The Filipino Value System

is comprised of several layers. According to Clare W. Graves, human beings exist at

difference levels of existence and that both individuals and social system evolve and
regress through these clusters. Thus an individual operating at a particular
predominant level will exhibit the values, beliefs and behavior that form a consistent
package for that level (Andres 1981). The level's of the Filipino values system
include:

I. Subsistence Levels

The first six levels of existence are classified as subsistence levels. The overall goals
of these levels are individual survival and dignity. This would comprise this category:

1. Automatic existence

- Filipino value which is within this level is economic security. At this level, the
Filipino seeks for the immediate satisfaction of his/her basic physiological needs.

2. Tribalistic existence

- Filipino values which fall in this category are: personalistic view of the universe,
supernaturalistic world view, nonscientific and nonrational beliefs, cyclic and
psychological time- orientation, bahala na, suwerte, gaba, awa ng Diyos.

3. Egocentric existence

- Filipino values like amor propio, hiya, kaulaw, kaikog, kataha, tayo-tayo system,
Filipino subservience, ambivalence, non- interference are in this level.

4. Saintly existence

- Pagtitiis, solidarity, utang na loob, bayanihan, religiosity are some of the Filipino
values in this level.

5. Materialistic existence

- Filipino values within this level are economic security, social mobility, palakasan,
nepotism, and relation to Filipino concepts of property.

6. Personalistic existence

- Filipino values within this level are social acceptance, pagsasarili, acceptance of the
person, fear of rejection, sensitivity to personal affront, smooth interpersonal
relations (SIR), pleasantness, desire to please and not to hurt, pakikisama,
euphemism and use of go- between, Filipino hospitality and love for affiliations.

II. Being Level

7. Cognitive Level

- Filipino values within this level are love for education and self-esteem
development, refinement.

8. Experientialistic existence

- Filipino values within this level are family, kinship system, barkada, grading, general
social power, region, language, deep sense of personal worth, self-esteem, love and
respect for life. At this level, humanness is highlighted.

The Filipino Aims, Goals and Aspirations

Fr. Frank Lynch identifies social acceptance, economic security, and social mobility as
the three basic aims that predominantly motivate and control the behavior of the
Filipino (Andres, 1981)

1. Social acceptance as a goal. Social acceptance is defined as being taken by one's

fellow for what he/she believes to be and being that image in accordance with his\
her status.

Attainment of social acceptance is assisted by two intermediate values, which are:

A. Smooth Interpersonal Relationship (SIR)

- the ability to get along with others in such a way as to avoid outside signs of
conflict. The methods used to maintain SIR include pakikisama, euphemisms, and the
use of go- between.

A1. Pakikisama - giving in or yielding to the wish of the leader of the majority, even
if sometimes it contradicts one's idea or the common good.

A2. Euphemisms - the art of stating an unpleasant truth, opinion, or request as

pleasantly as possible.

A3. The go- between - she serves to prevent a direct confrontation between
individuals or groups. The intermediary is usually requested assist to avoid shame or
embarrassment.

B. Sensitivity to personal affront

- the loss of social acceptance is guarded against two sanctions discouraging
behavior descriptive of those relations and these are hiya or shame and amor
propio.

B1. Hiya or shame - a painful emotion arising from a relationship with an authority
figure or with society, inhibiting self-help assertions in a situation which is perceived
as dangerous to one's ego.

B2. Amor propio - the sense of self-esteem that protects the person from losing face
especially when his or her highly valued attributes are at stake.