ABSTRACTION

A Harvard psychologist in the late nineteen century, William James, wrote in

his book, The Principles of Psychology in 1890 that understanding the self
can be examined through its different components. He described these
components as: (1)its constituents; (2) the feelings and emotions they arouse
– self-feelings; (3) the actions to which they prompt – self-seeking and self-
preservation. The constituents of self are composed of the material self, the
social self, the spiritual self and pure ego. (Trentmann 2016; Green 1997).
The material self, according to James primarily is about our bodies,
clothes, immediate family and home. We are deeply affected by these things
because we have put much investment of our self to them.

The innermost part of our material self is our body. Intentionally, we are
investing in our body. We are directly attached to this commodity that we
cannot live without. We strive hard to make sure that his body functions well
and good. Any ailment or disorder directly affects us. We do not have certain
preferential attachment or intimate closeness to certain body parts because of
its value to us.
There were people who get their certain body parts insured.
Celebrities, like Mariah Carey who was reported to have placed a huge
amount for the insurance of her vocal cords and legs Sukman 2016).
Next to our body are the clothes we use. Influenced by the “Philosophy
of Dress” by Herman Lotze, James believed that clothing is an essential part
of the material self. Lotze in his book, Microcosmus, stipulates that “any time
we bring an object into the surface of our body, we invest that object into the
consciousness of our personal existence taking in its contours to be our own
and making it part of the self.” (Watson 2014) The fabric and style of the
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clothes we wear bring sensations to the body to which directly affect our
attitudes and behavior. Thus, clothes are placed in the second hierarchy of
material self. Clothing is a form of self- expression. We choose and wear
clothes that reflect our self (Watson 2014).
Third in the hierarchy is our immediate family. Our parents and siblings
hold another great important part of our self. What they do or become affects
us. When an immediate family member dies, part of our self -dies, too. When
their lives are in success, we feel their victories as if we are the one holding
the trophy. In their failures, we are put to shame or guilt. When they are in
disadvantage situation, there is an urgent urge to help like a voluntary instinct
of saving one’s self from danger. We place huge investment in our immediate
family when we see them as nearest replica of our self.
The fourth component of material self is our home. Home is where our
heart is. It is the earliest nest of our selfhood. Our experiences inside the
home were recorded and marked on particular parts and things in our home.
There was an old cliché’ about rooms: “if only walls can speak.” The home
thus is an extension of self, because in it, we can directly connect our self.
Having investment of self to things, made us attached to those things.
The more investment of self-given to the particular thing, the more we identify
ourselves to it. We also tended to collect and possess properties. The
collections in different degree of investment of self, become part of the self.
As James (1890) described self: “a man’s self is the sum total of all what he
CAN call his.” Possessions then become part or an extension of the self.

We Are What We Have

Russel Belk (1988) posits that ‘… we regard our possessions as part of
ourselves. We are what we have and what we possess.” The identification of
the self to things started in our infancy stage when we make a distinction
among self and environment and others who may desire our possessions.
As we grow older, putting importance to material possession
decreases. However, material possession gains higher value in our lifetime if
we use material possession to find happiness, associate these things with
significant events, accomplishments, and people in our lives. There are even
times, when material possession of a person that is closely identified to the
person, gains acknowledgement with high regard even if the person already
passed away. Examples of these are the chair in the dining room on which the
person is always seated. The chair will be the constant reminder of the person
seated their; a well- loved and kept vehicle of the person, which some of the
bereaved family members have a difficulty to sell or let go of because that
vehicle is very much identified with the owner who passed away; the favorite
pet or book, among others that the owner placed a high value, these favorite
things are symbols of the owner.
The possessions that we dearly have tell something about who we are, our
self-concept, our past, and even our future.

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5 Signs Materialism Is Taking Over Your Life (And How To Take The
Power Back)
Money can't buy you happiness. Though many people know this, they still
focus on material aspects of their lives to try to find happiness and love.
Various signs and behaviors can alert you to how materialism is overcoming
your life. You can defeat this careless behavior and create a more mindful life.

Frenzied Holiday Shopping

One of the biggest signs of materialism in recent years has been the outward
show of consumer culture around the holidays. As the holidays approach, you
may find yourself always hunting for the perfect gift, leaving behind the beauty
of family time and the holiday season for society's push to shop, shop, shop.

Ambition and Competitiveness

Being very competitive and ambitious can certainly help you do great things.
But these qualities can also mean you're more materialistic than the average
person.

Problems in Your Relationship

If you're having problems in your relationship, it could be a sign that your
materialism is getting out of hand. Studies have shown that couples where
both partners show high levels of materialism have lower quality relationships.
Materialism may make you feel less connected to others.

Feelings of Insecurity
Other research has found that insecurity spurs materialism. If you find yourself
often overcome by feelings of doubt and you question your own self-worth,
you may also have materialistic qualities. Consumerism takes advantage of
people's insecurities to sell products, so take a moment to question why you
want to buy something before you do.

Narcissistic Behaviors
Consumer culture can also lead to narcissistic behaviors. Narcissistic people
act arrogantly as they're very concerned with finding power. This obsessive
drive for prestige can compensate for feelings of emptiness. Again,
insecurities can manifest themselves in narcissistic behaviors like spending to
show wealth.

Take the Power Back

There are many things you should and shouldn't do to gain control over
materialism. Try to limit watching TV, reading magazines, and reading things
on the Internet. These sources all rely heavily on advertising, and advertising
plays into people's materialism to sell products. Likewise, avoid malls and
shopping centers. Spend a day away from spending if you want to have fun,
like by going to the beach.

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There are also many things you can do to become more mindful. Make a list
of things you are grateful for so you see the things you do have right in front of
you. Take the time to nurture love in your life. Take measures to be healthy,
and practice random acts of kindness. These small, simple measures will
bring happiness to your life that you can't get from material wealth.
Materialism can overcome your life, but taking small steps to avoid consumer
culture and to emphasize positive love will help you defeat materialism and
become more mindful.

Reducing Materialism
Ending materialism doesn’t mean forsaking all your possessions. Ridding
yourself of everything you own would only prove you are still too preoccupied
with possessions themselves. Someone who has developed a healthy inner
world would see possessions as neutral. This shift is more about attitude than
specific actions.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. You aren’t the things you own. The problem is that you view things
as possessions in the first place. Ownership is just a societal construct
to keep order, it doesn’t have any deeper meaning. Separate your
identity from the things you own.

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 2. Relationships are about doing, not having. You can’t have a
girlfriend, boyfriend or spouse. Although those terms are fairly
commonplace, they demonstrate that many people still view
relationships as possessions. The more you see relationships as
possessions, the less intrinsic value you can get from experiencing
them.
3. Create a system of goals and challenges. Materialism fills a void.
Replace that uncomfortable filler with goals and challenges. Although
many of my challenges are directed towards material gain, that isn’t the
real point. Just as winning Risk isn’t about world-domination as it is
about a fun challenge.
1. Serve. Invest your energies into helping other people. I don’t view acts
as being on a continuum from selfishness to selflessness, as acts that
directly benefit me can benefit others as well. But even in that case,
shifting your focus onto the needs of others can replace materialism.
2. Trash it. I’m the opposite of a packrat. When I need to do a major
cleaning, I usually toss just about everything I haven’t used recently.
Getting rid of old possessions can be a liberating experience, stripping
away from you what isn’t important.
3. See wealth as a challenge not a result. I view earning more money
as an interesting and complex game. I expect my minimum comfort
threshold would only be around $15,000 to $20,000 per year. Beyond
that, earning more is simply a bigger challenge.
4. Experience over objects. The only reason to buy an object is
because you believe it will (directly or indirectly) improve the quality of
your experience. Going straight to the source helps you avoid the
middlemen that are material goods.
5. Build intangible assets. Habits, time-management, discipline,
emotional control, understanding and learning are just a few of the non-
physical assets you can hold. Building intangible assets replaces your
need for physical ones.
6. Use money to free, not chain, yourself. When you have a larger
income, don’t simply adapt by increasing your lifestyle. Instead work to
create a buffer between your income and lifestyle so you live below your
means. This will give you more freedom to pursue goals and ideas that
may not immediately contribute to your productivity.
7. Go basic. Simplify all your material possessions so they don’t
consume your mental resources. Simple, even if less glamorous,
requires less maintenance, offers fewer distractions and uses less
thinking. A simple lifestyle affords you the ability to focus your energies
on your inner world.
8. Avoid the status game. Seek friends from all social layers. Don’t buy
into the game that decides a person’s worth based on their money or
profession. I know people I would consider smarter and more
enlightened who live on a fraction of the income that others do. Keeping
pockets of connections within all levels separates you from the
competitive aspects materialism brings.
9. Judge yourself by your ethics and your understanding. I’d be far
happier with myself if I were poor but I understood the world and lived

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 true to a system of ethics, than if I had the opposite. Don’t base your self
-worth on how much you’ve achieved or the admiration of your peers.
10. Let go. Buddhism teaches that attachment to things creates suffering.
Again, this is all in the mindset. I’m not a Buddhist, but as I understand
it, this doesn’t mean the only path to true happiness is to abandon
everything. It simply means that you stop trying to hold on to all the
things you own and the relationships in your life.
11. The You can’t take it with you. What is going to matter to you on your
deathbed? Looking back at your entire life, what was important? Use
that to prioritize.

MODULE 2
UNPACKING THE SELF

LESSON III
Supernaturals: Believe it or Not!

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

 Describe some common religious practices related to your beliefs;

 Integrate the self value with your religious beliefs; and
 Elaborate ways of seeking the meaning of life

ABSTRACTION

Religion

Religion refers to an organized system of beliefs and practices

revolving around, or leading to, an excellent spiritual experience. In ancient
times, religion was alike from what is known as 'mythology' in the present day
and unchanging of regular rituals based on a belief in higher supernatural
being who created and continued to maintain the world and surrounding
creation. (Mark, 2018)

Some World Religious Beliefs and Practices

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 There are different religions with different beliefs and practices. Some
of the major world religions are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and
Judaism. Excerpt of some religious beliefs and practices are found in the
University London’s Religion and Belief Guide 2017.

Buddhism

Buddhism is a philosophy of life stated by Gautama

Buddha means the "enlightened one", who lived and
taught in northern India in the 6th century B.C. The
Buddha was not a god and the philosophy of
Buddhism does not include any theistic world view.
The teachings of the Buddha are aimed purely at
liberating sentient beings from suffering.

The Basic Teachings of Buddha which are core to

Buddhism are:
• The Three Universal Truths;
• The Four Noble Truths; and
• The Noble Eightfold Path.

https://tinyurl.com/y5vm8q4g

Over 2,400 years ago, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, through a complete

investigation of his own mental process, come up with a complex
psychological understanding of the human condition, as well as a means of
liberation from the universal of human suffering. He did this without positing
the intervention of creator and concerned himself not at all with philosophical
and metaphysical investigations. His was an endless practical concern:
understanding suffering and the end of suffering. During the last three
decades, many aspects of Buddhist thought have penetrated modern Western
psychology (Buddhism & Psychotherapy: Part I, 2014).

Buddhism and Suffering

The Pali word dukkha is refers to “suffering.” Dukkha presents in a

group of emotions from happiness to despair. While unreasonable, it is a
central concept in the Buddha’s teachings. In these passages, adapted from
longer teachings on Lion’s Roar, nine teachers expound what suffering is,
how we feel it, and why it isn’t a criticism it’s a joyous opportunity (Littlefair,
2020).

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 The Buddha taught there are three types of dukkha. The first kind is
physical and mental pain from the unavoidable stresses of life like old age,
sickness, and death. The second is the distress we feel as a result of
transcience and change, such as the pain of failing to get what we want and
of losing what we hold. The third kind of dukkha is a kind of existential
suffering, the anxiety of being human, of living a constrain existence and
being subject to rebirth (Buddhism for beginners, 2019).

Christianity

The Christian faith centers on beliefs regarding the birth, life,

death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.Christianity is the most widely
practiced religion in the world, with more than 2 billion followers. Many
historians regard the spread and adoption of Christianity throughout
the world as one of the most successful spiritual missions in human
history even it started with a small group of follower (Christianity,
2017).

Beliefs

 Christians are monotheistic, they believe there’s only one God,

and he created the heavens and the earth. This divine Godhead
consists of three parts: the father (God himself), the son ( Jesus
Christ ) and the Holy Spirit.
 The essence of Christianity revolves around the life, death and
Christian beliefs on the resurrection of Jesus. Christians believe God
sent his son Jesus, the messiah, to save the world. They believe
Jesus was crucified on a cross to offer the forgiveness of sins and
was resurrected three days after his death before arise to heaven.
 Christians contend that Jesus will return to earth again in what’s
known as the Second Coming.
 The Holy Bible  includes important scriptures that outline Jesus’s
teachings, the lives and teachings of Major Prophets and disciples,
and offer instructions for how Christians should live.
 Both Christians and Jews follow the Old Testament of the Bible,
but Christians also embrace the New Testament.
 The cross is a symbol of Christianity.
 The most important Christian holidays are  Christmas  (which
celebrates the birth of Jesus) and Easter  (which commemorates the
resurrection of Jesus).

Hinduism

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion,

according to many scholars, with roots and
customs dating back more than 4,000 years.
8|Page Today, with about 900 million followers,
Hinduism is the third-largest religion behind
Christianity and Islam. Roughly 95 percent of
the world’s Hindus live in India. Because the
religion has no specific founder, it’s difficult to
https://tinyurl.com/yyxnat89

Beliefs

Some basic Hindu concepts include:

 Hinduism embraces many religious ideas. For this reason, it’s

sometimes referred to as a “way of life” or a “family of religions,” as
opposed to a single, organized religion.
 Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic, which means they
worship a single deity, known as “Brahman,” but still recognize other
gods and goddesses. Followers believe there are multiple paths to
reaching their god.
 Hindus believe in the doctrines of samsara (the continuous
cycle of life, death, and reincarnation) and karma (the universal law of
cause and effect).
 One of the key thoughts of Hinduism is “atman,” or the belief in
soul. This philosophy holds that living creatures have a soul, and
they’re all part of the supreme soul. The goal is to achieve “moksha,”
or salvation, which ends the cycle of rebirths to become part of the
absolute soul.
 One fundamental principle of the religion is the idea that
people’s actions and thoughts directly determine their current life and
future lives.
 Hindus strive to achieve dharma, which is a code of living that
emphasizes good conduct and morality.
 Hindus revere all living creatures and consider the cow a sacred
animal.
 Food is an important part of life for Hindus. Most don’t eat beef
or pork, and many are vegetarians.
 Hinduism is closely related to other Indian religions,
including Buddhism , Sikhism and Jainism.

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 Islam

Islam is the second largest

religion in the world after
Christianity, with about 1.8 billion
Muslims worldwide. Although its
roots go back further, scholars
typically date the creation of Islam
to the 7th century, making it the
youngest of the major world
religions. Islam started in Mecca,
in modern-day Saudi Arabia,
during the time of the Prophet
Muhammad’s life. Today, the faith
is spreading rapidly throughout
the world. (History.com editors,
2019)
https://tinyurl.com/y67xmq5e

Islam Facts

 The word “Islam” means “submission to the will of God.”

 Followers of Islam are called Muslims.
 Muslims are monotheistic and worship one, all-knowing God,
who in Arabic is known as Allah.
 Followers of Islam aim to live a life of complete submission to
Allah. They believe that nothing can happen without Allah’s
permission, but humans have free will.
 Islam teaches that Allah’s word was revealed to the
prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.
 Muslims believe several prophets were sent to teach Allah’s
law. They respect some of the same prophets as  Jews and Christians,
including Abraham, Moses, Noah and Jesus. Muslims contend that
Muhammad was the final prophet.
 Mosques are places where Muslims worship.
 Some important Islamic holy places include the Kaaba shrine in
Mecca, the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, and the Prophet
Muhammad’s mosque in Medina.
 The Quran (or Koran) is the major holy text of Islam. The Hadith
is another important book. Muslims also revere some material found in
the Judeo-Christian Bible.
 Followers worship Allah by praying and reciting the Quran. They
believe there will be a Day of Judgment, and life after death.
 A central idea in Islam is “jihad,” which means “struggle.” While
the term has been used negatively in mainstream culture, Muslims
believe it refers to internal and external efforts to defend their faith.
Although rare, this can include military jihad if a “just war” is needed.

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Judaism

Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion, dating back

nearly 4,000 years. Followers of Judaism believe in one God who
revealed himself through ancient prophets. The history of Judaism is
essential to understanding the Jewish faith, which has a rich heritage
of law, culture and tradition.

Beliefs

 Jewish people believe there’s

only one God who has
established a covenant or special
agreement with them. Their God
communicates to believers
through prophets and rewards
good deeds while also punishing
evil.
 Most Jews (with the exception of
a few groups) believe that their
Messiah hasn’t yet come—but
will one day.

Jewish people worship

in holy places known as
synagogues, and their
https://tinyurl.com/y57qndep spiritual leaders are
called rabbis. The six-pointed
Star of David is the symbol of Judaism.
 Today, there are about 14 million Jews worldwide. Most of them
live in the United States and Israel. Traditionally, a person is
considered Jewish if his or her mother is Jewish.

FINDING THE MEANING OF LIFE

Throughout modern history, one of the questions that humans have

asked the most is “What is the meaning of life?” We are all hungry for
meaning, for purpose, for the feeling that our life is worth more than the sum
of its parts.

Luckily, humans are resourceful – we have infinite ways of finding meaning,

and infinite potential sources of meaning. We can find meaning in every
scenario, every event, every occurrence, and every context. We can find
11 | P a g e
meaning in the sublime, in the absurd, in the dull and dreary, and in the
perfectly wretched in life.

According to Gomez, 2012 these are the tips on how to find meaning of life

1. Stop Playing by the rules

Some people find that the meaning of life is to have a career, get
married, and raise a family. However, that doesn't mean that everyone
is meant to do that in their lives.
2. Step out of your comfort zone
The term comfort zone is code for a place you live in yourself without
fear.
3. Find your joy
This step again relies on a solid grounding in making adventurous
activities that you may just find bring you an incredible amount of
freedom and happiness. When you know what truly makes you happy
and joyful in life, then you will find a sense of purpose to your life. You
will find a direction that you need to go in order to create the most
meaningful life possible for you.
4. Listen to your intuition
Your intuition is connected to your inner-self. Don’t get caught living
your life in complete superficiality. Superficiality is meaningless; it is
short term and soulless. Finding the real person inside yourself is not
easy but will definitely help you see what is really important in your life.
5. Appreciate the individual moments
Don’t let the fast-paced superficial world take over your life. The world
is fast paced and it keeps people in their comfort zones. It stops people
from thinking and keeps them busy. Being busy searching is wonderful,
but don’t get so busy doing that you don’t allow yourself to feel.

MODULE 2
UNPACKING THE SELF

LESSON IV
The Political Self and Being Filipino

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

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  Identify Filipino values and traits
 Appreciate the identity of being a Filipino through a creative
illustration
 Build up Filipino feeling of patriotism

INTRODUCTION

Political Self refers to a representation of oneself about

him/herself. A public identity one makes and constructs about
him/herself to be. (Humbe, 2019) For example, how do you act when you are
with your friends? With organization? Or in a gathering? You act differently if
you are alone, with your friends and in organization. Each one will show self-
identity of being a Filipino.

In this chapter, you’ll learn that an individual’s race, ethnicity, and physical
characteristics are not only factors that make a people national personality.
Values and characteristics are too vital markers that set separated one
nationality from the other. These values and characteristics may not
continuously be a positive thing, but being able to recognize one’s self apart
from other nationalities and point out shortcomings and mistakes, combined
with solidarity and commitment, make progress a possibility. Through
common objectives, standards, and values of its individuals, a country
engages itself.

ABSTRACTION

Based from the activity and analysis above will tell us who is Filipino
and what are the values and traits of a Filipino.

Who is a Filipino?

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 https://tinyurl.com/y38foo42
The Filipino character is basically formed from its Malay origin with a
hint of Chinese, Arab, Spanish and American. According to the Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA), the Philippines has a total population of
100,981,437 (inclusive of the 2,134 Filipinos in embassies, consulates and
missions abroad) based on the Census of 2015. This makes it difficult to
precisely determine the characteristics of a Filipino based on the different
foreign contributors. The Philippines has a long colonial history under the
Spanish rule and American Commonwealth Government and the short
Japanese regime on top of its intermingling with Chinese traders and other
foreign Asian merchants even before the coming of the colonizers. Hence, the
Filipinos, their character, culture and appearance, are a mixture of the Eastern
and Western cultures.

A number of cultures can be seen in the Filipino character. For

instance, the common Filipino trait Bayanihan or a spirit of unity and
cooperation of a community where Filipinos are famous for being readily
helpful was taken from our Malay ancestors. Close family ties or relationship
is another famous trait of the Filipinos which was inherited from the Chinese.
The devoutness or religiousness of Filipinos were influenced by the Spanish
who introduced Christianity during the 16th century. However, in spite of the
almost four-century rule of the Spanish empire, not all Filipinos were
converted into the Roman Catholic faith. There were still about 10% of the
population who practice Islam and other religions.

Since the Philippine archipelago was divided into three main island
groups (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) and further divided into regions, the
Filipinos showcase diverse traits and dialects. Some prominent ones are the
thrifty Ilocanos of the north, the hardworking Tagalogs of the central plains,
the happy and music-loving Visayans from the central islands, and the colorful
and religious Moslems of Mindanao. As such, we can find tribal communities
scattered throughout the archipelago. Due to the diversified subdivision of
regional cultures, one can experience linguistic varieties in the country with
175 languages and dialects. Approximately 9 of these are commonly used by
larger parts of the population namely Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon,
Waray, Kapampangan, Chavacano, Bikolano and Pangasinense (The Filipino
People, 2016).

Filipinos are fond of celebrations, music, the arts, presentations and

appreciating/adopting cultures into their own. Celebrations are everywhere in
the country from barrio fiestas, regional festivals, religious practices on top of

14 | P a g e
the regular celebrations of birthdays, christenings, weddings, and
anniversaries with the most widely practiced in our present generation – the
monthsaries. Filipinos are music lovers from mothers’ lullabies, folk songs,
tribal songs, rock, rap, R&B, country songs, acoustic, reggae, contemporary,
and the relatable love songs. All of these genres are sung in events, while in
the bathroom, all alone in the room, and most of all in videoke and karaoke
get togethers. Filipinos are art lovers be it in the forms of paintings,
sculptures, poems (rap and spoken poetry), music and music composition,
dance, acting (stage play and on-screen), murals, digital art and even the
appreciation of tattoo art. Lastly, Filipinos are also good in adopting cultures
into their own such as clothing designs from Eastern and Western influence,
hair styles, food dishes, foreign practices and languages from telenovelas (e.g
Spanish, K-dramas). Because of this, we readily understand other cultures
which forms the Filipino’s hospitable, fun-loving and welcoming character.

Filipino Values and Traits

The Philippines is a rich island paradise famous for its

impressive mountain views, beaches, and wealthy and various culture
changing from province to province. While the Philippines may be well known
for its stunning beauty, perhaps the Filipinos’ unique traits, reputable values,
and praiseworthy talents make the country a place to be.

Tourists who have visited the Philippines can never forget the big and
bright smiles that greeted them, the colourful and loud jeepneys, the common
Filipino phrases such as “Mabuhay!” and “Salamat!” and habits such as
saying “po” and “opo” to the elders, leaving shoes or slippers at the front door
before entering a house, and the persistent asking of “Kumain ka na ba?”
meaning “Have you eaten yet?” Indeed, it is a marvel to experience these
unique traits of the Filipinos firsthand. Few of these traits are as follows.

The Filipino Hospitality

This is one of the most

well liked qualities of
Filipinos. Foreigners who
have gone to the Philippines
find themselves falling in love
with the warm hospitality they
are manifest.
It's a variety of value system,
which has existed for
thousands of years.

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Here are some examples of the hospitality that Filipinos manifest, not only to
foreigners, but also to their countryman:
https://tinyurl.com/yyxovqq4

 As a Filipino when a person visits a friend's house, the host greets him
or her with a very warm welcome, they let their visitor sit down and will
prepare a meal or a snack plus drinks, will insist that the friend not
leave the house with an empty stomach and will always make sure you
had a great time visiting them.
• If they're going to spend the night they will offer their guest room to
visitors
• The meals offered to guests are very special (Jujanester, 2020).

Respect for Elders

This is often notice by younger people and people of all ages.

• To show respect to the elders children saying "po" and "opo," which
mean "yes" and putting their elders' hands on their foreheads.

• In the workplace, Filipinos also show respect by making a bow to their

employers (Jujanester, 2020).

Close Family Ties

The typical Filipino family has a

https://tinyurl.com/y3uttc63
Cheerful Personality
unique nature of close family ties. They
are considered to be family oriented
people that keeps their family intact
throughout the generations. Filipino family
have strong family values and closeness
that keeps them together to go to church
on Sunday, holidays and even after they
married. It is also a trait that each Filipino
is proud of because it preserves the good
family relationship and the value that
each child should learn.

It is the nature of Filipinos to smile and laugh a lot. Both are said to be
their coping mechanism in times of adversities especially during calamities
and pandemics. It's no longer a surprise to see Filipinos smiling, and at times
waving behind a field reporter reporting live while trying to stand still in a
waste-deep flooded street coupled with strong rain and wind. Positive outlook
in life is embedded in Filipinos which makes them a resilient race who doesn't

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backout with what life throws at them. They face problems head on with a
smile.

Self-sacrifice

The self-sacrifice attitude of Filipino can be seen as an extension of the

Filipino hospitality. Filipinos’offer to extend help to their friends, families and
loved ones. They desire for their loved ones is the comfort and better lives,
and would even go to the extent of working abroad hundreds of miles away to
earn more money and save up for them. Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
sacrifice also times when the eldest among the children of the family would
surrender school to work and provide for the family and educate his or her
siblings (Alata, et.al, 2018).

Bayanihan

Bayanihan derived from the word bayan meaning

town, nation, or community in general. It refers to
a spirit of communal unity and cooperation.
Bayanihan can show itself in many forms, it is
probably most clearly and awe-inspiring displayed
in the old tradition of neighbors helping a
relocating family by getting enough volunteers to
carry the whole house and moving it to its new
location. By placing long bamboo poles length-
wise and cross-wise under the house (traditional
Filipino houses were built on stilts), and then
https://tinyurl.com/y6z272jq carrying the house using this bamboo frame.

It takes large number of people often 20 or

more working together to carry the entire house and this is done in a happy
and festive mood. At the end of the day, the moving family expresses their
appreciation for everyone.

Many artists has been has been a favorite subject of Bayanihan. The
mural painting on the picture above is from a Filipino National Artist Carlos
"Botong" Francisco, by UNILAB founder Jose Y. Campos, and currently on
display at UNILAB's administration building in Manila. There is also an
spectacular real-life photograph of bayanihan in action in National Geographic
Magazine, March 1977.

“Bahala Na” Attitude

It is one of the most widely used phrases in the Philippines "Bahala

na". Filipinos usually say “Bahala na” when they are not able to decide their
next action and when they have no idea what will happen next. The phrase
means to go with the flow, that they don't mind what the result will be. The
expression of que sera sera, which means “whatever will be, will be” can be
considered as closest in meaning based on its common use stated above is
the Spanish (Aleah, 2013).
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Colonial mentality

It refers to the attitude that indigenous people perceive that they are inferior in
some way to their colonizers. In contemporary times, however, the mentality that
minorities or citizens from other countries believe their own cultures are inferior to
those found abroad. In the lengthy history of colonialism, the attitude of colonial
mentality can largely be attributed to the Philippines. The Philippines is not an
independent country, wherein there are existed under rulers such as Spain and the
United States of America (Chubbyplatypus, 2017).

“Mañana” Habit

Mañana habits simply means putting off important tasks for later and hastily
make it to the last minute when the deadline draws closer. Filipinos have been
cursed by Mañana habit at one time or another when they increase how much time
they have to complete a task or lessen. Wherein forces them to work under pressure
resulting to half-baked ideas and solutions. For students, this habit shows the
culture’s lack of sense in time. Filipinos are under an illusion when they are dealing
with important urgent tasks but realize in the end that they are just wasting their time
(Joaquin,2014).

“Ningas Kugon”

It begins ardently and dies down as soon as it begins. This trait renders one
inactive and unable to initiate things or to persevere. In a positive way, it makes a
person unconcerned, disconnected, indifferent, confused on anything go wrong, and
hence conducive to calmness and tranquillity (Quito,1994).

Pride

Showcasing Philippine made products from winning international competitions.

Filipino loves to observe the amazing talent and creativity that naturally flows out of their
fellow countrymen or kababayan. The Filipino celebrates with every feat and recognition,
big or small, the nation still unites. Every Pinoy holds with pride and nationalism, lifting
each other up and working together to keep the Filipino identity in a good light (Brandy,
2019).

Crab Mentality

It refers to the behavior of preventing someone from achieving something due

to jealousy or envy. Someone with crab mentality would think “if I can’t have it, then
you can’t as well” instead of praising or rendering assistance, someone with crab
mentality would think “if I can’t have it, then you can’t as well” and will purposely try to
bring his/her victim down. And just like the crabs who could have escaped from the
bucket if they only stopped pulling each other down, nothing ever gets accomplished
(FilipiKnow, 2019).

Filipino Time

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 Filipino time is related to the mañana habit. Filipino time known to be minutes
or hours behind the standard time in other words it refers to the Filipinos’ own unique
brand of time, which is. As a Filipino we are tend not to observe punctuality at all.
Filipinos are easy-going in a way that somewhat used to Filipino time that result to a
bad habit that needs to be dropped (FilipiKnow, 2019).

How to be a Better Filipino
 
“You must be the change you want to
see in the world”
                                            –
Mahatma Gandhi

The Philippines face many

issues like the pork barrel scam,
poverty, and China bullying, the
urge to yell profanity at the
President is hard to resist.
However, we fail to realize that
running this country towards a
better future is not just the job of
the government. As a Filipino we
are also responsible in making
this(How to be aabetter
country Filipino,
better place2014)
to live
in through allowing the change to https://tinyurl.com/y6o849o5
start within ourselves. These are
 Teach
the following tips toyourself
become anda everyone you know about the art of Discipline
  Filipino:
better
                Discipline is standing up against the wrong, the bad and the
destructive.Our grandfather or grandmother would say “Kaya di maunlad ang
Pilipinas kasi walang disiplina ang mga Pilipino.” because we all know that
discipline here in our country is very hard to see. It’s not just about following
orders or not littering or behaving. It is something that is appropriate or not.
Discipline is knowing to contribute to its progress, your place in the society
and doing whatever you can to contribute to its progress.

 Seriously, follow the traffic rules

The main cause of road accidents and road-related violence explained on

the drivers. Most drivers cannot follow simple rules that cause to car accidents
they don’t even know the first thing about road safety. Staying in your lane,
no u-turn, one way only is an example so that road accidents will not happen.
A driver should know the responsibilities when behind the wheel because
every time you drive, there are always lives at stake. As a driver If you cannot

19 | P a g e
recognize the amount of responsibility you have, you should not drive to avoid
road-related violence and road accidents. For those who love to jaywalk and
are too damn lazy to use the overpass, gambling with your life every time you
play hit or miss with fast vehicles. Avoiding the overpass just to make time is
not worth dying for.

 Complaining does not solve anything

We see statuses on Facebook condemning corrupt politicians, it will make

wonder if they truly care or at least know about the issue they’re complaining
about. Too many people just join in on what’s trending and are just content
with complaining online. Make sure that when we complain we do something
about it and make sure that your opinion is worthy. The government does not
read your Facebook posts nor do they care about your political statuses.
Instead of complaining, our country needs people who will help instead of
endlessly criticizing people that won’t even listen.

 Be Positive About Your Country

Our country had been down on the dumps way too many times and
everyone knows it. We’re a third world country and most of the population is
poor. Our government is stealing from us and bigger countries are bullying us.
It’s hard to be proud and say that you’re happy to be a Filipino but do you
really have to be so negative about it? Do you really have to wish the USA
would just adopt us? Do you really believe that there’s no hope for us? Do you
really have to kick your own country down just because you can’t take it
anymore? That’s a typical Filipino attitude. Always ready to take the easiest
way out. The truth is, we’re the only ones who can get ourselves out of
poverty. Not the USA, not the government or the President, it’s just us.
Imagine if every Filipino right now, rich or poor, suddenly realize that the only
way to improve the economy is to improve ourselves first, things would
change so fast! It is the lack of patriotism and optimism that’s keeping us
poor.
 
           According to Alex Lacson (2005), stated “We cannot address the major
issues that challenge us like illegal drugs, like plunder, like poverty, like good
governance, when we do not first address the simple things, from our
childhood all the way onwards.”

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