Behavioral Norms

Filipino Behavioral Norms

Filipino behavioral norms center on family, conforming, and acceptance.

The average Filipino grows up in an extended family which includes grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, close friends, and godparents. He has a strong sense of loyalty to his extended family and is willing to give and receive help from relatives. Included in his loyalty group are compadres and comandres, i.e., godfathers and godmothers of children in baptism, confirmation, and matrimony.

A high proportion of Filipino students are now gaining top places in final year High School examinations and a good pass is necessary to qualify for degree courses at universities. Filipinos work harder and treat education as a privilege. Their increasing numbers in honor rolls at Australian universities, attest to this fact.

Australian Behavioral Norms
Students in Australia regard education as a right and all too frequently do not study hard. Public or government schools are free, but private and church schools charge fees. There are good opportunities, but results are only achieved by hard work.

Though Australians may have an old boy network, they often do not take the trouble to maintain these relationships, perhaps a sign of personal independence. These networks are peripheral in business relationships, in contrast to their considerable use in the Philippines.

Traditionally, business in Australia was a man’s world. The number of Australian businesswomen is small, but growing.

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