Now this is a really long post. So just read this on your free time. This was something I got years ago and I’ve added to it over the years.

Let me just say that it’s really worth the read, specially for my fellow Filipinos, and also for my foreigner readers who know Filipinos (this might be a good way to know us even more). With all the bad news going around, notwithstanding the SONA of the President last week, there are still a lot of things to be thankful for. Let’s start with these ONE HUNDRED things:

1. Merienda. Where else is it normal to eat five times a day?
2. Sawsawan. Assorted sauces that guarantee freedom of choice, enough room for experimentation and maximum tolerance for diverse tastes. Favorites: toyo’t calamansi, suka at sili, patis.
3. Kuwan, ano. At a loss for words? Try these and marvel at how Pinoys understand exactly what you want.
4. Pinoy humor and irreverence. If you’re api and you know it, crack a joke. We find humor in the most unlikely of places and the most unlikely circumstances.
5. Tingi. Thank goodness for small entrepreneurs. Where else can we buy cigarettes, soap, condiments and life’s essentials in small affordable amounts? Even the FX Taxi is a type of tingi.
6. Spirituality. Even before the Spaniards came, ethnic tribes had their own anitos, bathalas and assorted deities, pointing to a strong relationship with the Creator, who or whatever it may be.
7. Po, opo, mano po. Speech suffixes that show courtesy, deference, and filial respect–a balm to the spirit in these irreverent times.
8. Pasalubong. Our way of sharing the vicarious thrills and delights of a trip, and a wonderful excuse to shop without the customary guilt. It doesn’t have to be expensive. In this, as in everything, it’s the thought that counts.
9. Beaches! With 7,000 plus islands, we have miles and miles of shoreline piled high with fine white sand, lapped by warm waters, and nibbled by exotic tropical fish. From the stormy seas of Batanes to the emerald isles of Palawan–over here, life is truly a beach. :-)
10. Bagoong. Darkly mysterious, this smelly fish or shrimp paste typifies the underlying theme of most ethnic foods: disgustingly unhygienic, unbearably stinky but simply irresistible.
11. Bayanihan. Yes, the internationally-renowned dance company, but also this habit of pitching in is still common in small communities. Just have that cold beer (or tuba and lambanog) and some pulutan ready for the troops.
12. The Balikbayan box. Another way of sharing life’s bounty. It’s a Filipino tradition and opening the box is a ceremony in itself. Oh, the smell of imported stuff!
13. Pilipino komiks. Not to mention “Hiwaga,” “Aliwan,” “Tagalog Classics,” “Liwayway” and”Bulaklak” magazines. Pulpy publications that gave us Darna, Facifica Falayfay, Lagalag, Kulafu, Kenkoy, Joaquin Bordado, Dyesebel, characters of a time both innocent and worldly.
14. Folk songs. They come unbidden and spring, full blown, like a second language, at the slightest nudge from the too-loud stereo of a passing jeepney or tricycle.
15. Jeepneys. Colorful, fast, reckless, a vehicle of postwar Pinoy ingenuity, this Everyman’s communal cadillac makes for a cheap, interesting ride. If the driver’s a daredevil (as they usually are), hang on to your seat. Oh, and read this for more of the jeepney.
16. Fiesta. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow is just another day, shrugs the poor man who, once a year, honors a patron saint with this sumptuous, no-holds-barred spread. It’s a Pinoy celebration at its pious, financially-draining and riotous best.
17. Aswang, manananggal, kapre. The whole underworld of Filipino lower mythology recalls our childhood. Until now, their rich adventures pepper our storytelling.
18. Dinuguan. Blood stew, a bloodcurdling idea, until you try it with puto. Messy but delicious. Just don’t think of blood when you’re eating it.
19. Santacruzan. More than just a beauty contest, this one has religious overtones, a tableau of St. Helena’s and Constantine’s search for the Cross that seamlessly blends piety, pageantry and ritual. Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to show off the prettiest ladies–and the most beautiful gowns. Watch out for Reyna Elena, she’s (supposed to be) the prettiest girl in the town.
20. Balut. I don’t know if this is something to be thankful for, but it certainly makes for great table conversation when you’re with a foreigner. Unhatched duck’s embryo, another unspeakable ethnic food to outsiders. Sprinkle some salt and suck out that soup, with gusto. It really tastes great. Really.
21. Pakidala. A personalized door-to-door remittance and delivery system for overseas Filipino workers who don’t trust the banking system, and who expect a family update from the courier, as well.
22. Choc-nut. Crumbly peanut chocolate bars that defined childhood ecstasy before M & M’s and Hershey’s. Carlos Celdran has them in his tours. And oh, there’s even an ice cream version of it now.
23. Kamayan style. To eat with one’s hand and eschew spoon, fork and table manners. You should try it at least once in your life.
24. Chicharon. Pork, fish or chicken crackling. We call it chicharon. There is in the crunch a hint of the extravagant, the decadent and the pedestrian. Perfect with vinegar, sublime with beer.
25. Pinoy hospitality. Just about everyone gets a hearty “Kain tayo!” invitation to break bread with whoever has food to share, no matter how skimpy or austere it is.
26. Adobo, kare-kare, sinigang and other lutong bahay stuff. Home-cooked meals that have the stamp of approval from several generations, who swear by closely-guarded cooking secrets and family recipes.
27. Lola Basyang. The voice one heard spinning tales over the radio, before movies and television curtailed imagination and defined grown-up “tastes”.
28. Pambahay. Home is where one can let it all hang out, where clothes do not make a man or woman but rather define their level of comfort.
29. Tricycle and trisikad, the poor Pinoy’s taxicab that delivers you at your doorstep, with a complimentary dusting of polluted air.
30. Dirty ice cream. Very Pinoy flavors that make up for the risk: munggo, langka, ube, mais, keso, macapuno. Plus there’s the colorful cart that recalls jeepney art.
31. Yayas. The trusted Filipino nanny who, ironically, has become a major Philippine export as overseas contract workers. A good one is almost like a surrogate parent–if you don’t mind the accent and the predilection for afternoon soap and movie stars.
32. Sarsi. Pinoy rootbeer, the enduring taste of childhood. Our grandfathers had them with an egg beaten in. We have it as rootbeer float now.
33. Pinoy fruits. Atis, guyabano, chesa, mabolo, lanzones, durian, langka, makopa, dalanghita, siniguelas, suha, chico, papaya, singkamas–hmmm!
34. Filipino celebrities. Movie stars, broadcasters, beauty queens, public officials, all-around controversial figures: Cardinal Sin, Cory Aquino, Kris Aquino, James Yap, Riza Santos, Katrina Halili, Emilio Aguinaldo, the Eraserheads, Francis Magalona, Gloria Diaz, Margie Moran, Melanie Marquez, Janina San Miguel, Gabby Concepcion, Nora Aunor, Pitoy Moreno, Ramon Magsysay, Richard Gomez, San Lorenzo Ruiz, Sharon Cuneta, Gemma Cruz, Erap, Tiya Dely, Mel and Jay (and now Mel and Joey), Gary V., Martin Nieverra, Regine and Ogie, Angel Locsin, GMA (the president and the tv station)!
35. World class Pinoys who put us on the global map: Lea Salonga, Paeng Nepomuceno, Eugene Torre, Luisito Espinosa, Lydia de Vega-Mercado, Jocelyn Enriquez, Elma Muros, Onyok Velasco, Efren “Bata” Reyes, Josie Natori, Manny Pacquiao.

36. Pinoy tastes. A dietitian’s nightmare: too sweet, too salty, too fatty, as in burong talangka, itlog na maalat, crab fat (aligue), bokayo, kutchinta, sapin-sapin, halo-halo, pastilyas, palitaw, pulburon, longganisa, tuyo, ensaymada, ube haleya, sweetened macapuno. Remember, we’re the guys who put sugar in our spaghetti sauce. Yum!
37. The sights. Banaue Rice Terraces, Boracay, Bohol’s Chocolate Hills, Corregidor Island, Fort Santiago, the Hundred Islands, Rizal Park, Mt. Banahaw, Mayon Volcano, Taal Volcano and oh-so-beautiful Palawan. A land of contrasts and ever-changing landscapes.
38. Gayuma, agimat and anting-anting. Love potions and amulets.
39. Barangay Ginebra, PBA, UAAP and basketball. How the verticaly-challenged Pinoy compensates, via a national sports obsession that reduces fans to tears and fistfights. And, as in the case of the UAAP, fights that span generations just because you come from the other school.
40. People Power at EDSA. When everyone became a hero and changed Philippine history overnight.
41. San Miguel Beer and pulutan. “Isa pa nga!” and the Philippines’ most popular, world-renowned beer goes well with peanuts, corniks, tapa, chicharon, usa, barbecue, sisig, and all manner of spicy, crunchy and cholesterol-rich chasers.
42. Resiliency. We’ve survived 400 years of Spanish rule, the US bases, 20 years of Marcos, the 1990 earthquake, Pinatubo, lahar, and typhoons every month. We survived Erap. And by the looks of it, we’ll survive GMA. We’ll survive anything that history put against us.
43. Yoyo. Truly Filipino in origin, this hunting tool, weapon, toy and merchandising vehicle remains the best way to “walk the dog” and “rock the baby,” using just a piece of string.
44. Pinoy games: Pabitin, palosebo, basagan ng palayok. A few basic rules make individual cunning and persistence a premium, and guarantee a good time for all.
45. Ninoy Aquino. For saying that “the Filipino is worth dying for,” and proving it.
46. Balagtasan. The verbal joust that brings out rhyme, reason and passion on a public stage. A good friend, Jhaw, is a master at this.
47. Tabo. All-powerful, ever-useful, hygienically-triumphant device to scoop water out of a bucket and help the true Pinoy answer nature’s call.
48. Pandesal. Despite its shrinking size, still a good buy. Goes well with any filling, best when hot.
49. Jollibee. Truly Pinoy in taste and sensibility, and a corporate icon that we can be quite proud of. Really langhap sarap.
50. The butanding, the dolphins and other creatures in our blessed waters. They’re Pinoys, too, and they’re here to stay. Now if only folks would just stop turning them into daing.
51. Pakikisama. It’s what makes people stay longer at parties, have another drink, join pals in sickness and health. You can get dead drunk and still make it home, because somebody else will bring you. Oh, and he’s just as drunk as you!
52. Magic Sing. Filipinos love to sing, and thank God a lot of us do it well!
53. Kayumanggi. Neither pale nor dark, the envy of foreigners, our skin tone is beautifully healthy, the color of a rich earth or a mahogany tree growing towards the sun.
54. Handwoven cloth and native weaves. Colorful, environment-friendly alternatives to polyester that feature skillful workmanship and a rich indigenous culture behind every thread. From the pinukpok of the north to the malong of the south, it’s the fiber of who we are.
55. Movies. Still the cheapest form of entertainment, especially if you watch the same movie several times.
56. Bahala na. We cope with uncertainty by embracing it, looking it in the face and not blinking.
57. Papaitan. An offal stew flavored with bile, admittedly an acquired taste, but pointing to our national ability to acquire a taste for almost anything.
58. English. Whether carabao or Arr-neoww-accented, it doubles our chances in the global marketplace. And it’s making the call centers in India transfer here.
59. The Press. Irresponsible, sensational, often inaccurate, but still the liveliest in Asia. And a lot of them have been killed the past three years because maybe they’re doing their jobs a little too well?
60. Divisoria. Smelly, crowded, a pickpocket’s paradise, but you can get anything here, often at rock-bottom prices.
61. Barong Tagalog. Enables men to look formal and dignified without having to strangle themselves with a necktie. Worn well, it makes any ordinary Juan look marvelously “makisig”. And oh, even Quentin Tarantino wore it in an international event.

62. Filipinas. They make the best friends, lovers, wives. Too bad they can’t say the same for Filipinos.
63. Filipinos. So maybe they’re bolero and macho with an occasional streak of generic infidelity; but they do know how to make a woman feel like one. Yeah!
64. Catholicism. What fun would sin be without the customary guilt? Jesus Christ (and Mama Mary and the Sto. Nino) is firmly planted on Philippine soil. Now if only we could start acting like REAL Christians.
65. Dolphy. Our favorite, ultra-durable comedian gives the beleaguered Pinoy everyman an odd dignity. He has 17 children from around 8 different women. And he has said (and his current flame, singer and actress Zsa Zsa Padilla swears to this) that he doesn’t need viagra at all!
66. Style. Something we often prefer over substance. Look at our jeepneys, and our incessant need to fill up space with all kinds of furniture and “abubot”. But every Filipino claims it as a birthright.
67. Bad taste. Clear plastic covers on the vinyl-upholstered sofa, posters of billiard-playing dogs masquerading as art, overaccessorized jeepneys and altars–the list is endless, and wealth only seems to magnify it.
68. Mangoes. Crisp and tart, or lusciously ripe, they evoke memories of family outings and endless sunshine in a heart-shaped package.
69. Unbridled optimism. Why we rank so low on the suicide scale.
70. Street food: Barbecue, lugaw, banana-cue, fishballs, IUD (chicken entrails), adidas (chicken feet), warm taho. Forget hepatitis or typhoid fever; here’s cheap, tasty food with gritty ambience.
71. The siesta. Powernapping in the middle of the day is smart, not lazy.
72. Honorifics and courteous titles: Kuya, ate, diko, ditse, ineng, totoy, Ingkong, Aling, Mang, etc. No exact English translation, but these words connote respect, deference and the value placed on kinship.
73. Heroes and people who stood up for truth and freedom. Lapu-lapu started it all, and other heroes and revolutionaries followed: Diego Silang, Macario Sakay, Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Melchora Aquino, Gregorio del Pilar, Gabriela Silang, Miguel Malvar, Francisco Balagtas, Juan Luna, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Emilio Jacinto, Antonio Luna, Gomburza, the heroes of Bataan and Corregidor, Pepe Diokno, Dean Armando Malay, Evelio Javier, Ninoy Aquino, honest cabbies who give back lost bags to their owners, the OFWs who toil day in and day out to send money to their families here in the Philippines, Gawad Kalinga, Mayor Robredo of Naga, people who refuse to give up on the Philippines. We have a lot of heroism still here. We just need to access our inner hero and make the Filipino proud again.
74. Flora and fauna. The sea cow (dugong), the tarsier, calamian deer, bearcat, Philippine eagle, sampaguita, ilang-ilang, camia, pandan, the creatures that make our archipelago unique.
75. Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and composers: “Ama Namin,” “Papuri sa Diyos”, “Lupang Hinirang,” “Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal,” “Ngayon at Kailanman,” “Anak,” “Handog,”"Hindi Kita Malilimutan,” “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit”; Ryan Cayabyab, George Canseco, Restie Umali, Levi Celerio, Eddie Hontiveros, Manoling Francisco, Freddie Aguilar, and Florante–living examples of our musical gift. We are a nation of singers and song.
76. Metro Aides/MMDA aides They started out as Imelda Marcos’ groupies, but have gallantly proven their worth. Against all odds, they continuously prove that cleanliness is next to godliness (hi Richard Ella!).
77. Sari-sari store. There’s one in every corner, offering everything from bananas and floor wax to Band-Aid and cigarettes. And they have been revamped for the 21st century (at least here in Makati where I live). The sari sari store is now made of sturdy, but lightweight, and clean-looking resin. Cool!
78. Philippine National Red Cross. Caritas. Bishop Rosales’ Crumbs Campaign. Piso para sa Pasig. Fund drives. They help us help each other.
79. Favorite TV shows through the years: “Tawag ng Tanghalan,” “John and Marsha,” “Champoy,” “Ryan, Ryan Musikahan,” “Kuwarta o Kahon,” “Public Forum/Lives,” “Student Canteen,” “Eat Bulaga”, “Probe Team.” In the age of inane variety shows, they have redeemed Philippine television.
80. Quirks of language that can drive crazy any tourist listening in: “Bababa ba?” “Bababa!”
81. “Sayang!” “Naman!” “Kadiri!” “Ano ba!?” “Eh”, “Pala.” Try explaining those words to a foreigner. They’re expressions that defy translation but wring out feelings genuinely Pinoy.
82. Cockfighting. My dad used to love this. And would go every Sunday and bring home pancit to my mom.
83. Dr. Jose Rizal. Probably the first Filipino who was of “international” caliber. A category in himself. Hero, medicine man, genius, athlete, sculptor, fictionist, poet, essayist, husband, lover (of several!), samaritan, martyr. Truly someone to emulate and be proud of, anytime, anywhere. And when he died trying to face the sun, he triggered a new dawn to reach our land. We are waiting for another sunrise now.
84. Nora Aunor. Short, dark and homely-looking, she redefined our rigid concept of how leading ladies should look.
85. Noranian or Vilmanian. Defines the friendly (and not so friendly) rivalry between Ate Guy Aunor and Ate Vi Santos and for many years, it was the only rivalry worth being in for many Filipino fans. Now we have Marian vs. Angel. And Katrina vs. Riza. Richard vs. Dingdong. But these pale in comparison to the original.
86. Filipino Christmas. The world’s longest holiday season. A perfect excuse to mix our love for feasting, gift-giving and music and wrap it up in religion.
87. Relatives and kababayan abroad. The best refuge against loneliness, discrimination and confusion in a foreign place. Distant relatives and fellow Pinoys readily roll out the welcome mat even on the basis of a phone introduction or referral.
88. Festivals: Sinulog, Ati-atihan, Moriones, Masskara, Kadayawan. Sounds, colors, pagan frenzy and Christian overtones.
89. Folk dances. Tinikling, pandanggo sa ilaw, kuratsa, itik-itik, alitaptap, rigodon. All the right moves and a distinct rhythm.
90. Native wear and costumes. Baro’t saya, tapis, terno, saya, salakot, bakya. Lovely form and ingenious function in the way we dress.
91. Sunday family gatherings. Or, close family ties that never get severed. You don’t have to win the lotto or be a president to have 10,000 relatives. Everyone’s family tree extends all over the archipelago, and it’s at its best in times of crisis; notice how food, instant hostesses, money, and moral support materialize during a wake?
92. Calesa and karitela. The colorful and leisurely way to negotiate narrow streets when loaded down with a year’s provisions.
93. Quality of life. This is debatable with our economy now, but where else can an ordinary employee afford a stay-in helper, a yaya, unlimited movies, the latest fashion (from 168 DVSORIA or greenhills), and even Viagra in the black market?
94. All Souls’ Day. In honoring our dead, we also prove that we know how to live.
95. Handicrafts. Shellcraft, rattancraft, abaca novelties, woodcarvings, banig placemats and bags, bamboo windchimes, etc. Portable memories of home. Hindi lang pang-turista, pang-balikbayan pa!
96. Ateneo vs. La Salle Games. This is the most awaited games of the season. And with Studio 23 televising it, even Filipinos abroad get to watch blue and green try to kill each other on the court (and sometimes off the court too).
97. OFWs. The lengths (and miles) we’d go for a better life for our family, as proven by these modern-day heroes of the economy.
98. The Filipino artist. From Luna’s magnificent “Spoliarium” and Amorsolo’s sun-kissed ricefields, to Ang Kiukok’s jarring abstractions and Borlongan’s haunting ghosts, and everybody else in between. Hang a Filipino painting on your wall, and you’re hanging one of Asia’s (and the world’s) best.
99. Tagalog soap operas. From “Gulong ng Palad” and “Flor de Luna” to today’s incarnations like “Marimar”, “Asero” and “Dyesebel”–they’re the story of our lives, and we feel strongly for them.
100. Midnight madness, weekends sales, bangketas and baratillos. It’s retail therapy at its best, with Filipinos braving traffic, crowds, and human deluge to find a bargain.