Tuesday, June 12, 2012

ONLY HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES: What's your sign?



Where else can you find a Catholic country in Asia that says “Beware of pickpockets”directly inside and beside churches? A sign saying “Full string to stop driver”, “No Stambay”, “For sale gift raffer” (wrapper) and “Don’t close to me, Close to God”. Welcome to the Philippines where everything can be as unique and exquisite as a pearl, radiant like the rays of sun and may I say amusing like no other. They say language barrier can create discrepancies, uncertainty and confusion, but fortunately we Filipinos are very sharp and clever to adopt in our environment apart from being creative.

You can only see signs here in the Philippines that may look strange but nonetheless fascinating and attention-grabbing. For an instance, a carinderia’s name “cooking ina mo” and another carinderia across the street answering “cooking ina mo rin”. Try stepping a foot on a road with a sign insisting “Bawal tumawid nakamamatay” and realize your still alive and kicking. On a flower shop in Rizal Avenue saying “we sell ARTIFICIAL FRESH flowers”, in one of Baguio’s grocery store “Fresh frozen chicken sold here” and a van not for hire saying “not for here”ironic isn’t it?. Scribbled in the walls of men’s public toilet “Hawak mo ang kinabukasan”, and in the walls of the women’s toilet “Don’t sit like a frog, sit like a queen”. A convent in baguio assisting visitors by putting signs saying “2nd floor upstairs” then an arrow pointing up, jeepney drivers hanging sign boards with a statement “God knows hudas not pay”, “bayad muna bago baba”and other funny stuff that one filipino can think of.

In spite of those hilarious grammatical errors and wicked statement written on different kinds of signage, Filipinos today are reinventing words that may look like a bogus sentence structure but is actually a trend that becomes a business attraction all over Manila. There is the Tapsi-turbi canteen meaning Tapa, sinigang, turon and barbeque that serves as their specialty in their menu. Food establishments like Tom Cruz Grill, taste their food and grasp the sentiment of being a Hollywood action star like Tom Cruz. Delight yourself in Entertainment establishments like Let the “pun” begin, Beery Good, Obeer time and Bill Gets that gives you fun and relaxation joined together equals superb pleasure and enjoyment. Other people may see it as dim-witted and dull, but we are what we are! Witty, adept and at the same time insane and outrageous all packed in one, hate it? Well, wear out yourself hating because you can only see and laugh at these things only here in the Philippines.


written by: Donato, Ma. Christine Isabel R.

4 comments:

  1. THANKS for your comments! :DI'll check out yours too... :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pinoys always find or put humor on everything, always happy. Nice blog!

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  3. Thank you... We are happy people! yup I will check out yours that's for sure.

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  4. Very interesting post and entertaining! Your writing is great. I've never been to the Philippines but I'd love to!

    www.theworldwider.net

    ReplyDelete