I am a Filipino through and through...

This is a tag from Mich, thanks sis! But then again, the "Filipino" has evolved so much through the years (as noted in the first paragraph of the tag). Some of the items listed below are already "makaluma" (it's nice to look back and re-check though :)) yet still reflects who we are. What I mean to say is, these things are the ones that truly makes us Filipinos and it's kinda sad that our culture is slowly changing and the kids nowadays are probably not aware of these things anymore. Fifteen to twenty years from now, I wish my future kids can still say 'Y' to almost all of the items below. :)

ps. I didn't change the gauge anymore, but I'm sure you'll get the drift LOL!

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Over time, the Filipino way of living has changed a lot, thanks to the influence of the western culture. The once-simple living has gone wonderfully sophisticated that it seems we have gradually lost the traits unique us Filipinos. Even so, we can’t and won’t deny the fact that rooted in our spirit and being is the pride that we are indeed Filipinos.

But how Filipino are you? Are the Filipino traits strong in you? Are you the typical Filipino? Take this simple quiz I have fabricated to determine your being Filipino. Read the items below and tell whether or not you do or exhibit them and count the items that are true to you. After evaluating all the items refer to the gauge below with your points. Remember to take seriously the frequencies (at least once, twice…) in the items; if you lack even one frequency, then don’t count the item.

Here it goes:

1. You can speak Filipino (erstwhile Tagalog). Y

2. Whenever necessary, you take the hand of an elder relative and pat the back of the palm of that hand to your forehead and say “mano po”. Y

3. You know “bayanihan” and had witnessed it personally at least once. Y, figuratively; N, literally hehehe

4. You’ve seen a bahay kubo at least once. Y
5. You’ve ridden on a jeepney at least five times. Y
6. You have separate clothes for in-house and outside use (pambahay at panglakad). Y
7. You’ve eaten adobo, dinuguan, kakanin, tuyo, dilis. Y
8. Your meal is incomplete if without rice. Y
9. You hear Sunday masses and attend Misa de Gallo with your family. Y
10. You can sing “Lupang Hinirang” very well, with no lines missed. Y
11. You don’t care donning ragged and torn clothes exclusively for use inside home. Y
12. You have bought items in a “sari-sari store” at least ten times. Y
13. You have played patintero, tumbang preso and piko during your childhood. Y
14. You can sing at least five OPM songs, and know what OPM means. Y
15. You know the Philippine presidents from the year of your birth onwards. Y
16. You have witnessed “balagtasan” at least thrice. N

17. You’ve been recounted with stories involving aswang, tikbalang, manananggal, nuno sa punso. Y

18. You’ve been read, have read or have heard Filipino legends (Ang Alamat ng…). Y

19. You’ve lived, stayed or visited Philippine places other than your city or town at least seven times. Y

20. You’ve visited local (or public) wet market at least five times. Y

21. You have heard guys trying to sing Englebert Humperdink songs on a karaoke machine. Y

22. Your main means of expressing anger is tampo. Y
23. You eat with your hands or use your fork and spoon together. Y
24. You visit home taking with you a few balikbayan boxes. Y
25. You use "po" at "opo" when talking to older people. Y
26. You don't feel comfortable calling people older than you by their first names. Y
27. You know what a "karitela" and "balut", "bagoong" are. Y
28. Instant pancit canton is a good snack. Y, but this isn't healthy.
29. You've eaten taho from the magtataho passing by in the morning. Y
30. You send money remittances regularly back home. N
31. You live with your parents until you get married. Y
32. You attended a town fiesta and has eaten at some place you didn't know. Y
33. You can text more than 30 messages a day. Y

Here’s the gauge to tell how Filipino you are:
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22 - 24 = The Filipino blood, spirit and flame burns intensely in you. You are the typical Filipino, who takes pride of your nationality.
17 - 21 = You are proud of your being Filipino and that the traits unique to most Filipinos live in you.
13 - 16 = You are the Filipino who, even adopting strongly the cultures of other nations, still don’t forget some old ways of the Filipino life.
9 - 12 = The Filipino culture has little by little been forgotten by you. You need to at least try some of the items mentioned.
5 - 8 = The Filipino culture has substantially faded in you, or that you have not been exposed to the true, authentic traits of being a Filipino.
1 - 4 = You’re a Filipino, only that you may have not been born and raised in the Philippines and had not lived up or been accustomed to the ways of Filipino living.
0 = You’re not a Filipino.