Living and Working in the Philippines

Geographically and culturally diverse, the Philippines is composed of over 7,000 islands. Filipino culture, infused with Hispanic, American, British, Chinese and Islamic influences, often surprises and intrigues the foreign visitor with its many ethno linguistic groups, dialects and cultural differences. A heavily populated country with the majority of people living on the island of Luzon , the Philippines is a unique blend of traditional and modern lifestyles. Home to a large pool of high qualified individuals and an increasingly strong economy based around agriculture, industry and the service sector, the Philippines is an attractive place for foreign investment and outsourcing opportunities. No matter the industry or reason for an international assignment in the Philippines , a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of this unique culture is imperative for a successful experience living and working in the Philippines .

A failure to understand and adapt to new Filipino cultural rules and different business practices can cause frustration and misunderstanding resulting in a stressful and challenging international assignment in the Philippines . Communicaid's Living & Working in the Philippines courses are designed to respond to the needs of international assignees by providing practical information and advice on the various aspects of living and working in the Philippines , as well as conveying an understanding of the underlying elements that shape Filipino culture.

Benefits

- A Communicaid Living and Working in the Philippines course will provide you with:
- A comprehensive insight to the Philippines and its historical, social and economic development
- An understanding of Filipino culture or 'way of doing things'
- Key tips and strategies to improve communication and understand the business and social   subtleties and nuances of Filipino culture while living and working in the Philippines
- An awareness of culture and country shock and ways of surviving it
- Essential practical information to improve your experience of living and working in the   Philippines

Who should attend

A Communicaid Living and Working in the Philippines programme will be of benefit to you if you:

- Are about to relocate or have just relocated to the Philippines for business purposes
- Work on short-term assignments or projects in the Philippines
- Spend periods of time in the Philippines for professional reasons

Course Content

All our Living and Working in the Philippines training courses are designed to meet the specific needs of our clients depending on their personal and organisational requirements and existing skills set. A Living and Working in the Philippines course typically includes:

- An overview of Filipino culture, history and customs
- An understanding of Filipino people: ethno linguistic groups, religion, dialects
- Introduction to Filipino society and lifestyles
- Attitudes, beliefs and values: relationships, face, religion
- Practical information on living and working in the Philippines
- Essential tips about social and business etiquette in the Philippines
- Building relationships and establishing personal contact with Filipinos
- Overview of working practices in the Philippine
- Management, meeting and negotiation styles in Filipino culture
- Filipino communication styles and their impact on business: indirectness and saying 'yes'
- Tagalog, English and Taglish as forms of communication
- Tips and strategies for successful living and working in the Philippines

Approach

Living and Working in the Philippines courses are available seven days a week, 365 days a year, either at one of our training centres in London , Paris , Frankfurt and New York or at your offices in any location worldwide. We usually recommend a one or two day course but can also offer a more flexible format to suit your schedule.

Suitably tailored materials will be used throughout your course and your trainer will provide a balance of structured input and discussion of case studies and scenarios relevant to your own particular context.

The most appropriate training format, content and approach for your Living and Working in the Philippines course will be discussed during your diagnostic consultancy (please click here to read more about our approach).

Living and Working in the Philippines Course Trainer

Your Living and Working in the Philippines trainer will be assigned to you following the results of your diagnostic consultancy according to your objectives and areas of focus. Detailed below is a sample profile of a member of our Filipino cultural training team.

GA

GA was born and raised in the Philippines and has first hand experience of the culture shock of relocation having lived in the United States, Spain and the UK where she is now based. She returns to Manila every year and maintains an in-depth understanding of the social, political and business situation in the Philippines .

GA has had a diverse international career working as an Account Manager for an advertising agency in Manila handling accounts for Proctor & Gamble, and Cacharel and SC Johnson, teaching English as a foreign language to corporate clients in Madrid, working as a writer in New York and as Head of Marketing for the Hospitality Training Foundation, Industry Lead Body and National Training Organisation in the UK. This role involved preparing strategic communications, delivering high level presentations and she also represented the NTO at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Conference in Manila .

GA now runs her own communications consultancy and works with a diverse range of clients in the tourism, hospitality, IT, government, health, medical, voluntary and recruitment sectors. She is also Vice President of City Women's Network, the UK 's most established network for senior executive women.