MODULE 4 Philippine Modernity

OVERVIEW The rapid technological change is usually interrelated to modernization.

This is due to fact that modernization originated from Western countries during
the Industrial Revolution. As the time goes by the change become more drastic
in so many forms from technologies and machinery. Today globalization is
radically erasing that choice. To modernize has become a legal and moral
imperative for every society that seeks acceptance in the larger community of
nations. The Philippine need to update the trends of the world and so that the
economy will boom and the life of the people will elevated from lower to higher.
In this module, you will learned that modernization has a huge impact in
the life of Filipinos people and the way of life of people change not only explicit
but also implicit form of culture. Likewise you will learned the impact
modernization in the Philippines from culture and ways of life of the people from
the different aspect of life of the people. This lesson you will be acquitted the
recent popular culture that practice by different groups of people.
LEARNING At the end of the lesson you are expected to:
OBJECTIVES:  Discuss Philippine modernity.
 Describe the feature and characteristic of modern Philippines
 Explain the effects of modernity in the Philippines to people, society and
culture.

Drop it! Name It!

In this activity, students should be getting piece of paper wherein they will have
to write ONE WORD about this question:
What do you  What is the first word that comes in your mind when you hear the term
“MODERN”?
already know? In another sheet of paper, student should be writing their answer to another
question:
 What is the first word that comes into your mind when you hear the
phrase “PHILIPPINE MODERNITY”?

Philippine Modernity
Modernity is the term we use to refer to a mode of experiencing the world
as an environment of ceaseless change. The complex process that brings this
change about is called Modernization. Modernist is the term we apply to those
who thrive and make themselves at home in such a world, while Traditionalist
Let’s get to know refers to those who are intimidated by the new and derive comfort in nostalgic
recollections of the past.
more Modernity is defined as a condition of social existence that significantly
difference to all past form human experience while modernization refers to the
transitional process of moving from “traditional” or “primitive” communities to
modern societies.
Even without the presence of colonization and invasion, Filipinos’ way of
life can still be manipulated. This has been apparent as a result of today’s
modern living. Because of the great impact within the realms of modern
technology, people from every part of the world are highly connected from one
another. With just a click on the television, a browse on books and magazines,
or a click on the internet, a Filipino’s manners are at risk of being changed.
 One good example of the effects of modernization to a Pinoy’s manner is
the attitude of being liberated. Because of obsession for foreign beauty and
issues, many Filipinos seemed to be inclined to foreign values and way of living
and one of these is the concept of being aggressive and liberated. In the past, if
a woman and man hold each other’s hand, they should get married; but in
today’s reality, a man or woman can hold hands, kiss and hug with whomever
they want without the need for marriage. In the past, a woman should not let her
body be seen by other people; but now, even young Filipinos do the opposite
and are sometimes involved in disgracing pictures and videos. In the past, being
an unmarried pregnant woman is a huge humiliation; but now, it is just an
ordinary scenario.
These are only few modern practices of the Filipinos in terms in cultural
practices of the Filipinos because of global information that influence their
existence belief from traditional to modern way of life. However if we look the
deeper perspective in our culture there are so many practices that transform or
should I say evolve but others innovate some practices. So these new form of
culture will give a huge effect in the life of people and as we recognize and
understand their existence culture we will appreciate the diversity of cultural
practices of individual groups in the society.

Feature and Characteristic of Modernization Philippine Culture

1. Application of technology and mechanization:

This means in other words that the people give up their old ways of living,
old methods of agriculture and travelling. Previously, the majority of the people
in Philippines used to live in villages in old ways in “Araro” houses and they used
to cultivate their lands through ploughs and travel by means of bullock-carts.

Now this has been given up entirely as the people now live in well-built
houses, cultivate their fields through tractors and use other modern methods of
agriculture (chemical fertilizers or manure, good seeds, irrigation system and
harvesting through machines).

Now the ordinary people prefer to travel by means of buses and trains but
the more affluent section of the society i.e. the rich people prefer to travel by
super-fast trains and airplanes. This means in other words that the people are
using modern methods of technology and mechanization.

2. Industrialization:

Previously the people used to spin cloths through spindles and live in
traditional ways and use their old patterns of occupation and places of residence.
When the industrialization of a country takes places, the people give up their
traditional rural and agricultural economy. Its place is taken over by
industrialization. New factories and mills continue to grow daily and use latest
techniques.
3. Urbanization:

When the industrialization of a country takes place, then the new centres
of industries develop. Consequently, the people of villages particularly the
laborers migrate in large number to these new centres in the cities, e.g. Manila
with the hope that they will return to their villages after making enough money
but well their livelihood in the villages and agriculture cannot bear so much-
burden.
Moreover, it is very inconvenient to them to come and go daily from the
villages to the cities as there is much rush in buses and trains and the traveling
is very costly. So with the growing industrialization of the country, the people in
large number continue to migrate from the villages to cities and settle
permanently there. This in return causes many problems in the cities, housing,
and sanitation, improving methods of communication and acquiring more and
more lands for manifold purposes.

4. Rise in national and per capital Income:

The agricultural economy alone cannot increase the national wealth and
per capita income as it has to support the idle members of the society also.
Therefore in order to raise the national and per capita income, the old economy
based on agriculture has to be supplemented by industrial growth and its income
because by exporting the industrial goods the country can make huge profits.

5. Increase in Literacy:

Another prominent feature of modernization is that all-out efforts are made

by the Government and the society to wipe out illiteracy and strenuous efforts
are made not only to send every child to school but the adults is also persuaded
to learn three R’s.

This education does not remain limited only to arts, science and commerce
but also spreads to higher medical education, research, technology and crafts.
Thus the avenues of higher education are made available to every person in all
fields. So everybody runs after attaining higher education.

6. Political participation:

When the best possible opportunities are offered to every person to attain
higher education, the people become enlightened. Economic development and
equal distribution of wealth enables everybody to share sometime from the
pressing necessity of daily wants and devote it in political participation.

Every voter begins to read newspaper and learn something about politics.
The voter ultimately becomes enlightened and votes for that party which is likely
to solve economic problems and take the country to further heights unattained
so far.

Therefore the political participation is made possible in a democracy through

political parties, interest groups, and various other organizations. They influence
the government for the welfare of citizens and equal opportunities are made
available in services to everybody irrespective of caste, color, creed, religion,
sex or such other considerations.

7. Development of Mass-Media techniques:

The modernization brings in its wake development of mass-media

techniques. These mass-media techniques include newspapers, broadcasting,
postal facilities, movies, road, rail and air services, electricity, and T.V. Through
all these facilities, the citizens become enlightened and well-informed and these
in turn enable the citizens to serve the state in a better way.

8. Social Mobility:

When the modernization of a country begins to take place, then the people
go on migrating from the villages to cities in search of better amenities and jobs.
The role of village Serpent becomes insignificant and is replaced in the cities by
the role of the leaders of various political parties and the Unions. As the people
become conscious, so they rally round that leader, who is likely to deliver them
goods.

9. Cultivation of national identity:

When the modernization of any country takes place, then the people begin
to give up their narrow loyalties and parochial ‘Considerations of caste, color,
sex or creed. Their interests become identified with ‘he interests of the nation.

Modernization does not necessarily mean discarding all traditional values

and cultural or political heritage:

Modernization does not necessarily mean that the people may discard all
their traditional values or cultural and political heritage. For example, the
Spanish are traditionally conservative but still they have retained their old
institutions like kingship and House of Lords.

Effects of Modernity in the Philippines

Modernization has been a worldwide phenomenon and a profound change of
human civilizations since the 18th century. It includes not only the great change
and transformation from traditional to modern politics, economy, society and
culture, but also all human development and the rational protection of the natural
environment at present, and meanwhile cultural diversity and religions exist
across space and time. In this lesson you learned some effects of modernization
in the culture of Filipinos.

Religion
Religion often shaped civilizations' law, moral, ethics, social structure, art and
music etc. The general function of religion includes many aspects, such as to
confront and explain death, to relieve fears, to easy the stress, to promote social
homogeneity and solidarity, to provide identity and charity, and avoid to do bad
things, etc.
The Philippines proudly boasts to be the only Christian nation in Asia. More
than 86 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, 6 percent belong to various
nationalized Christian cults, and another 2 percent belong to well over 100
Protestant denominations. In addition to the Christian majority, there is a
vigorous 4 percent Muslim minority, concentrated on the southern islands of
Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan. Scattered in isolated mountainous regions, the
remaining 2 percent follow non-Western, indigenous beliefs and practices. The
Chinese minority, although statistically insignificant, has been culturally
influential in coloring Filipino Catholicism with many of the beliefs and practices
of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

Culture
The content of culture has changed also. For example, culture changed
from simple to complex, from traditional to modern etc. you will observe today
there are so many changes in the Philippine culture from 18th century to 21st
century. For instance the effect of modernization “Play” represents an integral
part of human society. It is basic to the initiation of social change. It is
instrumental in the process of development, and it ultimately reflects the
changes that have taken place during modernization. Today many young one
do not want to play the outdoor games because for them it is very tiring and
boring, unlike playing the video games and other mobiles like Mobile Legends,
Call of Duty and others which they find more enjoyable than playing outside.
This is an example of effect of modernization specially this very much visible
from the urban areas where people tend to use mobile games than outdoor
games. Other example that you could see the changes in culture is food,
fashion, language communication, and others.

Politics
Politics in the Philippines has traditionally been dominated by clans and
political bosses and patronage and is characterized by law makers that make
decisions based on fiscal incentives rather that beliefs and voters that make
choices based on personality rather than reasoned policies. Under the
traditional utang na loob system of patronage, or obligation earned through
favors, voters expect money or jobs in return for their political support. In many
cases politician’s performance was based on dole-outs not on programs or
policies. Philippine concepts about debt repayment and kinship responsibilities
plays a major role in how political networks are set up and run.
 The modernization effect on politics is even personalities are more
important than parties in Philippine politics. Movie stars and other celebrities
have enjoyed considerable success. In addition1, several prominent families
play a disproportionate role in politics. The support of the military and the
Catholic church are key to political survival and success in the Philippines.
Promises are generally not kept. Arroyo, for example, pledged to bring cheap
power to the poor as a campaign pledge and then doubled power rates after she
was elected. She also promised not to run for a second time but changed her
mind because she said God made her decide to run.
The Philippines is known for its rough-and-tumble political scene.
Politicians are routinely killed and sometimes they even do the do the killing
themselves. Every now and then it seems the entire country is on the verge of
collapse because of a coup attempt, People Power protest or impeachment
effort.

Economic
Since the Philippine becoming more expanded to the knowledge and
business transaction because of the influence of globalization and also the
modernization become more evident to many countries as a reflection of the
economic boom of the nation wealth. The effect of modernization in the
economic system in the Philippines is the system of economic applied is no
longer a traditional system of economic since then this only limited scope where
only crops only the source of income of the country, but the Philippines decided
to transform the system into Mixed economic system which with privately-owned
businesses regulated by government policy. It is considered a newly
industrialized economy and emerging market, which means it is changing from
an agricultural-based economy to one with more services and manufacturing.
Today the Philippines economy here is the 36th largest in the world and the 3rd
largest of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In 2019, its nominal gross domestic product (GDP) was $356 billion and
the GDP per capita was $3,280, as per the IMF. This country has a workforce of
64.8 million and an unemployment rate of 4.7%. According to the Philippines
Statistics.
The leading industry of the Philippines is the services sector which
contributes 55.9% of the GDP. Industry, although only providing 18.1% of
employment, contributes around 33.48% of the GDP. Agriculture only provides
9.49% of the GDP. The leading manufactured goods include: electronics
assembly, chemicals, food manufacturing, shipbuilding, textiles, fishing,
petroleum refinery, and business process outsourcing.

Let’s do and What you have read is a few things about the modernization in the
Philippines. Let’s do discover more about the modernization in the Philippines in
discover contextualize form. In this activity you learned to discover the things that change
because of modernization in your place and analyze the things change from
traditional to modern.
 Using the table below, put the function of culture from the different areas in
cultural practices, from primitive to modern cultural practices in your places. Your
gather data using observation instrument, make it more scientific and valid
responses.

Function Primitive Modern

Religion

Politics

Culture

Economics

Accomplished the Worksheet No.1 Philippine Modernization. The activity will

evaluate if you will understood the lesson.

How much you have The following criteria may be considered in checking the output:
1. Content of the answers
learned?
2. Relatedness of the example to the topic
3. Timeliness of the submission
4. Technicalities (spelling, punctuation mark etc...)

Summary One of the conventional for conceptualizing the development process is

that of the “transitional” society. Transitional may be viewed as a process or
series of consecutive stages by which society moves from the traditional to
modern. Because of this transition to modern ways, people are adopting this
new ways in able for them to suit in the society practice. A lot of this practice
have change and evolve because this modernization. The culture and practice
of the people have been affected maybe negatively or positively depending on
the perspective of viewed people understanding.
Modernization is a profound change of human civilizations since 18th
century which includes not only the great change and transformation from
traditional to modern politics, economy, society and culture, but also all human
development and the rational protection of the natural environment at present,
meanwhile religion, tradition and cultural diversity exit worldwide.
  He C. 1999. Second Modernization: Inspiration from Human Civilization
Process. Beijing: High Education Press.
 Aj G. (2013). Pop Culture and the Rise of Social Media in the Philippines.
Retrieved on http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/ronda2014/Culture-
Philippines.pdf on April 21, 2021.
Required  J. 1996. “The Future of the State.” Development and Change 27(2): 267–
Readings 
278.
FERNANDEZ. D, G. (2011). Philippine Popular Culture: Dimensions and
Directions the State of Research in Philippine Popular Culture. Vol. 29,
No. 1 (First Quarter 1981), pp. 26-44 (19 pages).
 Steger, Manfred B., Paul Battersby, and Joseph M. Siracusa, eds.
2014.The SAGE Handbook of Globalization. Two volumes. Thousand
Oaks: SAGE Publications.
 Zulueta, F. M. (2005). Sociology. Mandaluyong City: National Book
Store, Inc.
 http://en.modernization.ac.cn/document.action?docid=29939
 https://www.politicalsciencenotes.com/articles/9-most-important-
References characteristics-of-modernisation/362
 http://jar-u.weebly.com/features/the-modern-filipino
 Colonial Contractions: The Making of the Modern Philippines, 1565–
1946 | Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Asian History

Feedback
 Philippine Modernization

Direction: Among the feature and characteristic of modernization Philippine Culture is

mentioned, what do you think is effective modernization that give benefits to the Filipinos
people? Support your answer by citing real-life scenario. Present your answer in a most
creative way.