Host: Welcome back to our show!

again I’m your host_______ and this is

_______

 So before we continue our topic about the strength and

weaknesses of Filipino Character, Let’s welcome our guest Ms
Mercy!

Mercy: Hi! Good afternoon... Thank you for having me here Keziah.

Host: Good afternoon….. Thank you for accepting my invitation it is my

pleasure to having you in my show.

A while ago we talk about the strength and weaknesses of Filipinos’

Character But now we are going to talk about both.

Mercy: Yeah…this time we are going to talk about both strength and
weaknesses of Filipinos’ Character.

Keziah: oh! That was interesting. So what are those Ms. Mercy?

Mercy: We have Utang na loob, pakikisama and Lack of self Confidence o

Hiya.

Keziah: Growing up here in the Philippines, this is not an unusual reminder

from our elders-“Huwag mong kalimutan tumanaw ng Utang na Loob.”A
message that conveys- Don’t forget who has helped you. Look back on them
especially in times of their need(s).

Mercy: Yes! I agree..

 Utang na loob or debt of gratitude has been ingrained in the Filipino

culture for who knows how long, it makes us think that we have to
return the favor to the person—especially if they extended a big help
for us. It  is good that we know when we have to be grateful but it
isn’t good when it affects how we decide or act around others.

 Utang na loob can admittedly lead to blind loyalty, where we, as

recipients, see our benefactors as perfect. But we all know that this
kind of loyalty is unhealthy. Yes, you can be grateful to someone who
helped you get through a rough patch, or saved you from a terrible
situation, but it doesn’t mean they’re always right and couldn’t make
mistakes.
  An example is when a daughter lets a parent get away with doing
something that’s against her principles just because they provide her
needs and wants. Utang na loob  should never be a reason for us to
ignore the red flags around us. One thing to remember is that you
can be grateful and  objective at the same time. It will save you from
making bad decisions that are based on blind loyalty.
 In our culture, the excuse “Wala akong magagawa. May utang na
loob ako sa kanya.” has been used for the longest time. Utang na
loob makes us ignore our principles for someone who’s helped us at
some point in our life. We’d let it slip when our benefactor does
something wrong because we have a sense of gratitude towards
them.
 However, if you realize that something goes against your principles,
you should find ways to build the courage and say no, and do the
right thing. Always.

Host: Yeah that’s right. We can say no.

Mercy: But We Filipino’s it is important to us to have gratitude because it

shows being a good person.

Keziah: right...

Mercy: We have another one which is Pakikisama - Pakikisama is the folk

concept of good human relations and implies giving in or yielding to the wish
of the majority even if it contradicts one’s own ideas. It is going along with
others even if one is not interested in their suggestion or plan .

Social acceptance is highly valued in our society. We are branded “KJ,” or

“kill joy,” if we decline being a part of a peer group activity. For example, if
everyone except you wants to see a movie, but you have responsibilities at
home, you have to choose whether or not to neglect your responsibility. It is
a hard decision because we Filipinos really care about what others think of
us.

Pakikisama is not always bad. Sometimes peer groups can influence us to do

good things. Here is an example: the majority of our friends want to attend
a livelihood seminar but a few of us want to play video games. The larger
group insists, and we don’t want to be the killjoy, so we go with them to the
seminar. Pakikisama, in this case, benefited us. Pakikisama can be beneficial
if we have surrounded ourselves with good and moral friends.
I remember what my father used to say when my barkada would ask me to
go out with them and I still had responsibilities at home. He would ask,
“Mercy, are you going to die if you don’t go with them?”
When I ask myself that question, I put the activity in its right place. I think
about whether it truly is worthy of my time. If it’s not, then I don’t need to
go. I might disappoint my friends, but there are more pressing things I need
to do. When we know that what our friends want to do is wrong, and we are
bound to be labeled as the killjoy, we just have to live with that

Keziah: Yeah! That’s right ( be pwede dagdag kana lang wala ako maisip
sorry)

Mercy: Our last one is the Lack of self Confidence o hiya - We Filipinos are
shy to boast our achievements because they might be regarded as show-
offs. We prefer to just hide those achievements and call the idea “being
humble”

A very common example is when people compliment us and tell us we look

pretty; we shy away and deny it. When people tell us we’re good at doing
something, we point out another person who might be better or make a joke
out of it to appear as if we don’t agree, Because apparently nothing is worse
than a person who knows they look good or a person who knows they’re
good at their job.

The self-deprecating jokes can be funny at first, but when you’re constantly
lowering yourself in order to please other people’s egos, it impacts you in a
negative way. It’s hard to live up to one’s full potential when you’re
constantly trying not to appear like you’re bragging about something.

Keziah: Yeah. This brand of “humility” often starts at home. In a majority of

Filipino households, children’s opinions aren’t usually given much value.
They are put in the metaphorical backseat of family relationships where they
must be quiet and not speak out about things that bother them lest they
offend their elders.

Our relatives are allowed to show us off, but if we show ourselves off
suddenly our achievements aren’t worth as much because it’s
“pagyayabang” (being arrogant).
Mercy: yes! That’s why I’m here to tell you that you should be confident.
You should own your achievements and success because they are yours. It’s
your name on that promotion; it’s your name on that diploma. Smile and say
thank you when you get compliments. Tell people you worked hard to be
good at what you do. Encourage them and tell them that they can do the
same!

Keziah: (be ikaw na bahala sa last heheh. Thank you)