LESSON 1-MIDTERM

HUMAN VALUES
PHILOSOPHY OF VALUES

Understanding the philosophy of

human values is necessary in
understanding Filipino values such as:
❖ family closeness and solidarity
❖ (pagkamalapit at pagkakaisa ng
pamilya),
❖ politeness (pagkamagalang through
the use of po and opo or ho),
❖ hospitality, and gratitude (utang na
loob).
FILIPINO VALUES

The Filipino value system arises from our culture or

way of life, our distinctive way of becoming human in
this particular place and time. We speak of Filipino
values in a fourfold sense:

1. It is obvious that certain values take on a

distinctively Filipino flavor for us. The Greek ideal of
moderation or meden agan, the Roman in medio stat
virtus, and the Confucian and Buddhist doctrine of
the middle way or path, find their Filipino equivalent
in walang labis, walang kulang or katamtaman
lamang.
2. Speaking of Filipino values, we do not mean
that elements of these Filipino values are
absent in the value systems of other peoples
and cultures. All people eat, talk, and sing; but
they eat a variety of food, speak various
languages, and sing different songs.
For instance, in China, honesty and hard
work may rank highest; Chinese and
Japanese cultures value politeness and
beauty; American culture highlights
promptness and efficiency; and Filipino
culture emphasizes spirituality and family
centeredness.
3.Universally, human values in the Filipino
context (historical, cultural, socio economic,
political, moral and religious) take on a
distinctive set of Filipino meanings and
motivations. This is true not only of the aims
and goals, beliefs, convictions and social
principles of the traditional value system of the
lowland rural family but also of what Fr.
Horacio de la Costa, S.J calls the Filipino
“nationalistic” tradition (pagsasarili,
pagkakaisa, pakikisama, pakikipagkapwa-tao
and pagkabayani.
4.Values in the sense of historical
consciousness had evolved among
the Filipino people, leading to the
concept of justice evolving from
inequality to equality and to human
dignity. From the tribe, to the family
and to the nation, consciousness of
different values varies during periods
of Philippine history.
GOOD CITIZENSHIP VALUES
1.Love for God or Pagkamaka-Diyos

● The Philippines is the only Christian nation in Asia,

our population being predominantly Catholic.

● Religiousness is a prime Filipino value. Faith is the

deeply rooted submission to a divine Creator and
believing in His authority over all creations.

● It is also putting oneself in the hands of the Divine

Authority which is an expression of faith in and
unconditional love of God.
2.Love for Fellow men or Pagkamaka-Tao

St. Paul defines love in a different way:

Love is patient; it never fails; it is eternal.
There are faith, hope, and love and the
greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13).
It illustrates the real essence of love
which strengthens the foundation of the
family and other social groupings.
3.Love for Country or Pagkamaka-Bayan

Progressive countries are able to attain

their economic goals because the people
have trust and confidence in their
governments. In turn, reciprocate their
people’s support with honest, sound and
dynamic governance.
4.Love for the Environment or
Pagkamaka-Kalikasan

Environment refers to everything that

surrounds us from the natural world to the
man-made physical structures. Human
interventions are important to derive the
full benefits from natural resources, but
such interventions have at times gone
beyond the limits of the domain reserved
for human utilization.
ROOTS OF THE FILIPINO CHARACTER

The Family and Home Environment.

1.

Child-bearing practices, relations and

family attitudes and orientation are
the main components of the home
environment.
2.The Social Environment. The
Filipino is raised in an environment
where one must depend on
relationships with others in order
to survive.
3.Culture and Language. Much has been
written about Filipino cultural values.

Such characteristics as warmth and person

orientation, devotion to family, and sense
of joy and humor are part of our culture
and are reinforced by all socialism forces
like the family, school and peer group.
4.History. We are the product of our
colonial history, which is regarded by
many as the culprit behind our lack of
nationalism and our colonial mentality.

Colonialism developed a mindset in the

Filipino which encouraged us to think of
the colonial power as superior and more
powerful.
5.Educational System.

The educational system leads to other

problems for us as a people. The lack of
suitable local textbooks and dependence
on foreign textbooks, particularly in higher
levels, force Filipino students as well as the
teachers to use school materials that are
irrelevant to the Philippine setting.
6.Religion.
This is the root of the Filipinos’
optimism and capacity to accept life’s
hardship.

However, religion also instills in us

attitudes of resignation and a
preoccupation with the afterlife and
superstitions.
7.Economic Environment.

Many local traits are rooted in the poverty

and hard life that is the lot of most
Filipinos.

Our difficulties drive us to take risks, impel

us to work very hard, and develop in us the
ability to survive.
8.The Political Environment. THE Philippine political
environment is characterized by a centralization of
power. Political power or authority is concentrated in
the hands of the elite and the participation of most
Filipinos often limited to voting in elections..

Similarly, basic services from the government are

concentrated in Manila and its outlying towns and
provinces. A great majority of Filipinos are not reached
by such basic services as water, electricity, roads and
health services. Government structures and systems-
e.g. justice and education-are often ineffective and
inefficient.
9.Mass Media. Mass media reinforce our
colonial mentality. Advertisements using
Caucasian models and emphasizing a product’s
similarity with imported brands are part of our
daily lives.

The tendency of media to produce escapist

movies, soap operas, comics, etc. feed the
Filipinos’ passivity. Rather than confront our
poverty and oppression, we fantasize instead.
The propensity to use flashy sets, designer
clothes, superstars and other bongga features
reinforce porma.
NATIONALISM AND PATRIOTISM

NATIONALISM is generally used to describe two things. The

first is the attitude of the members of a nation which includes the
concepts of national identity, origin, ethnicity and cultural ties. The
second is the action that the members of a nation take when
seeking to achieve or sustain full statehood with complete
authority over domestic and international affairs.

Loyalty and devotion to a nation especially : a sense of national

l

consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing

primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as
opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups
Intense nationalism was one of the causes of the war.
PATRIOTISM is love of and devotion
to one’s country. The word comes
from the Greek patris, meaning
“fatherland.” However, patriotism
has had different meanings over time,
and its meaning is highly dependent
upon context, geography; and
philosophy.