IV - ASIAN MORAL CHARACTER

BUDDHISM CHARACTER
CONFUCIAN CHARACTER
FILIPINO MORAL CHARACTER

GEMMA S. MARASIGAN
GNED INSTRUCTOR
CAS-DSSH
 BUDDHISM CHARACTER

 Buddhism shapes character in Southeast Asia as

Christianity does in Europe.
 Theravada Buddhism encourages its practitioners
to keep their emotions and passions in check and
stresses karma over determination, which often
means people are more willing to accept their lot in
life and is sometimes is viewed by Westerners as a
lack of ambition or unwillingness to work hard to
improve their positions in life.
 BUDDHISM FIVE BASIC MORAL
PROHIBITIONS

1) refrain for taking life;

2) don’t steal;
3) avoid illicit sexual activity;
4) don’t speak falsely; and
5) refrain from consuming
inebriating substances
 FIVE CARDINAL VIRTUES:
1)benevolence in terms of sympathy for others (jen);
2) duty reflected in the shame felt after doing something
wrong (yi);
3) manners, propriety and feelings of deference (li);
4) wisdom, in terms of discerning right and wrong
(chih;) and
5) loyalty and good faith (hsin).
 FILIPINO MORAL CHARACTER

 friendly, outgoing, sensitive, easily offended,

nosy, garrulous, direct, hospitable, feisty,
irreverent, good natured, clever, witty,
gregarious, happy, generous, easy to laugh,
gracious, easy to befriend, casual, fun loving,
sensitive and hospitable.
 Value education, has shame (hiya)
 Filipinos as “the easiest people in Asia to get
along with.”
 STRENGTHS
1. Pakikipagkapwa-tao -
basic sense of justice and
fairness, concern for
others and ability to
empathize with others

2. Strong Family Ties -

possess a genuine and deep
love for family - source of
personal identity, emotional
and material support. Has
honor to elder and care to
children
3. Joy and Humor –
being cheerful and fun
loving

4. Flexibility,
Adaptability and
Creativity - We can
adjust and to adapt to
circumstances and the
surrounding environment,
both physical and social
5. Hard Work and
Industry - We have the
capacity for hard work
given proper conditions; to
raise one’s standard of
living and to possess the
essentials of a decent life
for one’s family.

6. Faith and Religiosity

7. Lack of self-analysis and self-reflection -
There is a tendency in the Filipino to be
superficial and even somewhat flighty.
 WEAKNESS

1. Extreme Personalism - We tend to give personal

interpretations to actions, i.e., “take things
personally”.
2. Extreme Family Centeredness results to a lack
of concern for the common good and acts as a block
to national consciousness.
3. Lack of Discipline - being impatient and unable
to delay gratification or reward
4. Passivity and Lack of Initiative
5. Colonial mentality
6. Kanya-Kanya Syndrome
 FILIPINO POSITIVE VALUES
 Hospitability
 Helpful to others/Bayanihan
 Respectful (mano, po and opo,
halik sa kamay)
 Bravery
 Jolliness and sense of humor
 Discretion and dignity
 Gratefulness
 Honesty and commitment
(palabra de honor)
 Helpfulness
 Family-oriented
 Adaptability and resilience
 Resourcefulness and creativity
 Faithfulness
 Thriftiness
 FILIPINO NEGATIVE VALUES

1. Fatalism - An attitude of
“what goes around, comes
around” or “come what
may.”

2. Crab mentality -
people tend to push each
other down to clear the
way for their own gain.
3. Ningas-Kugon -
leaving our work either
half-baked or
unfinished.

4. Filipino Time -
known to be minutes or
hours behind the
standard time. Thus,
we tend not to observe
punctuality at all.
5. Colonial Mentality
- preference for all
things foreign over
our own

6. General Disregard
for Rules - Filipinos
are known law abiding
individuals but with
stronger inclination to
disregard these laws
7. Procrastination or
“Mañana Habit”

8. Corruption
9. Gossiping - talking about
others’ business.

10. Passivity (lack of

leadership) - lack of
initiative for change