Central Philippine University

College of Theology
Lopez Jaena St., Jaro, Iloilo City
Philippines 5000

____________________________________

MOVING FROM ‘BAHALA NA’

TOWARD A THEOLOGY OF EXCELLENCE
____________________________________

Final Requirement for

PPS 520
(Contextual Theology)

Submitted to:
Joshua Z. Zonita

Submitted by:
Eric James G. Estante
Bachelor in Theology

March 31, 2019

Moving From ‘Bahala Na’ Toward A Theology of Excellence

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,

a people for his own possession,
that you may proclaim the excellencies of him
who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

Excellence is a virtue that seems foreign to Filipinos.

It’s not to say that Pinoys don’t strive to excel at all. Filipinos are no doubt the most hardworking

people in the world and are ready to do anything required of them. We are also very flexible and

adaptable. However, it is that adaptability that has gotten us into trouble. We easily adapt, and

therefore, we easily get contented. The result: we settle for anything. What’s worse is that we have

been in such a situation for so long that it has become the norm for us.

Generally speaking, mediocrity is eating our people alive. We seem to have a delectation toward

mediocrity.1 We seem to love our indifference, our lack of inspiration. And this is no secret. In

fact, much has already been written about this trait of ours. It’s just that it has been imbedded in

who we are that we no longer seem to care or think about it anymore. But if you put even just a

little effort to begin seeing things again, you will realize that our lack of excellence is evident in

every aspect of our society.

. . .

1
Manuel B. Dy Jr., Values in Philippine Culture and Education: Philippine Philosophical Studies I (Washington DC:
The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, 1994), 57

1
INDI INA USO DIRI DAY!

I currently reside in Pavia, which according to statistics, has been increasing yearly at an average

of 7,000 in terms of population since the year 20002, and that, mainly due to the growing number

of new subdivisions within the area. I myself live in one. But while the number of people residing

in the municipality continues to grow each year, the roads remain narrow and the number of public

utility vehicles remain the same.

If the city knew something about excellence, they would have been able to foresee the influx of

population within Pavia and could have done some road widening projects. Every afternoon till

evening, during peak hours, you will see the bottleneck of traffic, one in Ungka, particularly within

the C1 intersection, and another one in Aganan, Pavia. What’s worse is that you won’t observe

any passenger queue management within the said areas.

Once, while my wife was waiting for her turn at the terminal for tricycles going to our barangay,

she got frustrated because people who had just arrived would cut in front of others who had been

there first. She asked the dispatcher why the people aren’t lining up, and the dispatcher simply

scoffed at her saying, “Indi ina uso diri ‘day.” We don’t do that kind of thing here, lady.

Just recently, a couple of days before I started editing this paper, my wife experienced the same

scene. She confronted a lady in her mid-thirties who cut in front of her and told her, “Ma’am we

2
Phil Atlas states, “The population of Pavia grew from 11,258 in 1960 to 55,603 in 2015, an increase of 44,345 people.
The latest census figures in 2015 denote a positive growth rate of 4.73%, or an increase of 11,989 people, from the
previous population of 43,614 in 2010.”

2
got here first.” The lady was a bit shocked that someone had confronted her, but she simply looked

at my wife and said nothing.

When my wife got home, she sent an e-mail to the Mayor of Pavia, writing how dismayed she was

with the queuing system of the transport terminals. We are yet to find out how the Mayor would

respond to the complaint he received. For now, I would want us to focus on the statement, “Indi

ina uso diri.”

*Update: Four months after the completion of this paper, the Municipality of Pavia implemented

a queuing system in the loading/unloading area of Public Utility Vehicles in Aganan.

What I believe the dispatcher meant with those words was not that queuing isn’t a thing for

Ilonggos. Instead, we have been used to such a lousy system for so long that it doesn’t bother us

anymore to think whether things could be improved—that there is a better way.

“Pabay-i ‘da ah! Okay na ina!” That would do. “Pwede na yan!” Or, to put it in another way,

“Bahala na!”

. . .

BATHALA NA!

The bahala na mentality of the Filipinos is perhaps what is to blame for our seeming lack of interest

to the pursuit of excellence. Come what may. Que Sera, Sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future

3
is up in the air. This, in essence, is what this mentality is all about. It is said that the phrase

originated from “Bathala na,” Bathala being God to the native Filipinos. This is a witness to the

religiosity of the Filipino people, the attitude of leaving fate in the hands of a divine being. It

sounds virtuous, but it’s also a testament of our apathy towards an important – sometimes critical

– situation.

“Bahala na. I have done my best. I will leave the rest to God.” This mentality may reflect optimism,

especially if it comes from the hardworking Filipino. But in its core, it could also reflect laziness,

mediocrity, and lack of inspiration.

. . .

BAHALA NA – BOTH A POSITIVE AND A NEGATIVE FILIPINO TRAIT

The bahala na mentality is a double-edged dagger. On one hand, it showcases the belief and

reliance of the Filipino people in divine providence. On the other hand, it highlights a defeatist,

resigned attitude. In many cases, it helps the discouraged Pinoy gain some ego boost, but

oftentimes, the results are so-so. In short, it could be an expression of one’s mediocrity or

indifference toward excellence, but at the same time, it could be an expression of one’s optimism.

I asked a few individuals what they thought of the expression, “Bahala na” and I received mixed

answers.3 Some of them said it’s something positive, like throwing up a prayer, leaving the rest to

3
Several individuals were interviewed for this paper, including students from the college of Psychology, Nursing,
Education, and Theology, as well as a couple of university professors. They were asked what their thoughts were
about the Filipino expression, “Bahala na.” Most of them responded by saying that the expression is one of passivity

4
God when you know you have done your best. Others said it’s kind of a fatalistic thinking. And

yes, it would seem that way, since the expression suggests that human beings are powerless to do

anything more than what they actually do.

But where did this Filipino mentality of leaving everything to fate originate? In his book Revisiting

Usog, Pasma, and Kulam, author Michael L. Tan writes that “the conventional interpretation is

that the word bahala refers to Bathala, an archaic name used by various Philippine groups for a

supreme deity.” The author goes on to point that the word can be traced back to the Sanskrit

bathara, which means “lord.” 4

Other sources argue that it could have come instead from bhara, another Sanskrit word that means

“load.” This could be a closer interpretation as it could mean letting another assume one’s load or

burdens.

. . .

BAHALA NA AS AN EXPRESSION OF FAITH

Bathala was an omnipotent being who provides all things for man. He was the creator God of the

Tagalog people, the highest of the gods – the Maykapal, the contemporary of the Visayan god,

or laziness, although some admitted that uttering those two words could also be an expression of faith, especially if
one knows they have done their best and the only remaining option is reliance on a divine being, e.g., God.
4
Michael L. Tan, Revisiting Usog, Pasma, and Kulam (Quezon City: The University of the Philippines Press, 2008),
45

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Tungkung Langit. He was introduced to the Filipino people by the Malay race, long before the first

Spaniards set foot on Filipino soil.

The early Filipinos knew Bathala as being a compassionate divine being and heavily depended on

him for their needs. This dependence is what fueled such “a risk-taking behavior in the assurance

that “Bathala will always take care.” From this perspective we can see the faith and religiosity of

the Filipino people, that our religion has a huge influence on our mentality and behavior, and this

ultimately determines the way we do things and live our lives.

And for most Pinoys, if not all, using the expression in relation to faith can bring a much needed

consolation in a time of distress and sadness. “May sakit si bunso pero wala tayong pampa-ospital.

Bahala na ang Diyos sa kanya.”

. . .

BAHALA NA AS A COPING MECHANISM

Ben Carson, United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, once stated that poverty

is the result of a wrong mindset. He explained that low-income individuals can escape poverty if

they had a strong motivation to do so. On the other hand, the same individuals with a negative

attitude will have a higher tendency to remain poor. While his statement may be an

overgeneralization considering that every human condition is unique, there is some truth in it.

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At the same time, one cannot deny the fact that a person’s economic condition directly influences

one’s mentality. Well-off Pinoys, for instance, have a mindset that they are special, and this gives

them a higher level of hope. They are also more active in society and are more likely to voice out

their concerns to authority for the promoting of change in their lives and of those around them.

The same is not true with Filipinos with poor education and low socioeconomic status. To them,

since they don’t have enough knowledge and resources, they are not special enough and don’t have

power to effect change in society. Indeed, they want to see their lives improving, but due to their

limited capabilities and resources, they end up resigning themselves to their situation. To them,

the bahala na mentality has become a coping mechanism. “Mabayad naman ta ka kuryente kag

tubig sa dason semana. Diin ta makuha kwarta? Bahala na ah!”

. . .

COMPLEMENTING ‘BAHALA NA’ WITH POSITIVE FILIPINO VALUES

My proposal is not the elimination of the bahala na mentality among Filipinos. After all, it is not

something that’s negative altogether but has some elements of positivity in it, such as faith in a

divine being. But where do we begin? Acting State Director of National Orientation Agency,

Kwara State directorate, Mr Olusegun Adeyemi JP can give us some valuable insight. During an

annual lecture he gave in February 2017 in Nigeria, he challenged his countrymen to imbibe a

“Change Begins With Me” spirit.

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In his lecture he shared, “If you have not seen the change in you, you cannot see it in others or

even the larger society. In other words, before you ask ‘where is the change they promised us’,

you must first ask how far have I changed my ways? ‘what have I done to be part of the change

for the greater good of society?”5

In the same manner, the only way for us to move toward excellence from a mentality of mediocrity

is to change our own way of thinking first. In his book, Positive Filipino Values, Author Tomas

D. Andres writes, “For a Filipino to get to the top, he must have a burning desire to achieve to do

what he fears the most, to keep his enthusiasm to love people, and to use money and power

properly.

To do this, he must develop in himself the positive values of “tiwala sa sarili,” “kakayahan,”

“kasiglahan,” and “kahusayan.”6 Kahusayan, being excellence, is what we must develop in

ourselves the most.

. . .

TIWALA SA SARILI

Tiwala sa sarili or self-confidence is essential to developing a sense of excellence. Confidence in

a divine being, e.g., God, must be coupled with confidence in one’s self if one is to be effective in

5
MAKE POSITIVE IMPACTS: LET CHANGE BEGIN WITH YOU AND ME, National Orientation Agency,
(Abuja) March 12, 2008, https://www.noa.gov.ng/make-positive-impacts-let-change-begin-with-you-and-me/
6
Tomas D. Andres, Positive Filipino Values. (Quezon City: New Day Publishers, 1989), 161

8
whatever he does. This reminds me of a Tagalog rap song that became very popular in the mid-

90’s: Gusto Kong Bumaet. The chorus goes like this:

Gusto kong bumaet pero ‘di ko magawa

Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa

(I want to be a good person but I can’t

I know God provides grace but I must also do my part)

The lyrics of the song accurately describes the idea that man has a role to play in seeing himself

and the world around him improve. It’s very similar to a quote often attributed to Benjamin

Franklin: “God helps those who help themselves.”

It seems opposed to Tiwala kay Bathala, and many Christians criticize such expression as being

contrary to the message of the Bible concerning God’s unmerited grace. Nevertheless, I would say

that it actually complements it; Tiwala sa Sarili and Tiwala kay Bathala go hand in hand.

Indeed, it is God who provides the ability, but we must do our part, and it all begins by trusting

our ability and judgment. And self-confidence is a powerful attribute. With confidence,

competitors enter a competition certain that they will achieve their goal.

Moreover, the bahala na mentality enhances self-confidence by aiding the individual in one’s

ability to visualize success. Being assured that there is a divine power that guides mere mortals in

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their endeavor, one gains the spirit to act on his will and one’s ideas despite the reality of

challenges.

. . .

KAKAYAHAN

In his article Filipino competencies and idiosyncrasies published on the Manila Times, author

Reynaldo Lugtu, Jr. writes how Filipinos have competencies that no nation can equal, one of which

is creativity. Lugtu describes how the creativity of the Filipinos is “deeply rooted in a long history

and rich heritage of artistry.”7 This quality – demonstrated by the abundance of Filipino talents

around the world – makes us stand out in the crowd.

True enough, Filipinos are considered hardworking people. We have this reputation as evidenced

by the fact that many Pinoys working here and abroad juggle multiple full-time jobs just to provide

for their families. Filipinos are creative, resilient, and competent. As one character in a children’s

book said, “Wala akong sikreto kundi sipag, tiyaga, at konting banat ng buto.” (I have no secret

but diligence, perseverance, and hard work). We have a kakayahan unique only to our race.

7
Reynaldo C. Lugtu, Jr., Filipino competencies and idiosyncrasies, The Manila Times, (Manila), March 16, 2018,
https://www.manilatimes.net/filipino-competencies-and-idiosyncrasies/386454/

10
This is the reason Ramon Tulfo has earned backlash for his comment just a few weeks ago

regarding Filipinos being lazy. His statement came as a part of the rise in the number of Chinese

laborers working in the country. Tulfo claimed that this was the result of Chinese workers being

better workers than Filipinos are. The Special Envoy to China cannot be blamed for his sentiments,

though, since Filipinos can be slothful sometimes.8

Nevertheless, there is no stopping the Filipinos as a working class if we can only recognize how

competent we can be. Competence is not something that we are born with; it is something that we

develop and keep improving. And one way we can be sure that we continue improving as

individuals is by replacing our bahala na mentality with a love for kahusayan.

. . .

KAHUSAYAN

Excellence is defined as the quality of being extremely good. It is not perfection, though. It is also

not a skill, but an attitude. It is a mentality, a willingness to work hard to attain your goals, a deep-

seated desire to do your best in every situation, a refusal to accept anything that doesn’t meet a

given standard. One can be very good at something and yet not be excellent. One can have the

kakayahan and not the kahusayan.

8
Ruth Abbey Gita. Palace refutes Tulfo: Filipinos are 'competent, hardworking', SunStar Manila, (Manila), March 11,
2019, https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1796313/

11
This is a problem rampant in all aspects of our society. Many Filipinos have competence and yet

lack excellence. Another problem is that there seems to be an excessive preoccupation with

competence. The systems in most institutions seem to aim for a strict adherence to systematized

and routinized procedures, but not to excellence. And this is the limited mindset that is holding us

back as a people. We give special emphasis to titles and positions and to what we know, and in the

process ignore ability, experience, and passion, the very ingredients that make up excellence.

This reminds me of a story posted by a Facebook user. In her post, the lady described how she

accidentally bumped into a guy while walking hurriedly in some mall here in the country. She

immediately apologized, but the guy, who seemed to be very much agitated, kept heckling and

even pulled the “Hindi mo ba ako kilala?” card on her. He then proceeded to tell her that he was

some lawyer of some sort.

And then there’s the story of a famous politician in Makati who pulled the same stunt on a group

of security guards after being denied entry at a first-class subdivision. Or how about the

controversy involving another politician, where, during a meeting with the Mayor of Tacloban

right after the Yolanda disaster told the Mayor, “You have to be careful because you are a

Romualdez, and the President is an Aquino.” This was in relation to the request of the said Mayor

for the national government to send help in keeping order and undertaking rescue and relief

operations.9

9
Rigoberto D. Tiglao. ‘You are a Romualdez, and the President is an Aquino’, The Manila Times, (Manila), December
10, 2013. https://www.manilatimes.net/you-are-a-romualdez-and-the-president-is-an-aquino/59616/

12
This has more to do with professionalism, but this is just one proof that many of us value bad

bureaucracy over passion, so-called competence over excellence. And yet, excellence and

competence go hand in hand; It’s important to have both and not just one or the other.

. . .

BAHALA NA AS A THEOLOGY

In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus encourages the people not to worry, but to trust that their father in

heaven will provide for them. He points out that birds neither sow nor reap or store in barns and

yet they have food to eat every day. He goes on to tell his listeners not to be anxious of anything

because they are of more value than the birds.

In another instance, we see Jesus, walking on water, calling out Peter to come to him. Peter

hesitated at first, but when he was assured that it was Jesus and not a ghost who was inviting him,

he got down the boat and stepped on the water. I can imagine Peter, being the impulsive guy that

he was, thinking to himself, “I might sink and drown, but I know it’s the Lord, so bahala na!” This

same Peter with his impetuous personality wrote the exiles of the Dispersion telling them to cast

all their cares to God, for he cares for them (1 Peter 5:7).

Christians often use these passages to imply that God will take care of all their needs, sometimes

to the point of justifying their mediocrity and indifference. However, are these biblical passages

13
saying that Jesus approves and encourages the bahala na mentality, an attitude that seems to foster

mediocrity? Is Peter saying that Christians should ignore the things that cause them anxiety?

Are these passages telling us that we should—in the face of injustice, exploitation, corruption, and

tyranny—just pray that God will do something about it, and after praying just sit back, relax, and

go about our passive, mundane lives? By no means. On the contrary, these passages should be our

model for our bahala na attitude, that before we even utter the phrase, we must be sure that we are

uttering it by faith.

We also need to be aware of the context of when Jesus spoke the most beloved words, “Do not

worry.” Taken at face value, the passage seems to encourage laziness. And if you read the words

about the birds very carefully, you will know that it’s not true that all birds get adequate food all

the time. It’s also not true that all lilies grow in beauty. Natural phenomena cut short the lives of

these living things, just as they cut short the lives of people who trust God.

And take the words, “Do not worry about tomorrow.” There’s nothing logical about this counsel,

especially since we all know how careful planning can help us avoid the worst. What we need to

understand, though, is that these words were addressed directly to Jesus’ closest disciples, men

who abandoned their all for the sake of being with their master, learning from him and sharing in

the work of spreading the good news of God’s kingdom. These men, in a sense, were as dependent

on Jesus just as the birds and flowers were dependent on God for their care.

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There is also a danger in bahala na as a theology; telling people to cast their cares on God could

cause people to be careless rather than carefree. I know a lady who would spend like water the

monthly allotment her husband would send her. Asking her why she doesn’t save, she answers, “I

can’t take my money to heaven when I die, so I’d rather spend it on whatever I desire. God will

take care of my retirement.”

In reality, there is nothing wrong with the apostle Peter saying, “Bahala na,” because we know

that it was by faith that he stepped on the water and tried to walk toward his master. There is

nothing wrong with casting our cares upon God -- or in another translation, living carefree before

God -- if by faith we believe that he is most careful with us, and if by faith we obey God by doing

our part.

Having a bahala na mentality is not entirely undesirable. There is nothing wrong with saying,

“Bahala na!” if we know that we are in a situation similar to that of the first disciples, where the

only option is to rely on God’s providential care. What is wrong is if we know that we are capable

of effecting change around us, and yet, despite our kaalaman and kakayahan, we deliberately

choose to be indifferent and say, “Bahala na!”

. . .

TOWARD A THEOLOGY OF EXCELLENCE

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It’s time for us to get out of this dark place of mediocrity and step into the light of excellence. God

is calling us to be perfect just as he is perfect (Matt. 5:48). He is inviting us to the greatness of

being holy just as he is holy. He is commanding us to develop our skills and talents for the glory

of his name, and to use what is in our hands to improve the lives of the people around us.

Daniel was a man of excellence. In fact, he was described as having an excellent spirit (Daniel

5:12). He was distinguished above all other officials in his time. Paul, too, exhibited excellence in

everything he did. He expected the believers in Corinth to be excelling in faith, speech, knowledge,

earnestness, and love (2 Corinthians 8:7). And to the Christians in Colossae he instructed that

whatever they did, they did with all their heart (Colossians 3:23).

The God whom we worship is an excellent God (Psalm 8:1). His excellence is displayed in

creation, in his attention to detail evidenced by the intricacies of the snowflakes and the human

DNA. The tabernacle, too, both in its workmanship and its materials, was a reflection of the

excellence of this God. If God is excellent, shouldn’t his children be excellent, too?

After all, aren’t we created in his image? Therefore, instead of embracing a mentality of bahala

na mediocrity, half-heartedness, and ordinariness, let us embrace a mentality—no—a theology of

passion, of virtuosity, of brilliance, of creativity, and of excellence.

. . .

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Andres, Tomas. Positive Filipino Values, Quezon City: New Day Publishers, 1989.

Dy, Manuel, Jr. Values in Philippine Culture and Education: Philippine Philosophical Studies I.
Washington, DC: The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, 1994.

Gita, Ruth Abbey. Palace refutes Tulfo: Filipinos are 'competent, hardworking', accessed March
27, 2019, https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1796313/

Lugtu, Reynaldo, Jr. Filipino competencies and idiosyncrasies, accessed March 24, 2019,
https://www.manilatimes.net/filipino-competencies-and-idiosyncrasies/386454/

National Orientation Agency. MAKE POSITIVE IMPACTS: LET CHANGE BEGIN WITH YOU
AND ME, accessed January 21, 2019, https://www.noa.gov.ng/make-positive-impacts-let-
change-begin-with-you-and-me/

Phil Atlas. “Pavia, Province of Iloilo.” accessed March 3, 2019,

https://www.philatlas.com/visayas/r06/iloilo/pavia.html

Tan, Michael. Revisiting Usog, Pasma, and Kulam. Quezon City: The University of the
Philippines Press, 2008. Retrieved From
https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=EktzHrfup1UC&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=bahala+na+s
anskrit&source=bl&ots=xPWrU9ai-Y&sig=ACfU3U06ZKd-
JyJh7QSIUr4BxP3apPeNPQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjz5u2iiNngAhXdLqYKHcKcAC4
Q6AEwDHoECAAQAQ#v=onepage&q=bahala%20na%20sanskrit&f=false

Tiglao, Rigoberto. ‘You are a Romualdez, and the President is an Aquino’, accessed March 30,
2019, https://www.manilatimes.net/you-are-a-romualdez-and-the-president-is-an-aquino/59616/

17