FILIPINOS ARE INDUSTRY

In Sobre La Indolencia De Los Filipinos a socio-political essay that was

written by José Rizal and published in La Solidaridad in 1890. He defends the

Filipinos by saying that they are by nature not indolent, because in fact, even before

the arrival of Spaniards, Filipinos have been engaged in economic activities such as

agriculture and trade. Indolence therefore has more deeply rooted causes such as

abuse and discrimination. Rizal says that an illness will worsen if the wrong

treatment is given. The same applies to indolence. People, however, should not lose

hope in fighting indolence. Even before the Spaniards arrived, Rizal argues, the early

Filipinos were already carrying out trade within provinces and with other neighboring

countries; they were also engaged in agriculture and mining; some natives even

spoke Spanish. All this disproves the notion that Filipinos are by nature indolent.

Rizal ends by asking what then would have caused Filipinos to forget their past.

Rizal enumerates several reasons that may have caused the Filipinos' cultural and

economic decadence. The frequent wars, insurrections, and invasions have brought

disorder to the communities. Chaos has been widespread, and destruction rampant.

Many Filipinos have also been sent abroad to fight wars for Spain or for expeditions.

Thus, the population has decreased in number. Due to forced labor, many men have

been sent to shipyards to construct vessels. Meanwhile, natives who have had

enough of abuse have gone to the mountains. As a result, the farms have been

neglected. The so-called indolence of Filipinos definitely has deeply rooted causes.

According to Rizal, Filipinos are not responsible for their misfortunes, as they

are not their own masters. The Spanish government has not encouraged labor and

trade, which ceased after the government treated the country's neighboring trade

partners with great suspicion. Trade has declined, furthermore, because of pirate
attacks and the many restrictions imposed by the government, which gives no aid for

crops and farmers. This and the abuse suffered under encomienderos have caused

many to abandon the fields. Businesses are monopolized by many government

officials, red tape and bribery operate on a wide scale, and rampant gambling is

tolerated by the government. This situation is compounded by the Church's wrong

doctrine which holds that the rich will not go to heaven, thus engendering a wrong

attitude toward work. There has also been discrimination in education against

natives. These are some of the main reasons that Rizal cites as causing the

deterioration of values among the Filipinos. According to him, all the causes of

indolence can be reduced to two factors. The first factor is the limited training and

education Filipino natives receive. Segregated from Spaniards, Filipinos do not

receive the same opportunities that are available to the foreigners. They are taught

to be inferior. The second factor is the lack of a national sentiment of unity among

them. Because Filipinos think they are inferior, they submit to the foreign culture and

do everything to imitate it. The solution, according to Rizal, would be education and

liberty.

With resourcefulness comes hard work. Filipinos are very determined and

persevering in accomplishing whatever they set their minds to. Filipinos over the

years have proven time and time again that they are a people with an industrious

attitude. On the other hand other nationality, assumed Filipinos were lazy because

they observed them sitting in their huts from noon until 3 p.m. They believe that

Filipinos should be working and not wasting their time. What other countries failed to

notice is that Filipinos awoke early (around 3 a.m.) and, even though it is still dark,

they are already farming and tilling the ground, while the Spaniards are still fast

asleep. Filipinos did this to avoid the scorching heat of the sun, which can literally
damage your skin and drain your reserves of energy during the noon hour. So, by

beginning work before dawn, most of the time, the tasks assigned to the farmers are

completed by 10 a.m., and they will simply rest in their huts during the scorching

heat of the sun. They would return to their fields by 3 p.m. to finish the remaining

work that needed to be done until 7 p.m. This is still present in the country’s

workforce particularly the farmers. Even with little support, technological weaknesses

and the country’s seasonal typhoons, the Filipino farmer still strives to earn their

daily meal.

Filipinos who work abroad are also hardworking because the majority of their

earnings go to their families as a form of support. These international workers are

extremely adaptable, dealing with difficult situations on their own with .Despite the

homesickness that every Overseas Filipino Worker feels, still, they prefer to work in

other country primarily because of higher pay abroad compared in the Philippines.

They are courageous, hardworking, and patient; we should admire them for their

contributions to the country’s growth. We Filipinos are hardworking in general,

especially when the work program is well-defined, the objectives are clear, the

timetable is established, and of course with an effective leadership and right

compensation. Some become indolent because they don’t know what to do, or

because of lack of opportunities where they can apply their talents and energies.

Being resourceful and hardworking is another one of the outstanding traits of

Filipinos. Despite the challenging circumstances and limited resources, they remain

committed in achieving their aims. Aside from being hard-working Filipinos are also

dedicated at all times. They are industrious in a sense that they are willing to do

anything for the sake of their family, to sustain their needs.

 Over the years, Filipinos have demonstrated that we are hardworking

individuals. Filipinos are diligent workers who pursue a variety of occupations in an

effort to provide a comfortable life and a good education for their offspring so they

can rise to a higher standard of living. It also demonstrates the Filipino people's

tenacity. We are aware that the Philippines is a frequent site for both natural and

man-made calamities. Some people believe that Filipinos have the highest cause for

depression. However, despite various forms of unrest, Filipinos can recover from any

tragedy and emerge stronger and better than before. In the midst of any kind of

catastrophe, Filipinos still manage to maintain a smile and hope that the following

morning will bring better things.

Together, Filipinos have shown the world that they are resilient to any

situation. This is something to be proud of. Another thing mentioned in the poem is

Filipino humility. Humility to Filipinos means learning to be humble in any situation.

The courage of the Filipinos also showed that although there were various nations

trying to conquer the country, they succeeded thanks to the great love and patriotism

of the Filipinos, and these powerful nations stood up to the country and also

conquered it. It was also mentioned in the poem Protect.

REFERENCE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sobre_la_indolencia_de_los_filipinos

Syed Hussein Alatas (2010). The Myth of the Lazy Native: A Study of the

Image of the Malays, Filipinos and Javanese from the 16th to the 20th
 Century and Its Function in the Ideology of Colonial Capitalism.

Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-27648-4.

https://www.outsourceaccelerator.com/articles/filipino-traits-and-values/