M3 L1 While Task (Discussion)

Lesson 1: The Essence of Values in NSTP

 The Filipinos are a happy blend of several races, basically Malay with Chinese, Spanish,
Indian, and American admixtures. Their values and ways of life were shaped by several, sometimes
conflicting cultures and the resulting blend is what makes their own uniquely Filipino. In their veins
run the rich Christian values of Europe, the pragmatic and democratic values of America, and the
spiritual values of Asia.

 How do we characterize a Filipino? He is brown, spiritual, timeless, spaceless, humorist,

resilient, somebody who has a tendency always to think of others---before thinking of
himself. Seldom do all these profound qualities find personification in people. Filipinos
should allow - and should be allowed to contribute their special traits to building the nation --
- but first, we should know and like ourselves.

Definition of Values
 Values are ideals that guide or qualify our personal conduct; they also serve as a mirror of
our personality and determinants of our behavior. Values are always positive; they speak
as the universal truth.

The Filipino Cultural Values

 Filipino cultural values are widely-held beliefs that make some activities, relationships,
goals, and feelings important to the Filipino people’s identity. When these Filipino values
coalesce and mesh in a mutually supportive system, it is called the “Filipino values system.”

M3 L2 While Task (Discussion)

Lesson 2: Understanding the Filipino Culture
 Filipino culture has six distinct elements. These are values, basic personality, basic social
unit, politics, economics, and technology. Each of these aspects of the Filipino culture has a
body of ideas called “content” which gives form and meaning to each aspect. This form and
meaning are expressed through “structures” or institutions which the Philippine society
creates or the orderly regulation of behaviour in established ways.
Values
 The content of the Filipino values is the Filipino myths and religion while
structures are the Filipino oral and written traditions, churches, sacred places,
temples and mosques. The Filipinos internalize these values of their culture and
thus create for themselves a “world of meanings.”
Basic Personality
 It is determined by the Filipino culture because of the selection of those
congruent types that are congruent with the culture. The content of the Filipino
basic personality is made up of Filipino beliefs and knowledge while the
structure is formed by the Filipino initiation and various rituals and formal and
informal education.
Basic Social Unit
 The family is the basic social unit which constitutes to and maintains the Filipino
values. The content of the Filipino social unit is the family, groups and
community life while the structure is the lineage, marriage descent,
neighbourhood, peer group and villages.
Politics
 The Filipino politics are the Filipino ideas and structures related to the
distribution and channelling of power within the Philippine society for its well-
being, order and regulation. The content of politics is the Filipino traditional
power units and democracy while the structures are the law, parliament,
councils, elders and chiefs.
Economics
 The Filipino economics are the ideas which the Filipino society develops and the
structures which it creates for provision of food, clothing and shelter for its
members. The content of Philippine economics is the production by private
enterprises while its structure is capitalism and socialism.
Technology
 Filipino technology includes all that the Filipinos have invented to make their life
easier, less arduous, and shifted from the brink of mere survival thus changing
their way of life and giving them more control of their physical environment. Its
contents are communication and health while its structure is composed of the
various media, professional organizations, medicine, hospitals and laboratories.

The NSTP and the Four (4) Perspectives

 The goal of NSTP is to develop the civic consciousness of the Filipino youth. It
is therefore important that every NSTP student should have a clear view or
perspective of oneself as he relates to (1)others, (2) his country or state, (3)his
environment and (4)his own personal God.
 At the heart of these four perspectives is the self which serves as the object and
subject of his actions and decisions.

 The succeeding discussions will present a clearer view of the four core values and
how they relate interdependently to another.

Understanding Oneself – A Fundamental Value

 Self-awareness is the core foundation for understanding human behaviour. It
is the key to unlock one’s potentials and develop a higher degree of self- fulfilment,
and satisfaction. Discovering the power of self provides us with the backbone to
pursue life goals in a more rational and decisive manner.
For Additional Readings click this link: https://nickwignall.com/self-awareness/ (Links to
an external site.)
 As stated in the Philippine Constitution, “the state recognizes the vital role of the
youth in nation-building and shall promote their physical, intellectual and social well-
being”. Thus it is important to consider that if we were to mobilize the potential of the youth
 to help build our nation, they should be aware of who they are as persons, and as Filipino
citizens.
Basic Considerations on Self-Awareness
 1. A person who knows oneself starts to learn about himself/herself the moment
he/she goes through challenging times.
 2. A person who does not speak well of oneself or oftentimes reflects a pessimistic
disposition manifests less love for him/herself.
 3. A person who knows oneself believes in himself or herself anchors one’s choices
and actions based on one’s values.
 4. A person who knows oneself is never too selfish to express one’s appreciation
and gratitude towards others.
 5. A person who knows oneself always owns his/her actions and their
consequences.
 6. A person who knows oneself is willing to laugh at one’s own mistakes or
foolishness without being embarrassed.
 7. A person who knows oneself recognizes his/her capacities and potential, his/her
weaknesses and limitations, and how he/she can continuously achieve personal
growth and change.
Some Basic Guidelines to Self-Knowledge
 1. Know your strengths and weaknesses.
 2. Be open to feedback. The best way to discover oneself is to allow others to be a
mirror for you.
 3. Develop one’s openness to feelings. People may not be comfortable when they
are asked to express their feelings but this could also be one authentic way of
freeing yourself from personal blocks and pretences.
 4. Be confident. Whatever you say, no matter what you feel, presents a picture of
who you are and what you are.
 5. Learn to appreciate people. Good or bad, they are human beings. You can only
appreciate them, however, if you appreciate yourself.
 6. Trust yourself.
M3 L3 While Task (Discussion)
Lesson 3: Major Social Problems Affecting the Country

Social Problems and Issues

The country is beset with a lot of problems and issues that need to be addressed not only
by the government but by the private sector as well. Since the primary objective of NSTP is to
develop the socio-civic consciousness of the youth, it is important that they have adequate
knowledge and understanding of these problems and issues so that they could have a better
perspective on how to respond to these.

M3L3. Issues Related to Children

ISSUES RELATED TO CHILDREN
Children Defined
Those who are below 18 years of age, or those over 18 years old but unable to fully take
care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or
discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition. (Sec. 3 RA 7610 or
Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act)
Categories of Children
1. Abandoned, Neglected, Abused and Surrendered
 Abandoned Children. There is no proper parental care or guardianship; child is
deserted for at least six continuous months.
 Neglected Children. The basic needs of the child have been deliberately or
inadequately left unattended.
 Abused Children. Refers to children being maltreated, whether habitual or not,
which includes any of the following:
 psychological and physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse, and emotional
maltreatment
 acts by deeds or words which degrade or demean the worth and dignity of a child
 unreasonable deprivation of his basic needs for survival
 failure to immediately give medical treatment leading to the serious impairment of
the child.
 Surrendered Children
 2. Children with Disability (Mentally Challenged, Physically and Emotionally
Differently Able)
 3. Children in Conflict with the Law (Youthful Offenders)
 Over 12 years but below 18 years old at the time of the commission of the offense.
(RA 10630)
 A child, below 12 years, is exempt from criminal liability and shall be committed to
the care of his/her parents or relative subject to the supervision of the court.
Issues/Situations of Children and Youth in the Philippines

1. Hazardous and Disabling Labor Conditions

 The children exposed to hazards and disabling working conditions are
predominantly found in the agricultural sector. Other children are found working in
mines and quarries, on deep-sea fishing vessels, and in pyrotechnics factories,
where even adults face great risks and harm. These children are exposed to
hazards such as heavy workloads, long working hours, deplorable working
conditions, exhaustion, stress, and boredom. They are often underpaid and enjoy
no benefits. Worst of all, they remain invisible to the public and statistics.
 An estimated 2.2 million children are found working in hazardous and disabling
conditions in the Philippines (NSO, 2001). Expected to contribute to the family
income, most of these children come from rural households and often work away
from home. Their parents are either unemployed or underemployed. Many of them
have stopped or were forced to stop schooling. This is one of the reasons why
children leave home and find work, often as scavengers, commercial sex workers,
cigarette vendors, or domestic workers.
2. Commercial Sex Exploitation
 This refers to children involved in prostitution, pornography and pedophilia. Like
child laborers, child commercial sex workers come from poor households. Many of
them have likewise stopped schooling. At home, they may have suffered from
parental abuse, neglect, and extreme poverty.
 Nine (9) out of ten (10) child sex workers are girls. Many of them are usually found
in brothels (casa), or on the street in tourist areas, big business centers and around
schools. Prostituted children may have entered the sex industry because of the
deception of recruiters promising decent jobs, or may have willingly entered because
of several push and pull factors, including the involvement of a friend or relative in
the sex industry.
 Being the most stigmatized and least protected, many of these children are
compelled to go underground, making them doubly vulnerable to exploitation and
unjust practices by employers, managers, pimps, customers and even law
enforcers. These children face dangers such as extreme physical, psychosocial and
emotional abuse, rape, sexually transmitted diseases, death from premature
pregnancy and childbirth, AIDS, and other health problems as a result of drug
use. Available estimates of their number are based on local studies and from social
hygiene clinics, but an over-all estimate on the number of prostituted children in the
Philippines is unreliable.

3. Physical and Sexual Abuse/Violence at Home and in the Community, or by

Authorities
 One major reason why children leave home is physical and/or sexual abuse/violence
at home. One out of three children suffers from abuse and/or violence at home, in
the community, or by authorities. There has been a noticeable rise in reported
cases of abused and maltreated children. The question is: Could this be due to
growing awareness and advocacy against child abuse or could this be a growing
incidence itself?
 Girls comprise most of the cases of sexually and physically abused children. At the
UP-PGH-CPU almost all of the referrals are girls.
 The incidence of violence within a family is almost always certainly persistent, from
one generation to the next. Many children reared in an atmosphere of violence tend
to become violent adults.

4. Discriminatory, inappropriate and deficient laws and judicial processes and practices
for Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL)
 Children in Conflict with the Law are usually boys aged 14 – 17 years old. Their
cases are usually theft and robbery (JJWA,2011). Many of them are street children,
are members of street gangs, and are into substance abuse. In addition, there is a
significant rise in young people committing sex offenses. The National Capital
Region (NCR) has the highest number of CICL in the Philippines.
 Some CICL raised the issue of violence (physical, verbal, and sexual) against them
by police authorities upon arrest and during detention. In addition, the resolution of
their cases took a very long time and they were often persuaded by the judge,
 lawyer, and social worker to admit the crime in order to speed up the trial and enjoy
the suspended sentence.

5. Disabilities
 One out of five children aged 0-6 years old suffers from physical and mental
disabilities. 50% of these are acquired disabilities in hearing, vision, and movement.
These children largely come from poor families who are unable to provide even the
basic needs of their “normal” children. The government has not been able to
provide adequate special education for these children. In fact, those from rural
areas have not received even basic education. In addition, they face problems
ranging from discrimination to lack of access to adequate social services.
6. Armed Conflict
 In the 1990s, armed conflict in Mindanao disrupted the education and health care
services for half a million children.
 Children affected by armed conflict often face food shortage, lack of clean and safe
water, poor and unsanitary conditions in evacuation centers, disrupted schooling,
poor health care, and cases of chronic insecurity and trauma. Indeed, “all wars are
wars against children.”
7. Indigenous communities
 Children from indigenous/ethnic communities, estimated at 2.5 million, live in remote
areas, lack access to basic services, are subject to high malnutrition and mortality
rates, grow up in a poor environment, and are often caught in armed conflict. In
addition, many of these children are unregistered and undocumented.
 To address these conditions and situations of Children, the Philippines being a
signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN-CRC) is
committed to support the children’s vision of a world that is fit for them and work with
them to achieve their aspirations.

The Birth of CHILD 21

CHILD 21 is also known as the Philippine National Strategic Framework for Plan Development
for Children 2000 to 2025.
 a road map for the implementation of the UN-CRC. It provides a framework in all the life
stages of Filipino Children. It details the objectives and goals of its stage. These aim to
give direction to policy development and program planning for the progressive
implementation of the Philippine government’s commitment to the UN-CRC.

 It is envisioned that children from 6 to 17 years old should “participate in quality and relevant
education that is appropriate to the child’s development stage and evolving capacity and to
participate in the development process.”

 For children to participate, they will be “provided with basic life skills to function and survive
in the community and society and to overcome threats to well-being and develop as a
happy, competent and responsible adult.”
 Child 21 vision is that by 2025, every Filipino child will be
 born healthy and well, with an inherent right to life, endowed with human dignity;
 happy, loved and nurtured by a strong, stable and God-loving family;
 living in a peaceful, progressive, gender-fair and child-friendly society;
 growing safe in a healthy environment and ecology;
 free and protected by a responsive and enabling government;
 reaching her (his) full potential with the right opportunities and accessible resources;
 imbued with Filipino values steeped in her (his) indigenous cultural heritage;
 assertive of her (his) rights as well as those of others;
 actively participating in decision-making and governance, in harmony and in
solidarity with others, in sustaining the Filipino nation.

M3L3: Poverty
POVERTY
Definition
 It refers to a particular living condition primarily characterized by deprivation of basic
needs for a decent and meaningful existence. It is also the state of one who lacks a
usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. Poverty is
said to exist when people lack the means to satisfy their basic needs.
Types of Poverty
 Absolute Poverty
 It refers to the inability to sustain life without assistance from the government and/or
community. In underdeveloped countries, food is always listed as the measure of
determining the poverty line. With this, the poor are those without access to a
certain standard of living; therefore, they need assistance from the government or
the community.
 Relative Poverty
 It pertains to the inequality in income distribution that promotes social stratification
with some segments of the population, with the poor becoming very poor while a few
others are very rich. For example, conditions in the urbanized and industrialized
centers differ in contrast to the conditions in an agricultural region. Nevertheless,
problems of economic security and breakdown of social control crop up in these
areas at differing levels. The rural folks may still find self-sufficiency with the
informal “mutual aid” syndrome working through the extended family.
 Poverty line. It is the level of personal or family income below which one is classified as
poor according to government standards.
 The two main instruments used for drawing a poverty line to measure absolute poverty are
the consumption basket of the “representative poor” and the least-cost consumption basket
necessary to meet specified minimum needs. In each case, the major components of the
consumption basket is food.
 The representative consumption basket has the advantage of using the actual consumption
pattern of the poor, presumably reflecting their preferences.
 The least-cost consumption basket approach, on the other hand, attempts to meet the
minimum recommended dietary and other subsistence requirements at the lowest possible
cost. Its advantage is that it determines the income necessary to meet the minimum needs
of the individual. If the individual then chooses to spend the income on unnecessary items
or on food that is not cost-efficient, this decision reflects his preferences, not food
deprivation.
 Poverty Incidence. The fraction or percentage of people in households with income below
the poverty level as defined by the government agency. It is the proportion of people below
the poverty line to the total population. It is measured before means-tested aid is given
because it is used as a measure of how many people are in need of government help.
Because of poverty programs, only a fraction of people below the poverty level is actually
destitute. (National Statistics Office, NSO, 2012)

Characteristics/Composition of Poverty Incidence.

 1. Poverty Incidence by location i.e: informal settler’s area
 2. Poverty Incidence by the size of the family.
 The larger the family, the higher the incidence of poverty (6 or more
members). Low-income families tend to be large and large families tend to
be poor because of their high dependency ratios and lower capacity for
saving and investment.
 3. Poverty Incidence by Occupation:
 Incidence rates of poverty are found in the household head occupational
categories of “farmers, farm laborers, fishermen, loggers and related
workers,” manual workers and laborers not elsewhere classified ‘craftsmen
and production process” and the unemployed without work experience and
those household heads not in the labor force.
 4. Poverty Incidence by Main Source of Family Income
 Classified by the main source of family income, the highest poverty
incidence rates are found among those families relying mainly on farming,
fishing, forestry and those engaged in rural manufacturing and trading
activities also suffer high rates of poverty incidence.
Poverty Incidence and Access to Basic Social Services
 Access is defined as the relationship between the administrative allocation of
resources and the target groups of people who need them and for whom they are
intended. Operationally, access is measured in terms of allocation of resources to
specified target groups. The degree of access is seen in the number of people who
directly benefit from the sources of assistance, the amount of specific services
extended to the area itself, or both.
1. Food and Nutrition
 Rural areas have a lower adequacy level than urban areas. Shortage of food,
inadequate and unbalanced food intake, poor consumption habits, responsible for
malnutrition.
2. Health
 The generally accepted indicators of the health status of a population are life
expectancy, mortality, and morbidity.
 3. Education
 Educational level is an important factor in individual achievement as well as in
national development. Income level determines the educational level and the latter
determines the level of productivity and income. Two kinds of evidence show a
close relationship between poverty incidence and education. One is poverty
incidence by the educational levels of the household head and the other is the
variation in regional poverty incidence and literacy ratio.
4. Housing
 It is difficult to estimate housing needs in the Philippines because of the rural
concentration of the population and the questionable relevance of housing standards
to the rural population.
5. Water Supply and Sanitation
 Access of the population to safe water appears to be relatively even for most
regions, especially in rural areas. Most of the population not served by public water
systems use unsafe sources of water such as shallow wells, springs, and streams.
 Poverty in the Philippines is most acute and widespread in rural areas. The rural
poor tend to be self-employed, primarily in agriculture or casual labor. They are
almost landless. Most of them depend on subsistence farming and fishing for their
livelihood. In Northern Mindanao, for example, most rural poor people have limited
assets. Most are landless. Some work as tenant farmers or paid agricultural
workers. For people living in rural areas, the lack of social infrastructure and
services makes the effects of poverty even more acute.
 Much agriculture in our country is carried out at the subsistence level. Because of
the highly seasonal nature of agriculture, its vulnerability to price fluctuations and the
generally low prices offered for raw products, agriculture cannot by itself make a
substantial difference in levels of unemployment, underemployment, and poverty.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4 Ps ): A Poverty Reduction Strategy

 This program is a poverty reduction strategy that provides grants to extremely poor
households to improve their health and nutrition, as well as, the education of
children age 0-14. The Department of Social Welfare and Development has
launched the program in seven cities in Metro Manila.
 The 4Ps provides cash grants for at most five years, to the beneficiaries
 Php 6,000 a year of Php 500 per month per household with pregnant mothers for
health and nutrition expenses.
 Php 3,000 for one school year or 10 months of Php300/month per child for
educational expenses. A maximum of three (3) children per household allowed.
 A household with three qualified children with a pregnant mother shall have a
subsidy of Php1,400 per month or Php15,000 annually as long as they comply
with the conditionalities:
 Pregnant women must get pre and post-natal care, and be attended during childbirth
by a skilled/trained health professional.
 Parents or guardians must attend responsible parenthood sessions, mother’s
classes, and parent effectiveness seminars.
  Children 0 to 5 years old must receive regular preventive health check-ups and
vaccines.
 Children age 6 to 14 years old must enroll in elementary or high school attend at
least 85 percent of the time

M3L3: Illiteracy
ILLITERACY
 Illiteracy is the inability to meet a certain criterion of reading and writing skills. Illiteracy is
directly related to poverty and underdevelopment, circumstances that force millions of
children to leave school before they become fully literate and work in conditions where they
are easily exploited.
Causes of Illiteracy:
1. Undiagnosed learning disability i.e. dyslexia
2. No access to competent remedial programs
3. Incompetent school systems and incompetent teaching
4. The high mobility of our population that results in children being enrolled in numerous
different school systems that use different teaching methods and curriculums
Functional Literacy Defined
o Functional literacy refers to the ability of an individual to read, write, speak, or compute
in everyday life situations. A functionally literate adult may be able to fill out an
employment application form, write a check, follow written instructions, or read a
newspaper. When confronted with printed materials, adults without basic literacy skills
cannot function effectively.
Impact of illiteracy
o Illiteracy leads to low self-esteem, unemployment, poverty, and crime. Literacy
empowers people to better their lives and the lives of their families, and communities.
o Illiteracy is not only a disqualification from better-paid employment in offices or
factories. It is not only cultural deprivation, exclusion from national life. It is also a
political fact, a handicap for disadvantaged individuals and groups in the Third World.
o To be illiterate is to be helpless in a modern state run by way of complex laws and
regulations. The man who cannot read or write is at the mercy of those who can. He is
totally dependent on the sometimes questionable honesty and competence of lawyers
and officials. He cannot read signs or official announcements.
o If he wants a job, he can't look at the classified ads; he has to go round on foot and
hope he will stumble across something. If he is a farmer, he has to rely on other people
to tell him new seeds are available. He knows little of his rights, and even less so about
how to assert them. He is a sitting duck for exploitation and fraud. He may be able to
count his small change --but he can be cheated out of his inheritance.
o Illiteracy is a personal tragedy and a powerful force in preserving inequalities and
oppressions. Its extent in the modern world is one measure of the ground Third World
education still has to cover. Illiteracy, like other forms of educational disadvantage,
weighs heaviest on the groups who are already disadvantaged in other ways.
M3L3: Unemployment
UNEMPLOYMENT
Definition
 It refers to a situation in which persons desiring to work cannot find jobs.
 It also means involuntary idleness on the part of those who failed to find employment
or who have lost their latest jobs but are able to work and are looking for work.
UNDEREMPLOYMENT
Definition
 It pertains to a situation whereby a person works at something which is less than
that he is capable of.
Causes of Unemployment
1. Increased population causing an increased labor force that far exceeds the number of
jobs available
2. Automation in many industries that calls for less workers and makes certain job skills
obsolete
3. A recession that leads to reduced production and even close shops
4. No security of tenure for casual employees/workers making them vulnerable to lay-off
during a retrenchment since they are less skilled and less educated.
5. Seasonal demand for certain goods and services that cause inevitable lay-off of workers
at a certain period of the year.
Factors in the Educational System that Contribute to Unemployment
1. Philippine education and training institutions are plagued with problems such as
over-subscription of certain courses, particularly business courses, and under-
subscription in certain priority courses; low survival/graduation rate; and low
performance in licensure examinations;

2. The tendency of the industrial sector to be selective in their hiring practices, which
delimits the opportunities of most graduates in finding better careers that pay well;

3. The prevalent practice among graduates to proceed to graduate school after college
believing that no work is available anyway, which makes them candidates for the
pool of educated unemployed; and

4. Underutilization of career guidance counseling, resulting in students’ deprivation of

information regarding skills, courses or specialization required by industries, which
consequently leads them to take courses considered as over-subscribed.

 Unemployment has remained high in the Philippines, at almost twice the level of
neighboring countries, despite relatively fast employment growth in the past decade.
Employment growth was not sufficient to reduce unemployment because of rapid
population growth and increased labor force participation.
M3L3: Issues of Indigenous Communities
ISSUES OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
 The Philippine government has demonstrated a pattern of promoting economic
development goals at the expense of the human rights of indigenous cultural
communities and peoples. In particular, environmental damage and destruction
caused by the pursuit of economic development have risen to a level that violates
the rights to environment and self-determination of Indigenous Cultural Communities
(ICCs) and indigenous peoples (IPs). Because of their strong ties to the land, harm
to the environment is synonymous with harm to indigenous people, their cultural
communities, and their way of life.

Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines

 The Philippines is a mountainous archipelago of approximately 30 million hectares.
It comprises 7,100 islands grouped into three big islands: Luzon, Visayas, and
Mindanao. Indigenous peoples make up approximately 10-15 percent of the
population.
 Despite colonialism, the indigenous peoples retained ways of life that reflect age-old
environmental adaptations, emphasizing sustainability, coexistence, community
consensus, and collective effort. These are expressed as worldviews and as
indigenous economic, socio-cultural, and political practices. Central to indigenous
ways of life is the persistence of traditionally-owned lands and resources and, on
this basis, of subsistence-oriented hunting, gathering, agriculture, and handicrafts as
prevalent modes of livelihood. Surplus was sometimes produced but the exchange
of goods outside the community consisted mainly of forest products sought after by
inter-marine traders. In general, what was produced was consumed by the
producers themselves. Private ownership, in its common understanding, especially
of land, did not exist. Individual ownership of land was confined to irrigated rice
terraces constructed elaborately by some of the indigenous peoples in the
Cordillera. All other ancestral lands and all their resources are traditionally
considered community property, and the traditional leaders act as custodians.
 The dominant money economy and oppressive practices against indigenous people
have greatly affected them. The most glaring manifestation of this has been the
constant expropriation of ancestral lands by the government for commercial logging,
plantations, and mining concessions. Dislocation brought about by these intrusions
has altered or destroyed the traditional economic and social practices of many of the
indigenous groups. These practices have been called "development
aggression" because they lead to the loss of ancestral lands, dislocation of
communities, destruction of traditional ways of life, economic impoverishment, and
political marginalization.
 Although indigenous peoples are willing to try new market-oriented modes of
livelihood for their immediate benefit, they see that much of the changes are
imposed from above without their consent and participation, and are eroding their
traditional ways of life and destroying their resources. Indigenous resistance to such
impositions is often met with persecution and outright force, sometimes with token
concessions.
The Various Indigenous Groups

Cordillera (Northern Luzon)

  The Cordillera peoples, also collectively known as Igorot, refer to the assemblage of
indigenous groups living in the highlands, foothills, and river valleys of the Cordillera
mountain ranges of Northern Luzon. Tingguian, Isneg, and Northern Kalinga are
found in the watershed areas of the Abulag, Tineg, and Chico rivers. These groups
are largely swidden cultivators who depend on farming rice, root crops, and
vegetables. Along the slopes of Mount Data and nearby areas are
the Bontoc, Sagada, Ifugao, and Southern Kalinga. They are mainly wet-rice
cultivators who grow their crops both on irrigated terraces and swidden fields. The
Ibaloi and Kankanaey inhabit the southern region of the Cordillera and their
subsistence economy is based on wet and dry agriculture. In more recent years,
these groups have been integrated into the outside market economy with the growth
of commercial gardening of temperate vegetables.
 The following groups are found in the mountains, foothills, and lowlands of Cagayan,
Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino: Itawes
(Itawit), Malaweg, Yogad, Gaddang/Gad'ang, Kalinga-Isabela, Isinay, and Bugkalot
(Ilongot). All of them, with the exception of Ilongot, Ivatan, and Ga'dang, are in an
advanced state of assimilation into the national mainstream with substantial erosion
of indigenous identity except language.

 North, Central, and Southern Luzon

 The main indigenous groups in these predominantly Tagalog and Bicol territories
belong to the Negrito groups whose economies have depended on swidden
agriculture, hunting- gathering, fishing, wage labour and trade. The Negrito, 25
major groups of which have been identified, are mostly distinguished by their
Australoid physical features. They live in dispersed groups throughout the major
islands, usually in the less-accessible forested areas. Pre-historians suggest that
one migration stream (with groups now called Alta, Arta, Agta) settled in the northern
part of Luzon and moved down the eastern part, along the Sierra Madre and Pacific
coast down to the Bondoc and Bicol mountains. Another branch (with groups now
called Aete, Ayta, Atta, Ita, Ati, Dumagat, Sinauna) settled in western and southern
Luzon, with larger populations now found in the Zambales-Bataan mountains and
Southern Tagalog foothills, while others settled in Palawan (Batak), Panay, Negros
and northern Mindanao (Mamanwa).
 Visayas
 "Mangyan" is the collective term for indigenous groups in Mindoro, which are
usually clustered into the Northern Mangyan (Tadyawan, Alangan and Iraya) and
the Southern Mangyan (Buhid, Taobuid and Hanunuo). A small group
called Bangon is considered a branch of the Taobuid. Another small
group, Ratagnon in Mindoro's southernmost tip, is closely related to the Cuyonin of
Palawan. Generally, the Mangyans of Mindoro practice swidden agriculture,
combined with hunting, fishing, gathering, and trade.
 Several groups in Palawan may be considered as indigenous:
the Agutaynen, Tagbanwa (Kalamianen), Palaw'an, Molbog, Batak and Tau't batu.
The Cuyonin no longer consider themselves an indigenous group, having long been
assimilated into the mainstream culture. In some reports,
the Agutaynen, Tagbanwa and Kagayanen are deemed already fully assimilated,
although clearly some indigenous ways of life remain.

Mindanao
 o The spread of Islam in Mindanao-Sulu created a differentiation among its native
peoples between those who became Muslim (also called Moro) and those who did not
(now called Lumad). There are nine major Islamized ethnic groups in the Mindanao-Sulu
area
(the Maranaw, Maguindanao, Tausug, Yakan, Sama/Samal, Sangil, Iranun, Kalibugan a
nd Kalagan). The Lumad, or non-Moro indigenous peoples of Mindanao, are a complex
patchwork of indigenous groups. The Lumad stress that they are different from the
Moros and they do not recognize the Moros as being indigenous. Depending on how
groups are identified, the number of Lumad groups ranges from 15 to 21. To
simplify, Lumad groups may be clustered into (a) the Manobo cluster, (b) the Bagobo-
B'laan-T'boli-Tiruray cluster, (d) the Mandaya-Mansaka cluster, (e) the Subanen, and (f)
the Mamanwa. There is much inter-penetration among the groups, especially between
the Manobo, Bagobo and Mandaya. For the most part, the indigenous peoples in
Mindanao basically subsist through swidden and wet rice cultivation, hunting, fishing,
gathering and the trade in locally manufactured items.
Sama Badjao
 Scattered throughout the Sulu Archipelago of the Philippines live the Sama Badjao,
a people nobody wants. Badjao means "man of the seas." By tradition, the people
are sea nomads, traveling by boat from one island to the next in search of a fishing
harvest. But the Sama Badjao are known to other tribes living in the same area as
'palau' or 'lumaan,'both meaning "godforsaken."
 The origin of the Sama Badjao is not clear. The Sama originally inhabited the islands
and coastal areas between the island of Mindanao and the Sulu Islands. Evidence
suggests that they began to leave their homeland during the first millennium AD.
Most moved south and westward, establishing themselves along the main Sulu
Archipelago, the Cagayan Sulu Islands, and the eastern Borneo coast. Many believe
they came from either Sumatra or the South Sea Islands. Some think their migration
in the first millennium A.D. resulted from expanding Chinese trade. Originally, the
Sama Badjao may have been a land-based tribe pushed into the seas by population
pressures and by more dominant tribes. Historically, they held no land or other
property ashore, except for small burial islands. Through years of oppression, the
Sama Badjao have found solace on the seas.

 The Sama are a highly fragmented people with no overall political unity. Specific
Sama groups can be distinguished by dialect. However, most identify themselves
with a particular island or island cluster.

 The Central Sama of the Philippines lives on several islands in the Sulu Archipelago,
near the island of Borneo. Their language, Siasi Sama, is similar to Tausug and
other Sama languages. In general, the term Sama refers to a diverse group of
Sama-Bajau speaking peoples who are scattered from the central Philippines to the
eastern shore of Borneo, and throughout the Indonesian islands.

Their Source of Living

 The lives of the Central Sama revolve around fishing, seafaring, and trade, with
some farming along the coastal strips. Throughout much of Sulu and eastern Sabah,
copra (the meat of the coconut from which coconut oil is derived) is the major cash
 crop. Copra holdings are small, and few families own enough palms to support
themselves entirely from copra sales.

Their Beliefs
 All Central Sama are Shafiite Sunni Muslims. Those who are well versed in religious
matters, including the imams (religious leaders) and other mosque officials are called paki or
pakil. The paki preside over all major rites, act as religious counselors, and conduct minor
rites of thanksgiving.
 Friday prayers are performed in the parish mosque and are the climax of a weekly cycle of
daily prayers. An annual religious calendar includes Ramadan (the ninth month) in which all
Muslims fast.

M3 L4 While Task (Discussion)

Being “MAKATAO”
 Filipinos are a touching people. We have lots of love and are not afraid to show it.
We almost inevitably create human chains with our perennial akbay (putting an arm
around another shoulder), hawak (hold), and yakap (embrace).
 We are always reaching out, always seeking interconnection.
We love human interaction and company. We always surround ourselves with
people and we hover over them, too. An average Filipino would have and know at
least 300 relatives.
 We live bayanihan (mutual help); at play, we want a kalaro (playmate) more
than laruan (toy). When there are gatherings, our invitations are open and it is more
common even for guests to invite and bring in other guests. When we travel, we do
not want to be separated from our group. So what do we do when there is no more
space in a vehicle? Kalung-kalong! (Sit on one another). No one would leave the
group and wait for another vehicle with more space!

Family Orientation
 Filipinos possess a genuine and deep love for family which includes not simply
spouse and children, parents and siblings, but also grandparents, aunts, uncles,
cousins, godparents, and other ceremonial relatives.
 Therefore we call our friend's mother nanay or mommy; we call a friend's
sister ate (eldest sister), and so on. We even call strangers tita (aunt)
or tito (uncle), tatang (grandfather), etc.
 So extensive is our social openness and interrelations that we have specific title for
extended relations like hipag (sister-in-law), balae (child-in-law's
parents), inaanak (godchild), ninong/ninang (godparents) kinakapatid (godparent's
child), etc.
 To the Filipino, one’s family is the source of personal identity, the source of
emotional and mental support, and one’s commitment and responsibility.
 Concern for the family is manifested in the honor and respect given to parents and
elders, in the care given to children, the generosity towards kin in need, and in the
great sacrifices, one endures for the welfare of the family.
  This sense of family results in a feeling of belongingness and rootedness and in a
basic sense of security.
Pakikipagkapwa-Tao
 Filipinos have the profound 'ka' institution, loosely translated as "equal to the same
kind" as in kasama (of the same company), kaisa (of the same cause), kapanalig (of
the same belief), etc. In our social fiber, we treat other people as co-equals.
 We are social weavers. We always have a way to gather all parts so that they
become one. We place a lot of premium on pakikisama (getting along)
and pakikipagkapwa (relating). Two of the worst labels, walang
pakikipagkapwa (inability to relate), and walang pakikisama (inability to adjust) will
be avoided by the Filipino at almost any cost.
 Filipinos, because of their social "weaving" traditions, make for excellent team
workers.
 Filipinos have pakiramdam (deep feeling/discernment). We know how to feel what others
feel, sometimes even anticipate what they will feel. Being manhid (dense) is one of the worst
labels anyone could get and will therefore, avoid at all cost. We know when a guest is hungry
though we are assured of his/her being full.
 We can tell if people are lovers even if they are miles apart. We know if a person is
offended though he may purposely smile. We know because we feel. In
our pakikipagkapwa (relating), we get not only to wear another man's shoe but also his heart.