People in the Philippines are more likely than their global peers to live in multigenerational family homes. While most Filipinos live in a home that they own, they are over twice as likely as people globally to live in their family’s home and nearly six times more likely to live in a household with 6 or more people. And while pets are common everywhere, that’s especially true in the Philippines, at 85%, compared with 70% globally.

So, what does “home” mean in family-centric Filipino culture? Using research from our recent global study on the meaning of home, here’s what we learned:

Home is central to Filipino identity. Almost all Filipinos agree that without home, they would feel lost (90%), and that home is an essential part of who they are (99%).

For Filipinos, home is about spending time with loved ones above all else. They ranked “quality time with family and loved ones” as the most important factor in feeling at home (89% vs. 58% globally).  They are also more likely to agree that home is being surrounded by people they love (99% vs. 92%) and that home is where they can take care of people they care about (98% vs. 93%).

Memories are central to their experience of home. Virtually all Filipinos (96%) agree that their home is a place of memories – and 64% agree strongly, compared with 34% globally. They are also more likely than their global peers to believe that meaningful items like photos of loved ones and special keepsakes contribute to the feeling of home.

At home, Filipinos can be themselves and feel like they belong. Filipinos are far more likely than their global peers to agree that many sentiments represent home to them, such as expressing themselves freely (79% vs. 45% globally), feeling loved (77% vs. 45%), feeling like they belong (74% vs. 39%), feeling respected (70% vs. 31%), and not having to worry about being judged (64% vs. 34%).

Filipinos’ sense of home expands beyond their dwelling. Church, nature, and their community at large all feel like home to most Filipinos. They’re more likely than people elsewhere to feel at home in a place of worship (60% vs. 44% globally) or in an outdoor setting such as a beach (71% vs. 54%). For 90% of Filipinos, their community where they reside is as important as the home in which they live, compared with 72% globally.