Why do Filipinos just accept standing in line.

It's the whole mañana thing.  Time is not a factor in most daily behavior calculations.  For us it is a 25 minute ride to where we shop, they all are as slow as the next one.  I always take a book.

Its a very deep sense of 'accomplishment' they feel; Its just beyond me, but they just love it :
Hey its fun waiting in line for hours :
a) 1st they find the time to be able to chat with neighbours/friends who always seem to appear and then seeing/comparing if they have missed any promo items & thus giving them another chance to dash out of line to pick up those other specific items they might have overlooked/missed the first time.
b) 2nd its always good time to take a 'selfie' which can be uploaded instantly onto FB and to show off to your relatives/neighbours that you were in SM mall today & what you had stashed into your trolleys and who you met at the mall + the latest picture of that new okai2 dress/jeans you are wearing.
c) Time is never ever a problem, they may infact intentionally pick up items without a price tag to then again be able to look disappointed/shocked  & to get the poor sales staff to pick up another tagged item for purchase, and while they are away fm the counter there's always time for another 'Selfie'.
Yup they love it!

They are more patient than westerners

^^ What they said..  haha manwonder that was funny..

I will also add that many Filipinos have never experienced fast, efficient service and customer support. Open highways. Doctors appointments that only take an hour. Things we take for granted in the west. As geolefrench said, they just have a lot more patience.. probably because they don't have anything to compare their experience to. And what good would it do to complain? The concept of "customer satisfaction" is mostly unknown in the Philippines.

While there is truth in manwonder's claim, it may not be fair to compare experiences of those from first world with those of third world's. Finding their hardship or their "normal" behavior amusing and made fun of might be seen as offensive or even bigoted.

Jackson4 wrote:

While there is truth in manwonder's claim, it may not be fair to compare experiences of those from first world with those of third world's. Finding their hardship or their "normal" behavior amusing and made fun of might be seen as offensive or even bigoted.

Most here can take a light attitude about their lack of sense of time.  We went to a noon lunch we were invited to by our neighbors, a two minute walk up the road.  We arrived at 12:35 and the host said "You're late."  My wife just smiled and said "Heavy traffic"  Everyone laughed and enjoyed the lunch.

Just trying to make sense of things happening around me!

(All meant in +ve light..I have come to accept things the way they are!)
Yes they do show loads and loads of patience. I guess we should not be here in the 1st place if we don't get into their vibe!
Hey there are many more stories on the topic of 'PATIENCE' that they show, other than just the 'standing in line' ones!

That's why I take my stepson with me while grocery shopping, he stand inline for me. But, on a negative note there is not enough seating.

Back in the states there was self checkout aisles. At Sam's Club an app using your smart phone, snap the products code, when you're finished, pay on your phone and show the receipt on your phone as walk out.

Also grocery stores had motorized carts with seats, seniors whizzing down the aisles, a prelude to driving in the Philippines.

At this particular time with the coronavirus outbreak I think what SM and other supermarkets are doing, or should I say not doing, ie opening extra tills, is very dangerous. Because people seem to be panic buying right now the supermarkets packed are out and are standing in line in very long queues that stretch right to the back of the supermarket and there just isn't the space to self distance.

We always plan a month ahead, always have plenty of white rice and brown rice for starters.  We have 10 cans of chili, 3 big cans of tuna, 2 cans of clam chowder.  We are good for another 3 weeks at least.  Bonus yesterday our nephew the pig farmer dropped off about 5 meals worth of hog bladder.  In addition we have two refrigerators with filled freezers. Hope not to go shopping again until we leave on 4/20/20.

mugtech wrote:

We always plan a month ahead, always have plenty of white rice and brown rice for starters.  We have 10 cans of chili, 3 big cans of tuna, 2 cans of clam chowder.  We are good for another 3 weeks at least.  Bonus yesterday our nephew the pig farmer dropped off about 5 meals worth of hog bladder.  In addition we have two refrigerators with filled freezers. Hope not to go shopping again until we leave on 4/20/20.

Sounds like us with a little variation.

With us all the cookies and ice cream is gone in a day or two and then it's three weeks of canned  tuna and rice.

Different mind set and a condition I am learning from and appreciate.
My better half is very patient/puts up with a westerners thinking, (me) who am I to complain. He spent 5 years living and working in Australia where things are more efficient, checkouts, internet banking, roundabouts, mobile phone systems that work and have free voicemail (what's that I was asked when he first came to Oz same as the roundabouts, he loves them now) and a decent pay check but is more than happy to be back here as I am.

As a potential retiree (probably permanent now with what's happening) I have learnt to chill and go with the flow, for me there is no hurry and it's simply part of life here. I have been through the frustrations and the why's over the years and am slowly learning to accept and focus on the bigger picture even if it takes longer eventually we get there.

I do recall though 7/8 years ago we lived in a condo overlooking the SM mall in San Lazero Sta Cruz for 12 months, I would walk across the road and do our shopping, Ben was working so I did the shopping. Our local SM supermarket had 36 tills and 36 packers and my longest wait was 5 to 10 minutes. Our local Pure Gold supermarket in Bacnotan with 7 tills is the same, 5 to 10 minutes.

One comment I will make. While in department stores there are a plethora of sales assistants, usually each aisle but only 2 tills open for the payment and there you can wait 10 to 20 minutes, the logic in this is beyond me but stand inline I do.

Everybody stay safe through these difficult times.

Cheers, Steve.

mugtech wrote:

We always plan a month ahead, always have plenty of white rice and brown rice for starters.  We have 10 cans of chili, 3 big cans of tuna, 2 cans of clam chowder.  We are good for another 3 weeks at least.  Bonus yesterday our nephew the pig farmer dropped off about 5 meals worth of hog bladder.  In addition we have two refrigerators with filled freezers. Hope not to go shopping again until we leave on 4/20/20.

Ah ha, a western diet for sure. . . . . Just like me, seven cans of Chili, eight cans of Tuna, two boxes of Stove top Stuffing, two boxes of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, eight cans of Hunts Pork & Beans, Two large bottles of Mrs. T's Bloody Mary Mix, 1 3/4 liter bottle of Smirnoff's, one fifth of Jack Daniels, one bottle of Budweiser, four bottles of Kraft Miracle Whip, four bottles Kraft Mayo, three bottles of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce, Two bottles of Heinz 57 Steak sauce. Four freezer shells, with one for me with Four Boxes of White castle Cheeseburgers, Four packages of Johnsonville Sausages, Two packages of Hot Pockets

For the family we have a lifetime supply of Spam,  Sardines , Rice, a case of Vienna Sausages, eight cans of Reno Liver Spread, Noodles, Noodles and more Noodles, Fish, Fish & more Fish.

The wrst store here in Cagayan De Oro for staff to tills open ratio is Ace Hardware, sometimes it's hard to get around the store there are so many staff in the way but when you go to the tills only one or maybe 2 are open, even when the store is very busy. The division of labour here is strange, they have staff and cashiers whereas most stores in the west would train their staff to do both, one day they are stacking shelves and the next day they are working the till.

FindlayMacD wrote:

I'm not talking about government offices because the governmend decides their staffing levels, but why do Filipinos just accept standing in line for so long in stores like SM who are happy to take their money but never adequately staff their tills. I've lost count of the times that I have left my basket or shopping trolley there and walked out in disgust. Whereas most Filipinos just seem happy to stand in line for an hour or more and just accept poor service. My local SM has 30 or more tills but they never seem open more than 10, even when people are queuing in the aisles halfway up the store.

What I learned in 5 years here is that time absolutely does not matter for Filipinos.

It is not only standing in line, they accept everything what government and church telling them. They do not questioning anything. They accept big corporations like Meralco, PLDT or Globe rape them.

They are sheep, great followers. They are not educated. They are brainwashed by church, government and media controlled by church and government. Not all of them of course, but most of them yes. I never seen something like that, maybe only in some part of Africa.

education has no relation to people being sheep

some people have little education and can see through bullshit

others have lots of degrees and will follow the other degree-ed lemmings off the cliff

Look what happened to so many intellectuals in Germany leading up to and during WW2. And also those of other nations who denied to themselves what they were seeing. Go along to get along. be silent to advance. Sheep every where.

Yup I've seen thousands of so called 'educated' sheep all addicted to the 'blue' pill!

Education, particularly in the US, is a chief conduit for indoctrination along with the entertainment industry (sewage system running in reverse). The schools and colleges,universities are sheep factories. And that goes for the private religious ones too.


Martin Niemöller's poem First They Came is specifically pointed at the "educated" sheep:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_...

FindlayMacD wrote:

The wrst store here in Cagayan De Oro for staff to tills open ratio is Ace Hardware, sometimes it's hard to get around the store there are so many staff in the way but when you go to the tills only one or maybe 2 are open, even when the store is very busy. The division of labour here is strange, they have staff and cashiers whereas most stores in the west would train their staff to do both, one day they are stacking shelves and the next day they are working the till.

Would have to agree Findlay, conglomerate hardware stores are the worst, citi hardware, Ace, Handyman etc but our local mum and dad stores re pretty good and even most times deliver for free, Prices are comparable and more convenient. I hear your sentiments on multi tasking staff as we do in the west,,,,,,,,,, we are not in the west.

Cheers, Steve.

An example of a Filipino who did not put up with it.

I was in a certain place waiting and there were many people backed up while employees put on makeup and checked their phones. I was talking with a woman, a Filipino. She was a professional and very well spoken. Over the course of our talking she became more and more agitated with what was going on in the place until she could take no more and began to very vocally complain. One of the people who worked there went into the back of the place and another woman soon came out - the boss. She surveyed all of us and fixed her eyes on the lady who had complained. She then went back in to the glass enclosed office and gave some orders. The lines began to move as makeup and phones were put away.

W9XR wrote:

mugtech wrote:

We always plan a month ahead, always have plenty of white rice and brown rice for starters.  We have 10 cans of chili, 3 big cans of tuna, 2 cans of clam chowder.  We are good for another 3 weeks at least.  Bonus yesterday our nephew the pig farmer dropped off about 5 meals worth of hog bladder.  In addition we have two refrigerators with filled freezers. Hope not to go shopping again until we leave on 4/20/20.

Ah ha, a western diet for sure. . . . . Just like me, seven cans of Chili, eight cans of Tuna, two boxes of Stove top Stuffing, two boxes of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, eight cans of Hunts Pork & Beans, Two large bottles of Mrs. T's Bloody Mary Mix, 1 3/4 liter bottle of Smirnoff's, one fifth of Jack Daniels, one bottle of Budweiser, four bottles of Kraft Miracle Whip, four bottles Kraft Mayo, three bottles of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce, Two bottles of Heinz 57 Steak sauce. Four freezer shells, with one for me with Four Boxes of White castle Cheeseburgers, Four packages of Johnsonville Sausages, Two packages of Hot Pockets

For the family we have a lifetime supply of Spam,  Sardines , Rice, a case of Vienna Sausages, eight cans of Reno Liver Spread, Noodles, Noodles and more Noodles, Fish, Fish & more Fish.

Hahaha W9XR....Yup looks to me like you are very well stocked up!...Maybe you should seriously consider recruiting a security guard, just to keep watch over this massive stock especially in dire times like these!

FindlayMacD wrote:

The wrst store here in Cagayan De Oro for staff to tills open ratio is Ace Hardware, sometimes it's hard to get around the store there are so many staff in the way but when you go to the tills only one or maybe 2 are open, even when the store is very busy. The division of labour here is strange, they have staff and cashiers whereas most stores in the west would train their staff to do both, one day they are stacking shelves and the next day they are working the till.

Yeah, and the worst part is hardly one of the group can even answer a question. All in groups talking to each other.

"Yeah, and the worst part is hardly one of the group can even answer a question. All in groups talking to each other."

Been there. "Can I help you sir?" Yes, do you have such and such? 5 seconds of thinking "No sir, sorry out of stock" Okay thank you.
Upon looking for myself find the such and such and stand inline at the one or 2 tills that are open. This is the large chains. The local hardwares know exactly what they hold and if they don't carry that line always offer to get it for you or offer an alternative. Well I do have to say this is my experience with our local hardware stores, not sure how others fare.

Cheers, Steve.

bigpearl wrote:

"Yeah, and the worst part is hardly one of the group can even answer a question. All in groups talking to each other."

Been there. "Can I help you sir?" Yes, do you have such and such? 5 seconds of thinking "No sir, sorry out of stock" Okay thank you.
Upon looking for myself find the such and such and stand inline at the one or 2 tills that are open. This is the large chains. The local hardwares know exactly what they hold and if they don't carry that line always offer to get it for you or offer an alternative. Well I do have to say this is my experience with our local hardware stores, not sure how others fare.

Cheers, Steve.

Well . . . . . How many times in America you're looking for an item and ask for help, the help you received is "it should be in aisle 5, if not we don't have it".

Or the cashier asks did you find everything? . . . . . You answer no . . . . .

Well its the way things are in today's economy : If you're working for a fixed salary or hourly wage the way most people are, you won't see economic benefits from pouring your energy/effort into your job. Your boss may be grateful to you for all your extra effort, but he or she is not going to give you a pay raise every month just because you're putting in extra hours/effort.

manwonder wrote:

Well its the way things are in today's economy : If you're working for a fixed salary or hourly wage the way most people are, you won't see economic benefits from pouring your energy/effort into your job. Your boss may be grateful to you for all your extra effort, but he or she is not going to give you a pay raise every month just because you're putting in extra hours/effort.

My life experience was just the opposite. Every job I worked harder to be more productive than the next guy and moved up. From electronic technician to shift supervisor. Another job from salesman to sales manager.

The last time I integrated with a MIT graduate, I asked him to supersize my fries.

If there's nothing pressing them, why get excited about the incompetence of things here?

The pinoy people are used to being victimized by the chinese-filipinos who run the country, albeit in wretched ways.

Another question...

Why to pinoy accept all kinds of lies and ripoffs by unscrupulous business owners?

Because they do not consider themselves to have the power to complain.

As well, in their home communities, anyone who complains over much may have illogical unreasonable hassles with the neighbours.

Except for banks and businesses owned by chinoy, guards, cops, traffic people are mostly there for show. After all, in a country where you can get shot for being too this or that, why get upset?

As well, this is an overly ‘nice' culture. It's not well or balanced, but that is the way of it.

Additionally, everyone fits into the group - an asian thing - and dares not stand out lest any number of things happen. Therefore few have any sense of personal authority or power, and have even less initiative to do much of anything but follow the rules, no matter how corrupt or nuts they are.

So it is that when pinoy go to a foreign country, they are amazed that people can more easily express their feelings and concerns with far less fear of reprisals.

Hmmm...

"Family Planning" is a pressing need!
The one-child policy was part of a birth planning program designed to control the size of the rapidly growing population of the People's Republic of China...It could work here too!

Just Saying!

manwonder wrote:

"Family Planning" is a pressing need!
The one-child policy was part of a birth planning program designed to control the size of the rapidly growing population of the People's Republic of China...It could work here too!

Just Saying!

A lot less Catholics in China.

It seems to me that any company involved in contraception products will not be making much money in the Philippines

The 'IUD' procedure is offered "free" in public barangay hospitals...not many takers though!

So many opinions expressed here with merit. So one size fits all, how about one post that fits most?

Yes investing in a company making contraceptives for the Philippines is not too smart.

(1) The more educated the woman/man is the more likely they will family plan and use contraceptives. What to do about the other 90%?

(2) The Catholic church and the fervent belief of it's members, fervent beliefs when it suits them, is an excuse, causing the problems of over population. For example: Province girls sent by their families to work in Angeles City to support the family.

(3)  Marriage, Catholics don't get married because they can't get divorced. Easy inexpensive civil divorce should rule.

(4) In America abortions is the unspoken method family planning.

(5) Employment, takes a lot of energy and time, but unemployment leaves a lot of time to, you know what.

(6) The uneducated and unemployed falsely believe a lot children will provide for them in their old age.

(7) Filipino men believe womanizing is the norm

(8) Lifelong traditions passed on from generation to generation.

There is more that I can say, but I'm a guest in this country.

Womanizing is not the norm in the US ?

geolefrench wrote:

Womanizing is not the norm in the US ?

More like affairs in the US, womanizing is not the norm in the US. Far less children born out of wedlock in the US.

Not in the extent of having two families like the Philippines. I know of one case where two teenagers, the same age who knew each other and didn't know they were half brothers. Their deceased father had two families.

Tell it to the Marines 🤣😂

manwonder wrote:

The 'IUD' procedure is offered "free" in public barangay hospitals...not many takers though!

Now lets have a multiple choice questionnaire for Filipinas, what is an "IUD"

(A) An international trade union for workers

(B) A roadside bomb

(C) A birth control device

(D) Name of a soccer league

(E) None of the above

Hehe...W9XR;
Oh no!...not another multiple choice question please.
Maybe its because 'they'  believe that "True love doesn't come with strings attached"....but "IUD" sure does!

Just saying!

We wanted to cancel our internet service because of no maintenance to the equipment after the last typhoon, and were told that we could not do it online but had to go one of their offices which was 2 hours away by car. So we did the drive and then waited for 3 hours to see someone and then only to be told that they could not help us because the system was down, which is Filipino speak for they had no excuse as to why no one could fix the maintenance problem 3 months after the typhoon.
But the people here are conditioned to this, so the companies treat them with contempt and they accept this treatment, especially in SM where I have also just walked out and left the basket of groceries on the floor.