THE AMBIVALENCE

OF FILIPINO TRAITS
AND VALUES
By Prof. Emerita S. Quito, PhD
1. HIYA (shame)

• Negative, because it arrests or inhibits one’s • Positive, because it contributes to peace of

action. mind and lack of stress by not even trying to
achieve.
2. NINGAS-COGON (procrastination)

• Negative, because it begins ardently and • Positive, because it makes a person non-
dies down as soon as it begins. chalant, detached, indifferent, nonplussed
should anything go wrong, and hence
conducive to peace and tranquility.
3. PAKIKISAMA (group loyalty)

• Negative, because one closes one’s eyes to • Positive, because one lives for others; peace
evils like graft and corruption in order to or lack of dissension is a constant goal.
conserve peace and harmony in a group at
the expense of one’s comfort.
4. PATIGASAN (test of strength)

• Negative, because it is stubborn and resist • Positive, because it is a sign that we know
all efforts at reconciliation. our rights and are not easily cowed into
submission.
5. BAHALA NA (resignation)

• Negative, because one leaves everything to • Positive, because one relies on superior
chance under the pretext of trusting in power rather than on one’s own; it is
Divine providence. conducive to humility, modesty, and lack of
arrogance.
6. KASI (because, i.e., scapegoat)

• Negative, because one disowns • Positive, because one can see both sides of
responsibility and makes a scapegoat out of the picture and know exactly where a
someone or something. project failed; one will never suffer from
guilt or self-recrimination.
7. SAVING FACE

• Negative, because being closely related to • Positive, because one’s psyche is saved from
hiya and kasi, it enables a person to shirk undue embarrassment, sleepless nights,
responsibility; one is never accountable for remorse of conscience; it saves one from
anything. accountability or responsibility.
8. SAKOP (inclusion)

• Negative, because one never learns to be on • Positive, because one cares for the family
one’s own but relies on one’s family and and clan; one stands or falls with them.
relatives.
9. BUKAS NA/MAMAYA NA (procrastination)

• Negative, because one constantly postpones • Positive, because one is without stress and
action and accomplishes nothing. tension; one learns to take what comes
naturally.
10. UTANG NA LOOB (indebtedness)

• Negative, because one overlooks moral • Positive, because it is a recognition of one’s

principle when one is indebted to a person. indebtedness. This trait portrays the spirit
behind Filipino saying, “He who does not
know how to look back the past will never
reach his destination”.
11. KANYA-KANYA (self-centeredness)

• Negative, because self-centered; one has no • Positive, because one takes care of oneself
regard for others. and one’s family: “Blood is thicker than
water.”