OBSERVATIONS ABOUT

SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND

CULTURAL BEHAVIOR
PHENOMENA
SOCIAL CHANGE – in sociology, it is the
alteration of mechanisms within the social
structure, characterized by changes in cultural
symbols, rules of behavior, social organizations,
or value systems.
SOCIAL CHANGE EXAMPLES:

• Before 1870, black men were denied the right to vote. The
15th amendment changed that.
• Women will perceive their partners much less involved in
household chores and only focus on household chores
traditionally considered masculine. Men will perceive their
female partners more involved in traditionally female
household chores, especially in those traditionally female
household chores, especially in those traditionally considered
feminine.
CULTURAL CHANGE – on the other hand, it is the
transformation of culture or the way people live.
POLITICAL CHANGE – it happens when the rulers of
a country lose powers or when the type of governance
in the country changes. Governance is the kind of
system or ideology used to express authority in a
country. It may be democracy, monarchy, oligarchy,
and others.
COMMON PHENOMENA
1. FOOD TABOOS
 culturally, food taboos are known from virtually all human societies. A food taboo is a
prohibition against consuming certain foods. Some religions assert that there are
certain foods which to them are prohibited while other religions may consider them
fit for human consumption.
• In the society, there are certain dietary rules that may affect particular aspects of
the human life. These food taboos or prohibitions may be associated with special
events such as childbirth, pregnancy, menstrual period or breast feeding.
• In some cases, dietary rules are thought to be a result of health considerations or
other practical reasons. Some foods may be prohibited during certain religious periods
like during the Holy Week, at certain stages of life such as when one is pregnant, or to
certain classes of people like priests or religious people, even though the food is
otherwise permitted.
FOOD TABOOS IN THE PHILIPPINES
The cuisine of the Filipinos has its roots or with influences
from the Malay, Spanish, Arab, Indian, Japanese, Chinese
and American cuisines. The Filipinos traditionally have
three meals a day like many other cultures. There is
an afternoon snack called “merienda”. There are many
different dishes, from chicken, pork to beef. The staples are rice which is eaten with
sauce of the main dish or soup, fruits, meat and seafood. Cooking methods are frying,
grilling, sautéing and most of the time, boiling. There are many unique dishes in the
Filipino cuisine. Some of them are papaitan which is goat or beef innards stew flavored
with bile gives it a bitter taste.
SOME DISHES THAT FILIPINOS CONSIDER AS TABOO
1. Any dish that have dog or cat meat. Although there are those who
really prefer dog meat, this is not allowed by law in the Philippines.
Republic act No. 8485 declares that it is completely “illegal to
slaughter a dog or cat for commercial trade and consumption. Common
opinion also disapproves it considering that “the dog is a man’s best
friend.”
2. Any meat of animals considered as endangered. Meat of monkeys,
tortoise (pawikan), monitor lizards (bayawak), or rare birds are
unacceptable to eat either by public standards or by law.
3. Any food that violates human dignity because they are not anymore
acceptable for human consumption by public opinion. Such are like the
“double-dead meat” or “botcha” pork, beef and chicken meat coming
from previously already dead animals butchered to be sold for human
consumption at significantly low prices compared to the fresh ones.
Another is the “pagpag” which are food that are left-over chicken or
pork from restaurants salvaged and remade into another dish.
2. THE STANDBY (ISTAMBAY) PHENOMENON
A very interesting social issue with economic implications is
the Istambay phenomenon. Etymologically, the Filipino term
“istambay” is derived from the English idiom “on standby”.
Istambay is a localized version of standby, which over the years
has developed a set of peculiar characteristics that signifiy a
particular subsector in Philippine society. One definition of
istambay is “a person who does not have work and who usually
hangs-out on street corners.”
3. POLITICAL DYNASTY
Another interesting issue in the country is about political dynasty, a
phenomenon with socio-economic undertones. Political dynasties which
refer to families whose members are engaged in politics that have been
in the Philippine political structures in the past. Most political dynasties
are found in affluent families that entrenched themselves in local
politics before going to the national level. Political dynasties, therefore,
usually have a strong local support base. In fact, dynasties are also
active in socio-economic ventures and not just limited to politics.
4. PHILIPPINE ELECTIONS
 Another equally interesting political phenomenon is about
elections in the Philippines. The president, vice president, and
the senators are elected on a national or popular election serve
for a six-year term.
 The members of the House of Representatives, and the local
government officials, namely; governors, vice-governors,
members of the provincial board , mayors, vice-mayors, the
city/municipal councilors are elected for a term of three years
and are eligible for re-elections.