The Filipino Way

TOPIC 7
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the topic, students are expected to:
Differentiate Filipino values and Filipino traits.
Determine the strengths and weaknesses of
Filipino moral characters.
Apply more the positive implications of each values
and traits and lessen.
Appraise oneself and determine how to lessen the
influence of negative implications of Filipino
characters.
Filipino
Values
and Tra
its
 DIFFERENCE OF VALUES AND TRAITS
VALUES
Values are individual beliefs that
motivate people to act one way or
another. They serve as a guide for
human behavior.
TRAITS
Traits describe how individuals tend
to feel, think, and behave. They are
therefore summaries of an
individual's responses and behaviors.
 filipino VALUES
Filipino values are social constructs within
Filipino culture that define that which is socially
considered to be desirable. The Filipino value
system describes "the commonly shared and
traditionally established system of values
underlying Filipino behavior" within the context
of the larger Filipino cultural system.
 "pAKIKISAMA"
(sense of togetherness)
Pakikisama entails a genuine intrinsic
appreciation of togetherness.
Group harmony and unity are valued.
It refers to doing somebody a good deed without
asking for compensation (Agoncillo et al., 2010).
The reason why we do this is to avoid conflicts
with people.
According to De Guzman et al. 2017,
‘pakikisama’ is having and maintaining ‘good
public relations.’
 "Utang na loob"
(Debt or gratitude)
It is recognizing and returning the favor to that
person in the same measure who helps them in
times of need (Agoncillo et al., 2010).
'Utang na loob’ may not be good if the person is
forced to do something even against his/ her will
or against the law just to pay the debt of
gratitude.
"HiyA" or "kahihiyan"
(sense of shame)
‘Hiya’ may be observed to Filipinos in accepting
the food that is offered to them.
They also feel ‘hiya’ in approaching higher
authorities like a school principal, teachers/
professors, deans, and executives. They will look
for someone whom they think has the courage to
approach higher authorities (Arcega et al., 2018).
On the other hand, ‘kahihiyan’ may be observed
in Filipino families. They try to avoid doing things
that may dishonor their family’s name and
reputation.
 "AMOR PROPIO"
(eGO OR SELF ESTEEM)
It is also derived from the concept of ‘face' just
like hiya.
Characterized as the high degree of sensitivity
that makes a person intolerant to criticism and
causes him to have an easily wounded pride
It comes from the person's tendency to protect
his dignity and honor.
 filipino TRAITS
A trait is a distinguishing feature or character of
a person or a group of people (Agoncillo et al.,
2010). They serve as summaries of a person's
reactions and actions.
 hOSPITALITY
Keeping the strangers feel warm and welcome in
every Filipino household.
Filipinos are known by other nations for this trait
because they try to welcome their guests. It is
not only applied to foreigners but it also applies
to everybody.
This trait, however, makes Filipinos prone to
being abused or maltreated (De Guzman et al.,
2017).
 close family ties
Family is the unit of society and consists, at least
in very recent times, of the parent, grandparents,
and children (Agoncillo et al., 2010).
Filipinos are known for having strong and close
family ties. They place high regard and put
importance on their family before anything else.
They work all day and do all they can to feed and
provide for their family.
On the other hand, this Filipino trait may not be
good sometimes if daughters and sons who have
their own families still live under their parents’
custody.
 Respect for the
elders
They obey the elderly and consider their
suggestions in major life decisions like choosing
a course in college, marriage, burial, changes of
residents, and others.
Saying po and opo, as well as mano po, are
taught to children as a sign of respect to elders.
When excessive, nonetheless, respect to elders
make one dependent or irrationally obedient to
parents or elders (De Guzman et al. 2017).
Filipino social values
These Filipino social values are important to
maintain harmony in Filipino relationships in
social institutions such as family, schools, and
community.
The ‘smooth interpersonal relationship,’ together
with Filipino ‘pakikipagkapwa-tao,’ has been
deemed as a central core of essential cultural
traits that form and define an almost stereotypic
Filipino character and moral behavior (De
Guzman et al. 2017).
FILIPINO MORAL CHARACTER:
STRENGTHS AND ROOTS
 Strength
Filipino s of
Characte
r
 Pakikipagkapwa-Tao
Filipinos - are open to others and feel one with others regard others with dignity and
respect deal with them as fellow human beings.
The basic sense of justice and fairness
Concern for others.
Ability to empathize with others
Helpfulness and generosity in times of need (pakikiramay); the practice of Bayanihan
or mutual assistance, and Filipino hospitality.
Pakikipagkapwa-tao is a foundation for unity as well as a sense of social justice.
 Family Orientation
Source of personal identity, emotional and material support, and one’s main
commitment and responsibility honor and respect are given to parents and elders;
care given to the children; the generosity towards kin in need, and in great sacrifices,
one endures for the welfare of the family.
Sense of family results in a feeling of belongingness and rootedness in a basic sense
of security.
 Joy and Humor
Filipinos have a cheerful and fun-loving approach to life and its ups and downs. -
Laughing at ourselves and the mess we are in is an important coping mechanism.
Playful, sometimes, disrespectful, we laugh at those we love and at those we hate and
we make jokes about our good fortune and bad.
It is manifested in the Filipino’s love for socials and celebrations, to laugh even in the
most trying of times.
The result is a certain emotional balance, optimism, a healthy disrespect for power
and office and the capacity to survive.
 Flexibility, Adaptability, and Creativity
We can adjust and adapt to circumstances and the surrounding environment, both
physical and social; adjusts to whatever happens even in unplanned or anticipated
events.
We possess a tolerance for ambiguity that enables us to remain unfazed by
uncertainty or lack of information.
Creative, resourceful, quick learners; can improvise and make use of whatever is at
hand in order to create and produce; accepts change; adapts to life in any part of the
world, in the ability to make new things out of old scraps,
The result is productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship, equanimity, and survival.
 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
We are willing to take the risks with jobs abroad and, while there, to work at two or
three jobs.
The result are productivity, entrepreneurship, and survival despite poverty.
 Religiosity
Filipinos have deep faith in God.
Our innate religiosity enables us to comprehend and genuinely accept reality in the
context of God’s will and plan.
Religious expressions are very tangible and expressed every day; we relate to God like
a human being – threaten, thank, ask forgiveness, appease by pledges.
Tragedy and bad fortune are accepted and some optimism characterizes even the
poorest lives.
related to bahala na which may be considered positively as a reservoir of psychic
energy, a psychological prop on which we can lean during hard times.
This pampalakas ng loob allows us to act despite uncertainty.
 faith
Our faith and daring were manifest at EDSA and other times in our history; seen in the
capacity to accept failure and defeat.
We recognize forces external to ourselves as contributing to how events in our lives
turn out.
The results of the Filipino faith are courage, daring optimism, inner peace, as well as
the capacity to genuinely accept tragedy and death
 Ability to Survive
Filipinos make do with what is available in the environment.
Basic optimism, flexibility and adaptability, hard work, and deep faith in God.
It is manifested in the millions of Filipinos who bravely live through the harshest
economic and social circumstances. What we might be able to do under better
circumstances?
Roots of
Filipino
Characte
r
 Family and Home
Environment
Childbearing practices, family relations, and
family attitudes and orientation are the main
components of the home environment.
In the indulgent atmosphere of the Filipino
home, rigid standards of behavior or
performance are not imposed, leading to a lack
of discipline. Attempts to maintain discipline
come in the form of many "no's" and "don'ts" and
a system of criticism to keep children in line.
Social Environment
The main components of the social environment
are social structures and social systems such as
interpersonal religious and community
interaction. The social environment of the
Filipinos is characterized by a feudal structure
with great gaps between the rich minority and
the poor majority. These gaps are not merely
economic but cultural as well, with the elite being
highly westernized and alienated from the
masses. This feudal structure develops
dependence and passivity.
 Culture and
Language
Much has been written about Filipino cultural
values. Such characteristics such as warmth and
personal orientation, devotion to family, and a
sense of joy and humor are part of our culture
and are reinforced by all socializing forces such
as the family, school, and peer group.
Filipino culture rewards such traits and
corresponding behavioral patterns develop
because they make one more likable and enable
life to proceed more easily.
 Religion
Religion is the root of Filipino optimism and its
capacity to accept life's hardships. However,
religion also instills in the Filipino attitudes of
resignation and a pre-occupation with the
afterlife. We become vulnerable also to being
victimized by opportunism, oppression,
exploitation, and superstition.
Educational System
Aside from the problems inherent in the use of a
foreign language in our educational system, the
educational system leads to other problems for
us, as a person. The lack of suitable local
textbooks and dependence on foreign textbooks,
particularly at the higher school levels, force
Filipino students as well as their teachers to use
school materials that are irrelevant to the
Philippine setting. From this comes a mindset
that things learned in school are not related to
real life.
 History
We are the product of our colonial history, which
is regarded by many as the culprit behind our
lack of nationalism and our colonial mentality.
Colonialism developed a mindset in the Filipinos
that encouraged us to think of the colonial power
as superior and more powerful. As second-class
citizens beneath the Spanish and then the
Americans, we developed a dependence on
foreign powers that makes us believe we are not
responsible for our country's fate.
 Economic
Environment
Many Filipino traits are rooted in the poverty and
hard life that is the lot of most Filipinos. Our
difficulties drive us to take risks, impel us to work
very hard, and develop in us the ability to survive.
Poverty, however, has also become an excuse for
graft and corruption, particularly among the
lower rungs of the bureaucracy. Unless things
get too difficult, passivity sets in.
Political Environment
The Philippine political environment is
characterized by a centralization of power.
Political power and authority are concentrated in
the hands of the elite and the participation of
most Filipinos often is limited to voting in
elections.
The fact that political power is still very much
concentrated in the hands of a few may lead to
passivity. The inefficiency of government
structures and systems also leads to a lack of
integrity and accountability in our public
servants.
 Mass Media
Mass media reinforces our colonial mentality.
Advertisements using Caucasian models and
emphasizing a product's similarity with imported
brands are part of our daily lives.
The tendency of media to produce escapist
movies, soap operas, comics, etc., feed the
Filipino's passivity. Rather than confront our
poverty and oppression, we fantasize instead.
The propensity to use flashy sets, designer
clothes, superstars, and other bongga features
reinforce porma.
Leadership and Role
Models
Filipinos look up to their leaders as role models.
Political leaders are the main models, but all
other leaders serve as role models as well. Thus,
when our leaders violate the law or show
themselves to be self-serving and driven by
personal interest--when there is a lack of public
accountability, there is a negative impact on the
Filipino.
the end