("Like the classics, things irresistibly Pinoy mark us for life," the unsigned e-mail said "They're the indelible stamp of our identity and celebrate the good in us … and the infinite possibilities we are all capable of." Here are some. Recognize any? - JLM. )

Filipinas: They make the best friends, lovers, wives. Too bad you can't say the same for Filipinos. Filipinos. OK, maybe they're bolero with an occasional streak of generic infidelity. But they know how to make a woman feel like one.

Cockfighting. Filipino men love it more than their wives (sometimes). Midnight madness, weekend sales, bangketas and baratillos. It's retail therapy at its best. Filipinos brave traffic and human deluge to nail a bargain.

Style. Something we often prefer over substance. But every Filipino claims it as a birthright. Unbridled optimism. Why we rank so low on the suicide scale. Catholicism.

What fun would sin be without guilt? Jesus Christ is firmly planted on Philippine soil.

Filipino Christmas. The world's longest holiday season. A perfect excuse to mix feasting, gift-giving and music and wrap it up with religion. All Saints' Day. In honoring our dead, we also prove that we know how to live. Santacruzan. More than just a beauty contest, this one has religious overtones, a tableau of St. Helena's and Constantine's search for the Cross that seamlessly blends piety, pageantry and faith.

Bahala na. We cope with uncertainty by embracing it, and are thus enabled to play life by ear.. English. Whether carabao or Arr-neoww-accented, it doubles our chances in the global marketplace.

Kuwan, ano. At a loss for words? Try these and marvel at how Pinoys understand exactly what you want. Honorifics and courteous titles: Kuya, ate, diko, ditse, ineng, totoy, Ingkong, Aling, Mang, etc. No exact English translation, but these words connote respect, deference and the value placed on kinship. "Sayang!" "Naman!" "Ano ba!"

"Pala." Expressions that defy translation but wring out feelings genuinely Pinoy.

Pinoy humor: If you're api and you know it, crack a joke. Nothing personal, really.

Pakikisama. It makes people stay longer at parties, join pals in sickness and health. You can get dead drunk and still make it home. Sing-along. Filipinos love to sing. And thank God a lot of us do it well!

Sari-Sari: Where else can we buy cigarettes, soap, condiments and life's essentials in small affordable amounts? Jeepneys. Everyman's communal cadillac makes for a cheap, interesting ride. Tricycle and Trisikad: the poor Pinoy's taxicab that delivers you at your doorstep for as little as five pesos -- with a complimentary dusting of polluted air.

The Pres: Irresponsible, sensational, often inaccurate, but still the liveliest in Asia.

Otherwise, we'd all be glued to TV. Barong Tagalog. Enables men to look formal and dignified without having to strangle themselves with a necktie. Worn well, it makes any ordinary Juan look marvelously makisig.

Pambahay: Home is where one can let it all hang out, where clothes do not make a man or woman but rather define their level of comfort. Tabo: All-powerful, ever-useful, hygienically-triumphant device to scoop water out of a bucket -- and help the true Pinoy answer nature's call.

Pasalubong. Our way of sharing the vicarious thrills of a trip, and a wonderful excuse to shop without guilt. Pakidala: A personalized door-to-door remittance and delivery system for overseas Filipino workers who don't trust the banking system. They also get a family update from the courier. Balikbayan Box: Another way of sharing life's bounty from anywhere in the globe. The most wonderful part is the contents are distributed
Merienda:. Where else is it normal to eat five times a day? Pandesal. Despite its shrinking size, still a good buy. Goes well with any filling, best when hot. Street food: Barbecue, lugaw, banana-cue, fishballs, IUD ( chicken entrails), adidas (chicken feet), warm taho. Forget hepatitis; here's cheap, tasty food with gritty ambience.

Kamayan: To eat with one's hand and eschew spoon, fork and table manners - ah, heaven. Pinoy hospitality. Everyone gets a hearty "Kain tayo!" invitation to share food, no matter how spartan the dishes. Sawsawan. Assorted sauces that guarantee freedom of choice, room for experimentation and maximum tolerance for diverse tastes.

Favorites: toyo't calamansi, suka at sili, patis.

Pinoy tastes. A dietitian's nightmare: too sweet, too salty, too fatty, as in itlog na maalat, crab fat (aligue), bokayo, kutchinta, halo-halo, palitaw, pulburon, tuyo, Remember, we're the guys who put sugar in our spaghetti sauce.

Bagoong. Darkly mysterious, this smelly fish or shrimp paste typifies the underlying theme of most ethnic foods: disgustingly unhygienic, unbearably stinky and simply irresistible. Dinuguan. Blood stew, a bloodcurdling idea, until you try it with puto.

Balut. Unhatched duck's embryo, another unspeakable ethnic food to outsiders, but oh, to indulge in guilty pleasures! Chicharon. Pork, fish or chicken crackling. In the crunch, there is a hint of the extravagant and the pedestrian. Perfect with vinegar, sublime with beer.

(E-mail: juan_mercado@boholchronicle.com)