The Philippines ranks among the world’s most polite countries – but Filipinos themselves are not convinced, PhilStar reports.
A new global study shows that while the world sees Filipinos as among the most polite people, many Filipinos do not fully agree.
In a survey by Remitly covering more than 4,600 respondents across 26 countries, the Philippines ranked as the sixth most polite country in the world.
That places it ahead of Nordic countries like Sweden (7th), Denmark (8th) and Finland (9th).
Japan topped the list with 35.15 percent of votes, followed by Canada at 13.35 percent. The Philippines received 2.30 percent but still secured a top-10 spot.
Politeness in the study includes everyday behaviour such as greetings, patience and respect – especially important for foreigners living or travelling abroad.
Filipinos rate themselves lower
Despite the strong global ranking, Filipinos were more modest when judging themselves.
On a scale from 1 to 10, Filipino respondents gave their own politeness an average score of 8.86. That placed them only 22nd in self-perception. Japan ranked even lower in self-ratings at 8.73, suggesting that cultural values like humility may play a role.
In contrast, Brazil and Chile topped the self-perception rankings with scores of 9.46, followed by India and Sweden.
The Philippines also ranked eighth among the world’s friendliest countries, reinforcing its reputation as a welcoming destination.
