Filipino Culture

Due to the archipelagic nature of the Philippines, the culture of various regions has its distinct
characteristics. Colonization of various invaders such as Spaniards, Americans, and Japanese had shaped
the Filipino culture and caused the Philippines to have a mixed culture. We adopted some of the
language and words from Spain such as "Bintana", "Silya", among others. In addition, we now use
"Taglish", a mixed language of Tagalog and English. We also adopted religion as we were introduced to
Catholicism. So, what makes Filipino culture unique?"

1. When the young greet an elder or say goodbye, we do "mano". It is our way of giving respect to our
elders and requesting blessings from them. The person giving the greeting bows towards the hand of the
elder and presses their forehead on the eider's hand."

2. Filipinos are well-known to be hospitable. Filipinos treat foreign visitors with the utmost respect. It
commonly happens during a celebration such as Fiestas or holidays where many Filipinos do their best to
entertain their visitors well.

3. Filipinos are family oriented. It is one of our unique traits and one of the outstanding values that
Filipinos have. The family takes care of each other and teaches each member to be loyal to family and
elders by observing their authority.

4. Filipinos are well- known f or practicing "bayanihan". It is a type of social or community spirit of unity
of effort in achieving one objective. People nowadays use it to describe an outpouring of community
spirit as people give their all to the common good, without expecting recognition or personal gain."

5. Filipinos are very resilient. Whenever you see a Filipino that is devastated by calamity and catastrophe,
we tend to rise with the challenge and manage to pick ourselves up.

6. Filipinos are religious. In every corner of every Filipino home, you will see religious symbols and they
customarily go to church every Sunday.

7. Filipinos respect culture and tradition. Whenever you see a Filipino family, you will feel that they
value tradition and customs.
Filipino Values: Nature, Constellation and Context

Filipino Values

The Filipino values are the distinct system that arises from our culture or way

of life; our way of becoming human in a particular time and place. Four Folds of Filipino Values

1. Although mankind shares universal values, it is obvious that certain values take on for us a distinctively
Filipino flavor. The Greek ideal of moderation or medenagan, the Roman in medio stat virtus, the
Confucian and Buddhist" 'doctrine of the Middle', find their Filipino equivalent in hindi labis, hindi
kulang, katamtaman lamang."

"2. When we speak of Filipino values being absent in the value systems of other people and culture, all
people eat, talk, and sing, but they eat different food, speak various languages, sing different songs.
Thus, we easily recognize Filipino, American, Chinese, Japanese, or any other foreign food, language or
music. The difference lies in the way these elements are ranked, combined or emphasized so that they
take on a distinctively Filipino slant or cast. For example, China honesty and hard work may rank highest;
Chinese and Japanese cultures give great value to politeness and beauty, American culture to
promptness and efficiency; and Filipino Culture to trust in God and family centeredness. In this sense of
value-making and priority values, we can speak of dominant Filipino values.

3. Universal human values in a Filipino context, such as history, culture, socio economic, political, moral
and religious, take on a distinct set of Filipino meanings and motivation. This is true not only of the goals,
beliefs, convictions, and social principles of the traditional value system of the low land rural family but
also of what Fr. Horacio de la Costa, S.O. calls the Filipino 'nationalistic' tradition of Individuality, unity,
fellowship, and heroism. A Filipino value or disvalue does not exist alone, in isolation or a vacuum.
Filipino values like come what may, word of honor, shame, unity, show of power are clustered around
core values like social acceptance, economic security, social mobility, and are always found in a definite
context or set of circumstances. Both positive values and negative disvalues together form a
characteristic constellation in school. It differs from the configuration found in government off ices
such as unity, heroism, intrigue, show of power, and bribery. In business, firms value and disvalue such as
word of honor, finesse, grease money, and bribery. In barrio or barangays like honoring, comforting,
cooperation, gratefulness, come what may, shame, and show of power. To change a framework of values,
it may be necessary to change the constellation and context of those negative values that hinder Filipino
and Christian development.

4. Filipino values in the sense that the historical consciousness of values has evolved among our people.
The Filipino concept of justice has evolved from inequality, and to human dignity; from the tribe, the
family, and the nation. Filipino consciousness of these different values varies at different periods of our
history. It is only in the past two decades that the Filipino people have become more conscious of
overpopulation and family planning, environmental pollution, and wildlife conservation, and violation of
human rights (martial law), active nonviolence of People Power.

Values - may be defined as those standards of which a group or society judges the desirability and
importance of persons, ideas, actions, and goals. These are shared convictions or beliefs in what are
considered contributory to the welfare Sof the group.
Filipino Values and Moral Development

In, 1992, senator Leticia Shahani from the Senate of the Philippines, with the help of Dr. Patricia
Licuanan, created a task force to conduct a study to identify Filipino values and moral development. This
led to the development of “A Moral Recovery Program - Building a People, Building a Nation" which was
submitted to the Philippine Senate. It covers the Strength and Weaknesses of Filipino Moral
Characteristics.

Strength Weakness
Pakikipagkapwa-Tao / Fellowship Extreme Personalism

Family Orientation Extreme Family Centeredness

Joy and Humor Lack of Discipline

"Flexibility, Adaptability and Creativity Passivity and Lack of Initiative

Hard Work and Industry Colonial Mentality

Faith and Religiosity kanya-kanya Syndrome

Ability to Survive Lack of Self-analysis and Self - reflection

Strengths of the Filipino Character

1. Pakikipagkapwa-Tao /Fellowship - Filipinos are open to others, feel the same as others, regard others
with dignity and respect, and deal with them as fellow human beings. Filipinos have a sense of justice
and fairness, concern, and empathy for others. Filipinos are helpful and generous in times of necessity;
practice Bayanihan or mutual assistance; and are hospitable. Further, they have a sense of sensitivity to
others' feelings, trust, sense of gratitude, very dependent on interpersonal relationships, give a sense of
security, camaraderie, and a feeling of closeness to one another.

2. Family Orientation - Filipinos possess a genuine and deep love for family. It is a source of personal
identity, emotional and material support, and one's main commitment and responsibility. Filipinos give
honor and respect to parents and elders, care to children, generosity towards kin in need, and in great
sacrifices, one endures for the welfare of the family. Sense of family gives a feeling of belongingness and
rootedness as well as a basic sense of security.

3. Joy and Humor - Filipinos have a cheerful and fun-loving approach to life through ups and downs.
Pleasant disposition, a sense of humor and a propensity for happiness contribute not only to the Filipino
charm but also to the indomitability of the Filipino spirit. Laughing at ourselves with the mess we are in
is an integra l part of our coping mechanism. It manifests in the Filipino's love for socialization and
celebrations even amid most trying times. The result is an emotional balance, optimism, a healthy
disrespect for power and office, and the capacity to cope with problems.

4. Flexibility, Adaptability, and Creativity - Filipinos can adapt and adjust to any circumstance and
environment, both physical and social. They can adjust to whatever unplanned or anticipated events that
may arise. Filipinos possess a tolerance for ambiguity that enables us to remain unfazed by uncertainty
or lack of information. Filipinos are creative, resourceful, quick learners, can improvise and make use of
whatever is at hand to create and produce, accept changes, adapt to life in any part of the world, and
make new things out of old scraps. Creative in the cultural sphere, the result is productivity, innovation,
entrepreneurship, and equanimity.

5. Hard Work and Industry - Filipinos have a sense of hard work. Filipinos use this characteristic to raise
life from one's standard of living into a higher state of living. Filipinos are willing to take risks to work
abroad; when given an opportunity, they get a part-time job for extra income.

6. Faith and Religiosity - Filipinos have deep faith in God. Our innate religiosity enables us to
comprehend and genuinely accept reality in the concept of God's will and plan. Religious expressions are
very tangibly expressed every day. We often talk to Him for various purposes - to thank or ask for
guidance or forgiveness. Whenever tragedy comes, Filipinos keep on being optimistic which may be
considered as reservoir of psychic energy, a psychological prop on which we can lean on during hard
times. This courage allows us to act despite uncertainty. The results of the Filipino's faith are courage,
daring, optimism, inner peace, as well as the capacity to be genuine.

7. Ability to Survive -Filipinos have the ability to survive and make do with whatever is available in the
environment. Basic optimism, flexibility, adaptability, hard work, and deep faith in God manifest in
millions of Filipinos who bravely live through the harshest economic and social circumstances.

Weaknesses of the Filipino Character

1. Extreme Personalism - Filipinos view the world in terms of personal relationships. There is no
separation between an objective task and emotional involvement. We tend to give personal
interpretations to certain actions; we tend to take things personally. Thus. a sincere question may be
viewed as a challenge to one's competence or positive feedback may be interpreted as a sign of special
affection. There is in fact some basis for such interpretations as Filipinos are quite personal in criticism
and praise. Personalism is also manifested in the necessity for the establishment of personal
relationships before any business or work relationships can be successful.

2. Extreme Family Centeredness - Excessive concern for the family creates an in-group to which the
Filipino is fiercely loyal to the detriment of concern for the larger community or for the common good.
Excessive concern for family manifests itself in the use of one's office and power as a means of
promoting the interest of the family, factionalism, patronage and political dynasties, and in the
protection of erring family members. Family centeredness results in a lack of concern for the common
good and acts as block to national consciousness.

3. Lack of Discipline - The Filipino's lack of discipline manifests in a causal and relaxed attitude towards
time and space which further manifests itself in the lack of precision and compulsiveness, in poor time
management and procrastination. An aversion for following strictly a set of procedures results in lack of
standardization and quality control. We are impatient and unable to delay gratification or reward,
resulting in the use of short-cuts, in skirting the rules and in foolhardiness. We are guilty of ningas cogon,
starting out projects with full vigor and interest which abruptly dies down, leaving things unfinished.
4. Passivity and Lac k of Initiative - Filipinos are generally passive and lacking in initiative. There is a
strong reliance on others (e.g. leaders, government) to do things for us that are related to our need for a
strong authority. Filipinos tend to be complacent and there is often a sense of urgency about any
problem. There is high tolerance for inefficiency, poor service and even violation of one's basic rights. In
many ways, it can be said that the Filipino is too patient and long suffering, too easily resigned to one's
fate. Filipinos are, thus easily oppressed and exploited.

5. Colonial Mentality - Filipinos have a colonial mentality which is made of two dimensions: the first is a
lack of patriotism or an active awareness, appreciation and love for the Philippines. The second is an
actual preference for everything foreign. Filipino culture is characterized by openness to the outside-
adapting and incorporating foreign elements into our image of ourselves and not built around a deep
core of Philippine history and language. The result is cultural vagueness or weakness which makes
Filipinos extraordinarily susceptible to the wholesale acceptance of modern mass culture which is often
Western.

6. Kanya- kanya Syndrome - Filipinos have a selfish, self-serving attitude that generates a feeling of envy
and competitiveness toward others, particularly one's peers who seem to have gained some status or
prestige. The kanya kanya syndrome is also evident in the personal ambition and the drive for power and
status that is completely insensitive to the common good. Persona l and in group interests reign
supreme. This characteristic is also evident in the lack of sense of service among people in the
government bureaucracy.

7. Lack of Self -analysis and Self -Reflect ion - There is a tendency in the Filipino to be superficial and
even somewhat flighty. In the face of serious problems, both personal and social, there is lack of analysis
or reflection. We crack jokes about the most serious matters which prevents us looking deeply into the
problem. There is no felt need to validate our hypotheses or explanation of things. Thus, we are satisfied
with superficial explanations and superficial solutions to problems. We tend to emphasize form rather
than on substance; to be satisfied with rhetoric and to substitute this for reality; rhetoric and endless
words are very much part of public discourse. As long as the right things are said, as long as the proper
documents and reports exist, as long as the proper committees, task forces or offices are formed,
Filipinos are deluded into believing that what ought to be, actually exists.