According to Rungduin (2015), said that if we conceptualize the social behavior of the Filipino

culture when it comes to the interaction or building of relationship with other people, the value of

so called ‘Utang na Loob” came out and float a top in the surface of the social behavior of Filipinos.

A cultural value that can be found in the social behavior of every Filipino is shared and present

among us, which means that every Filipino individual has the concept of Utang na Loob within

them and it is given importance in building social relationship. Utang na Loob (indebtedness or

debt of gratitude) is the idea where we should acknowledge and recognized the good deed that

have been done to us, but according to Deloso (2007) the concept of Utang na loob should be

understood that if we did something good to other people, that good deed is non – repayable.

However, Utang na loob become as a moral obligation to Filipino culture and it is considered as

a powerful one because it demand reciprocity in order to successfully execute our gratitude,

because of the moral obligation that came with Utang na loob it can influence the image of the

individual’s honour, responsibility, accountability and faithfulness. However, in spite of its heavy

moral obligation, it still one of the foundation of the interpersonal relationship of the Filipinos

because it strengthen the relationship by bonding them in the concept of Utang na loob. Example

when it comes to the relationship being established inside the home of a Filipino, it is common to

see the concept of Utang na loob to a child repaying his/her debt to her parents through his/her

action (e.g. doing chores, studying, giving back and taking care of his/her younger siblings). It

also present when it comes to building of friendship, Filipinos developed the sense of unity through

accumulation of Utang na loob over time because this became a testimony to them that they can

trust each other.

Even the President of the Philippines Rodrigo Roa Duterte believes that Utang na loob is part of

the virtue and values of being a Filipino in his speech of commemoration during Araw ng

Kagitingan. “To our troops, please know that the Filipino people are eternally indebted to you.

Utang na loob ‘yan, and you know gratitude is a trait it’s a virtue of every Filipino of a grateful
nation. I thank you for your enduring patriotism in the face of adversity, may we all be inspired by

our forebears’ shining example as we do our best to triumph against the ills of terrorism,

corruption, illegal drugs, and criminality that have hampered our country’s growth for so long,”

One of the negative aspect of Utang na loob is that only the doer of the good deed expected

he/she will be acknowledge or recognize and being praise because of doing something good

which eradicate the concept “Goodness” on those good deeds. It also made the construct of

Filipino culture more complex because the Utang na Loob was heavily influenced by

“Pakikiramdam” or having empathy to other people’s situation. According to Acemoglu and

Robinson (2012) that Utang na loob is considered as a good culture and virtue of values of the

Filipinos but because Utang na loob is heavily morally obligated and given importance in the

Filipino culture this allows Vote Buying to be rampant during elections in the Philippines. The

downside of Utang na loob when this virtue is having a direct interaction with the Politics is the

idea of reciprocity where Spanish priest have taught us.

The illustration of the understanding of Filipinos when it comes to Utang na loob can vary between

conditional and unconditional. Conditional means that there are expectation (hidden) that doing

something good to other people means that it will be either expected to repay or the doer of the

good deed is being constantly acknowledge by that. While other unconditional Utang na loob

means that doing something good but does not expect something. However when it comes to the

illustration of Utang na loob in Filipino culture we must put to mind that the nature of Utang na

loob is when you do a good deed to a specific person this good deed will be repaid by other

means. Through this, the Utang na loob became a motivation for that other person to also do a

good deed either conditional or unconditional.

According to Reyes (2015) even before the Spaniards came to the Philippines we already

possess the value of “Utang na loob”. The Filipino virtue when it comes to relationship – oriented
ethics is the result of the mixing of the virtue that we have before the colonization, during the

trading with other countries, animist value and the influence of Spaniards culture to us when they

successfully came back to the Philippines in 1565. Reyes also said that “Utang na loob” is based

solely on the foundational concepts that we have (loob and kapwa), Prospero Covar further

explained that in Filipino values in ethics we have loob (Will of the Filipino) and kapwa

(togetherness with other people). This conceptual foundation serve as a basis on Utang na loob

and at the same time hiya in which has a interrelationship with Utang na loob, when examining

the Filipino value that we have in our culture we can see that it all point to strengthening of human

relationship rather than individualistic growth that we can see in Western Countries.

The concept of Utang na loob can be seen during the Pre – colonization era in the Philippines,

the country was composed of different tribes and was being govern by chiefdoms, and this tribe

is also known as barangay that is being led by a Datu/Sultan. The main product that our ancestors

are producing were silk, cloth, pottery and metal in which they used to trade with other countries

such as China, Malaysia, Indonesia etc. in which, we trade products and culture because of the

so-called Utang na loob. Because of the strong bond that our ancestors have formed through the

concept of Utang na loob in trading business, Chinese traders influence us with their cuisine and

ceramic, while Malaysia and Indonesia influence us with their culture and religion.

Reyes also explained that long before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the culture of the

Filipino already have a grasp when it comes to Utang na loob, a little bit different in to what we

known what Utang na loob is but still influence the meaning of Utang na loob in the present time.

During the Pre – colonial period the concept of Utang na loob means that a person is faithful to

someone who is higher to them because of the demands of hierarchy of social classes and it is

expected to them to always keep in mind that they should always pay respect. Example when an

alipin was bought by a Maharlika o Maginoo they are expected that they will serve their masters

their whole life faithfully in exchange of the money that their masters used to buy them, in addition
this set up also shows the difference in terms of power and influence. The Maharlika also is

expected to always keep in mind that the power and authority that they have is all because of

Maginoo, with that reason the Maharlika always bow their heads and pay respects to the Maginoo.

This practices and relationship of the social classes that we have during the Pre – colonial period

showed that we already practicing Utang na loob because the conceptual foundation (loob and

kapwa) is already present in the culture of the Filipino ancestors which influences their ideas in

forming relationship to other social classes especially the Alipin. Another example of Filipino

ancestors having the sense of Utang na loob during the Pre – colonial period is the gift giving

between barrio/barangay. This must be a sign of peace and building of social relationship by

simply returning the good deed.

During the Spanish expedition of the Spaniards in Philippines during the 15th – 16th century, they

notice that we do not have concrete language and form of writing system in the Philippines and

in order to teach the Filipino native to learn to trust the Spaniards, they decided that it is better to

learn their language first. During this period, aside for not having any concrete language, writing

system and stabilize government. The Spaniards introduced to the Philippines a centralized

religious institution known as Catholicism. We know that during the 300+ years of Spanish

colonization to the Philippines, Catholicism begin to be rampant and spread except in southern

part of Mindanao where there is Islam.

The Spaniards know that it is a must that they learn the language of the Filipino native first before

passing their teaching of Catholicism and at the same time used the strategy of redduciones

where they compressed separated barrio/barangay, formed them in to one community (redducion

was used by the Spanish in order for them properly govern the Filipino native), using different

strategy to what the Spaniards use in their expedition in South America. Through adapting Filipino

language, the Spaniards influence the Filipino of their own concept of Utang na loob. The Spanish

missionaries believe that every individual must empathize the situation of other people and help
them without expecting any in return; this new idea of relationship of human being was heavily

influence from the belief of “Ybigin mo naman ang capoua mo tauo parang catauan mo” from the

Doctrina Christiana (the first book printed in the Philippines). The Catholicism that was introduce

by the Spanish missionaries was the main influencer in the ideal of Utang na loob that is part of

the Ten Commandments, in which part of the first teaching of the Spaniards to the Filipino native

in the Philippines. The book was translated in the language of the Filipino native, this strategy

was used to manipulate Filipino native in believing the Spaniards and the strategy that was used

by the Spaniards cause to enlarge the concept of Utang na loob in the Philippines. One of the

result of enlarging the culture of Utang na loob in the Filipino values is that the Filipino ancestors

believe in the idea of reciprocity of Utang na loob with God. The relationship with God was formed

through the reciprocity of Utang na Loob, the Filipino believe that when God answer the wish that

they are praying for it means that the help that God give must be reciprocated through the means

of helping others. With this idea about God granting prayer and helping those who seek helps

influenced the idea about reciprocity of Utang na loob as a form of duty to the one who have

receive a good deed.

The Spaniards also influence our idea of Utang na loob when it comes to Parent – Child

relationship. The Spanish missionaries teaches the Filipino native about Ten Commandments

and because of this the idea of paying back and obeying our parents become more constrict

compared to the culture of Western countries in Parent – Child relationship. This influence came

specifically in the teaching of “Sigue a tu padre y a tu madre. Honra a tu padre y a tu madre”. The

Spanish Priests taught us that as a child that has been given a chance to be in existence in this

world we must be forever grateful to our parents. It is also believe that nothing that a child can do

that can change or surpass what their parents have done to them thus having Utang na loob to

our parents is immeasurable. Because of this teaching and influence to us by the Spaniards priest

we developed the irrational fear of disobeying your parents because it will lead to “Wala ka utang
na loob” because the influence of the Spaniards says that a child will always have Utang na loob

to their parents.

One of the main influence and considered, as a powerful one is the influence of debt of Original

sin, a sin that we did not acquire but still within us because of the sin that is committed by our

Original parents. Because of this idea in the Christianity, the Spaniards priest use this to

manipulate the Filipinos in obeying their rules. In order to show gratitude to the savior and the

representative of God on Earth that God himself has given to us we must always live up to moral

standards impose by the Spaniard priest to the Filipinos that until now is still being believe at. This

debt of original sin was also used by the Spaniards priest collect money from the Filipinos, they

manipulate Filipinos in believing that the debt will be gone if the Filipinos pay for it.

Let us involved ourselves to the commerce, finances, universities and schools founded by the

Spaniards in the Philippines that was used in order for the Filipinos to think that they have Utang

na loob to the Spaniards by providing education, medicine, new culture and government to

Filipinos. One example for that is the Polo y Servicio, where young boy aged six up until sixty

years old men are forced to worked heavy jobs such as building of churches, roads, bridges and

schools. This was impose by the Spaniards to the Filipinos that we should be grateful to them

providing this thing to us even though the land, fund and the man power that they are using came

from the Filipinos. Another one is the Galleon Trade, the salary that the Filipinos was being given

should be a sign that they should have Utang na loob to the Spaniards because they are giving

the Filipinos a source of income to provide for their families. Even though the products that they

are selling was produced in our land, the products was harnessed by the Filipinos and the ship

was built by the Filipino people. Next is the Tributo, where the Spaniards again impose that the

leader of the tribes should be grateful that the land that they own is not being taken away by the

Spaniards. The Spaniards also suggested that the formed of showing their Utang na loob to the

Spaniards for not invading their land is through giving them Gold and other valuable materials.
Next, is the allowing of Spanish people to use their land for the farmers plant their products, the

mestiza/mestizo demand that they generosity must be compensated through paying even though

the land was really owned by the Filipinos and was just taken away from them by the Spanish

Government.

The universities and schools founded by the Dominicans, Jesuits and Spanish missionaries was

used in order to manipulate the mind of young people in believing that Filipinos must be grateful

for the Spanish Government. Education was also a privilege at the time of the Spanish period

because only the elite, illustrados and mestizo was allowed to go to school and universities

because some of the Prayle was scared that educating Filipinos will only lead to rebellion. The

Spanish education decree of 1863 by Queen Isabella II was also founded in order for the Spanish

government to benefit to the young minds of Filipino youth because after finishing tertiary

education the scholars is expected to serve the government of the Spain.

However, because of the culture of Filipino values that we have in the present time is the synthesis

of two traditions. The idea of Pre – colonial period and the idea of the teaching of the Spaniards

of Utang na loob was formed, and was resulted to “doing good deed to others while expecting

nothing in return but the receiver of the good deed is expected to always be reminded of the good

deed that was done to them by the doer”. The two separate tradition and culture in values in

relationship ethics (Southeast Asia and Spanish culture) is mixed and was use in more than 300

years, this concept of Filipino values in ethics is used by the past generations and made them

intelligible. The mixing of two separate traditions is heavily use and influence the culture, society

and the mindset of the Philippine. From barangay it was transform into community known as town,

the government of the Philippines was transform and the Spaniards was the first one to introduce

the concept of Local Government Unit because of the Teniente Del Barrio is leading the

town/community in the Philippines.

 The Utang na loob that is present in every individual Filipinos is considered as good

influence to our relationship with other human being because of its nature as a special virtue of

Filipino values in social relationship. However, the Utang na loob has a downside effect to us

Filipinos, back in the day where the late President Emilio Aguinaldo first waved the Philippine Flag

in Cavite as a sign of independence from the Spanish colonizers. But, little did we know the

Americans will manipulate the Filipinos and use the war against the Spaniards to awaken the

sense of Utang na loob inside the Filipino people in order for them to invade Philippines. The

Filipinos did the battle for the freedom of Philippines in the hand of Spanish Colonizers all alone,

but somehow the Americans manipulate the course of history and proclaim that there was a battle

between the Americans and Spaniards in the Manila bay. Where they weakened the ammunition

of the Spaniards but the truth is there was a deal between the Spain and America and it involves

the Philippine as an exchange from the Treaty of Peace that the Spain and United States have

agreed upon, the Treaty of Paris. Where they will end the Spain – US war in condition that the

US will pay 20,000,000 US dollars to Spain in exchange of Philippines as their property. The battle

in Manila Bay was used by the American Colonizers in order for the Filipino have the sense of

Utang na loob for Estados Unidos.

After successfully being free from the clasp of the Spanish colonizers and the knocking of the

American colonizers to invade the Philippines. Because of the sense of Utang na loob of Emilio

Aguinaldo felt to the Americans sealed the friendship with the Americans, making the Philippines

to be under the authority of the Americans. Filipinos heroes were plotted to betray each other,

Aguinaldo ordered the capture of the fellow Filipino heroes that is against the partnership of the

Philippines with the American colonizers. The independence day that was being held on July 4

was renamed as Filipino – American Friendship day that the Americans used to distort the

memories of the Filipinos when it comes to the day they shouted independence under the balcony

in Cavite.
The public educational system that was established by the Americans in the Philippines was

established for teaching the young Filipinos that Americans were there friends and at the same

time trained the Filipino youth as a citizen of an American colony. In addition to this public

education system in the Philippines, it must be put into consistency in order for the Americans to

take control on economic and political aspect of the Philippines. With the American taking control

and providing Philippines educational policy and medical facility, this was used to further urge the

sense of Utang na loob that we have to American colonizers to the point that there was division

between the Filipino people. One that supports the authority of the Americans, one that is against

the leadership of Americans and one that suggest that Americans must guide the Philippine

Government but the leadership must be a Filipino. With this, Commonwealth was established in

order for the American Government to take control of the Philippines and at the same time

established common grounds with the Philippines in terms of policy.

After the establishment of Commonwealth in Philippines by the US Government, the Japanese

forces pave its way because of the breakage of World War II. The Philippine was played to be a

battleground by the Americans and Japanese and the fallen war heroes was killed on their own

land. The Americans cowardly left along with General MacArthur after they were defeated in

Corregidor made to march from Corregidor to Bataan and at the same time weaken force of naval

powers of American because of Bombing of Pearl Harbor. After years of torment, the Americans

came back and represent themselves as a savior. Even though they used the work force of Filipino

to defeat the Japanese soldier and the Japanese Government could no longer provide the

necessary funds. The Americans used the after effect of war in the economy of the Philippines to

increase the sense of Utang na loob that the Filipino have from the Americans. The Philippine

Government has no means of rehabilitating the Philippines from its former glory and as result, the

Americans gave the Philippines fund but in exchange that the Americans are allowed to use the

natural resources of the Philippines and at the same time build Military campus here.
 The idea of Utang na loob in our Filipino values of social relationship ethics is the mixing

and blending of two different culture into one (Southeastern and Western culture). The ideas that

surround regarding our perception of Utang na loob has been mixed for more than 300 years that

resulted to being Utang na loob classified as one of special virtue in Filipino ethics that specialized

in forming relationship with other human being. Because of Utang na loob having a strong bond

with Catholicism in the Philippines it has affected the politics, household and the society because

it has been functioning as social norm and social responsibility. Now a days it is degrading for

someone that been remark as “walang utang na loob” because Utang na loob exist within every

Filipino because it has two conceptual foundation the loob and kapwa. It is also important we

Filipinos must know where should be the line between having Utang na loob and knowing

someone is doing something good to manipulate people. Having Utang na loob in our social

relationship ethics is good because it shows that we are building trust within each other but we

should always learn that Utang na loob can be used to exploit according what we learn from the

Spanish and Americans, simply we should rationalize the thought behind the good deed before

excepting that good deed.