Module 4

Filipino Indigenous
Philosophy and Worldviews

MADE BY : ADOBO,ALVIN P. BSHM 1-BRAVO

Objectives

At the end of the module, students should be able to:

1. Identify the approaches to Filipino Philosophy;

2. Examine various native riddles, rituals, legends, epics,
etc. and determine
particular perceptions, experiences and worldviews that they
exhibit;
3. Appreciate Philippine indigenous philosophy and
worldviews; and
4. Develop a scholarly article or paper on Filipino
indigenous philosophy
GRAPH OF CONTENTS

Different
Principle

Filipino
Filipino Native
Traditions Philosoph Riddles
ies

NDIGENOUS
POEM OF
THE
PHILIPPINES
 According to Gripaldo (2014), the following approaches can be
observed: But Philippine indigenous philosophy and
worldviews are classified under the cultural approach
accordingly, they can be divided into the following categories:
• The traditional approach
• The cultural approach and the (FILIPINO)
• Nationality approach.

The cultural approach to Filipino philosophy is part of contemporary

philosophy,
the Philosophy of Culture. It is an attempt to view the philosophical
perspectives of a
community or a group of people, or even of a nation, from its folkways, folk
wisdom, and
suchlike. It is usually done hand in hand with anthropology, sociology, literary
studies,
psychology, and other human sciences. (Gripaldo, and Mercado, as cited by
Villanueva,
2006).
 Hart (2010) identifies seven principles
of these worldviews:

1. Knowledge is holistic, cyclic, and dependent

upon relationships and connections living and
non-living beings and entities
2. There are many truths,and these truths are
dependent upon individual experienc;
3. Everythings is alive;
4. All things are equal;
5. The land is sacred;
6. The relationship between people and the
spiritual world is important; and
7. Human beings are least important in the world.
 THE AMBAHAN: MANGYAN INDIGENOUS
POEM OF THE PHILIPPINES

THE AMBAHAN: MANGYAN INDIGENOUS POEM OF THE PHILIPPINES

compiled the ambahan vocabulary that serves as a valuable reference in

learning the archaic
language of the poetry which has many words not used in daily conversation
.
Postma defined the AMBAHAN as:

1. a set of poetic expressions

2. with a measured rhyme of seven-syllable lines
3. having rhyming end syllables
4. vocalized as a chant without a determined melody or too much melodic
variation
5. without the accompaniment of musical instruments
6. recited for the purpose of verbalizing in a metaphorical way certain
human situations or
characteristics
7. with the possible challenge of matching answer in dialogue fashion, and
8. in the presence of an interested audience of various size.
 THE AMBAHAN: MANGYAN INDIGENOUS
POEM OF THE PHILIPPINES

Minangyan Tagalog
No tagin duman diman Sa aking pag-iisip
inda kang nanaytayan itong aking katabi
sa kawayan tambangan sa kawayan naggaling
padiye manaikwan Hindi na masama
tangdayan humignupwan lantayan ay matahimik
unhunun sab arawman Aanhin pa mamaya
amindang sa Nagbangan ang kahoy sa Nagbangan
waliwali nug gamtan magkabilaan ang ugat
dapat bay una kunman Kahit na gano’n
dapat bay ibayaan pabayaan mo na lang
kang tangday alusiman aking unan na kahoy
paindong paugsadman Pabundok o pababa
kangdimanpagdalinan kanya ding tinitingnan
udsumangdansiginan walang magsasabing masama
apwan siwalodiman. Ang may-ari ay mabuti rin.
 WHAT IS “FILIPINO INDIGENOUS PHILOSOPHY?”

It is based on the shared experiences with

infusion,convergence,intertwining orintegration of older
generational traditions, values, and functions such as
“religious,moral,spiritual,social and ecological concerns”

First of all, what is the definition of a worldview?

“A worldview can pertain to an individual, group, or society. Overall,

aworldview is a set of beliefs and values that are honoured and withheld
by anumber of people. A worldview includes how the person or group
interactswith the world around them, including land, animals, and people.
Every personand society has a worldview. Many societies pass on their
worldview to theirchildren to ensure worldview continuity. As people
interact and learn from oneanother, it is not uncommon for them to acquire
the beliefs of otherworldviews. Worldviews evolve as people and societies
evolve”
The following filipino Philosophies are:

1.Kababaang loob– This philosophy shows how men are

naturally good, humility or lowness of the inner self is
with in each of everyone of us. It is perfectly inclined with
the quote “the more you lower yourself, the more high you
become”

2.Filipino time– A filipino bad habit which is

caused by human mentality. It is a bad attitude
where filipino use the time irresponsibly. In this
filipino bad habit, people are minutes or hours
late to the specified time of arrival.
3.Utang na loob– debt of gratitude or borrowed inner self. This is a
good philosophy where people return their deep debt in an other
manner in order to say thank you and show return of gratitude.
In filipino philosophy, bigay kaya is an application where parents or guardian will
demand money to the man who will marry their daughter, in order for them to
receive the return value of effort for raising their daughter. There are two main
concept for bigay kaya:

1.Bigay suso- is the sum of the money that the man will give to the person in
exchange for the use of her breast milk for raising their child.

2.Panghimuyat- is the sum of the money that the man will give to the person in
exchange for all “puyat” spend for raising their child.
The main reason of this filipino philosophy is relying to the
concept of “bahala na”. The word “bahala” came from the
root word “bathala” which means the supreme being and
the “bahala na” actually means they rely their
irresponsibility to the supreme being.

In addition there are many Gods to whom ancient Filipinos

hold up to some are:
1. Diyan Masalanta- God of love
2. Idinayale- God of Harvest
3. Lalahon-God of Agriculture
4. Balangaw- God of the Rainbow
5. Sidapa-God of Death
6. Magwayen- God of the Sea
7. Agni-God of fire
All people have a certain life experience and this life experience is
the
basis of their world-view. This world view in turn constitutes their
philosophy. As such, philosophy is none other than the
significance of the
world for man. This philosophy is his response to the “why” of
human
life…
Here are some of his examples:

Philosophy of work:
Nasa gawa, hindi sa salita” meaning, the measure is in the work
not
in the words.

Philosophy of life:
“Kung may hirap may ginhawa,” meaning, nature is cyclical and
comfort succeeds misery.
(Native Riddles)
Enriching Philippine Literature through Riddles or
“Bugtong” 

Riddles can be considered food for the brain and soul, but
Filipinos put the bar so high in making them that they’re
considered a league of their own. Early Filipinos were
almost able to perfect the art of  Filipino Ridle making, to
an extent that they have created their own form while
focusing on the objects of their normal day to day
transactions. What better way to explore a unique art but
by knowing its origins and simply experiencing it, that
which this paper luckily made for curious readers.
If you want some Filipino riddles with answers, this portion has five of
them all complete with translations.

1.  Nagtago si Pedro nakalabas ang ulo (Pedro hides but his head is still
exposed) - answer: Nail (Pako)

2.  Dalawang batong maitim, malayo ang nararating (Two black stones with
a far reach) - answer: Mata (Eyes)

3.  Itinapon mo na, bumabalik pa (Even if you throw it away, it still comes

back) - answer: Yoyo

4.  Narito na si Katoto, may dala-dalang kubo (Here is Katoto, carrying a

nipa-hut on his back) - answer: Pagong (Turtle)

5.  Nagsaing si Hudas, kinuha ang tubig at tinapon ang bigas (Judas cooked
the rice, took the water and threw the rice) - answer: Gata ng niyog
(Coconut Milk) 
Myths And Legends In The Philippines
• Bal Bal
According to myths, there live a scavenger-
monster with a predilection to dead human
bodies in Catanauan, Quezon. Also known
as maninilongamong among the natives, this
vampire-like monster snatches corpses from
graves, cemeteries and funerals. It has long
razor-sharp claws that enable it to easily
snatch its lifeless victims. It can even smell
cadavers from far away due to its sensitivity
to smell. They say that Bal Bals also emit a
scent so pungent it puts the living to sleep
while it takes the dead, eats the body and
replaces such with a banana trunk.
• Mangangatok

They say that when someone’s death is

impending, you will hear a knock and
once you open the door, three hooded
figures will appear before you – a young
woman and two elderly men. They call
them “Mangangatok” which means
those who knock. They are perceived as
those creatures that send someone to
their deaths much like the grim reaper.
Apparently, there is no way to keep
Mangangatoks at bay. Neither can they
be warded off, nor ignored. Once you
hear them knock, a member of your
family would die shortly.
• Bungisngis

Dubbed as the Filipino Cyclops, the

Bungisngis of Orion, Bataan is said to
less threatening than its Western
counterpart. Known for its unique laugh,
the one one-eyed monster got its name
from the Filipino word “ngisngis” which
means “to laugh.” However, the cheerier
the persona this creature has, the more
horrifying its looks would appear. Aside
from the sole eye dangling in the middle
of its forehead, it also has a huge upper
lip, humongous teeth and two long
tusks.
 5 Filipino Traditions

1. Competitive Karaoke

Having originated in Japan, this fun

pastime found itself on Philippine shores
very quickly. With karaoke studios
peppered across every municipality,
there’s always room for everyone’s
favourite sport: competitive singing!
Karaoke set-ups find themselves in
Filipino homes across the country,
always there to liven up every dinner
party or random occasion. You may even
encounter Karaoke kiosks around malls,
condos, or arcades.
2.Bayanihan
As a country that is prone to typhoons
and volcano eruptions, Filipinos have
seen their fair share of natural
calamities. Always resilient and light-
hearted, Philippine culture often
entails a bayanihan character, best
expressed during times of crisis.

Simply translated, it is the inclination

to help as a community, functioning
under the recognition of each other
as kapwa. Father of Filipino Psychology
(Pilipinolohiya), Virgilio Enriquez,
translates this as ‘shared identity’ akin
to equal respect of fellow beings. 
3.Fiestas

Having been colonised by Spain for more

than 300 years, a large number of Filipino
citizens identify as Christians. Most
provinces have a patron saint and celebrate
fiestas or festivals in their honour.

Some of the most famous festivals across

the country are the Sinulog of
Cebu, Dinagyang in Iloilo, and
the MassKara Festival in Bacolod (non-
denominational). 
4. Four-month Christmas

As most of the country is of the Christian

denomination, it doesn’t come as a shock that
Filipinos love the holiday season!
Christmas lights and decorations may go up
as early as September 1. Countdowns can
start as soon as the ber months roll in and for
many, so does gift shopping

. The ultimate culmination of familial

celebration in the Philippines may be
witnessed during December. Don't be
surprised if you're invited to more than a
couple of Christmas parties - be it among
friends, co-workers, immediate family, (not-
so-immediate) family, or even social clubs.
5. Filipinos love to eat. . . and
drink!

Most Philippine households enjoy family-

style meals and bonding often takes place
over a shared spread or the
occasional inuman (trans. 'drinking
session'). Filipinos love crowd gatherings
whether at the workplace or home. People
sitting outside their houses sharing a bottle
or two during the evenings is a regular sight
around the city or rural areas. 

Trivia: "tagay" is the oft-

used Pinoy equivalent for cheers!, though
you may also hear the call-out "kampay"
often, which is a localised form of the
Japanese "kanpai", meaning to 'empty the
glass'.
SQUAD LIST:

ALVIN P. ADOBO (Leader Leaderan)

JERALD B. MONTIPOLCA
MIKE A. SUMAYAN
REYROLDAN A. CADION
Jared Gariando
LIYAM JAMES