Filipino Social Science Thinkers

19th Century Filipino Social Science Thinkers

● Isabelo de los Reyes y Florentino “Don Belong” (July 7, 1864 – October 10, 1938)
- was a prominent Filipino politician, writer and labor activist in the 19th and 20th
centuries
- was the original founder of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, an independent
Philippine national church
- known as the "Father of Philippine Folklore", the "Father of the Philippine Labor
Movement", and the "Father of Filipino Socialism"
● José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda June 19, 1861-December 30, 1896)
- a Filipino nationalist and polymath during the tail end of the Spanish colonial period
of the Philippines
- tagged as the national hero (pambansang bayani) of the Filipino people
- an ophthalmologist by profession, Rizal became a writer and a key member of the
Filipino Propaganda Movement, which advocated political reforms for the colony
under Spain
- His novels awakened Philippine nationalism
- Rizal had been very vocal against the Spanish government, but in a peaceful and
progressive manner. For him, “the pen was mightier than the sword.” And through his
writings, he exposed the corruption and wrongdoings of government officials as well
as the Spanish friars. While in Barcelona, Rizal contributed essays, poems,
allegories, and editorials to the Spanish newspaper, La Solidaridad. Most of his
writings, both in his essays and editorials, centered on individual rights and freedom,
specifically for the Filipino people. As part of his reforms, he even called for the
inclusion of the Philippines to become a province of Spain. But, among his best
works, two novels stood out from the rest – Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not) and El
Filibusterismo (The Reign of the Greed). In both novels, Rizal harshly criticized the
Spanish colonial rule in the country and exposed the ills of Philippine society at the
time. And because he wrote about the injustices and brutalities of the Spaniards in
the country, the authorities banned Filipinos from reading the controversial books. Yet
they were not able to ban it completely. As more Filipinos read the books, their eyes
opened to the truth that they were suffering unspeakable abuses at the hands of the
friars. These two novels by Rizal, now considered his literary masterpieces, are said
to have indirectly sparked the Philippine Revolution.
● JOSE RIZAL (REFORMIST)
- Intelligence is the solution to the ills of the country.
- Their consciousness should be freed from fanaticism, docility, inferiority, and
hopelessness.
- started La Liga Filipina with the job of enlightening the minds of the people. • Believed
in Agnostic Deism – the view that God created the universe with its law, never to
interfere with it again.
- “Human problems are irrational human creations and can be solved through rational
solutions. If reason commits mistakes, only reason can correct them.”
- “What is the use of independence if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of
tomorrow?”
● ANDRES BONIFACIO (REVOLUTIONIST)
- Founded Katipunan/KKK. (Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga
Anak ng Bayan)
 - His philosophy of revolution was published in the revolutionary newspaper ,
“Kalayaan”.
- transformed the blood compact (sandugo) as a kinship contract.
- According to him, a revolution of war is justified when there is breach of contract.
● EMILIO JACINTO (REVOLUTIONIST)
- He capitalized on the idea of a free reign of reason, of the freedom to think and do,
rather than the freedom to will and do. (Gripaldo, 2002)
- “In a colonial situation where both will and thinking are suppressed, where intellectual
fanaticism is the rule, where one’s will is conditioned to submit to tyranny, it is
intellectual liberty that comes primary.”
- Filipinos must get rid of slavery; must embrace liberty again with a price, a bloody
revolution.
● MANUEL LUIS QUEZON (POLITICAL PHILOSOPHER)
- Political pragmatism & political operation for an eventual Philippine independence
- Political Pragmatism – “one must fight for a goal but if obstacles towards that goal
are difficult to summon then one must fall back to an alternative that is better than
nothing provided it’s in the right direction.”
- Believed in Social Darwinism – governments are products of political struggles for
survival.
- “Partyless Democracy” – political parties influence the politician, the people.
- Believed in the democratization of education for all, national language, and justice.
- Equal access to essential raw materials.
● JOSE P. LAUREL (POLITICAL PHILOSOPHER)
- Individuals cannot forever remain in solitude.
- Social differences
- “Human rights cannot be guaranteed unless the citizens first do their obligations
towards the state.”
- “Good governance is founded on righteousness and foreign relations must be based
on full reciprocal rights and privileges between and among nations.”
● RENATO CONSTANTINO (NATIONALIST)
- Colonial experience has developed a captive consciousness. An effect of this “crab
mentality”. This is the tendency of those on top of the hierarchy to push those below
while those below to pull down those up above.
- “When one makes a nationalist choice, he or she chooses not for himself or herself
alone but for the entire nation as well.”
● R. ESQUIREL EMBUSCADO (DISSECTIONIST)
- As a painter, he believed that the task of an authentic artist is to cut the umbilical cord
of the past, to make use of the present, and to protect that present to the open future.
He called this art of “dissectionism.”
- True art must not be part-oriented, but present-future oriented.
● CIRILO BAUTISTA (POLITICAL THEORIST)
- “RubberToner” – a poem
- “History can be read as a poem in the same way a poem can be read as history.”
● CLARO R. CENTEZA (META PHYSICIAN)
- To “exist” is to “stand out.”
- To “exist” is “to make a difference.”
● ROLANDO M. GRIPALDO (CIRCUMSTANTIA LIST)
- “free choice” - Choices are done in situations, which are of 2 broad types: rational and
nonrational.
● VICENTE SINCO, FRANCISCO DALUPAN, CONRADO AQUINO
- Liberal Education – an approach to learning that empowers individuals and repairs
them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change
- Sinco envisioned the need for well-trained teachers as one of the essential factors to
improve the quality of the educational program in schools.
- Aquino also stressed that those responsible for the education of the citizens must
also educate them in the fullness of their rational nature.
 FILIPINO PSYCHOLOGY
● Virgilio G. Enriquez (November 24, 1942 – August 31, 1994), also known as Doc E
- a social psychologist
- Father of Filipino psychology "Ama ng Sikolohiyang Pilipino"
● Indigenous Psychology
● scientific study of the ethnicity, society and culture of a people and the application to
psychological practice of indigenous knowledge rooted in the people’s ethnic heritage and
consciousness
● refers to a psychology based on the Filipino’s true thoughts, feelings, behaviors and must
derive from indigenous Filipino sources, language, and methods
● against a psychology that perpetuates the colonial status of the Filipino mind a psychology
used for the exploitation of the masses the imposition of psychologies developed in foreign
countries
● Indigenous language, genuine vehicle of the innermost thoughts and intimate feelings of a
people bound by a common historical heritage and a specific socio-economic-cultural
environment
● The Psychological Concepts lay the foundation for the formation of indigenous psychological
theories and models of analysis that correspond more fully to the realities of the life and
culture of a society.

KEY CONCEPTS OF FILIPINO PSYCHOLOGY

● Kapwa
- a core concept in Filipino Psychology
- the shared inner self Kapwa (English: both, fellow being, others) others is used in
opposition to the ‘self’ implies the recognition of the ‘self’ ‘self’ as a separate identity
- Ibang Tao ("outsider") There are five interaction levels under this category:
Pakikitungo: civility – right behavior means right demeanor towards authorities
(Parents, Elders, etc.).
Pakikisalamuha: act of mixing – This is a social value that is primarily communitarian.
It espouses the ability to adapt.
Pakikilahok: act of joining – This translates to participation of the entire community to
help a person.
Pakikibagay: conformity – This runs into conflict with individuality which many
Filipinos in fact willingly throw away in favor of conformity with demands of those who
are in charge.
Pakikisama: being united with the group.
- Hindi Ibang Tao ("one-of-us") There are three interaction levels under this category:
Pakikipagpalagayang-loob: act of mutual trust
Pakikisangkot: act of joining others
Pakikipagkaisa: being one with others

● Pakikiramdam
- the pivotal aspect of kapwa refers to heightened awareness,nsensitivity ‘feeling for
another’ a kind of emotional a priori an active process involving great care and
deliberation manifested in ‘hesitation to react, inattention to subtle cues, and
non-verbal behavior in mental role-playing Rita H. Mataragnon (1987) in From colonial
to liberation psychology: The Philippine Experience. Virgilio G. Enriquez (Ed) (1992)
UP Pres
● Kagandahang-Loob
- a central concept in Filipino Psychology
- generally regarded as a basic component of morally worthy behavior
- One can try to understand kagandahang loob by looking at the literal meanings of the
words that comprise the term.
- The word 'kagandahan' has its root in 'ganda' which means 'beauty.' On the other hand,
'loob' means 'inside'. Hence, 'kagandahang loob' may be translated as 'beauty within.'
The opposite of kagandahang loob is kasamaang loob, which characterizes immoral
action. It may be translated as 'evil within.'
 PANTAYONG PANANAW
● Dr. Zeus Salazar, a Filipino sociologist,
● concerned on the importance of learning Philippine history, through the use of the Filipino
language, and in the context of the Filipino people
● Filipino based ”from us – for us” perspective
● A communication based framework whose aim is to produce a “national discourse”
(talastasang bayan)
● Basically, two Filipino root words are involved in the phrase Pantayong Pananaw,: tayo and
pananaw. In the Filipino language, tayo is used as a collective and inclusive form of we,
referring both to the speaker and listeners. Pananaw on the other hand, means “outlook or
perspective”
● refers to a historical theory or dialogue that consists of both active and passive subjects in
their own discourses
● now defined as “salaysay ukol sa nakaraan o nakalipas na may saysay para sa isang grupo
ng tao at iniuulat sa pamamagitan ng sariling wika”
● pronounces that the original language of the Filipinos and other indigenous groups in the
Philippines ought to be used in writing Philippine history
● states that historians must also make use of unconventional sources that are untainted by
any foreign biases
● found to be valuable in women’s studies principally in writing about the silent contributions
and impact of women in the social, economic, political, and historical development of the
country
 THE ROLES OF FILIPINOS’ INDIGENOUS SOCIAL IDEAS TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Filipino psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino)

- psychology born out of orientation, thought and experience of the Filipino people
- These ideas and thoughts are based on the culture and language of the Filipinos.
- Dubbed as the father of Sikolohiyang Pilipino, Virgilio G. Enriquez, considered the following
as the subject matter: kamalayan or consciousness, which includes both emotive and
cognitive experience; ulirat or awareness of one’s immediate surroundings; isip , which refers
to knowledge and understanding; kalooban which refers to emotions; diwa, which are habits
and behavior; and kaluluwa or psyche, known as the soul of a people.
● (Kapwa/Shared identity; Kagandahang-loob/Shared humanity and Familism)
- Filipino social ideas can be link in the context mandated by the DepEd in its Core
Values and I quote: “ We can learn from other nations and societies but at the heart of
our own struggle as the Filipino nation is our inherent Core Value of Kapwa Filipino
and its substance Core Values of Maka-Diyos, Makabansa, Makatao, and
Makakalikasan
● Filipino Core Values vs. Western Influences
- When ako starts thinking of himself as separate from kapwa, the Filipino “self”
becomes “individualized”. Thus, it denies the status of kapwa to the other.
- core concept in Filipino psychology
- due to the awareness of the shared identity and not because of the status given to
him by others
- defined kapwa as a recognition of shared identity, an inner self shared with others
- The ako (ego) and the iba-sa akin (others) are the same in kapwa psychology: Hindi
ako iba sa aking kapwa (I am no different from others)
- Kagandahang-loob, the linking sociopersonal value, influences a person to
accommodate the needs and purposes of the society in general. If a person values
kagandahang-loob, he or she values karangalan (dignity), katarungan (justice), and
kalayaan (freedom), too. We find it difficult to accept these values because we have
been looking at them from negative points of view.
- Filipino norms are primary sources of "ills” in our society and weakness in our
national character such as:
hiya (politeness, shame)
pakikisama (cooperation)
utang na loob (debt of gratitude)
bahala na (responsibility)
maňana habit
ningas cogon

To rectify these errors in social transformation, the following initial steps are suggested by Jocano:
- First, we will restore our indigenous ideas instead of highlighting the superiority of Western
models. Through this, we will realize our potential as a people.
- Second, we will accept our traditional values more positively. There is nothing wrong with
them, in spite of what critics say. Our views on our traditional values are wrong shaped by our
colonial mentality and biases. Let us not forget that these values are the foundation of our
inner strengths, ethical principles, moral fiber and cultural ideals as a nation.
- Third, we will assess the functions of our values more in terms of the logic and moral
authority of our tradition.
 - Fourth, we will concentrate on our academic and civic endeavors while reviving the inner
strength of our culture instead of criticizing its weakness. This is not saying that the
traditional system has no weakness. Self-criticisms in the past have never been helpful.
- Fifth, let us incorporate the positive features of our values in our textbooks and teaching
strategies in schools, in managing our public and private organizations, in advertising our
products, in writing stories and in producing programs for radio, television and the cinema.

FAMILISM
● deeply ingrained in Filipino minds and hearts
● central to the Filipino worldview
● We need to use familism as a mechanism of teamwork in contemporary organizations and
must not be a way to favor family or kin if we are going to advance social transformation.
● Doing so is a violation of the original meaning of familism which is to protect the honor of the
family.

SIGNIFICANCE OF FILIPINO PHILOSOPHY TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

● Primary sector—sources of raw materials: agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and mining;
● Secondary sector— manufacturing and industrialization;
● Tertiary sector—services sector that supports the workforce and the facilities, among others.
● The philosophy teacher or the philosopher contributes essentially to the services sector. The
country’s economy needs teachers and mentors who will lead the development of the mind
and skills of the labor force. The philosophy teacher, in particular, is responsible for:
a) broadening and enlightening the mind on the philosophical issues of life—moral, political,
spiritual, etc.—so that the workforce can understand the nuances of life better, including life in
the corporate world;
b) engaging in the intellectual legacy which spells out contribution to the nation;
enduring or worth living.
c) providing ideas that may be useful in tackling one’s daily routine, thereby making life worth
enduring or worth living.
 SOCIAL SCIENCE AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS
● Condition or behavior that has negative consequences for large numbers of people and that
is generally recognized as a condition or behavior that needs to be addressed.
● Problems that result in pain, suffering & misery. Victims may need medical help.
● Unpleasant & unacceptable behavior like stealing and bullying.
● Conditions that are widespread in the society because people do not use caution in their
actions
● Things that affect many people in a bad way - like being poor
SOCIAL PROBLEMS
● Poverty
- a state or condition in which a person or community lacks the financial resources and
essentials for a minimum standard of living
- the income level from employment is so low that basic human needs can't be met
- stricken people and families might go without proper housing, clean water, healthy
food, and medical attention
- CAUSES OF POVERTY
Lack of good jobs/job growth
Lack of good education
Weather/climate change
Warfare/conflict
Social injustice
Lack of infrastructure
Lack of good healthcare
Lack of government support
Lack of food and water
High costs

● Corruption
- dishonest behavior by those in positions of power, such as managers or government
officials
- can include giving or accepting bribes or inappropriate gifts, double-dealing,
under-the-table transactions, manipulating elections, diverting funds, laundering
money, and defrauding investors (Chen, Corruption, 2020)
- How to prevent corruption? Corruption is likely to be reduced with accountability
mechanisms in place; this in turn is likely to reinforce a culture that fosters strong
ethical behavior while holding those to account who violate the norms. Corruption
can further be reduced by making it easy to report, whether by managers,
employees, suppliers, and customers. A robust control environment also reduces the
risk of corruption as do thorough background checks before hiring or promoting
employees.

● Unemployment
- ]occurs when a person who is actively searching for employment is unable to find
work
- often used as a measure of the health of the economy
- The most frequent measure of unemployment is the unemployment rate, which is the
number of unemployed people divided by the number of people in the labor force.
● Terrorism
- Terrorist attacks have been causing a major strain to the country’s travel and tourism
sector.
- the calculated use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and
thereby to bring about a particular political objective (Jenkins, 2020)
- Effects of Terrorism
1. can cause ripple effects through the economy that have negative impacts
2. direct economic destruction of property and lives
3. directly affects the economy by creating market uncertainty, xenophobia, loss
of tourism, and loss of lives and properties

● Natural Disasters
- an event that is caused by the natural forces of the earth and results in great damage
and possibly loss of life.
- When natural disasters occur in heavily populated areas, a lot of people may lose
their lives. (Ritchie, 2014)
- Types of Natural Disasters that usually occur in the Philippines:
1. Typhoon
2. Earthquake
3. Wild Forest
4. Volcanic Eruption
5. Drought

● Crimes
- the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately
prescribe a conviction
- While every crime violates the law, not every violation of the law counts as a crime; for
example, breaches of contract and of other civil law may rank as “offenses” or as
“infractions”.
- Types of crimes
1. A violent crime - which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force
upon the victim.
2. Sex crimes - forms of human sexual behavior that are crimes. Someone who
commits one is said to be a sex offender.
3. Property crime - involves the taking of money or property, and does not
involve force or threat of force against a victim.
4. Hate crimes - occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her
perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial
group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age,
sex, or gender identity.
5. Organized crime - transnational, national, or local grouping of highly
centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal
activity.
6. Virtual crime - refers to a virtual criminal act that takes place in a massively
multiplayer online game.
 RESPONDING TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS

● Climate Change
- will become the most significant destabilizing global issue.
- Technology can help in many ways, from making electric cars mainstream and
building alternative sources of energy to replace coal to creating more efficient
buildings, non-polluting air conditioning systems and desalination systems.

● Poverty
- can be eliminated by using technology to create more jobs and open up a wider
marketplace for those in developing countries to reach an audience that would be
interested in buying what they make or offer.
- Ensuring everyone has equal access to the internet can certainly go a long way to
creating a way for more people to economically sustain themselves.
- Education Technologies like online courses and robots in the classroom allow for a
higher-quality and standardized delivery of curriculum by experts who really
understand the subjects being taught. This type of education dramatically increases
access both for urban and rural classrooms that lack the resources to maintain a
well-trained staff.
- Public Safety - Kidnappings, ambushes and reports of rape are words that we
unfortunately read in headlines on a regular basis. Enhanced CCTV cameras or
personal devices with face recognition technologies connected to a database of
criminals may be able to proactively warn when known offenders are in close
proximity, while peer-to-peer, location-based emergency communication technologies
can enable victims to seek help from law enforcement or others nearby.

● Farming
- Leveraging e-commerce technologies to improve access to healthier options will help
save trillions of dollars in health care, help families live healthier, happier lives and
make the healthier options affordable.
1. Providing access to job-oriented education (vocational course) in order to
gain employment.
2. Providing intensified awareness campaigns on population control, making
family planning devices should be made available at no cost for the poor and
in rural areas in order to resolve the issue of population growth.
3. Provision of free education and scholarships grants opportunities to all poor
but deserving students.
 Role of Social Sciences in Addressing Social Issues

GENDER INEQUALITY
- an example of a social issue
- refers to the differences between men and women that systematically favor one group
- the result of distinct roles and behaviors that a particular society considers appropriate for
men and women
- In this regard, it is important to go back to the distinction between sec and gender which was
discussed under Feminist Theory.
- Sex is the biological basis of being male or female while gender is the sociocultural basis of
being male or female.
- Gender ideology promotes sexism, or the belief that there exist natural psychological,
behavioral, and intellectual differences between men and women and that these differences
justify the superiority of one group over another, and it is usually the women who are
considered the inferior group.

Approaches in Social to be used in the issue of Gender Equality:

Different Feminist Theories
- can be used to analyze the issue of gender inequality
- Gender ideology dictates that men are the breadwinners in the family therefore they
should have all the chances they could get to land a job, and getting a degree is seen
as a guarantee of landing a job; while educating women is seen as futile endeavor
since women, even after earning a degree, are expected to stay at home and take care
of their family.

Liberal Feminism
- argues that women are oppressed in society due to the belief that they are not rational beings
- Women should be given the right to education for only through education can women prove
their rationality.
- Women should also be treated equally in laws and should be given the right to vote as well
as the right to be elected in public office.
- operates on the idea that women are rational, too, hence women should be given equal;
opportunities and rights with men by virtue of that rationality.

Symbolic interactionism
- can also be used to analyze gender inequality
- People assign symbols to things and concepts as they encounter and interact with them.
- Symbolic interactionism is also at play when women are paid less than their male
counterparts for the same work, or when women are not allowed to cross the glass ceiling in
big companies where only men have the opportunity to become chief executive officers.
- states that the people construct symbols and meanings which are shared when they interact
with each other
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
- another social issue that we still face today
- refers to the actions, behavior or treatment based on prejudice or hatred against a person
based on their race
- involves narrowmindedness and discrimination against people who are thought to be inferior
to other people based on the color of their skin
- may be in the form of social acts, customs or beliefs
- also be described as an unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice
 Approaches in Social to be used in the issue of Racial Discrimination:
CONFLICT THEORY
- can be used to analyze the issue regarding racial discrimination, specifically Marxism.
- Classical Marxism asserts that class oppression is the result of the division of capitalist
society into the bourgeoisie (middle class) and the proletariat (working class)
Structural functionalism
- must have played a significant role that helped to create more solidarity, at least among the
ruling classIt
- tends to look at the issue of racial discrimination from the perspective of macro-level
analysis, looking at the positive rather than the negative consequence of racial discrimination
- as long as social harmony and social equilibrium are achieved

TERRORISM
- about the pursuit, acquisition, and use of power
- about violence or threat of violence with the goal of instilling fear beyond the immediate
victims
- targets military, government representatives, as well as civilians, and it involves calculated or
planned acts by organizations with specific structures
- has traditionally been considered as representing a mental disorder, thus it can be analyzed
using psychoanalysis
- Approaches in Social to be used in the issue of Terrorism:
Psychoanalysis
- will be used to analyze the issue in terrorism
- Stuart Twemlow, a medical doctor and professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science,
narrates how psychoanalysis can offer so much help in understanding terrorism by removing
into the social context and group dynamics of terrorism, and by understanding the individual
psyche of terrorists.
Rational Choice Theory
- claims that people always make logical and practical choices that provide them with greatest
benefit or satisfaction at the lowest possible costs
- offers an alternative to this traditional view of terrorism for it advocates the idea that terrorist
acts usually stem from logical, intentional, and premeditated decisions

SOCIAL INEQUALITY
- occurs when there is an unequal access to the benefits of a certain society
- Some groups may have opportunities in securing more resources than others
- can be in the form of goods, wealth, and rewards and can be recurrent patterns
- If we use Pantayong Pananaw as an approach to analyze the issue of social inequality in the
Philippines, the concept of the great cultural divide could be applied to explain why social
inequality exists.
- Sikolohiyang Pilipino can also be used to analyze social inequality. Kapwa means unity of the
Self and other, or extension of the self, while “other” means a person or a thing that is
different from one already mentioned or known about. If people will treat others as they would
want themselves to be treated, resources will be equally shared among everybody and
everyone will get what they want without exploiting other people for profit.