Republic of the Philippines

President Ramon Magsaysay State University

(Formerly Ramon Magsaysay Technological University)
Iba, Zambales, Philippines
Tel/Fax No.: (047) 811-1683
College of Teacher Education

Name: Elvira Cuesta Date: May 16, 2021

Let's Reflect

Which of the weaknesses of the Filipino character applies to you? Have schools helped
you to counteract such weakness?

This correlation between Filipino, weaknesses and character is problematic. You have
presupposed a trait, but not just a trait a weakness, but not just a weakness, a quality that all
human beings possess. By conjoining weaknesses to and of the Filipino character you’ve
inadvertently specialized the Filipino person. You’re granting the Filipino person qualities
distinct, separate and isolated, special to the Filipino person. It may have been appropriate if
you attached it to a more demographic quantity but you’ve attached it to a human universality.
It would be inaccurate to answer the question. Answering the question validates that only
these weaknesses pertain to the Filipino person and to nobody else. In some ways it’s trying to
specialize a segment of humanity. In some ways it’s specializing Filipinos. You couldn’t answer
this question without major deconstruction. Without major destruction to being human.
Weaknesses are not isolated to the Filipino person. Weaknesses are an aspect of being human-
black, brown, white and all the human colors between.