MODULE 1: UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Lesson 8 THE POLITICAL SELF AND BEING A FILIPINO

"Filipinos don't realize that victory is the child of

struggle, that joy blossoms from suffering, and
redemption is a product of sacrifice." ~ Jose Rizal

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this module, you are able to:
1. Develop a Filipino identity
2. Identify different Filipino values and traits
3. Reflect on your selfhood in relation to your national identity

INTRODUCTION
Filipinos share a common set of values that help them form their own identities and
provide answers to the question, "Who are we Filipinos?" These Filipino values, positive or
negative, are passed down from generation to generation and define Filipinos, whether
domestic or other. This module also gives an overview of Philippine politics and political
culture.

ACTIVITY
Activity No. 8.1

DIRECTION: List down some Filipino Traits that you observe in the society you belong.

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ANALYSIS
Questions:

1. What makes a Filipino a genuine Filipino?

2. Do you think that the Philippines is still living in the shadows of the colonizers?

3. What are the traits you have that makes you unique?

4. Does these traits is visible nowadays?

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ABSTRACTION

I. DEVELOPING A FILIPINO IDENTITY

According to Yacat (2005), the question of who the Filipino is can be best
explained by looking at the three facets that form the identity of
the Filipino.

a. THE SOCIO-POLITICAL DIMENSION

A Filipino is a citizen of the Republic of the

Philippines. By citizen, it pertains to a member of
the political community who has the right and
privilege to participate in political activities and
political affairs. Article IV, section 1 of the 1987
constitution defines Filipino as:

1. Born in the Philippines

2. Having parents who are citizens of the Philippines
3. Born before January 17, 1973 of Filipina mothers
4. Naturalized in accordance to the law.

As citizen of the Republic of the Philippines, a Filipino may enjoy full political
and civil rights, and is obliged to pledge allegiance to the state, and the state in return
provides protection and public goods and services to him.

b. CULTURAL ROOTS

Culture is defined as all socially learned behaviors, beliefs, feelings and values
the members of society experience. Culture in general affects almost every aspect of
an individual socially, economically, and politically. Culture shapes the way we think,
do things, how we feel, behave and relate. Our values are likewise, the products of
culture. As a social being, a Filipino is influenced by his cultural milieu, which can be
seen through the manifestation of values.

Two types of political involvements:

1. Political engagement as proactive engagement in the public arena. This

can be seen when one campaigns for an elected position, joins political
rallies or street demonstrations.

2. Political participation in any organization to address social problems, such

as community organizing

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c. CONSCIOUSNESS
It is the psychological dimension or awareness of oneself as a Filipino, which
leads to a pride of being a Filipino. Unfortunately, captive consciousness is still
prevalent in the Filipinos primarily because of their long period of colonization. The
Filipino consciousness was shaped and developed to fit the needs of the colonizers.
There is a need to counter this consciousness by instilling a kind of nationalist
consciousness, especially among the youth.

II. FILIPINO VALUES AND TRAITS

a. POSITIVE

1. Hospitability
It’s one of the most popular traits of Filipinos. We are usually
friendly and welcoming to our guests. This Filipino attribute makes the
Philippines one of the most favorite destinations by tourists who want to
enjoy the beauty of our nature and the friendliness of our people, not to
mention we can also understand and speak English.

2. Adaptability and resilience

Despite of all the calamities that struck our country, like the strong
earthquake and Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that devastated the
central part of Visayas in 2013, Filipinos are persistent enough to get back
on their feet, even without the solid help from the government. Filipinos
can also adapt to any type of environment and mingle with any kind of
people all over the world.

3. Resourcefulness and creativity

Filipinos are known for ingenuity. We are creative in many ways,

whether it’s in art, music, science, technology and business. Some of our
smartest countrymen can come up with a brilliant idea despite of
poverty or lack of financial resources. Filipinos are also good in recycling
trash and turn them into ingenious products.

4. Faithfulness

The Filipinos are one of the most faithful people in the world.
Whatever our religion is, we remain faithful and we don’t lose hope for a
better tomorrow. Our faithfulness and hopefulness keep us kind, positive,
peaceful and determined to achieve our goals no matter how impossible
they may seem.

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5. Unity in bayanihan spirit

We are in close relationship with our neighbors. In barangays and

most subdivisions, the people in the neighborhood know each other, talk
each other, help each other, and protect each other. Our communities
are organized. We help each other to make our fiestas, festivals and
other events lively and colorful to make sure that our visitors will have a
great experience.

6. Thriftiness

There may be Filipinos who are living beyond their means. But on
the brighter side, there are also many Filipinos who are frugal. We shop
wisely to save our money for future important uses. We are conscious on
the price tag, discounts and quality of the products we buy to get the
most out of our money. Filipino parents also do sacrifices like skipping the
stuff they want to buy for themselves just to save their money to buy
things that can make their children happy.

7. Politeness

Filipinos are courteous people. The children and young Filipinos will
always use the words “po” and “opo” to show respect to someone who’s
older or who’s in the higher position than them. We also do the “mano
po” gesture (bringing the back of the hand of an elder to one’s forehead)
as a sign of respect to our elders. Moreover, Filipino workers will always
address their customers with “sir” or “ma’am” to show humility and honor
to serve them.

8. Jolliness and sense of humor

The Philippines is a country of smiles. Nothing can take away the

humor and jolliness of many Filipinos… not even super typhoon Yolanda
– the strongest recorded typhoon that made a landfall. Despite of the
tragedy, Yolanda survivors can still be seen smiling, positive and hopeful
to rebuild their lives even better. The Filipino humor is evident
everywhere, from comedy films, TV shows, to every Filipino you will meet.

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9. Discretion and dignity

Perhaps many of our politicians don’t have a delicadeza. But our

people, especially the Filipinas, still observe delicadeza. Despite of the
growing number of Filipinos who are giving up their delicadeza, there
are still many Filipinos who always think twice before they make a
decision that can affect their dignity and honor.

10. Gratefulness

Aside from being hospitable, Filipinos are also thankful. We don’t

forget anyone who helped us, whether he (she) is a Filipino or not. We
even build monuments to show our utmost respect and gratitude to our
heroes and other foreign personalities who helped the Filipino people. We
show our warmest gratitude to the international communities who
helped us rebuild our lives after Haiyan and other disasters struck us.

11. Honesty and commitment

Perhaps “palabra de honor” is not evident among our politicians,

but it’s still evident among the common Filipinos. When we make a
promise, we try our best to fulfill that promise even if it will undermine
ourselves. For us, to fulfill a promise to others is a great self-fulfillment.
We are also candor. What we see in you, we will tell you frankly.

12. Family-oriented

Filipinos are willing to make big sacrifices just to make sure that
their loved ones will have a good life. Our parents will do anything just
to give us a brighter future. They are even willing to work in a foreign
soil just to achieve such goal.

b. NEGATIVE

1. Crab Mentality

Simply put, this refers to the behavior of preventing someone from

achieving something due to jealousy or envy. Instead of praising or
rendering assistance, someone with crab mentality would think “if I can’t
have it, then you can’t as well” and will purposely try to bring his/her
victim down. And just like the crabs who could have escaped from the

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bucket if they only stopped pulling each other down, nothing ever gets
accomplished.

2. Ningas Kugon

One reason why we sometimes exert half-hearted effort in our

undertakings is due to this attitude. Translated to “burning cogon grass”
in English, this idiom is meant to illustrate how Filipinos initially exhibit
great enthusiasm at the beginning of a project. Our eagerness however,
fades away just as quickly as the fire is extinguished, leaving our work
either half-baked or unfinished.

3. Mañana Habit

It is ironic that the Spanish would accuse Filipinos of being lazy

when they themselves taught us the mañana habit in the first place.
Known as “tomorrow” in English, the habit encourages procrastination,
an “ability” we Filipinos have since turned into an art form. Even the most
urgent of projects and tasks can be relegated for some other time; we
are only forced to work on them when the deadline is near. It’s a miracle
we get things done in this country.

4. Filipino Time

Related to the mañana habit, Filipino time refers to the Filipinos’

own unique brand of time, which is known to be minutes or hours behind
the standard time. In other words, we tend not to observe punctuality
at all. This behavior usually drives time-observant foreigners crazy. While
we Filipinos with our easy-going ways have somewhat become used to
Filipino time, it still is a bad habit that needs to be dropped.

5. Being Onion Skinned or Balat-sibuyas

We Filipinos are famous for being onion-skinned or easily slighted

at perceived insults. While it’s perfectly normal for us to taunt and criticize
others, we can’t handle the same when it’s being hurled back at us.
Incidents showcasing our extra-sensitivity to insults usually involve a
foreigner making either a bonafide racist remark or a humorous jab at
us Filipinos. True to form, our reactions would range from righteous
indignation to excessive grandstanding. While it is alright to feel incensed,
throwing a fit in front of the world would inevitably do us no good at all.

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6. Disregard for Rules

Why is it so hard for Filipinos to obey the rules? This social

phenomenon is not exclusive to hardened criminals either—a look at
everyday life in the country shows Filipinos from the entire social strata
nonchalantly breaking the rules, whether it is something as benign as
jaywalking or as dangerous as beating the red light. An interesting theory
goes that the Filipinos’ penchant for law-breaking goes beyond mere
lack of discipline or failure to implement the rules. It is something that is
ingrained in our very culture. Being oppressed under the yoke of
colonization for such a long time made our ancestors defiant of the rules
they believed to be discriminatory. Although such “self-righteous
disobedience” may have been alright during their time, the behavior
would continue to manifest itself among the later Filipinos, resulting in
an utter lack of respect for the rules.

7. Colonial Mentality

Probably one of the biggest flaws we have as a nation is our

colonial mentality, defined as a preference for all things foreign over our
own, a negative trait we acquired from our days under the Spanish and
the Americans. As a result, we Filipinos have been indoctrinated with the
misconception that our culture is inferior to that of our past colonizers.
Glaring examples of colonial mentality include patronizing foreign
instead of local brands, favoring foreign values over our own, and even
desiring to look more “Western” (think whitening products). If we can’t
even have pride in our own country, then unfortunately we will always
be stuck with this self-defeating mentality.

8. Balikbayan Box Mentality

While there is nothing wrong with giving gifts to one’s family and
friends (we Filipinos do highly value them after all), it becomes a different
matter when said family and friends either misconstrue or abuse the
OFW’s generosity. In local parlance, this has become known as the
“Balikbayan box mentality.” People ingrained with this mentality either
become exploitative or jealous of the success of the OFW, not knowing
that he/she is working hard away from his loved ones in a foreign country.
Some also believe that the practice undoubtedly contributes to the
Filipinos’ colonial mentality.

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9. Bahala na Attitude

Roughly translated as “come what may”, this is the Filipinos’ own

version of fatalism, the belief of leaving everything to the hands of fate.
This attitude, while not inherently detrimental in itself, is still a double-
edged sword. On one hand, positive aspects of this behavior include belief
in Divine Providence and national social responsibility. On the other
hand, the attitude can also promote a sense of helplessness and
resignation of one’s fate at the local level, and a countrywide lack of
empathy and collective action on the national level. This is also the reason
why we tend to have amnesia over past wrongdoings committed by our
leaders.

10. Corruption

One of the biggest social ills our country has continued to face since
time immemorial isthe issue of corruption. Let’s face it, our “culture of
corruption” is embedded deep within our system and reinforced by a
complex web of economic and social factors which include personal
ambitions and a twisted sense of loyalty to friends and kin. The
Philippines is in for a long haul if our officials and we ourselves do not get
rid of this very negative habit.

11. Maintaining Double Standards

This behavior can be observed in just about every sector of

Philippine society, with the most common example being the
condemnation of an adulterous woman while applauding a polygamous
man. On the national scale, we see politicians spouting promises of reform
and good governance only to break them in the end. Long story short,
some Filipinos are hypocrites to the core.

12. Excessive Partying

Now there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a fiesta and party every
now and then, it’s just that we Filipinos tend to overdo it. Birthdays,
anniversaries, graduations, and even somber funerals are celebrated by
Filipinos like there is no tomorrow. Sometimes we even make up the
slightest of reasons just so we could have an excuse to party. What’s more,
a host would sometimes even strain his own finances just to impress his
guests.

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III. POLITICS AND POLITICAL CULTURE
According to Aristotle, Man is a “political animal” Other people might easily interpret
this as something that refers to the intrinsic desire of every human being to lead or govern.
This is far from what is meant by the Philosopher. Similar to being a social animal, humans
come together and form a political body. The creation of a political body is intended for the
attainment of a good life. For instance, the city-state which originates from the Greek word
Polis, is understood as the highest and the most desirable form of organized society. Aristotle
believed that humans, like animals, intrinsically work together to achieve a common goal.
Like the saying “No man is an island,” humans are interconnected and must work together.

Kendall (1998) defines politics as a social institution through which power is acquired
and exercised by people and groups. In Aristotle’s work, Politics, he describes the role that
politics and the political community must play in bringing about the virtuous life in citizenry.
Politics is an important part of human development because it promotes ideologies about
democracy, citizenship, human rights, freedom, family, health and other social issues. Politics
exists in all human power and understand proper functioning of a democratic society as a
citizen.

Stevens, Anglin and Jussim (2015) cite that in some people, politics is a central
component of their identity. For other, politics may be a more peripheral concern but
temporarily becomes a central one in certain situations. The political community where one
belongs offers an important opportunity for them to define themselves and provide
opportunities to satisfy their needs for affiliation. The political self organizes one’s beliefs,
attitudes and affiliation. People use their political values and belief systems to themselves as
unique individuals in society.

Political Culture is the pattern of individual attitudes and orientation towards politics
among members of a political system. (Almond and Verba, 1965)

Characteristics of Political Culture in the Philippines:

1. Dominance of family ties or kinship system. In local government units such as

municipality or barangay, big clans dominate the political arena. Political
dynasties usually control the government. In the Philippines where consanguinity
is given utmost importance, it does not matter if the political candidate is
inefficient, immoral or corrupt. As long as he or she is part of a political dynasty
found trustworthy by the community, he or she would also be considered
trustworthy.

2. Euphemism. Officials and employees in lower positions are not frank or

straightforward in criticizing officials of higher rank instead, the parinig or
patutsada are used in confronting to address the problems or issues. They put
more premium on the relationship as criticisms might offend them. Thus, in the
end, problems and issues are not resolved.

3. Utang na Loob. Filipinos feel obliged to pay immediately or in the future any
favor they receive from another person. They always look for opportunity to
return any favor given to them. In politics, utang na loob is instrumental in
becoming a popular politician. Some politicians give everything to their

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constituents especially during elections to instill in them the sense of utang na loob
as a guarantee to win their votes.

4. Sense of overdependency. Some constituents rely on elected official or a “patron”

politician for their personal and economic needs. This culture results in the re-
election of incompetent officials whose means to stay in power is to provide
temporary relief to impoverished Filipino families.

5. Belief that majority of politicians are corrupt. The term buwaya has been used to
describe corrupt politicians in the Philippines signifying their greed for money and
power. Many Filipinos believe that politicians are corrupt and are in government
service only to promote their vested interest and not the public interest.

6. Lack of political maturity. People elect officials based on popularity and

personality and not on performance and platform. Politics is no longer limited to
individuals with backgrounds in political science and law as even celebrities are
now able to hold positions in office by sheer popularity.

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APPLICATION
Activity No. 8.2

DIRECTION: Answer the following questions below.

1. Identify and list down the current political issues that we, Filipinos, are experiencing today.
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2. What can you do to prevent the issues from recurring?

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ASSESSMENT

DIRECTION: Identify the Filipino traits you manifest whether positive or negative and
write your possible actions to overcome those traits. Use the table for your answer, ad rows if
necessary.

TRAITS ACTIONS TO BE DONE

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