after we moved to the Philippines. Blogie is quite active online, so he and I tend to get along well.
This was the first time that Blogie got to meet my Mom, as she was here visiting us. The two instantly hit it off, and got along very well. Blogie was here for hours, I guess, but we were all having such a great time that none of us were keeping track of the time! When it was time for Blogie to leave, he told us that he wanted to invite all of us over to his family house to have dinner with him and his parents, and to do it while my Mom was still here. Sure enough, I got a text from Blogie the next day, as I recall! We accepted an invitation to have lunch at the house last Thursday.
This was to be the first time that my Mother was to go to a Filipino household and have a meal out like this, and she was excited to see it. She was interested to see the cultural differences, and similarities that she would experience. I told Feyma that I suspected that Blogie’s parents were rather old fashioned, and I asked her what we should call them. We weren’t sure, but decided to play it by ear. Mr. and Mrs. Robillo seemed to be the conservative consensus, so that is what we went with.
When we entered the house, the table was all decked out with all types of food! It looked like a feast! Let’s see, there was baked tuna, broccoli, two types of fried chicken, lumpia, rice, several kinds of fruits….. I am sure that I am forgetting a number of dishes here! The food was excellent, and the company and fellowship with Blogie and his family really topped off the event! What a wonderful time we had. In particular, my Mom was so excited about the way it turned out, and she felt honored to have been invited into the house for a meal like that.
A day or two after the meal, my Mom sent a basket of fruit to the Robillo Family, along with a thank you note. She was so touched, and enjoyed the event! We are planning to invite the Robillo Family over to our house for lunch, and our plan is to cook turkey for them when they come. I hope that it is half as good as the food they shared with us!
Blogie, if you read this, thank you very much for your hospitality!
This is as far off subject but here goes. My mother has given me a large number of oil paintings that we hange on our walls. Is there any risk of rot or mildew acting on the oil paints when they are moved to the philippines? Have you heard of this issue before. She has put thounds of hours into painting them so I would rather give them to relitives here than move them there and have any damage happen.
Great post, Bob. I'm going to have to write more about some of the great times my wife and I have had with our Filipino friends and extended family. We foreigners (or whatever we are supposed to be called) LoL all too often only seem to note the things about living here that are negative to what we are used to. We shouldn't hide problems … but we shouldn't focus on them either. There's a lot of good things going on here.
Also please tell Momma Billie that she's definetly behind on her posts 😉 I'm really interested in hearing more about her experiences now that she's seen a bit more of the Philippines.
Hi don merfeld – To be honest, I just don't know the answer to your question, so I can't say. Maybe there is somebody with more expertise who will chime in here. One thing I might suggest is to get a cheap oil painting that you don't care too much about, send it here and watch how it does. If it survives well, then your other ones that you value should be safe as well.
Hi Dave Starr – Thanks for your words, they do ring true! I will pass along the message to my Mom that sent!
Hi Don Merfeld,
i would not worry about the oil paintings. I have not come across this problem with any of my paintings, the galleries and art collectors (in Davao). It is an interesting question though, something that I had not considered.
I know someone who I will be contacting within a week. She is has an extensive collection of valuable paintings (from highly regarded artists) and displays them at home in Davao. I can forward her this question. I am also quite curious with her answer. I can imagine she take the utmost care with paintings (they are basically a high valued investment to her).
Hi Bob
This article is quite refreshing. At first glance, it looked very different from the past articles. But it is another take on Living in the Philippines, allowing the viewer a delightful view of a Filipino lunch and visitors.
Hi Macky – Yes, I feel it is a little different than previous posts – using your words… viva la diferance (I have no idea how to spell that….). Well, I do agree that it gives a little insight into what you might expect if you live here. It really is a cultural thing, and an opportunity for a foreigner to observe the culture here, in a down to earth way. We certain enjoyed the lunch with the Robillo Family.
Hi Bob,
A classic example of Filipino hospitality. When you are a guest in a Filipino home, you feel the genuine warmth and graciousness of your hosts. They go out of their way to make you "feel at home". A far cry from meeting at a restaurant for lunch or dinner.
Good post, Bob! 🙂
Last holidays we visit 3 sisters of my wife. Not for the first time, but
with things going a little better for them now,
we allso got diner en drinks. The other years we visited we had to bring
those things. And since they live in the mountans of iligan,
we went to all 3 in one day.
And yes , that day we had 3 times lunch/diner.
Hello Bob – 'filipino hospitality' this is one of the best in Pinoys, am truly proud of! 😀
Thank you Bob and Macky for your help on the painting question. I can send one painting to my in-laws and see how it holds up the the humid weather. By the way I've been eating too much with all these blogs with food pictured. Ha Ha Next I want to hear about long walks.
Hi Tina – Yes indeed! I agree heartily!
Hi Anton – It sounds like you had a good visit with your Sisters-in-law!
Hi marygrace – Yes, Filipino hospitality is one of the rich treasures of the country!
Hi don marfiled – Maybe I better write up about the gymnasiums in town!
Hi Bob! Thanks very much for this heartwarming post!
You know, my folks aren't very conservative when it comes to forms of address. "Momong" would've been fine, even on your first meeting. "Mr. Robillo" is rather too formal, no? 🙂
We're looking forward to that turkey lunch!
I agree totally with marygrace on the unique 'Pinoy hospitality' that we have.
Off topic: Hmmm… ever felt the tremors there at Davao? I know the earthquake is Indonesia, but here in SG some people (slightly) felt it and made a big deal (well for me, I haven't felt it at all since yesterday).
Hi Jio – I agree that there is great hospitality here in the Philippines. I disagree, however, that it's "unique." Hospitality is just as big in many parts of the States too.
Anyway, on the quakes in Indonesia – No, we haven't felt anything here in Davao. I think we are just too far away.
re quakes: You guys in Davao got an intensity 2.0. Not something that'll make you take notice.
Hi Jio, I completely agree with Bob that hospitality is not unique to us filipinos only. I have even read somewhere that there's a certain community who lives in the coldest part of the earth where they offer their partner or wife to sleep with the guest, now that's one unique hospitality!
Hi Bob, next time i'm there, i'll invite you to eat my house… 😆
I'll take you on that coffee offer you made before too…
Hi Rey , yes , the Eskimo people , who live in Ice land, up in
the north of Europe do that.
During the time that they are hunting , they live in so called IGLO,
that,s a hut build of blocks of ice.
Temperature outside maybe up to minus 20 a 30 celcius below zero,
inside maybe zero , so very cold , and when you visit and stay the night ,
yes the wife of the house sleeps together with you in the sleeping-bag,
they make themselves out of reindeerskin.
I saw it on the television , anf they say it,s very cosy.
Hi Rey – Now, THAT is hospitality! I don't think I'd be hospitable enough to let my wife sleep with the guest, though! 😆
Hi Anton – Cozy indeed! Especially for the guest!
Ah, 2.0 intensity there, quite faint to be felt in Davao.
As of the "unique" Filipino hospitality, no I didn't mean that we're the only ones who has this trait. What I meant is that we have a "unique way" as we try our very best to make our guests feel at home through lots of food and comfortability (I always notice my family and others who really clean up the mess in one's living room before guests arrive like "Would you like to have a drink? Water? Juice? Then calls the son or daughter to make some drinks and some kakanins from the ref), even if we can't offer munch in food or drinks but sometimes we still buy outside to treat our guests (I hear stories that others even loan food and drinks at the nearest suking tindahan just for guests). Anyway, that's what I notice in my family, my relatives, and many other Pinoys, in general. But of course yes, I agree that hospitality is not only "unique" in our country.
Hi Anton, now that I find a surprising hospitality by Eskimos! 😆 What if something happens between the male guest and the wife if things get too cozy? 😳 Now that I would agree with Bob that I also think it's not hospitable to let your wife sleep with the guest.
Hi Blogie – Sorry, your post ended up being counted as Spam until I rescued it! Not sure why, I didn't see any spam indicators there, especially when the article was about you! Ha ha…
Anyway, we really enjoyed the lunch, and we'll be doing that turkey soon!
Hi Jio – Yep, we are in agreement!