Philippine Survival Kit: Attending Family Reunions

by: N. Lucenario

June is the time not only for wedding bells to ring but also 

for last-minute vacations. In either case, one thing’s for 

sure: it’s time again to meet up with the family. Family 

reunions are almost traditional in thePhilippines as

 it is a country that heavily values its filial bonds. 

Unlike other countries wherein even the immediate 

families rarely meet, when a family reunion is mentioned 

here, it means it’s a gathering not just with your parents 

and siblings, but with the rest of your “angkan”.

With  so many events like these to go to in the hustle-bustle 

of the June weather, it’s a good practice to make sure 

you’ve got everything arranged and you’re all

 prepared for the events coming in the near future. 

Whether it’s a “before-school family gathering”, a 

marriage, or even a weekend getaway, you have to 

jot it down in your calendar to make sure you don’t

 miss out (or god forbid, disappoint your parents!). 

When you’re at your family reunion, make sure to 

be part of the “angkan”. Don’t be that guy/girl in the 

corner fiddling around with a smartphone! Socialize

 and catch up on one another’s lives.

Share with them  how you are
doing with your personal life and in your 

work/studies. Update yourself on the happenings in 

the family and make sure to remember all the details!

 Has your cousin finally graduated? How is your Tito’s 

business doing? Have you met your Tita’s cute new baby?

You only every get to meet all your extended relatives

 once or twice in a year, so make sure it counts. Make

 sure also to keep in mind traditional Filipino customs 

like respecting your elders by greeting them with a “mano” 

and saying “po” and opo” when you talk to them. 

But most importantly, as a staple in all Filipino Family

 reunions, make sure to taste Filipino food.

Nothing says reunion  like the huge potluck lunch/dinner
or buffet that’s always  prepared to make sure that everyone
has a good time with  the family.

 In all of that, make sure you always remember

 that while it may just seem like a simple June gathering,

 it is also a blessing to you to have the type of company 

you get from your family; nothing will feel more at 

home than that.