COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY

Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines
Tel No: 63 (33) 3291971 loc 1084

RESEARCH PAPER

“ROLE OF FILIPINO CONSUMER CULTURE TO FILIPINO SELF AND IDENTITY”

FEDIE FACTO TABAQUIRAO

Consumer identity is the consumption pattern through which a consumer

describes themselves. In consumer culture, people no longer consume goods and
services merely for functional satisfaction. Consumption has become increasingly more
meaning-based; brands are often used as symbolic resources for the construction and
maintenance of identity. Consumers use brands and products to express their identities.
Consumer behavior has affected Filipinos' self-identity.  Consumer behavior
refers the study on how people mentally, physically or emotionally react or respond on
different products and services.  Self-identity refers to the overall perception of oneself
in relation to the society someone belongs to.
The Filipino people's buying behavior has become highly dependent on vanity
and materialism nowadays. This means that more people would more likely buy
products as long as these have higher aesthetic value and "better" than what others are
using. An example of this phenomenon is investing more on top-rated yet very
expensive gadgets as opposed choosing more functional ones. People buy products
based on the physical aspects and not by the content. Another example of this is
parents opting to buy formula milk brand A because it is simply much more expensive
than brand B when in fact the nutritional value of both is just the same. These
characteristics of Filipino consumers lead to higher spending on disposable income and
not being able to save money anymore. Expensive products like cars and gadgets also
need higher maintenance which means consumers end up spending even more than
what they originally planned.
In my own opinion, Filipino consumers' buying habits have to be remodelled. I am
also guilty of this unhealthy behavior and I think people's perception on products have to
change.
Filipino consumers love to buy things which are on sale and with discounts.
These buying habits are very distinct and common to Filipinos worldwide. Filipino
buyers are known for its unique buying routine as a way of life. A clear manifestation of
that is the Filipino consumers’ keen knowledge of the products and services that are
being offered.

Exemplary Christian Education for Life

 COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY
Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines
Tel No: 63 (33) 3291971 loc 1084

The Filipino buying behavior is influenced by various factors such as family,

friends, relatives, and colleagues. Over the years, this buying behavior was already
affected by modern philosophy as influenced by Asians, Americans and Europeans, and
the like.
Filipino consumers are that they look for alternative brands and comparing the
prices then weighs things. They want products that will last even if the product is
expensive. They believe that in the long run, they will save a lot than buying more
cheaply or alternative things as compared to the original.
The Filipino consumer behavior is one of the most influential buyers in the world
today. Their needs, wants, wishes and desires should be understood in order to
accommodate them.
As Kotler (2008) suggested, the marketplace is the location where goods and
services are exchanged, so traders set up the product and buyers browse the
merchandise. Consumer attitudes can be influenced by many factors outside the
product attributes. Social and cultural environment as well as demographic,
psychographic, and geographic conditions can sometimes shape consumer behavior.
Consumer attitude, if positive, is an advantage to a marketer. The reaction of buying or
refusing a certain product might be influenced by various factors, but marketers have
acknowledged the role of personality and how this might influence consumers’
behaviors toward a product.
The consumer behavior is affected by both internal and external factors. The
ability of a consumer to decide is based both on internal factors and external factors.
Internal factors are those that refer to the consumers need and availability of resources,
if a consumer has a need to buy a certain product or to avail of a specific service
because he/she believed that it fits to his/her need is an example of internal factor
influenced behavior. This is based entirely of the consumers own judgement and is not
affected by the surrounding or other people.
On the other hand, external factors are those factors that affect the consumer’s
decision making because of their surroundings, the community they are in and the
statusquo norm. If a person feels that he/she needs to buy a sunflower dress because it
is what usually most people in his/her age wears, then his behavior is affected by the
external factor which is his/her surrounding.

Exemplary Christian Education for Life

 COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY
Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines
Tel No: 63 (33) 3291971 loc 1084

REFERENCES:
https://brainly.ph/question/1925228
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_identity
http://www.theijbmt.com/archive/0920/844974745.pdf
https://ideas.repec.org/a/cmc/annals/v17y2012i1p299-302.html
https://brainly.ph/question/1471776

Exemplary Christian Education for Life

 COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CENTRAL PHILIPPINE UNIVERSITY
Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines
Tel No: 63 (33) 3291971 loc 1084

“ROLE OF FILIPINO CONSUMER CULTURE TO FILIPINO SELF AND IDENTITY”

By John Edwin Anonas
Consumer behavior has affected Filipinos' self identity.  Consumer behavior
refers the study on how people mentally, physically  or emotionally react or respond on
different products and services.  Self-identity refers to the overall perception of oneself
in relation  to the society someone belongs to.
The  Filipino people's buying behavior has become highly dependent on  vanity
and materialism nowadays. This means that more people  would more likely buy
products as long as these have higher aesthetic  value and "better" than what others
are using. An example of this phenomenon is  investing more on top-rated yet very
expensive gadgets as opposed  choosing more functional ones. People buy products
based on the physical  aspects and not by the content. Another example of this is
parents opting to buy formula  milk brand A because it is simply much more expensive
than brand B when in fact the nutritional  value of both is just the same. These
characteristics of Filipino consumers lead to higher  spending on disposable income and
not being able to save money anymore. Expensive products like  cars and gadgets also
need higher maintenance which means consumers end up spending even more  than
what they originally planned.
In my own opinion, Filipino consumers' buying habits have to be remodeled. I am also
guilty of this unhealthy behavior and I think people's perception on products have to
change.
Filipino consumers love to buy things which are on sale and with discounts.
These buying habits are very distinct and common to Filipinos worldwide. Filipino
buyers are known for its unique buying routine as a way of life. A clear manifestation of
that is the Filipino consumers’ keen knowledge of the products and services that are
being offered. Also, their decision in buying is also affected or influence by their friends,
family and love ones. Filipno also loves to have an alternative to the product they want
that leads them on buying double danger model or fake items but look the same to the
originals.

On the other hand, external factors are those factors that affect the consumer’s
decision making because of their surroundings, the community they are in and the
statusquo norm. If a person feels that he/she needs to buy a sunflower dress because it
is what usually most people in his/her age wears, then his behavior is affected by the
external factor which is his/her surrounding.

Exemplary Christian Education for Life