We Filipino's mostly have this kind of mindset called "Filipino time", which means better late than never 😅 (am i right fellows?). However I am not going to generalized this statement as somehow there's still some Filipino who considered punctuality so much as time is really important.

Somehow in my part, I grown up with this kind of mindsets, I won't deny that I also apply that "Before "in almost all of my task. Weather it's important, urgent or not 😅. I'm always late than never. It's sounds irresponsible but it does what it does, I usually come/ finish my task late and people get disappointed on me ✌️.

According to Wikipedia, punctuality is a character of being on time. However punctuality can also be meant depend with the culture as some culture have some mindset that a little more minute that exceed was still on time/punctual.

For example; someone says you'll both need to be at this place at exactly 9 in the morning, and the other person has a different mindset than yours, expect that the other person will arrive in the meeting place at around 9:05, 9:10 or more late than 9:20a.m, but it's still can be considered as punctuality because it's still 9 in the morning. Sometimes 20 minutes late is still acceptable, as it is better late than never 🤣.

Disclaimer;

This article wasn't made to disrespect or degrades any culture. This is just made for entertainment purposes only. However all the information that I am going to mention within this article was just basically base on my own way of thinking and understanding about the word Punctuality and how cultures differentiate this word. And how punctuality is important to me.

Anyway how important is Punctuality to you? Or let's just say how important your every second in your life? Does punctuality means an important role to your daily routine?

Well to me, I would confess that I only consider the importance of punctuality after staying overseas for almost eight years. I learned the importance of punctuality because most of the people around me was punctual. I recognize how important the time was, as in overseas every second of the clock was Gold.

Anyway, we Filipino's actually also believe in the saying ( TIME IS GOLD), it's just sometimes we mostly consider the better late than never as it is our favourite excuse✌️😆.

Furthermore, when I am still in overseas I managed to adapt their punctuality mindset as people there would somehow expect some professionalism from you, no matter what kind of work you have you need to be punctual.

I learned that if you're a punctual person they would expect that you are independent and trustworthy specially in terms of your job.

Anyhow I came to this topic because of what happen earlier today.

So basically today I had a very unexpected errands. Because last week I do decluttering. After I take out some clothes in my drawer and took out some of my clothes in my luggage I have seen some clothes that I don't usually wear and they only consumed some space so I decided to post them in Facebook group. In barter group to be exact, so I can exchanged my clothes with some other goods or grocery, depends on what the other person want to offer as an exchange for my item.

So this morning I received a message in my messenger. A woman wants to exchange my item for cash as she says she don't have enough time to go to grocery to buy the biscuits for me. Yeah I exchange my clothes for biscuits 😆. I accepted her offer, and we then plan the time and meeting place for our meet ups today.

We agreed that our meeting place was in front of the Alfamart store as it is the only convenient place for us, and we will be meeting at around 11 this morning.

My expectation was, she will be there earlier or exactly 11 a.m as that's the time we agreed. So I leave in our home at around 10:30 this morning as I still need to walk and also I have to carry my son so it would take time for me before I arrive at our meeting place so I leave 30 minutes earlier. I don't like to be late as I don't wanna waste her time. Thus my time is also important.

Anyway I have to walk outside our village as inside the village there's no motorcycle to ride on, so I have no choice but to walk. I bring umbrella so it won't be so hot for me and for my son.

We arrive at exactly 10:55 a.m in our meeting place and unfortunately she isn't yet there. I texted her that I have already arrived as I have seen her online but she didn't message me back.

I waited until she reply.

.... almost there sis 😁. Please wait 😊.

I replied to her and I told her our exact location so she can see us easily once she arrives at the Alfamart and she just replied Okay.

Ten minutes later I haven't seen her shadow yet, and I'm getting impatient 😆. I didn't texted her again as I don't wanna annoy her. But I got annoyed with my self.

Oh! I forgot, I'm in the Philippines and Filipino time was trending 🤦. My thoughts .

Five minutes more later and she haven't arrived yet and so I started to get annoyed. Why does this kind of mindset still exist? Can't they be punctual for sometime? My thoughts again.

Another five minutes more and I really thought that she won't show up anymore so I just decided to go back home, but she finally came😅.

Do I really look like being impatient after 20 of waiting? I don't think so?😆

She eventually appeared in front of me, she smiled and greeted me and my son. I smiled as a response and I handed her my item. After she checked the item she gives me her money, as she says she can't pass by in the grocery store anymore as she don't have enough time.

She likes my clothes, she asked me why did I barter it and I told her my reason. Well honestly I only barter all my crop tops as after I gave birth, I lost my confidence to wear crop tops again. I feel that crop tops don't suit me anymore 😁.

After we do a little chitchat we then wave our good-byes.

Closing thoughts

Our time is precious and each of us has different ways on how we spend our time and make it useful and so we have the consider punctuality, specially if we'rere going to meet someone.

Consider the importance of time, so in each Tik Tak you can accomplish one task and in one whole day, you completely did all your task on time. Remember that time is Gold.

...til next time and thank you for reading.

Lead image source: Vectorstock.com