The

Filipino
Culture
Damaged culture and the sick man
of Asia are just two of the many
phrases used to describe the
Philippine situation today. Questions
such as “what’s wrong, what’s
right with the Filipino? have set
many Filipino minds upon some
deep and not so deep soul-
searching and brainstorming.
Is American democracy fit for
the Philippines? Is Catholicism
brought by Spain partly responsible
for the failure of the country to
become another “tiger” of Asia?
Manuel B. Dy Jr.,
Ph.D.
Ateneo de Manila
CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS TO
FILIPINO
CULTURE
The Malays. The basic component of Filipino culture
is the Malay temperament which could best be
described by “niceness and pleasantness” to others
rather than by virtue of law abiding features. In its
fluidness of culture, the Malay family clan or unit is
the world’s best security system.

Chinese. Filial piety between parents and children,

the flexibility to go along with other people and the
“sageliness within and the kingliness without” of the
Filipino is believed to be due to Chinese influence.
CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS TO
FILIPINO
CULTURE

The Indian influence. Indian influence is found in the

languages, mode of dressing, architectural art, folk,
beliefs, brass, and copperware.

The Hindu influence. It is the most pervasive in the

Filipino belief system. For instance is the prediction
of Filipino newspaper readers for horoscope and
fortune-telling sections.
CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS TO
FILIPINO
CULTURE
The Spanish heritage. Spain introduced a community
oriented rather than a family-oriented religion in the
form of Christianity. It contributed to an elite class. A
social and political organization, according to Western
institutions, was brought into the Philippines.

The Americans. The United States further broadened

this heritage by introducing a democracy that called
for individual liberty and equality as well as a national
political community to which everybody was supposed
to participate through national suffrage.
 THE FILIPINO CULTURAL
PERSPECTIVES

The Filipino culture’s existence and development is viewed and

interpreted in many ways. Some of them are:

The Traditional Concept. The traditionalist holds that

Filipino culture was developed due to the conglomeration of the
physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual aspects. It
assumes that underneath the independent and widely
divergent culture as shown in their way of life, there is an
underlying basic root of unity that holds the cultural tree
together and infuses one clear, distinct substance through its
veins. This includes their art of living, philosophy in life,
attitudes toward God, nature and fellowmen.
THE FILIPINO CULTURAL
PERSPECTIVES

The Nationalistic View. This concept regards culture

as the summation of the needs of the people,
the description of their past and present condition,
an expression of their values, thoughts and emotions,
and the depiction of their historic struggles to
liberate themselves. True national culture is inextricably
linked to the people’s needs, ideas, emotions, and
practices.
THE FILIPINO CULTURAL
PERSPECTIVES

Cultural Dualism. This theory maintains that the

Philippines is a transitional society dominated on one
side by the traditional culture and on the other side by
the modern culture. The norms and values of these two
forces inevitably oppose each other leading to conflicts
in the life of individual. Because of the conflict brought
by the various foreign influences into the Philippines, the
Filipinos have to engage into a selective integration and
modification of foreign influences into a distinct Filipino
culture.
Filipinos are religious. They believe so much in
supernatural powers and view themselves as only a
speck in this wide universe. This Filipino belief in the
supernatural powers taught them to trust prayers
rather than hard work in the realization of their
dreams. Success is considered a blessing from above,
a result of good luck and faith.

Good is considered relative. What is considered good

to one may not be good to another. Happiness and
success differ from one person to another. Elders,
parents, and superiors are respected and obeyed.
Hospitality is one practice Filipinos believe in
because it is their way of implementing the golden
rule: “Do unto others what you want others do unto
you”.

Belief System
Personally, the Filipinos value more their honor and
status than anything else. Majority of them takes care of
their honor (karangalan) rather than wealth. In decision
making, the Filipinos usually consult and take into
consideration the consensus of the family members as
the feelings of those who are to be affected.

Socially, the Filipinos give more emphasis on social

relationships. In terms of emotion, the Filipinos are
friendly. They smile at people, even with strangers
when they are approached. They are warm and simple.

Value System
STRENGTHS OF THE FILIPINO
CHARACTER
for
Pakikipagkapwa-tao. It is having a regard
others with dignity and respect and
deal with them as fellow human being.
Utang na Loob. It is a technique
of reciprocity of debt of gratitude to
others within the family circle or primary
group, sometimes unlimited in nature,
emotional rather than financial or rational.
Family Orientation. To the Filipino, one’s
family is the source of personal identity, the
source of emotional and material support
and the person’s main commitment
STRENGTHS OF THE FILIPINO
CHARACTER
Joy
and Humor. Filipinos have a cheerful
fun and -loving approach to life and its ups
and downs which is manifested in the
Filipino’s love
for socials and celebrations, in our capacity
to laugh even in the most trying of times.
Flexibility, Adaptability and Creativity.
Filipinos have a great capacity to adjust and
to adapt to circumstances and to the
surrounding environment, both physical and
social. Filipinos possess a tolerance for
ambiguity, creative, resourceful, adept at
learning and able to improvise and make
STRENGTHS OF THE FILIPINO
CHARACTER
Hard Work and Industry. Filipinos have
the capacity for hard work given the
proper conditions. The desire to raise one’s
standard of living and to possess the
essentials of a decent life for one’s family,
combined with the right opportunities
and incentive stimulate the Filipino to
work very hard.
Faith and Religiosity. Filipinos have
deep faith in God.
Ability to Survive. It is manifested in
WEAKNESSES OF THE FILIPINO
CHARACTERS
Extreme . This is
tendency Personalism
to give personal manifested
interpretations
in the
to
actions, to take things personally.
Extreme Family-Centeredness. It creates an image
to which the Filipino is fiercely loyal to the
detriment of concern for the larger community or

common good. It manifests in the use of office and

power as a means of
patronage andpromoting
political the interests and
dynasties of thein
family,
protection of erring family members.
the
Discipline. It is the casual and relaxed
Lack of towards time and space which manifests
attitude
itself in lack and compulsiveness, in
poor time of precision in procrastination .
management and
WEAKNESSES OF THE FILIPINO
CHARACTERS
Passivity of Initiative
others,and Lack to . It is strong reliance
on
be complacent submissive
and there authority, Filipinos
rarely sense tend to
of urgency
about any problem.
. This has two dimensions: (1)
Colonial Mentality and 2) actual preference for
lack
of patriotism (
things foreign. It manifests in the alienation of the
elite
as from theirbasic roots andoffrom
feeling the masses,
national as well
inferiority that
in the us difficult to relate as equals to
makes .
Westerners
kanya Syndrome . pertains to crab
Kanya-
mentality, selfish, self- serving
It attitude of the
Filipinos .
Ways To Tell If You’re A Filipino
 Ways To Tell If You’re A
Filipino
• You point with your lips.
• You eat using hands and you have it down to a technique.
• Your other piece of luggage is a balikbayan box.
• You nod upwards to greet someone.
• You put your foot up on your chair and rest your elbow on
your knee while eating.
• You think that half-hatched duck eggs are a delicacy.
• You have to kiss your relative on the cheek as soon as
you enter the room.
• You collect items from hotels or restaurants "for souvenir."
• You smile for no reason.
• You flirt by having a foolish grin in your face while
 Ways To Tell If You’re A
Filipino
• You go to a department store and try to bargain the
prices.
• You scratch your head when you don’t know
the answer.
• You never eat the last morsel of food on the table.
• You add an unwarranted "H" to your name, i.e.
"Jhun," Bhoy," "Rhon."
• You put hands together in front of you as if to make
a path and say "excuse, excuse" when you pass in
between people or in front of the TV.
• Your middle name is your mother’s maiden name.
• You like everything imported or "state-side."
• You check the labels on clothes to see where it
was made before buying.
• You hang your clothes out to dry.
 Ways To Tell If You’re A
Filipino

• You always offer food to all your visitors.

• You say "comfort room" instead of "bathroom."
• You say "for take out" instead of "to go"
• You say "open" or "close" the light.
• You ask for a "pentel-pen" or a "ball-pen" instead of just
"pen."
• You asked for "Colgate" instead of "toothpaste."
• You say "Hoy" get someone attention.
• You turn around when someone says "Psst"
• You say "he" when you mean "she" and vice versa.
• Your sneeze sounds like "ahh-ching" instead of "ahh-
 Ways To Tell If You’re A
Filipino
• You prefer to make acronyms for phrases such as "OA: for
over acting or "TNT" for, well, you know.
• You say "brown-out" instead of "black-out."
• You have a portrait of "The Last Supper" hanging in your
dining room.
• You own a karaoke system.
• You own a piano that no one ever plays.
• Your house has too many “burloloys”.
• You have two to three pairs of tsinelas at your doorstep.
• You have a giant wooden fork and spoon hanging
somewhere in the dining room.
• Your car chirps like a bird or plays a tune when it is
in reverse.
 Ways To Tell If You’re A
Filipino
• Your parents call each other "Mommy" and "Daddy" or
"ma" and "pa."
• You have family member that has a nickname that
repeats itself, i.e."Deng-Deng," Ling-Ling" or "Bing-Bing"
• You put hot dogs in your spaghetti.
• You consider dilis the Filipino equivalent to French fries.
• You think that eating chocolate rice pudding and dried fish
is a great morning meal.
• You instinctively grab a toothpick after each meal.
• You dip bread in your morning coffee.
• Your cupboards are full of Spam, Vienna Sausage, Ligo,
and Corned Beef, which you refer to as Karne Norte.
• You bring your "baon" most of the time to work.
#finished
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