The Filipinos see themselves as a fun loving people, and not without reason. On the one hand they are not as biased as many Western people who see every leisure moment as a waste of time. They have much less guilt than Europeans, Americans, or Japanese when not constantly being productive. The conditioning to constant productivity as it is found in typical Western and Japanese minds, anyway only partially benefits the productive person himself and mainly helps those who draw profits from their productivity. Those who draw profits from the productivity of others are the most interested in conditioning the laborer's mind to high productivity.

In people not conditioned by the pressures of a modern industrialized society to be constantly productive, a very healthy human laziness comes into effect. The following observation on the happy Filipinos was made around 400 years ago by Miguel de Legazpi. He meant it as a slam but actually it's rather a compliment.

"More or less gold is obtained from the mines where the natives work. However, they do not work steadily, but only when forced by necessity; for because of their sloth and the little work done by their slaves, they do not even try to become wealthy, nor do they care to accumulate riches. When a chief possesses one or two pairs of earrings of very fine gold, two bracelets, and a chain, he will not trouble himself to look for anymore gold. Any native who possesses a basket full of rice, will not seek for more; or do any further work until it is finished. Thus their idleness surpasses their covetousness."

As the Filipinos are such a fun loving people, the great importance of celebrations especially in rural areas is not surprising. Occasions for the abundance of celebrations in the Philippines are religious, family-related, historical or political. Legally there might only be 11 public holidays. But actually, laborers sometimes do not go to work because of private festivities, and this is generally accepted by employers. Furthermore, in a wise move, the government often declares days sandwiched between a public holiday and a weekend or the day before and following All Saint's Day as special non-working holidays. They might as well, because many people would not report for work anyway.

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