Name: John Niel Tigoy Rev. Fr. Christian Marave, O’ Carm.

Seminar on Filipino Philosophy

On God, the Spirits, and the Departed Ancestors

The Filipino has its inclination towards the Divine. He believes in himself that a deity is
in charge or the source of all the things that exist. Regardless of different belief whether this
Filipino may negate the concept of the Divine. But it cannot be erased that it is embedded within
the system of the Filipino mind that an absolute picture of the Divine exists.
Before the Spaniard missionaries and conquistadores arrived in the shores of Philippines.
The ancestors believe that gods and goddesses. They believe that they exist through nature and
certain spirits guide them from time to time. This belief is much known as animism where they
seek the wisdom of the gods and goddesses through their spiritual elders. During this time the
ancestors had high regard in terms of hierarchy where they put the gods and goddesses in the
highest place is beyond approach by any mortal. Because of this intermediaries are required to
reach them. Because of these factors the ancient Filipinos were having a pantheistic and
animistic approach towards the belief of the Supreme Being.
Later on when the Spaniards came and introduced Christianity to the natives and were
converted. They later on understand more deeply about God and reality of the cosmos. They
were able to understand the concepts of evil and suffering more profoundly. Since the ancient
Filipinos had no recorded effort of myths that explains the accounts for evil nor justified through
their rituals. The Filipino now then become more aware of his relationship towards God through
Christianity. However there are some aspects that ancient practices had still retained all
throughout although they were converted and catechize.
For instance, the belief of dwelling so much of spirits and saying things as tabi-tabi po,
makikiraan po, etc. This still retains in Christianity and has deeply damaged the approach of the
Church towards the Filipinos due to the confusion caused by superstitious beliefs. In which
Christian theology has been belittle into mere concept rather than by practice.
Regardless, I would say that there is still progress that happens all throughout the
Filipinos mind in connection with God. The establishment of the relationship has shaped the
Filipino thinker to think more and more about the meaningfulness of his destiny towards other
people, surroundings, world, doctrine and morality. It helps the Filipino to be good and most
Filipino values are nurtured from Christianity. But in terms of our doctrine being tainted by
superstition and malpractices. I can certainly say that the Filipinos in part had to partake their
own participation of understanding the merits of grace, faith, and doctrine of the Catholic
Church. Only through these things that the Filipino will be able to understand the fullness of his
relationship with God.