Close Family Ties

Filipinos are known to have a very close family ties. This is one of the values influenced during the Spanish regime in the Philippines. This is manifested in most Filipino household, if not all. Usually, it's a full household, including the married children and their own families.

A concrete example of close family ties is my own family. Travels and vacations are always a thing to look forward to. When my mother was still around, her joy is for the family to get together even without a special occassion because the affair itself is special enough. She was the one who organize for a get together. Then we would just hang out together for lunch until supper, everybody just having a good time. About twice or three times a year, she would also organize for all of us to go to our hometown. The travel in itself was an event since we would just rent a jeepney or two so the five-hour drives were always fun, each one has stories or jokes to tell. When we were all together, it's like nobody's an elder because nephews and nieces tease uncles and aunts. In our hometown, it's like a reunion always, more aunts, more uncles, more cousins, more fun. Each meal is always a big meal prepared and shared by everybody. We would go to the river and have a picnic. Even going to the cemetery to visit our loved ones was fun because there's always someone who cracks jokes. Sounds weird? Well, that's my family!

One can always count on his family. If a family member is in trouble, it's an instinct of a Filipino to do the best he can to be able to help even if it's beyond his means.