Iseah Jane A.

Rom GED0114

Summative Assessment No. 1 Section 57

Subsection 4

Colonial Mentality as a Problematic Traditional Ethical Principle in the Philippines

(Problem-Solving Essay)

Since the colonization by the Spanish and Americans, the Filipinos have thought inferior

of themselves. Filipinos have thus been brainwashed with the idea that their culture is inferior to

that of the previous colonists. It seems that until today, they still carry this colonial mentality. It

is probably one of the biggest flaws of the nation that is defined as the preference for all foreign

things over local ones. Colonial mentality is a problematic ethical principle in the Philippines as

a consequentialist action because it leads to the preference for foreign over local products, and

issues due to colorism regarding white over brown.

One problem of the colonial mentality is the preference for foreign products over local

ones. Filipinos like to favor these foreign products for them to look more ‘Western’ which for

them means superior to other people. (Filipiknow, 2022) Even when there are local brands with

the same quality and lower price, Filipinos prefer the ‘branded’ ones to brag about with their

friends and relatives. In a consequentialist context, some Filipinos do not care about exceeding

their budget to buy these foreign products just to reach the goal of looking rich, moving with the

trend, or feeling superior among others. For instance, some of them prefer luxury brands such as

Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, and others to bring to their gatherings, workplace, or to post on
social media. Whilst, other local brands can also provide the same quality to the people but it is

mostly disregarded because it is not foreign brand. It is encouraged to buy local products and

provide feedback online to prevent this from spreading through generations. A positive review

might influence other potential consumers to make a purchase by giving a brand's product or

service social legitimacy. (Lara, 2021) Hence, it will help to increase the country’s economy.

Another problem of colonial mentality is colorism regarding white-colored skin as

superior to brown-colored skin. Not embracing one’s own skin color can lead to different actions

that might potentially mold their mental thinking. Since a kid, Filipino children have been

exposed to thinking that ‘white is better’, ‘white is powerful’, and ‘white is intelligent’.

(Abrazaldo, 2023) Because of this, Filipinos want to date and have relationships with foreigners,

especially Filipino women. To put it into a consequentialist context, to have ‘good-looking’ or

‘Western’ offspring, Filipinos marry foreigners even without romantic feelings. As this behavior

has been passed on for generations, it is not easy to get rid of this immediately. According to the

research from Fordham University (2023), one solution should come from the parents of the

child. Since the perception of being white came from childhood, parents should be the ones

molding their mindset about these factors. Also, it should be taught in primary school that brown

is also as beautiful as white.

On the other hand, some of the advantages of having a colonial mentality that Filipinos

acquire are easily adapting to western culture, learning the universal English language since a

kid, and treating foreigners with the utmost respect. Colonial mentality is one of the reasons why

the Philippines is one of the top friendliest countries in the world. (Asia Society, 2023) These
advantages might help build the country’s reputation from other countries, but it can also lower it

by using this mentality for a wrong desire. Misuse of colonial mentality leads to the denigration

of oneself and one’s culture, and discrimination against fellow Filipinos who are not ‘Western

enough’. (Balbas, 2020) One example is the judgment in the strong Filipino accent when

speaking English. In a serious case, it can also affect mental health as setting ‘white’ as a beauty

standard, Filipinos developed different mental problems that include insecurity of one’s physical

appearance.

To sum it up, colonial mentality in a Philippine context become problematic in a sense

that Filipinos prefer imported good rather than local ones, and problems arise with colorism.

Supporting local products and the early support of child perspectives in this context can help

relieve the misuse of this self-defeating mentality in the country. Since it is traditionally passed

through decades, it can’t be removed from society immediately. Nevertheless, Filipinos should

be aware of the misuse of colonial mentality. Besides, spreading awareness is a way to divert the

perception of Filipinos to a more diverse and welcoming way to approach globalization.

References:

12 Annoying Attitudes of Filipinos We Need To Get Rid Of. (2022, March 02). Filipiknow.

https://filipiknow.net/negative-traits-of-filipinos/

Abrazaldo, G. A. (2023, May 20). Colorism, Colonial Mentality, and Dating and Relationships

for Filipino American Women [Master’s Thesis].

 https://research.library.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=1101&context=international_senior

Balbas, C. (2020, October 22). Colonial Mentality in the Filipino-/American Community. Asian

Mental Health Project. https://asianmentalhealthproject.com/2020/10/22/colonial-

mentality-in-the-filipino-american-community/

Lara, A. (2021, January 13). 5 Inexpensive Ways You Can Support Local Small Businesses.

Globe. https://www.globe.com.ph/go/shopping-lifestyle/article/5-inexpensive-ways-

support-local-small-businesses.html#gref

Philippines Deemed as One of the World's Friendliest Countries. (2023). Asia Society.

https://asiasociety.org/philippines/philippines-deemed-one-worlds-friendliest-countries