Key concepts and ideas of Filipino thinkers in the Social Sciences rooted in Filipino

language/s and experiences

As early as the Revolutionary period, Filipinos have been exploring the possibility of
making sense of their world based on their own experiences and sets of knowledge. Who are
these Filipinos who set a big impact in our society using their intellect and skills in writing?
How does Indigenous Filipino Psychology or Sikolohiyang Filipino affect the Filipinos’
views in life? What are the roles of these so called Filipino indigenous social ideas in dealing
with everyday life especially in making decisions? What is the significance of these social
sciences in changing the future of the Filipino culture?
For whom do we write our history? What is the basis in writing history? What is the
purpose of writing history? Do Filipinos know their history? How do they know if it is authentic
or not? Do they understand it well?

Important Thinkers of the Revolutionary Period

JOSE RIZAL (REFORMIST) (1861–1996)

The most influential figure of the Revolutionary period was Jose Rizal.
It was during his stay in Europe that he penned two of his most important works, which are
believed to have sparked the 1896 Revolution: Noli Me Tangere (1887) and El Filibusterismo (1891).
The two are fictional works which were based on the social issues that Filipinos were experiencing
during that period – inequality, racism, and colonialism, among others.
Rizal claimed that the form of revolution that the Philippines needed to go through is that of
intellectual revolution, such that every Filipino should be educated well on the concepts and exercise
of freedom and it can only be attained by educating the masses of the truth – a truth that is based on
science and rational thinking, and non from the morality-based education provided by the Church.

Andres Bonifacio (1863 – 1897)

Bonifacio is the founder of the revolutionary society, Katipunan. When Spanish
authorities discovered it, the society already had some 30,000 members in a
period of approximately six months. Three days after the founding of La Liga
Filipina, Rizal was banished to Dapitan in Mindanao, the southern part of the
Philippines. Bonifacio, a member of the Liga, thought that was the end of the line
and founded the Katipunan (Gripaldo 2013).
According to Bonifacio a man’s worth is not measured by his stations in life Source:
neither by the height of his nose nor the fairness https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr
%C3%A9s_Bonifacio
of skin and certainly not by whether he is a priest claiming to be God’s deputy.
Even if he is a tribesman from the hills and speaks only his own tongue, a man is an honorable man
if he possesses good character, is true to his word, has fine perceptions and is loyal to his native
land.

Apolinario Mabini (1864 – 1903)

Apolinario Mabini became well known in Philippine history as the “Sublime

Paralytic” and the “Brains of the Revolution.”
Mabini was born to an illiterate farmer and market vendor with seven other
children in Tanauan, Batangas, Mabini had no initial economic and social capital
that could have secured him a good education. Nevertheless, he was able to
receive scholarships and part-time jobs teaching children, which allowed him to
complete a bachelor of Arts degree at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran and a
Bachelor of Laws at UST.
Another struggle that he overcame was his paralysis. In Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apo
linario_Mabini
1895, Mabini was struck with polio and lost the capacity of his lower limbs. During such time, he had
started writing his most influential works – El Verdadero Decálogo (The True Decalogue) and
Ordenanza de la Revolución (The Ordinance of the Revolution). According to Mabini, humans are
naturally good. It is from this stand that he argues for the concepts of freedom being a by-product of
people’s exercise of goodness (rationality and being just). Mabini said, “True liberty is only for what is
good and never for what is evil; it is always in accordance with reason and the upright and honest
conscience of the individual”. He also distinguished reason as a key element in the citizens’
participation in political life. It is also the same element that should guide revolutions because without
reason, such movement will be mere futile, if not disastrous for the society. This is clearly
synonymous to Rizal’s call of reliance on the “Truth”.

Emilio Jacinto (REVOLUTIONIST) (1875 – 1899)

Emilio Jacinto popularly referred to as the “Brains of the Katipunan” due to

significant contributions to the Katipunan, primarily his Kartilya ng Katipunan (Primer
of Katipunan) and his article published in Kalayaan. He became Andres Bonifacio’s
advisor and secretary.
While Jacinto died at the young age of 23 due to malaria, he remained as one
of the most recognized heroes from the Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
Revolutionary period due to his literary works that guided the Katipunan. /Emilio_Jacinto

The Kartilya, which became the source of values of the revolutionaries, exemplified core values like
that of charity, piety, honor, and equality. His concepts of charity were linked with the performance of
care for others that is void of self-interest. A person helping another without expecting anything in
return is an example of
Jacinto’s ideal charity. Piety, according to Jacinto, is the practice of charity wherein a true pious
individual would extend support to others and conduct himself or herself with fairness. With fairness
comes honor, an honorable person is one who has commitment to his or her word, integrity, and the
well-being of his or her countrymen. Finally, Jacinto promoted the concept of equality in three
respects: race, gender, and social status. He argued that any person, whatever his social class,
gender or skin color, should be treated fairly. He highlighted the importance of women in the process
of building a strong society, the capacity of the underprivileged to contribute to social development,
and the irrelevance of one’s race in his or her capacity to be a good citizen.

Manual L Quezon (Political Philosopher) (1878 – 1944)

Manuel L. Quezon was elected as the Commonwealth president in 1935,

Quezon now buttressed his political ideas with some educational and social thought.
He believed in Social Darwinism—that governments are products of political struggles
for survival.
Quezon’s political philosophy consists of two strands: political pragmatism and political Source:
preparation for an eventual Philippine independence. Political pragmatism is the https://en.wikipe
principle, which says that one must fight for a goal, but if obstacles towards that goal are difficult to
surmount, then one must fall back to an alternative that is better than nothing provided it is in the right
direction.
He believed in justice for all, a social justice that would allow the working class to receive decent
compensation to enjoy culture and leisure. His social justice program included higher wages, credit
facilities that would allow the Filipinos the opportunity to earn a decent livelihood, and the protection
of the rights of women and the poor, among others.
According to Quezon, there can be no progress except under the auspices of peace. Without peace
and public order, it will be impossible to promote education, improve the condition of the masses,
protect the poor and ignorant against exploitation and otherwise ensure the enjoyment of life, liberty
and property.
Important Thinkers of the Post-Revolutionary Period

Isabelo De Los Reyes (1864 – 1938)

Isabelo de los Reyes is referred to by many historians as the

“Father of Filipino Socialism” due to his writing on anti-Catholicism and labor
unions. He was one of the founders of the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente (Philippine Independent Church) or the Aglipayan Church,
which is an independent Christian Protestant Church. De los Reyes exhibited
immense talent at a young age, having won a silver medal for his Source: work El folk-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
lore filipino (Filipino Folklore) at the Exposición in Madrid. He Isabelo_de_los_Reyes founded the
first labor union in the country – the Unión Obrera Democrática.

Camilo O. Osias (1889 – 1976)

Camilo Osias advocated that the educational system must contribute

towards the achievement of the goals of education by inculcating in the minds
and hearts of the youth the value of preserving the patrimony of the country,
promoting the general welfare of the people. He believes that education
must secure for every Filipino the fullest measure of efficiency, freedom, and
happiness.
Osia said, that “the school has an important role in the dynamic
Source:
nationalism and internationalism in relation to democracy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Camilo_Os%C3%ADas
in the education of the youth. High educational institutions should do more to
turn out graduates who can think logically, scientifically and creatively.” And further he said, that "our
education should instill love for work, spirit of tolerance, respect for law, love for peace and practice
thrift".

CLARO M. RECTO
Claro M. Recto became known as the “foremost statesman” of his generation
due to the various nationalistic writings that he made as a senator. Recto became
known for his advocacy of highlighting Filipino nationalism as opposed to the colonial
backdrop that most people were embracing. He was often heard and read advocating
the Source: “Filipino First Policy,” where he claimed that our country’s
https://en.wikipedia.or

development will depend on the extent by which our country and its interest would be
prioritized before those of other countries, especially our former colonial “masters.” For Recto, a true
free government is that which is capable of making economics and social decisions for its citizens
without placing as its primary consideration the interests of other governments.

Virgilio Enriquez (1942 -1994)

Virgilio Enriquez, considered the Father of Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino

psychology). Sikolohiyang Pilipino is the scientific study derived from the
experience, ideas, and cultural orientation of the Filipinos (Yacat 2013).
Sikolohiyang Pilipino or Indigenous Filipino Psychology is also known as
Kapwa Psychology. Kapwa Psychology draws from folk Source:

practices as much as from modern theory. It perceives no

contradiction between indigenous folk beliefs and modern psychological concepts and scientific
norms. It includes in its study the IKSP of healing from the Babaylan and Albolaryos (native shamans
and healers) as well as the religio-political approaches of the Filipino mystics and folk heroes and
other ancestral ways of knowing. Kapwa psychology implies a call for social action. Scholars and
students are encouraged to go to the villages to learn from the people and in turn, serve them with
the gain knowledge.

Basic Tenets and Key Concepts in Sikolohiyang Pilipino

Accommodative values (colonial):

HIYA (propriety/dignity)

UTANG NG LOOB (gratitude/solidarity)

Pivotal interpersonal value: Core Values Linking socio-personal values:

PAKIKIRAMDAM (shared inner KAPWA KAGANDAHANG LOOB

perception) (shared/humanity)
(share identity)

Confrontative values (surface):

BAHALA NA (determination)

LAKAS NG LOOB (guts/courage)

Value System of Philippine Psychology

Source: DIWA Senior High School Series: Discipline and Ideas in Social Sciences 2016

Core Values or Kapwa (Togetherness)

The concept of kapwa (shared identity) is the core of Sikolohiyang Pilipino and heart of the
structure of Filipino values. Pakikipagkapwa means treating the other person as kapwa or fellow
human being.

Two categories of kapwa:

1. Ibang Tao (outsider)

• Pakikitungo: civility
• Pakikisalamuha: act of mixing
• Pakikilahok: act of joining
• Pakikibagay: act of conformity
• Pakikisama: Being united with the group

2. Hindi Ibang Tao (insider/one-of-us)

• Pakikipagpalagayang-loob: Act of mutual trust
• Pakikisangkot: Act of joining others
• Pakikipagkaisa: being one with others

Examples of Filipino Values:

❖ Hospitality - the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or
strangers
❖ Utang na loob – debt of gratitude.
❖ Bahala na – fatalism or determination and being risk taker. Bahala na ang Diyos (God will take
care of us)
Pivotal interpersonal Value
Another significant Filipino value is that of pakikiramdam (shared inner perception) which is
considered as the pivotal interpersonal value. Within this value, Filipinos use their inner perception of
the other’s emotion in order to efficiently interact with them.

Linking Socio-personal Values

Another value that contributes to our practice of pakikipagkapwa is that of kagandahang loob
(shared humanity), in which this value shows an act of charity toward others. The practice of
bayanihan or community-based action entails the participation of the community on a task that is
meant to improve the quality of life and livelihood of the members of the locality. Various terms from
different locality use to refer to bayanihan: pintakasi (Samar), kapanyidungan (Batanes), tiklos
(Leyte), and bataresan (Southern Tagalog).

Accommodative Surface Values

The bayanihan or any form of kagandahang loob is always framed within another set of Filipino
values, which are labeled as accommodative surface values. These values include hiya
(propriety/dignity), utang na loob (debt of gratitude), and pakikisama (esteem/companionship).

Confrontative Surface Values

Confrontative surface values that Filipinos exhibited especially when confronted by difficult situation
these includes bahala na (determination), lakas ng loob (guts/courage), and pakikibaka (resistance).

Societal Values
According to Enriquez, Filipinos also hold societal values which he called pagpapahalagang
panlipunan. These values include karangalan (honor), katarungan (justice), and kalayaan (freedom),
which are essential to the preservation of Filipino societal order and harmony. Moreover, these
values shape a psychological unity among Filipino communities as they build a common perception
of moral obligation to other members of the community who are considered as kapwa.

Zeus A. Salazar (1934 – Present)

Zeus Salazar was one of the Filipino scholars who were trained and whose
methods were derived from the West, and he argued for a shift in perspective.
He developed his lifelong crusade for a nationalist brand of history that became
a staple perspective for the next generation of history students, that is, the
pantayong pananaw.

Key Arguments of the Pantayong Pananaw Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wi
The primary arguments of the pantayong pananaw is the need of ki/Zeus_A._Salazar reorienting
contemporary historian on the “right” way of reconstructing the past based on who is talking for
whom, with whom, and to whom. According to Salazar, there are three perspectives by which
Philippine history was and is being written.

Pangkayong Pananaw (from-you-for-us)

This perspective is used by Western historians – who used their own cultural background and their
countries’ politico-economic agenda – in framing the events that transpired in our country. This
perspective is used by foreigners or outsiders in talking about or refencing a particular culture, its
people, and their customs. To illustrate: the
British would say, “You Filipinos are different from us in many aspects.” (Kayong mga Pilipino ay iba
sa amin sa maraming bagay)
Pangkaming Pananaw (from-us-for-you)
The pangkaming perspective launched works on the Philippines made by Filipinos for Western
consumption. It is used when a native talk to outsiders or foreigners regarding his or her own society
and culture. Ones’ own language may or may not be used. The main goal of the pangkaming
pananaw is to correct the erroneous Western analysis of the Philippine context.

Pantayong Pananaw (from-us-for-us)

Philippine history should be written and consumed primarily by Filipinos and to achieved this goal a
key element needs to be addressed – the use of the Filipino language in transmitting knowledge.
Salazar states that a community, society, or culture can claim to have pantayong pananaw only if all
its members use concepts and manifest habits and behaviors whose meanings can be understood by
all, like when we say “We Filipinos” (Tayong mga Pilipino), including the relationship between the
meanings. This is made possible with the existence of a language, which is the basis and channel of
understanding and knowledge.

Local Language for Discourse

According to Salazar, Philippine history should be written in the local language or dialect for two
important reasons: (1) the local terms, when transposed to Western language, lose their actual
meanings and historical significance; and (2) our history should be discussed among ourselves and
not for the others. The use of local language characterizes the pantayong pananaw.
Salazar urged the Filipino nation to have a talastasang bayan that is oriented toward discussion of
Philippine history for the Filipinos and by the Filipinos.