Superior or Inferior: Nothing is Better; Everything is just Different and That

is Okay
Je Ann Ester C. Dino

I. Introduction

“In the Philippines, racism is a prejudice that is present and yet most Filipinos are
ignorant that is currently in our society's system.” (Ramirez, 2018)

Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are the three major islands in the Philippines. The people
of Visayas and Mindanao, who live in the country's south, are the main subject of this case
study. Many people from those islands now live in Manila, the Philippines' capital. Being a
Bisaya in the capital, on the other hand, is not simple. Given that they came from other islands,
they would have a different dialect and accent than those who grew up in Manila. They had to
adapt to the different language because they were not used to it. They were made fun of, and
most people mocked their accent just because it differed from their own. In addition, they were
stereotyped as housemaids in movies, television shows, and radio shows. The Bisaya is always
dark-skinned and attempts to speak English or Tagalog with a comical Bisaya accent. They
were even treated as “low-class” for the way they speak and how they were represented by the
media. They are being discriminated against by the same race they belong to.

II. Objectives of the Case Study

Racism is an ongoing issue that has not been resolved for centuries. Whether intentional
or not, racism still scars people. All the hatred and discrimination have been going on for years.
Sometimes, violence even comes into the picture. Thus, this issue needs to be resolved.
Although this case study may not reach everyone in the world, the researcher still wants to
resolve or lessen the cases related to this issue. This case study aims to:
a. Discover the causes of racism toward the Bisaya population.
b. Find a solution to turn the Ethnocentric mindset into a Cultural Relativist mindset.
c. Spread awareness to ignorant people regarding this issue.

III. Presentation of the Case

Most people believe that racism occurs only when a member of one race discriminates
against members of another race. The reality, on the other hand, is rather different. Racism
occurs even when persons are of the same race. It happens even when no one notices. Racism
comes in many forms. They are oftentimes disguised as jokes, casual statements, and so on.
The worst part is that most individuals, who are aware of what is going on, turn a blind eye.
Also, some Bisaya people who experience these just laugh it off despite feeling bad and
downgraded.

From what the researcher has read so far, the main cause of this issue is ethnocentrism.
Filipinos were raised with subtle stereotypes; they were not taught to discriminate, they learned
it by example (Ramirez, 2018). As a result, most Filipinos do not notice discrimination taking
place on a daily basis. In the article Coping with the Bisaya Accent by Ethnic Groups
Philippines, the author interviewed a housewife living in Manila but was raised in Davao del
Norte. Her name is Lisa and she has been living in Manila for more than 30 years. When she
first moved to Manila, she said she would have left the city if not for her family. That is how hard
it was to adjust to the new environment; the traffic, pollution, and the new language. Whenever
she shops, she was often misunderstood and mocked by people because of her different
pronunciation. As a result, she felt like Bisaya is inferior to Tagalog.

Bisaya people are being treated as jokes and laughing stocks in the Philippines’ capital.
Moving and adjusting to a new place is difficult as it is. What made it harder, is the discrimination
they have to face just due to the difference between the accents and dialects. They always have
to be conscious because whenever they mispronounce a Tagalog word, people burst out
laughing. That is all because people think they are better than others. They think their accent,
language, belief, tradition, and such are better than others. The truth is nothing is better or
worse. They are all just different.

IV. Proposed Solutions and Recommendations

A form of racism masked as jokes and downgrading comments need to stop.

Discrimination against a group of people daily should be, at least, lessened. In addition, people
should not do anything to be treated right. Thus, these are some solutions the researcher came
up with:
a. Always be kind to one another.
b. People must embrace the fact that nothing is inferior or superior.
c. Diversity is beautiful; it should be normalized.
d. Do not judge other people with prejudices. Let’s educate ourselves.

V. References

a. Ethnic Groups Philippines Staff (2013). Coping with the Bisaya Accent. Ethnic

Groups of the Philippines.

http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/coping-with-the-bisaya-accent/

b. Ramirez (2018). The Racial Slur against Bisaya in the Light Of John’s Rawls’

Theory of Justice. 2348 – 537X

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342375595_The_Racial_Slur_against_

Bisaya_in_The_Light_Of_John_Rawls%27_theory_of_Justice