BICOL COLLEGE

College of Teacher Education

Subject: Understanding Self

Units: 3 units
Placement: First Year; 1st Semester 2021 – 2022
Module: XIII

To Be or Not To Be: The Political Self

Learning Outcomes:

1. Discuss the Idea of the “Political Self”

2. Discourse the Filipino Identity Values
3. Discuss the Filipino Culture
4. Participate in the Outcome Based Activities after each Lecture Session

Notes:

1. The Filipino Identity, Political Self and Democratic Culture

Identity emerges from a set of values, traits, behavior and social norms. Thus Filipino
identity can be defines as the summary of all attributes that relates to being Filipino. Through
traits (distinguishing quality or characteristics that are typically attributed to one person),
values (persons principles or standards of behavior dictated by what we believe as human
beings are important in our lives), and institutional factors (the outside elements that gives
structure to our daily lives for example, schools, churches, government), Filipino identity can
be pictures clearly.

2. Filipino Traits
2.1. The most commom traits of a Filipino are said to be:
2.1.1. Hospitality – warm treatment towards guests or strangers. Filipinos are
acclaimed for being one of the most hospitable countries in South East Asia. This is
apparent expecially during Fiestas wherein Filipinos accept guests on their homes
and even offe food and drinks for free.

2.1.2. Respectfulness – to show consideration towards other people. One habit that
Filipinos do is to respect elders by saying “po and opo”, “pagmamano” or call older
siblings as “kuya and ate” to acknowledge age hierarchy.

2.2.3. Strong Family Ties - Filipinos are loyal and dependent to their families.
Most Filipinos are known for working hard to provide for the family. Unlike
Westerners who leave their homes in a certain age or send their elderly family
member to retirement homes, Filipinos as much as possible, stay and find reasons
to bond together even in the simplest of celebrations.

2.1.4. Religiousness - Filipinos are passionate with their faith, applying themselves
through all the traditions that come with whichever religion they believe in.
Through Catholic traditions such as fiestas or Islamic practices of fasting in
Ramadan, Filipinos cling hard to their faith which have maily stemmed from
hardships in surviving life in the Philippines.
 2.1.5. Optimism – Another trait that emerged from destitution, optimism makes
Filipinos resilient from unforeseen accidents or catastrophes. Filipinos have
trudged through a plethora of natural calamities without losing their smiles and
sense of humor.

2.1.6. Bayanihan Mentality – Filipinos have the innate sense of responsibility for
the community. Through “bayanihan” Filipinos overcome difficulties by working
with each other towards a common altruistic goal.

2.1.7 Hiya – or the sense of shame keeps Filipinos in control. It humbles them to
almost always do the most appropriate thing in a place or situation. Most Filipinos
because they feel 'hiya' are more submissive or accommodating than other
nationalities.

2.1.8. Amor Propio – a Spanish word meaning “self-love” is presented as being a

person with integrity or honor. It is reinforced by 'hiya' wherein you practice self-
love by not doing something shameful even to the point of avoiding confrontation.

3. Filipino Values on the other hand could be broken down to:

3.1. Personalism - it is the deep appreciation for good interpersonal relationships with
others. Filipinos believe that successful leaders are not only proactive but also humane
when interacting with others. It ties in with traits such as the “bayanihan mentality”,
hospitality and respectfulness because Filipinos know how to validate other people's
sense of dignity as a human being.

3.2. Familialism – a stated, Filipinos are raised to reinforce their love for their kin. It
is this value that fuels them to take part in careers or studies that will ultimately help
the family. This is also why they are protective of family members, to the extent that
media has told this story of honoring the family, time and time again. The family even
decides for the individual members, as seen on the practice of “pamamanhikan” or the
pre-wedding tradition of asking for the parent's blessing. Most traditiions and
activities in the community revolve around the interest of the family.

3.3. Particularism – insinuates Filipinos' knack for patronizing someone who is

familiar or one who they relate to. This value arouses nepotism and unhealthy idolatry
that keeps Filipinos from deciding objectively. It's in practice every elections, actors
winning because of popularity or even dynasties of actors or politicians groomed as if it
was his or her birthright to get power.

4. There are also institutional factors that also come into play when it comes to the
Filipino identity. It is the structure built upon different instances that Filipinos has
encountered with. These situations are what molded the traits and values that
Filipinos have acquired throughout the years.

5. All of the traits and values are rooted from the hodge-podge of cultural practices from
different foreign cultures. Unlike their neighbors who are more Asian in their ways of
living, the Philippines is predominantly westernized due to the deep integration of
Spanish and American culture in the archipelago. The Tagalog dialect for example has
Spanish, Malayo- Indonesian and Chinese in them. Another practice borrowed from
the west is that of practicing Catholicism ingrained in us by the Spaniards, and the
establishment of Democracy and public schools from the Americans.
6. The Political Self

6.1. The political self is formed from the (1) constructed Filipino identity and (2)
political history and landscape. When a Filipino is born, he or she is exposed to a
democratic country controlled by oligarchs. The Filipino identity then, is ingrained
in different generations of Filipinos (by oligarchs) to be manipulated in order to
sway politics in their favor. An example of this would be having blood relatives in
the north (familialism), most likely voting for someone who also hails from the
north (particularism).
6.2. Since political inclinations are passed down to different generations,
Filipinos politics has a long historical battle for control and power. This is why
oligarchy flourishes in the Philippines, they willingly pass it down because it is also
intertwined with Filipino traits and values. Filipino politics is as colorful as the
Tagalog language a surplus in political parties, rich and powerful families claiming
territories and life-changing political situations ( For example, Edsa People Power,
Estrada stepping down from the presidency, Duterte being the first president from
Mindanao). Aoo of which affect our own views in politics. This is certaily true
today, people squabbling (even ending friendships) on Facebook due to contrasting
political selves.

7. Democratic Culture
7.1. There is a paradox between the concept of democracy and dominance of oligarchy
in the Philippines. Democracy may allow people in the Philippines to vote or to hold a
position in the government, but Filipinos are also sujected to their own biases
according to external factors or learned ideologies. Filipinos for example, because of
the trait of “hiya” might vote out of shame of accepting money from a vote buying
candidate.

7.2. There was also a debate between Lee Kwan Yew and Fidel Ramos wherein the late
Prime Minister argues that too much democracy (which is apparent in the democratic
culture in the Philippines), bogs the country's development potential. Too much
democracy after the installment of the 1986 constitution brough about the coup d'etat
in Cory Aquino's administration. This slowed the Philippines' progress of healing
from the damage of Edsa Revolution brought.

7.3. The Philippine's culture of expecting one “messianic” figure to cure all of their
woes is also prevalent in Philippine democracy. Election after election, Filipinos choose
public figures who they thought at the time would remove them from poverty. It has
always been the selling point of winning public figures. But after the election,
satisfaction with the politician declines overtime because they didn't meet expectations.
Take for example, the previous president of the Philippines, Noynoy Aquino who
despite initial high ratings, also experienced fluctuations in his satisfaction ratings all
throughout his term.