  Acceptable public conduct Maintaining cordial relations at all times is essential in this culture; making only positive comments is a good place to start. Negativity of any kind can cause loss of face, which has unfortunate consequences in this culture, including loss of reputation as well as the severing of friendships and other meaningful bonds. Although there are many social inequalities, there is a belief that everyone must be treated with civility. Moreover, as people rise in importance, they are expected to behave with heightened modesty and graciousness, especially in their dealings with the poor. For example, beggars are politely refused with the phrase "Patawarin po," which means, "Forgive me, sir. " Snubbing a beggar may result in loss of face. Visiting businessmen should expect to shake hands firmly with other Filipino men, both upon introduction and subsequent meetings. There is not supposed to be physical contact between men and women in public. Rather than initiating a handshake, men should wait for a Filipino woman to extend her hand. Foreign businesswomen may initiate a handshake with Filipino men or women. Close female friends in the Philippines greet each other with a hug and kiss.
Similarly, close male friends may exhibit close physical contact, such as holding hands or walking arm in arm around a friend's shoulder. Filipinos often greet each other by making eye contact, then raising and lowering their eyebrows. When someone raises his or her eyebrows at you, it is often a way of indicating that you have been understood. Raising one's voice is unacceptable in Filipino business culture. Moreover, it's important to maintain a low, yet controlled tone of voice at all times. Striving to speak this way can help you conduct business with greater effectiveness and may even allow you to project more of an authoritative, confident image.
Don't assume that a smile is an indication of amusement or approval. Frequently, smiling is used to mask embarrassment, nervousness, and other feelings of distress. This is why you will sometimes observe Filipinos smiling or laughing during inappropriately somber or tense moments. Avoid staring at Filipinos, who can easily interpret a stare as a hostile gesture. If you are stared at, it will be in your best interest to look away. It's recommended that you break eye contact several times in the course of a conversation. When you look at a Filipino too intently, it is often interpreted as gawking rather than a sign of attentiveness.
When it is necessary to walk between two people, lower your head with your hands clasped in front of you as you pass them. This gesture confers respect. Because of the years of U.S. military presence in the Philippines, most North American gestures are recognized and understood. Pointing a middle finger at a person or thing is considered the most obscene gesture in the Philippines. Since pointing can easily be perceived as an insulting gesture, Filipinos rarely indicate objects or directions by pointing with their fingers. Instead, they indicate with a glance or by pursing their lips. To beckon someone, hold your hand out, palm downward, and make a scooping motion with the fingers. Beckoning someone with the palm up and wagging on finger can be interpreted as an insult. You may observe people hissing in restaurants; this is a common way of beckoning servers. Indicating two with the fingers is done by holding up the ring and little finger, instead of the forefinger and middle finger. The thumb is not used to count numbers in the Philippines. Don't put your hands on your hips when talking.
This gesture can be misinterpreted as challenge to another person, which can be especially dangerous considering the violence-prone nature of this culture. A Filipino may try to get your attention by brushing a finger against your elbow. Food Culture If you leave a clean plate, it will be assumed that you haven't been provided enough to eat. Dessert is especially popular in the Philippines at both lunch and dinner. To beckon, use your entire hand, with the palm facing down.
In any case, do not use your index finger and move it toward you. Consider it a tremendous honour to be invited to Filipino weddings, anniversaries, baptisms, and other intimate family events. Being included in these occasions is an important part of solidifying the personal aspect of a business relationship. If you are hosting a gathering, it is not enough to invite someone only once to a dinner or a party, since an invitee will usually say yes regardless of his or her true feelings. It will be necessary to reconfirm the invitation a couple of days in advance. Moreover, an invitee will often decline through a third party as a face-saving measure. When you interrupt a Filipino during a meal, he or she will feel obliged to invite you to join in. This offer is made only for the sake of politeness; just thank the person and decline, insisting that you have already eaten. Consider it a tremendous honour if you are invited to a Filipino home. This kind of invitation shows that the host has developed a genuine rapport with you, which is crusial to business success here.
Arrive 15 to 20 minutes after the time given in the invitation. You will be perceived as overanxious if you arrive early or on time, and perhaps even inconsiderate if you cause your hosts to feel rushed. Never refer to your host's wife as the hostess. In the Philippines, hostess is another word for prostitute. Social events tend to revolve around food, since Filipinos are extremely proud of their cuisine, which blends South Asian, Chinese, and Spanish influences. "Have you eaten? " is a popular greeting, equivalent to "How are you? " in North America. Simply answer "Yes" even if you haven't actually eaten. For both business meetings and social occasions, seating arrangements are based on the hierarchy.
Consequently, it's recommended that you wait to be seated. At any social event where food is being served, allow the host to ask you several times to sit down. In this culture, appearing overly eager to begin eating is perceived as a sign of greed and vulgarity. Before eating, wait for the host to initiate these proceedings. A fork and spook are the standard utensils. Keep the fork in your left hand and use it for placing food onto the spoon, which should be held in your right hand. The source for all this info was ExecutivePlanet.com. Some are so true and others are really true and other are just retarded. I like it. 
