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W H A T   I S   A N   E D U C A T E D   F I L I P I N O ?   - - -   B y Francisco Benitez
.What is an educated Filipino and what qualities should distinguish him today?
The conception of education and of what an educatedman is varies in
response to fundamental changes in the detailsand aims of society. In our
country and during this transition stagein our national life, what are the qualities which
an educated manshould possess?G r e a t c h a n g e s   h a v e   t a k e n   p l a c e   i n
t h e   n a t u r e   o f   o u r   social life during the last forty years. The contact with
mericansa n d   t h e i r   c i v i l i ! a t i o n   h a s   m o d i f i e d   m a n y   o f   o u r   o w n  
s o c i a l customs, traditions, and practices, some for the worse and manyfor the "etter.
The means of communication have improved and therefore "etter understanding
e#ists among the different
sectionso f   o u r   c o u n t r y .   $ e l i g i o u s   f r e e d o m   h a s   d e v e l o p e d   r e l i g i o u s tolera
nce in our people. The growth of pu"lic schools and
thee s t a " l i s h m e n t   o f   d e m o c r a t i c   i n s t i t u t i o n s   h a v e   d e v e l o p e d   o u r   nationa
l consciousness "oth in strength and in solidarity. With thisgrowth in national
consciousness and national spirit among our people, we witness the
corresponding rise of a new conception of e d u c a t i o n   %   t h e t r a i n i n g   o f   t h e
individual for the duties andprivileges of citi!
e n s h i p ,   n o t   o n l y   f o r   h i s   o w n   h a p p i n e s s   a n d efficiency "ut also for
national service and welfare. In the olddays, education was a matter of private
concern& now it is a pu"licfunction, and the state not only has the duty "ut it has the
right aswell to educate every mem"er of the community % the old as wellas the young,
women as well as men % not only for the good of  the individual "ut also for the
self%preservation and protection of t h e ' t a t e   i t s e l f .   ( u r m o d e r n   p u " l i c s c h o o l
system
has "eene s t a " l i s h e d   a s   a   s a f e g u a r d   a g a i n s t   t h e   s h o r t c o m i n g s   a
n d dangers of a democratic government and democratic institutions.I n t h e   l i g h t
o f   s o c i a l c h a n g e s ,   w e c o m e a g a i n t o   t h e question) What qualities should
distinguish the educated Filipinoof today? I venture to suggest that the educated
Filipino shouldfirst "e distinguished "y the power to do. The (riental e#cels
inreflective thinking& he is a philosopher. The (ccidental is the doer&he manages
things, men and affairs. The Filipino of today needsmore of his power to translate
reflection into action. I "elieve thatwe are coming more and more to the conviction
that no Filipinohas the right to "e considered educated unless he is
preparedand ready to take an active and useful part in the work, life,
andprogress of our country as well as in the progress of the world. T h e
p o w e r t o   d o e m " r a c e s   t h e a " i l i t y   t o   p r o d u c e   e n o u g h t o support oneself
and to contri"ute to the economic development of the *hilippines.+ n d o u " t e d l y , a
m a n m a y " e , a n d o f t e n i s , a n e f f i c i e n t producer of economic goods and at the
same time he may not "eeducated. ut should we consider a man who is utterly una"le
tos u p p o r t   h i m s e l f   a n d i s   a n e c o n o m i c   " u r d e n t o   t h e s o c i e t y   i n which he
lives as educated merely "ecause he possesses thesuperficial graces of
culture? I hope that no one will understandme as saying that, the only sign of
economic efficiency is thea"ility to produce material goods, for useful social
participationmay take the form of any of the valua"le services rendered
tos o c i e t y
trough such institutions as the home, the school, thechurch and
t h e   g o v e r n m e n t .   T h e   m o t h e r ,   f o r   e # a m p l e ,   w h o prepares wholesome meals,
takes good care of her children andtrains them in morals and right conduct at home,
renders efficientservice to the country as well as the statesman or the captain
of industry.I would not make the power to do the final and only test of the educated
Filipino& "ut I "elieve that in our present situation,
iti s   f u n d a m e n t a l   a n d   " a s i c .   T h e   e d u c a t e d   F i l i p i n o ,   i n   t h e   t h i r d p l a c e ,  
m u s t   h a v e   i n g r a i n e d i n   h i s s p e e c h a n d   c o n d u c t   t h o s e elements that are
everywhere recogni!ed as accompaniments of culture and morality& so that,
possessing the capacity for self %e n t e r t a i n m e n t a n d s t u d y , h e m a y n o t
" e a t t h e m e r c y o f t h e pleasure of the senses only or a "urden to himself when
alone.T h e r e   a r e ,   t h e n ,   a t   l e a s t   t h r e e   c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s   w h i c h   I "elieve to "e
the evidence of the educated Filipino %
the o!er to"o# to s$ort hi%se&' an" contri($te to the !ea&th o'
o$r eo&e) ac*$aintance !ith the !or&"+s ro,ress# esecia&&y!ith
that o' his race# eo&e# an" the co%%$nity# to,ether !
i t h   & o  e   o '   o $ r ( e s t   i " e a & s a n "   t r a " i t i o n s )   a n " r e ' i n e " %anners an"
%ora& con"$ct as !e&& as the o!er o' ,ro!th.

 
W h a t   i s   a n   E " $ c a t e "   F i & i  i n o ?   /   F r a n c i s c o Benitez
For more than decades now, our constant
contactw i t h   t h e    m e r i c a n s   t r a n s f o r m e d   u s   a n d   l e d   u s   t o   t h e evol
ution of our pu"lic schools and democratic
institutionsw h i c h   t h e n ,   i n   t u r n ,   d e v e l o p e d   i n   u s   o u r   n a t i
o n a l consciousness in strength and in solidarity. It gave rise to anew concept of
education which is deemed as the training of an individual for the duties and
privileges of a citi!en notonly for his own happiness and efficiency, "ut also for
hiscontri"ution to the national sphere at large. s the 'tate-s primary
responsi"ility is to provide for the education of everymem"er of the society, it follows
that an educated
Filipinom u s t   p o s s e s s   t h r e e   c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s   a s   e n u m e r a t e d   " y F r a n c i s c o  
 e n i t e ! i n   h i s e s s a y  W h a t i s   a n   / d u c a t e d Filipino?0.
First is the o!er to "o
 which em"races not onlythe a"ility of the Filipinos to produce material goods "ut
alsot h e   v a l u a " l e   s e r v i c e s   r e n d e r e d   t o   s o c i e t y   t h r o u g h institu
tions such as the home, the school, the church andthe government. This
is "est e#emplified "y a mother whotakes good care of her family.
Secon"# a Fi&iino is one !ho is "istin,$ishe"not on&y (y one0s 1no!
&e",e o' the !or&"0s ro,ress($t a&so an" %ore i%ortant&y (y one0s
$n"erstan"in,o' one0s race# eo&e an" co$ntry
 1 the ideals and moralsthat are cherished herein. 2ow can a Filipino claim to
callhimself educated when he has conquered the world yet heis ignorant of his own
culture and origin?
Last&y# the e"$cate" Fi&iino is one !ho is "ee-roote" in one0s seech an"
con"$ct.
 (ne must put intop r a c t i c e   t h o s e   e l e m e n t s   r e c o g n i !
ed as concomitant toc u l t u r e   a n d   m o r a l i t y .   2 e n c e ,   o n e   m a k e s   u s e  
o f   s u c h elements for one-s growth as an individual and for a nation-sdevelopment as
a whole