This is actually a very delicate matter to discuss. I will be treading a very thin line between praise and hatred among my fellow Filipinos if I don’t watch carefully what I say. I remember what happened a couple of months ago when a journalist had tactlessly criticized overseas Filipino workers and she was really punished for it. She might have crossed the boundaries in the snobbish and indifferent way she presented her article but we cannot deny that there are morsels of truth in her story. I know because I have been to so many places and I have encountered Filipinos in all walks of life in different countries.

After talking about the [tag]Importance of “Go-betweens” in the Filipino Society[/tag], another good way of maintaining [tag]Smooth Interpersonal Relations[/tag] (SIR) with Filipinos is by the use of euphemism or indirect criticism.

If you’re a foreigner, you would immediately label the desire to please and not to offend others. This is an exhibition of the typical [tag]Filipino euphemistic character[/tag]. This art of stating an unpleasant truth, opinion or request in as pleasant a manner as possible has long been highly prized in Philippine society and is still very highly regarded today.