Filipino Proverbs That We Can Learn From
Local culture, wisdom, and philosophies from Filipino life
I grew up with my grandmother while both of my parents were working abroad. I pretty much grew up with people who are three decades older than me, and I often hear these proverbs.
As I recall my younger years in the Philippines, there are some Filipino sayings that I’ve learned when I was young, and they still have value in my life that I want to share.
Filipino Proverbs That We Can Learn From:
1.) Habang may buhay, may pag-asa.
In English: While there is life, there is hope.
→ I heard one of the pastors in our church in the Philippines said, “You can lose everything, just don’t lose hope.”. I think this Filipino proverb applies to every part of our lives; it could be in our career, family, self-growth, financially, and pretty much every aspect of our lives.
When we get a terrible breakup, some of us wanted to end our lives. I know someone who got heartbroken because she got cheated on by her boyfriend, then she tried to kill herself by drinking cleaning chemicals.
Sometimes we go through difficulties, and we wanted to give up, but we forgot that there is always hope.
The girl who tried to kill herself by drinking cleaning chemicals has lost hope. She couldn’t handle the depression and pressure. She didn’t know any way out. She stopped believing that there is someone out there who would love her.
Life can be difficult, and it may seem that there is no exit, but don’t lose hope. While you live, while there is life, there is hope.
2.) Ang buhay ay parang gulong, minsang nasa ibabaw, minsang nasa ilalim.
In English: Life is like a wheel, sometimes you’re up, and sometimes you’re down.
→ There are highs and lows in life. Sometimes you’re above the wheel, and sometimes you’re below the wheel, and you might hit rock bottom. Life is not always positive and happy, and there are sadness and trials that we have to go through — to learn in life.
This proverb is what I always hear from my grandmother’s friend, and I always think of it when I hit rock bottom. I thought it would be okay if I felt like drawing in the sea when I went through hardships.
Life won’t always be on top, and it has to be on the bottom sometimes.
3.) Wala kang masasabunot sa kalbo.
In English: You cannot pull hair from the bald.
→ I laughed when I first heard this proverb when I was a kid. I thought to myself that it doesn’t make any sense to pull hair from the bald.
As I grow up, it does make sense! You cannot get anything from someone who doesn’t have anything. Let’s say this person doesn’t have money, and we cannot ask him to give us money because he doesn’t have it.
If we ask someone for love who doesn’t have love, they pretty much wouldn’t be able to give us love.
Vice versa, if you’re the bald one, you cannot give what you do not have. If you don’t have love, you cannot give love to someone.
4.) Ang mabigat ay gumagaan, kung pinagtutulungan.
In English: Anything that is heavy can be light if we put our resources together.
→ This proverb is similar to the quote: If You Want To Go Fast, Go Alone. If You Want To Go Far, Go Together. As an introverted person, I like being alone, and I like doing things alone. Sometimes, we don’t have to do things alone.
My mom works twelve hours a day for four days a week, plus she has part-time jobs. My mom would do the cleaning, dishes, and laundry all the time. Whenever I helped her with house chores, I could feel a light in my mom’s heart when I help because it makes the tasks easier if we do them together.
You don’t have to walk alone in life, and you can find someone you can trust and walk with you. We all need somebody to help us through because life gets more manageable if we work together.
5.) Sa taong walang takot, walang mataas na bakod
In English: To a fearless person, no fence is too high
→ I am afraid of heights. I get dizzy and scared when I am on a high. Even if I climb up with the ladder, it makes me feel like I was going to fall.
I recently signed up for indoor rock climbing membership. I get scared when I get to the top, I felt like I was going to fall, but I ignore my fear. I fear heights, but I became fearless because I know that I want to do it. I’ve always wanted to do indoor rock climbing, and now that the indoor rock climbing close to my house is open, I grab the chance to sign up and do rock climbing and face my fears.
I became fearless when I face my fear, and therefore no fence is too high for a courageous person.
If you wanted to get promoted at work, it would be easy for you to climb up the ladder because you are fearless, and to a brave person, there will be no fence that is too high.
6. Magsisi ka man sa huli wala nang mangyayari.
In English: (a popular idiom) There is no need to cry over spilt milk.
→ When I was in third grade, my friend was fighting with some girl in the classroom. This girl’s name is Melissa, and there was another girl whose name is Marissa. As a friend, I would fight whoever fights against my friend.
So, I wrote a letter to Marissa, and I threatened her that I would pull her hair and push her to the ground, and I told her that she shouldn’t mess with my friend. Then, she replied on the same paper I sent her, saying, “What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything to you, so keep your mouth shut.”
I realized that it was the wrong person I sent the letter to.
I apologized to Marrissa, and I said it was supposed to be sent to Melissa, who was fighting against my friend. Marrisa told me that she got scared and she didn’t like what I did. She told her parents about it. I thought her parents would talk to me, and every time her parents come into our classroom, I would hide.
It was an accident, and it was unintentional. But I couldn’t change what I’ve said to Marissa. I couldn’t change the way Marissa felt when she read my letter. We cannot change what’s done and what’s have been said, even if it was unintentional.
→ We cannot make things undone once they happened. Let’s say you cheated on your partner, you can apologize, regret, and cry in front of your partner, but you wouldn't be able to change what you have done. You wouldn't be able to change what you did to your partner. You wouldn’t change what your partner had felt when they learned you’re cheating.
There is no point in wasting emotion over something that has already happened and can’t be changed.
Therefore, we have to be careful about what we say and do to others because it cannot be undone once it's done. It is one of the reasons why we should at least try to be friendly and kind to other people.
7. Aanhin ang palasyo kung ang nakatira ay kuwago?
In English: What good is a palace if only owls live in it?
→ What is the point of having a big house, and being wealthy, if you live badly? The palace symbolizes wealth, and the owls tend to inhabit abandoned structures — it signifies emptiness or loneliness.
This Filipino proverb emphasizes the actual value in life, which is relationships and family, not money. We all can get money somewhere, but we cannot replace our relationships and family once they’re gone.
We may have a billion-dollar in our bank accounts, but what is the point of having a lot of money if we live miserably?
Therefore, it is essential to remember that the most valuable thing in life is not money. It’s not our financial status but the relationship we have with other people.
We live joyfully in the PPhilippineseven if we lack financial freedom. I’m grateful that I’ve lived with my grandparents for a short time, and I’ve learned these Filipino proverbs.
If you have read this far, I need you to know that I am grateful for you for taking your time to read this article, and I hope that you have learned something from reading this piece.
Takeaways:
- While there is life, there is hope
- Life is like a wheel, sometimes you’re up, and sometimes you’re down.
- You cannot pull hair from the bald.
- Anything heavy can be light if we put our resources together.
- To a fearless person, no fence is too high
- There is no need to cry over spilt milk.
- What good is a palace if only owls live in it?