What does always being late say about your persona? Anyone can be late from time to time but if you are habitually late what does that say about the person?
For Filipinos, being late and starting things late have always been part of our culture. Many Filipinos seems to either practice it or accept it, so much that we’ve been given a term for it — Filipino Time. To be honest, I’m ashamed that we have this so called “Filipino Time”. Being late gave filipino bad impression to others especially foreigners. It’s okay if being late is being accompanied with honesty and communication but most of the people I know who are habitually late are also liars. For me they are disorganized. It is very ill-mannered to be late for a meeting, of any kind. Whether you have agreed to the start-time for a romantic date, or that of a seminar meeting. You have, essentially, given your word that you will be “ready” and “prepared” to begin, exactly, at that time. The other person, likewise, has “contracted” with you to do the same for you. When you are late, you, effectively, are telling the other person, “I am worth so much more than you are.”
Here in Canada, I’ve noticed punctuality is important for most of my Canadian friends or colleagues. Absenteeism and punctuality are part of or sometimes part of evaluating if you are suited for a job. How can you be useful if you are always absent or late? It is more respectfully if you come on time rather than being late.