Respect is essential in Filipino culture. There are even particles of speech in Tagalog, such as ‘po’ and ‘op’, that are used to express politeness when speaking to elders. In fact, these two words and their usage are taught to children from a very young age so that they may get used to it and grow up knowing how to speak with respect. This high regard for honour is also the reason that there are titles used to politely address other people. First names are almost exclusively used for your peers of around the same age. For older people, there are titles such as ate (older sister), kuya (older brother), tito (uncle), tita (aunt), lolo (grandfather), and lola (grandmother), all of which are used depending on the age of the person you’re addressing, regardless of whether or not they are actually related to you. |
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