ETHICS

DR. LIONEL E. BUENAFLOR

Head-Social and Behavioural Sciences Department
Head-Batangas Heritage Center
University of Batangas
 Development of Moral Character

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 MORAL CHARACTER

• A person who demonstrates a certain character

has somehow obtained a certain level of success.
• Moral character has a two-way effect: to the
receiver and to the giver. When we think of the
good and arrive at it, we are already at the heart
of ethics.
• Moral character is necessarily a product of
FREEDOM.

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 MORAL CHARACTER

• Is there a strong relationship between moral

progress in history and the moral character of
certain indvidual?
• MORAL CHARACTER IS THE FORCE BEHIND
MORAL ACTION.

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 MORAL CHARACTER

IDENTITY /
REPUTATION
ACTION

AUTONOMY
A person becomes a
CHARACTER king of his own law.

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 Stages of Moral Development

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 To Let Go or To Let Live

I am a Marketing Personnel of a reputable institution in

Makati. I have been connected with the company for the past
three years. In those years, I have delivered more than what
was expected of me. After the department head resigned two
years ago, I was made to do some of his roles. Eventually I
got appointed as head of our department pro tempore. My
name is Marlowe.

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 To Let Go or To Let Live

My dilemma started one Monday afternoon, when the

President of our organization called my attention and for a
brief closed-door meeting.

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 To Let Go or To Let Live

“I called for you to discuss Malou. One of her clients remitted

forty thousand in cash as payment for their loan.
Unfortunately, this amount did not reach our office. It was
with Malou for over two weeks, with obviously malicious
reasons.”

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 To Let Go or To Let Live
“Having heard that this particular client is about to call our
attention, she immediately went to the client and paid back the
amount in two separate payments within one week. After
which, we immediately proceeded to our personnel
department to air the matter. As you may well know, we
cannot tolerate this kind of practice in our organization.”

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 To Let Go or To Let Live

As the boss narrated the details, I am expecting one final line.

And there. The boss asked me: “What is your opinion on this
matter? Should we let Malou go?”

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 To Let Go or To Let Live

I was hesitant to provide the decision right there and then

because the thought that was going through my mind was who
am I to decide on this issue? After expressing this concern of
mine, he asked me, “Put yourself in my position. What would
you do?”

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 To Let Go or To Let Live

A week before the boss called my attention, Malou was

expressing her sentiments. First, her financial requirements in
order to keep up with her loans (bad loans at that); second, the
difficulty she was experiencing raising two babies on her own
after a painful separation, and of course, her salary that could
hardly keep up with the rising cost of living.

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 To Let Go or To Let Live

When the boss raised me the question, what lingered on my

mind was the welfare of the children, her troubled finances,
and her remorse (when she remitted all that she got from the
client). On the other hand was the company policy, the
integrity of the company that was tarnished with this one
client, and the other employees who have learned about the
totality of the incident.

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 To Let Go or To Let Live

With all the trust that I have earned all these years from my
boss, it is likely that my opinion will bear a great deal as to the
fate of Malou.

If you were in my position, what would you recommend my

boss?

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor

 Classroom Discussion:

If you were the boss, what would be your

decision?

Dr. Lionel E. Buenaflor