While people from other countries can call the older people they know by name, most Filipino people consider it as disrespect if done in the Philippines. Most Ilonggo (still Filipino) people don’t usually mind if the younger siblings call older siblings by name if they are used and raised with that, but Filipinos from other ethnicities may not want it. It will be considered more respect if men and women will be called, aside from miss, mister, ma’am, sir or anything adopted from the English language to show professionalism and respect, ate (pronounced as a-teh), manang, ale (pronounced as a-leh for strangers), tita, tyang, or auntie (for aunts), lola (for grandmothers), mang (for older males who are not part of the family, and is used before the name of the person), manong and kuya, tsong or uncle (for uncles), lolo (for grandfathers), and mamâ for strangers. Children call their parents with words depending on their orientation but almost 99% of Filipinos use words adopted from the Spanish and Americans to address their parents.
