Understanding the Self

Midterm Period

Name: ________________________ Course/Year/Sec: ____________________

POLITICAL SELF
This is 20 points: 12– (Content - details; specifics; depth) 5 – (Clarity - organization of
thoughts; coherence) and 3 – (Grammar).

1. Are you proud of being a Filipino? Why or why not?

Yes, I am a proud Filipino because we are known for our resiliency. We are also known for
our familiarity in typhoons yet, here we are still cheerful and very happy. Aside from this I
am proud because we are also known for being hardworking even in other countries. There
are several testimonies that Filipino OFWs tend to work harder than the natives. I would
also like to add that we are very much caring and loving. We always help each other in times
of need, and it shows because of the number of donations and volunteers every time we
are facing calamities. But although Filipinos possess numerous positive traits, there are
times that it is shameful being a Filipino. Since we are known to be very joyful and
humorous, sometimes we tend to be very insensitive for the sake of jokes. Years ago, I can
even remember rape jokes being normalized in this country and some people also like to
joke on someone’s physical appearance which is very shameful for me. Aside from this,
although I have mentioned that we are known for being hardworking some people are lazy
and always love to say “bahala na” and does not think ahead. Although going with the flow
is sometimes nice, but it is also nice to have plans for the future and to be hardworking in
the present time. But overall, I am not ashamed that I am a Filipino but there are a few
scenarios wherein some of my fellow Filipinos would do shameful things.

2. A. What Filipino values, beliefs, and traits became part of your upbringing (as taught and
modeled to you by your family and significant others) which have been instrumental in the
development of your Filipino identity? Please do not limit your responses to what was given in
the lecture.
My parents taught me to be respectful towards the elderly and to never be against
them, pray and believe in God, to be thoughtful and caring, to be hardworking, to be
appreciative, to be cheerful, and to be resilient.

B. How are those values, beliefs and traits relevant or may be not relevant (if you think so) to
your Filipino identity now that you are an adolescent already?
For me some traits such as being cheerful, resilient, hardworking, appreciative, caring
and thoughtful to others is very relevant for me since this is very important in the real world
especially in my course Accountancy. It is important that I learn to bounce back and to work
twice as hard as before. And being cheerful is also important because I do believe that other
people can be cheerful too when I am cheerful and happy.