LEARNING OUTCOME

 Discuss the strength and weaknesses

of the Filipino character; and
 Cite ways by which schools can
counteract the weaknesses of the
Filipino Character
Below is an excerpt of report “A Moral
Recovery Program: Building a People,
Building a Nation” submitted on April
27, 1988 by the Task Force to President
Corazon Aquino, the Senate and the
members of the press by the Senator
Litecia Shahani, the moving spirit
behind the program.
The weakness of the Filipino character as
cited in the report as follows:
1.Extreme Family centeredness.
2. Extreme personalism.
3. Lack of Discipline
4. passivity and lack of
initiative.
5. colonial mentality. 6. Kanya-Kanya
7. lack of self analysis 8. emphasis on porma
rather than substance.
 Extreme Family Centeredness
Excessive concern for family means using one’s
office and power to promote family interest and
thus functionalism patronage, political dynasties
and the protection of erring family members. It
result in the lack of concern for the common
good, and acts as block to national
consciousness.
Extreme Personalism
Take things personally, cannot separate objective
task from emotional involvement. Because of this
Filipino is uncomfortable with bureaucracy, with
rules and regulation and with standard procedures.
He use personal contacts, and gives preference to
family and friends in hiring service and even
voting. EP leads to the graft and corruption evident
in the Philippine society.
 Lack of Discipline
A casual attitude toward time and space, manifested in
lack of precession and compulsiveness, in poor time
management and procrastination. A version to following
procedures strictly results in lack of standardization and
equality control. Impatient result in short cuts, palusot,
ningas cugon. Lack of discipline often result to inefficient
work system, the violation of results and a casual work
ethic lacking follow through.
 Passivity and lack of Initiative
Waiting to be told what to do, reliance on others (leaders
and government), compliance, lack of a sense of urgency.
There is high tolerance of inefficiency, poor service, and
even violation of one’s basic rights. Too patient and
matiisin, too easily resign to his fate, the Filipino is easily
oppressed and exploited.
 Colonial Mentality

Lack of patriotism, or of an
active awareness, appreciation
and love of the Philippines and
an actual preference for things
foreign
 Kanya-kanya Syndrome
Done by tsismis, intriga, unconstructive
criticism. It is evident in personal
ambition that is completely insensitive to
the common good,e.g., the lack of a sense
of service among people in the government
bureaucracy. This result in dampening of
cooperative and community spirit, and in
the trampling upon other’s rights.
 Lack of self analysis and self-reflection

The tendency to be superficial and

somewhat flighty. In the dace of serious
personal and social problems, there is
lack of analysis or reflection, and
instead satisfaction with superficial
explanations and solutions
 Emphasis
Emphasis on on porma
porma rather
rather than
than
substance
substance

This lack of analysis and

emphasis on form is reinforced
by an educational system that is
more than substance.
The weaknesses are rooted in many
factors:
1. Home
2. Social and economic environment
3. Culture and language
4. History
5. Religion
6. Educational system
7. Mass media
8. Leadership and rule models.
 The following goals are
proposed to develop in the
Filipino:
1. A sense of patriotism and national
pride.
2. A sense of the common good.
3. A sense of integrity an accountability.
4. The values and habits of discipline and
hard work.
5. The value and habits of self reflection
and analysis.
The Filipino Character:
Strength and
Weaknesses
In 1988 Senator Leticia Shahani
submitted to the senate this
report titled “A Moral recovery
program,” Building a people,
Building a nation” this report
cites the Strength and
weaknesses of the Filipino
character.
1. pakikipagkapwa-tao.
The strength of
2. Family orientation. Filipino character
3. Joy and humor. are:
4. Flexibility, adaptability and
creativity.
5. Hard work and industry.
6. Faith and religiosity.
7. Ability to survive.
 1. Extreme family centeredness.
The Filipino 2. Extreme personalism.
character also has 3. Lack of discipline.
weakness: 4. Passivity and lack of initiative.
5. Colonial mentality.
6. Kanya-kanya sendrome.
7. Lack of self analysis and self-
reflection
8. Emphasis on porma rather
than substance.
 There is so much good in the
Filipino but so much needs to be
changed, too. Many of our strength
as a people are also source of our
weakness.. Shahani’s report
(1988)explains that family
orientation becomes in-group
orientations that prevents us from
teaching out beyond the family to
the larger community and the
nation.
In our personalism, we are warm and caring but this leads us to
lack of objectivity. We are concerned with the people we know
but unfair to people we don’t know. In our flexibility, we
compromise precession and discipline. We are joyful people
with a sense of humor but we cant take things with humor all
the times with serious problems need serious analysis. Our faith
in God is our source of strength nut this make us dependent
forces outside us, do nothing to make us submissive to god's
will. We are good in pakikipagkapwa-tao and so we can easily
empathize but we cant at the same time be envious of others.
We can be hardworking and yet can be lazy and passive in the
workplace.
Value Education in
School.
Senator Shahani’s report was given in 1988.but its findings as
reported may still be true today. The Department of Education
has its vision to help develop “Filipino’s who passionately
love their countries and whose values and competences enable
them to realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully
to building the nation” it has its core values – maka-Diyos,
maka-tao, makakalikasan and makabansa. This can be an
uphill battle for Philippine schools to realize these considering
the:
1. Extreme family centeredness.
2. Extreme personalism.
3. Lack od discipline.
4. Passivity and lack initiative.
5. Colonial mentality.
6. Kanya-kanya syndrome.
7. Lack of self analysis and self reflection.
8. Emphasis on porma rather than substance.
So that it will not be “more form than substance” as described
in senator Shahani’s report, Philippine school have to
intensify values education in the curriculum. In fact, in
response to this report, Values Education now Edukasyon
Sapagpakatao in K to 12 curriculum, was introduce as a
separate subject in the basic education curriculum under the
values education framework program of Dr. Lourdes
Quisumbing, then Department of Education Culture, and
Sports Secretary in 1988-1990.
The Values Education Framework was conceptualized in
1987. In 2002, The Basic Education Curriculum (grade 1-6,
and first-fourth year high school) integrated values in the
major learning areas or subjects. Begenning with the K to 12
curriculum in 2013, Values Education was renamed
Edukasyon Sapagpakatao (EsP) FOR GRADE 1-10 in the
Senior High Curriculum (grade 11-12), there is no course with
the title, Values Edducation or Edukasyon Sapagpakatao but
core course such as Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Human Person and Personal Development, are in essence,
Values Education subjects them selves.
 By:
Camacho MJ-JJ