Handout for GEC 008 (Ethics)
Lesson 1: Marriage
Marriage – a special contract of permanent union
between a man and a woman entered into in
accordance with law for the establishment of
conjugal and family life (Family Code of the
Philippines, Executive Order No. 209) Legal
Requirements of Marriage:
1. Legal capacity of the contracting parties, a
male and a female. (of legal age, of different
sexes, and in terms of consent)
2. Consent of the parties freely given in the
presence of a solemnizing officer. (no fraud,
force, intimidation, undue influence, or
deceit)
Purposes of Marriage
and ecclesiastical):
1. For procreation – for bringing children into
the world and rearing them. (go forth and
multiply)
2. For companionship and mutual help – when
the parties past the age of procreation they
still enter into marriage.
Conjugal Love – a belief in the union of a man and
a woman growing so spiritually close that they
become like one for eternity. This requires inviolable
fidelity.
Indissolubility of Marriage – Under Articles 220
and 221 of the Civil Code of the Philippines
(Republic Act No. 386), “in case of doubt, all
presumptions favor the solidarity of the family.” This
is also enshrined in the Constitution (Article XV).
Marriage is exclusive (to one partner) and
irrevocable (indissoluble).
Rights and Obligations of husband and Wife
(Civil Code of the Philippines, Articles 109-112,
115):
Article 109 – the husband and wife are obliged to
live together, observe mutual respect and fidelity,
and render mutual help and support.
Prepared by: Mr. Justin Paul D. Gallano
Faculty Member – College of Arts, T.I.P. Manila
FINALS
Article 110 – husband shall fix the residence of the
family.
Article 111 – husband shall be responsible for the
support of wife and the rest of the family.
Article 112 – husband is the administrator of the
conjugal property, unless there is a stipulation in the
marriage settlements conferring administration upon
the wife.
Article 115 – wife manages the affairs of the
household.
Legal Separation – a separation sanctioned by court
order, meaning the spouses may legally live apart,
but are still legally married.
(both legal Adultery – sexual relations between a married
person and someone other than his or her spouse. In
the Philippines, this is referring to the offense of a
married woman. For a married man, the offense is
called concubinage.
Divorce – the dissolution of marriage.
Types of Divorce:
1. Fault – a judicial termination of marriage
based on marital misconduct or other
statutory cause.
2. No-fault – neither party is required to prove
fault, just have to prove irretrievable
breakdown of marriage, or irreconcilable
differences.
Annulment – a declaration that a marriage is void.
Lesson 2: Love of Country
County – a geographical region, often a political
division or the territory of a sovereign state.
Government – the organization, machinery, or
agency by which a body of people is administered
or regulated.
State – a territorial unit with clearly defined and
internationally accepted boundaries, having an
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Handout for GEC 008 (Ethics) FINALS
independent existence and being responsible for its 5. Be ready to render active service to the
own legal system. country – personal services or military
services.
Types of Government:
Kanya-kanya Syndrome – selfish, self-serving
1. Communism – the state plans and controls
attitude that generates a feeling of competitiveness
the economy, and a single (often
towards others.
authoritarian) party holds power.
Rebellion – under the Revised Penal Code, the crime
2. Constitutional Monarchy – a monarch is
of rebellion or insurrection is committed by rising
guided by the Constitution whereby his
publicly and taking arms against the government for
rights, duties, responsibilities are spelled out
the purpose of removing from the allegiance to the
in written law, or by custom.
Government and its laws.
3. Democracy – the supreme power is retained
Subversion – attempts to overthrow structures of
by the people but is exercised indirectly
authority, including the state.
through a system of representation.
Coup d’état – a swift attack accompanied by
4. Federal – sovereign power is formally
violence, intimidation, threat, strategy or stealth,
divided between a central authority and a
directed against duly constituted authorities of the
number of constituent regions.
Philippines.
5. Parliamentary – the members of the
Nationalism – a strong sense of shared identity and
executive branch are nominated to their
loyalty based upon common history, language,
positions by the legislature or the
culture, and traditions.
parliament.
Patriotism – involves (i) special affection for one’s
6. Parliamentary Monarchy – a state headed
country, (ii) sense of personal identification with the
by the monarch who is not actively involved
country, (iii) special concern for the well-being of the
in policy formation or implementation.
country, and (iv) willingness to sacrifice to promote
7. Republic – a representative democracy in
the country’s good.
which the people elect representatives.
8. Totalitarian – seeks to subordinate the
individual to the state by controlling all Lesson 3: The Family
political and economic matters, and also
Society – a group of people living or working
attitudes, values, and beliefs.
together. It may also refer to a group of people that
Duties of Citizens: form a semi-closed or semi-open system, in which
most interactions are with the other individuals
1. Loyalty to the country – support and defend
belonging to group. The word originated from the
the country
Latin word “societas,” which means “friendly
2. Obey country’s laws – no sympathy with
association with others.”
crime – a breach of law.
Family – a natural and social institution, founded on
3. Do more than keep the law himself, they
conjugal union that binds together the individuals
must, as occasion arises, actively assist the
guardians of law in the performance of composing it, for the common accomplishment of
duty – citizens’ arrest. the material and spiritual ends of life, under the
authority of the original ascendant who leads it. It is
4. Take an intelligent interest in politics – constituted jointly by the husband and the wife or of
vote. an unmarried head of a family, in the dwelling house
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Prepared by: Mr. Justin Paul D. Gallano
Faculty Member – College of Arts, T.I.P. Manila © 2020 | NOT FOR SALE
Handout for GEC 008 (Ethics)
where they and their family reside, and the land on
which it is situated.
Importance of Family
• Family is an essential factor in the general,
social, and even political life. Constant living
together of husband and wife, and of parents
and children, contributes to the development
of a strong sense of duty, of an aptitude for
heroic sacrifices, and of the love by future
generations of the traditions and moral
conquests of those who precede them (past
generations).
Functions of a Family:
1. Provides for the continuity of mankind
through procreation – a prerequisite for the
survival of a society
2. Regulates sexual behavior. It allows sexual
activity only within the standard norms of
society (monogamous).
3. Provides necessary care, training, and
protection of every member.
4. Family is responsible for socializing the
children
5. Provides the means by which an individual’s
social status is initially fixed
6. An important mechanism for social control.
Exerts efforts to make members conform to
certain societal standards and norms
7. Performs function of biological maintenance.
Parents look after the children’s physical and
material needs.
8. Family has educational, religious, and
political functions.
Filial Piety
• a concept originating with Confucianism.
The definition under Filial Piety includes the
responsibility of each person to: (i) respect
parents, (ii) obey them, (iii) take care of them
as they age, (iv) advise parents, and of course
(v) love them.
Prepared by: Mr. Justin Paul D. Gallano
Faculty Member – College of Arts, T.I.P. Manila
FINALS
• Loving parents and offering them respect is
the spring from which other forms of Filial
Piety flows. A relationship with parents must
be centered on love and respect.
Problems Faced by a Family:
Child Exploitation – includes forced, or dangerous
labor, child trafficking, and child prostitution. In the
Philippines, children are protected against these
issues by the Republic Act 7610, or the Special
Protection to Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and
Discrimination Act.
Child Prostitution and Labor:
Child Prostitution – children, whether male or
female, who for money profit, or any other
consideration or due to to the coercion or influence
of any adult, syndicate, or group, indulge in sexual
intercourse or lascivious conduct, are deemed to be
children exploited in prostitution and other sexual
abuse.
Child Labor – as an exception, children below 15
years maybe employed under Sec. 12 of RA 7610.
The child shall first secure a permit from the DOLE.
Worst Forms of Child Labor:
1) All forms of slavery.
2) Use, procuring, offering, or exposing of a
child to prostitution
3) Use, procuring, or offering of a child for
illegal or illicit activities, including
production and trafficking of dangerous
drugs.
4) Work which is hazardous or likely to be
harmful to the health, safety, or morals of
children.
Lesson 4: Environmental Ethics
Environmental Ethics – a part of what is
traditionally called Environmental Philosophy. It
considers the planet as community and its ethical
application includes the inanimate or non-human
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Handout for GEC 008 (Ethics)
entities of the community. It has influences on the
disciplines including sociology, geography,
theology, economics, ecology, and law.
• Ethics attempts to answer questions
concerning problems of human desires and
needs; how to attain happiness or on how
wealth is distributed. Environmental Ethics
is concerned on the preservation of species,
protection of wildlife and wilderness.
Categories of Environmental Ethics:
1. Libertarian Extension – a part of civil
liberty. It commits to include all members of
the community an equal rights form each
other. These community members include
humans and non-humans. All community
members shall have equal rights and
responsibilities as they share one planet. The
civil liberty approach made this appear as a
political reflection of the natural world.
2. Ecologic Extension – argues on the value of
inherent in all ecological entities. The
ecological extension members of the global
community are considered as a whole.
(Ecology – the way in which plants, animals,
and people are related to each other and to
their environment.)
3. Conservation Ethics – focuses on the
prolongation of the sustainability of the
environment. Since there is an intrinsic value
in the environment, man recognized the need
to conserve this – it means that conservation
ethics focuses only on the worth or
usefulness of the environment to mankind.
4. Humanist Theories – sets criteria for moral
status and ethical worth. Adheres to the
ecologic extension that every member of a
global community has worth and has a moral
value. It put emphasis on hierarchy (ex. A
Prepared by: Mr. Justin Paul D. Gallano
Faculty Member – College of Arts, T.I.P. Manila
FINALS
garden weed has value, but its value is less
than that of a giant sequoia tree).
5. Applied Theology – as we are told,
everything n the universe, even the universe
itself, is a creation of God. Under this, we are
accountable to God for the destruction of his
creation – the environment.
6. Anthropocentrism – puts emphasis on
humans as the center of the universe. All
other entities in the global community come
to be for the existence of man. Everything is
counted solely for the utility of man. Human
race shall always be the primary concern.
Current Environmental Problems:
1. Global Warming – the increase in the
average temperature of Earth caused
primarily by the increase in the greenhouse
gases (i.e. Carbon Dioxide, Methane, etc.)
present in the atmosphere. This leads to the
greenhouse effect. The simplest solution is to
reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
2. Water Pollution – the presence of pollutants
in our natural water channels like rivers,
streams, lakes, seas, and oceans.
3. Invasive Species – results to imbalance in the
natural ecosystem of the locality.
4. Extinction of Species – the eradication of
species off the face of the Earth. This could
be from natural causes (e.g. due to natural
predation) or due to man-made causes
(overhunting).
Lesson 5: Business Ethics
• People, most of the time, see businesses as
amoral (lacks morals) since these are driven
primarily by their eagerness to gain a profit, but
there is a set of theories that could prove that
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Handout for GEC 008 (Ethics)
these businesses could also follow certain
moral and ethical standards.
Normative Theories of Business Ethics
1. Stockholder Theory – businesses are mere
arrangements by which one group
(stockholders) advance capital to another
group (managers) to be used to realize
specific ends (gain profit), and for which the
stockholders receive an ownership interest in
the venture.
2. Stakeholder Theory – holds that the
management’s fundamental obligation is not
to maximize the firm’s financial success, but
to ensure its survival by balancing conflicting
claims of multiple stakeholders.
• Principle of Corporate Legitimacy – a
corporation should be managed for the
benefit of its stakeholders: owners,
customers, employees, and the local host
community.
• Stakeholder Fiduciary Principle –
management bears a fiduciary (a holding
founded on trust or confidence)
relationship to stakeholders and to the
corporation as an abstract entity.
3. Social Contract Theory – all businesses are
ethically obligated to enhance the welfare of
society by satisfying consumer and employee
interests without violating the general canons
of justice (law).
• The society only tolerates the existence of
businesses since it (society) benefits from
the businesses (through improving
economy and providing of jobs).
Reidenbach and Robin’s Conceptual Model of
Corporate Moral Development – businesses have
varying degree or levels of moral development.
• Emerging businesses most likely start as
amoral since they need to expand at a fast
pace.
Prepared by: Mr. Justin Paul D. Gallano
Faculty Member – College of Arts, T.I.P. Manila
FINALS
• As businesses become more established,
they will try to be more ethical since they
are no longer driven by profit generation.
• Businesses will never determine if they
are Ethical (5th level) since ethical
standards are already embedded to their
corporate culture.
A. Amoral – “winning at any cost” attitude.
Ethics shall be the least of the businesses’
concern.
B. Legalistic – follows the “letter of the law,”
but not the “spirit of the law.”
C. Responsive – begins to acquire values other
than profitability and legality.
D. Emergent Ethical – actively seeks greater
balance between profit and ethics.
E. Ethical – wide acceptance of a common set
of ethical values that permeates the
organization’s culture.
Lesson 6: The Question of Women and their
Emancipation
Feminist Ethics
• A branch of ethical thinking framed by
women to confront the challenges they face.
• A theory of the good and justice that puts into
focus the abuses and injustices that women
have to suffer, and theories why these exist
and how to address them.
Equality and Discrimination
• The primary question that feminist ethics
seeks to answer is equality.
• Women, for a long time, have been treated as
the lesser sex due to patriarchy.
1. Sexual exploitation – women were seen as
mere producers of children and are expected
to take care of them.
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2. Confinement to few tasks with less
compensation – issues on income disparity,
women are left to work on household chores.
3. Prevented to take significant leadership roles
in family and public/society.
4. Domestic abuse, rape
5. Objectification based on beauty standards

• The important theme is to emancipate

(liberate) women from social constructs that
keep them oppressed and unequal.
Struggle for Liberation:
• Suffragette Movement – demanded the
equal right to vote, then expanded to equal
rights in various aspects of life.
• Women try to prove that they are as capable
as men, so they can participate in different
occupations.
• Women also called for equal pay and
treatment in the workplace (avoids
discrimination).

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Prepared by: Mr. Justin Paul D. Gallano
Faculty Member – College of Arts, T.I.P. Manila © 2020 | NOT FOR SALE