TOPIC/S: CHAPTER II: FREEDOM AND MORALITY (CONTINUATION)

D. Filipino Way
1. The Filipino Customs and Traditions
2. Characteristics of Filipino Culture
3. Filipino Family Values
4. Social Values of the Filipinos
5. Weaknesses of the Filipino Character

OBJECTIVES/ LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of the period, the students will be able to:
1. Check the Filipino culture and customs; and
2. Portray well the different Filipino culture and customs.

DISCUSSION:
Filipino Way
What is it about the Philippines that makes it different from the rest of the world? Well, for one
thing, it is all about their culture.
The Filipino Customs and Traditions
1. Having close family ties
 The family takes care of each other and is taught to be loyal to family and elders by
simply obeying their authorities. Having fondness for family reunions during secular and
religious holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, All Saints’ Day, Holy Week, Fiestas,
homecomings, birthdays, weddings, graduations, baptisms, funeral, etc.
2. The Bayanihan
 It is the spirit of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective. A famous
example of this is the neighbors carrying a hut or house to a new location.
3. Courtship
 We Filipinos are very romantic when it comes to heart affairs. Serenading or harana in
Tagalog is one of the most popular forms of courtship to show that a man is very serious with
his intentions to a woman.
4. Religion
 The Philippines is one of the two predominantly Roman Catholic nations in Asia-Pacific. Their
habit of going to church and often praying reflects that Filipinos have a deep faith and belief
when it comes to religion.
5. Superstition
 Superstitious beliefs have grown throughout the country. These beliefs have come from the
different sayings and beliefs of our ancestors that aim to prevent danger from happening or
to make a person refrain from doing something in particular.
6. Marriage and Wedding Customs
 Marriage is a sacred union of man and woman after a period of courtship and engagement.
It is a sacrament between two people who love each other
7. Death
 A death of relative is an opportunity to strengthen ties in the family. To pay respect an
honor the relationship to the deceased, long lost relatives, friends, and even relatives
working abroad are reunited.
8. Society
 The Philippine is a combined society, both singular and plural in form. It is singular as one
nation, but plural in that is fragmented geographically and culturally. The nation is divided
between Christians, Muslims, and other religious-ethno-linguistic groups.
9. Christmas in the Philippines
 One of the biggest holidays in the archipelago. We earned the distinction of celebrating
the world’s longest Christmas season with Christmas carols heard as early as September
and
lasting until Epiphany, the feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 or the Feast of the Santo
Niño de Cebu on the third Sunday of January.
 10. Fiestas
 Every town and city in the Philippines has a fiesta of its own; whatever time of the year it is,
there’s sure to be a fiesta going on somewhere.
11. Living with Parents
 Filipinos highly value the presence of family more than anything. Adult children living with
their parents are another Filipino traditional that makes them exceptional. Unlike in the US
where children leave the home after finishing high school or college, many Filipinos living
with parents until they get married (Abundo, 2015).

Characteristics of Filipino Culture

1. The Filipino people are very resilient
 In times of catastrophe and calamities, Filipino always manage to rise above the
challenge. Instead of wallowing, they manage to pick themselves up and smile.
2. Filipinos take pride in their families
 In the Philippines, it is family first. So whether you are part of the immediate family or you
belong to the third or fourth generation you are treated as family members. Sometimes,
even the closest of friends are considered family, too.
3. Filipinos are very religious
 In all corners of a Filipino house, you can find brazen images of crosses and other religious
paraphernalia. They go to the church every Sunday, or sometimes even twice or three times
a week.
4. Filipinos are very respectful
 From the moment they are born into this world, they are already taught how to be respectful
by using these simple catchphrases – po and opo, words that end sentences when addressing
elders. They have a culture of pagmamano, which is where they raise the backs of hands of
their elders to their forehands as a sign of respect.
5. Filipinos help one another
 More popularly known as bayanihan, Filipinos help one another – without expecting anything
in return.
6. Filipinos value traditions and culture
 Traditions in their home and in their family are important.
7. Filipinos have the longest Christmas Celebration
 Even as early as August, you can hear Christmas song and jingles being played in the malls
or in the restaurant in the Philippines.
8. Filipinos love art and architecture
 Filipino love to design creatively, to think intuitively, and have a passion for anything
different and unique.
9. The Filipinos are hospitable
 Foreign visitors in the country are treated with the utmost respect.

Family Values
The family is the center of the social structure and includes the nuclear family, aunts, uncles,
grandparents, cousins and honorary relations such as godparents, sponsors and close family
friends. People get strength and stability from their family. As such, many children have several
godparents.
Concern for the extended family is seen in the patronage provided to family members when they
seek employment. It is common for members of the same family to work for the same company. It
fact, many collective bargaining agreements state that preferential hiring will be given to family
members.
The Filipino family consists of many traditional values that have been treasured and passed on
for many generations already. These values are incredibly beneficial. Hereunder are the following
traditional values:
1. Paggalang
 To give respect to a person. Filipinos are accustomed to using the words “po”, “opo” and “ho”
when they are conversing with older people.
2. Pakikisama
 Has the connotation of getting along with people in general. There is a general yearning to be
accepted and well-liked among Filipino.
3. Utang na Loob (Debt of Gratitude)
 To pay your debt with gratitude. With utang na loob, there is usually a system of obligation.
4. Pagpapahalaga sa Pamilya
  Putting importance on your family. Person will place a high regard on his/ her family and
prioritize that before anything else.
5. Hiya
 Controls social behaviors and interactions of a Filipino. It is the value that drives a Filipino to
be obedient and respectful to their parents, older siblings, and other authorities.
6. Damayan System
 Extending Sympathy for people who lost their loved ones.
7. Compassionate
 Being sympathetic to others even the person is stranger.
8. Fun-loving Trait
 A trait that makes them unique that even in the times of calamities and other challenges in
life, they always have something to be happy about, a reason to celebrate.

Social Values of the Filipinos

The great majority of the Philippine population is bound together by common values and a
common religion. Philippine society is characterized by many positive traits. Among these are:
1. High regard for amor propio (self-esteem)
 Self-esteem reflects an individual’s overall subjective emotional evaluation of his or her own
worth. It is the decision made by an individual as an attitude towards self. Self-esteem
encompasses beliefs about oneself, as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair,
pride and shame.
 The self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem is the positive or negative
evaluations of the self, as in how we feel about it.
 Anything that might hurt another’s self-esteem is to be avoided or else one risk terminating
the relationship.
2. Smooth interpersonal relationship
 An interpersonal relationship is the nature of interaction that occurs between two or more
people. Interpersonal relationship may occur with friends, family, co-workers, strangers, chat
room participants, doctors and clients.
3. Personal alliance system
 This scheme is anchored on kinship, beginning with the nuclear family. A Filipino loyalty goes
first to the immediate family; identity is deeply embedded in the web of kinship.
4. Compadre System
 It is a primary method of extending the group from which one can expect help in the way of
favors such as jobs, loans, or just simple gifts of special occasions. But asking a friend to
become a godparent to a child, a Filipino is also asking that person to become a close friend,
Thus it is common to ask acquaintances who are of higher economic or social status than
oneself to be sponsors.
5. Utang-na-loob
 A dynamic bond between two individuals may be formed based on the concept of utang na
loob. Although it is expected that the debtor will attempt to repay, it is widely recognized that
the debt (as in one’s obligation to a parent) can never be repaid and obligation can last for
generations.
6. Suki relationship
 In the commercial context, suki relationship (market-exchange partnership) may develop
between two people who agree to become regular customer or supplier. In the market place,
Filipinos will regularly buy certain specific suppliers who will give them in return, reduced
prices, good quality, and often, credit.
7. Friendship
 Friendship often is placed on at par with kinship as the most central of Filipino relationship.
Certainly ties among these within one’s group of friends are an important factor in the
development of personal alliance systems. Here, as in other categories, a willingness to help
one another provides prime rationale for the relationship.

Weaknesses of the Filipino Character

No culture is perfect. Filipino is one. As much as we want to sustain our valued
characteristics, there are still negative traits that we cannot deny becoming prevalent at times.
1. Fatalism
 An attitude of “what goes around, comes around” or “come what may”. We have a tendency to
surrender our future to fate. We often accept bad news and circumstances without trying to
stop or change them.
 2. Crab mentality
 This is prevalent in politics where people tend to push each other down to clear the way for
their own gain. Politician, especially, try their best to ruin each other, but this can also happen
among regular people.
3. Ningas-Kugon
 One reason why we sometimes exert half-hearted effort in our undertakings is due to this
attitude. Translated to “burning cogon grass” in English, this idiom is meant to illustrate how
Filipinos initially exhibit great enthusiasm at the beginning of a project. Our eagerness
however, fades away just as quickly as the fire extinguished, leaving our work either half-
baked or unfinished.
4. Filipino Time
 Related to the mañana habit, Filipino time refers to the Filipinos’ own unique brand of time,
which is known to be minutes or hours behind the standard time. In other words, we tend not
to observe punctuality at all. This behavior usually drives time-observant foreigners crazy.
While we Filipinos with our easy-going ways have somewhat become used to Filipino time, it
still is a bad habit that needs to be dropped.
5. Colonial Mentality
 Probably one of the biggest flaws we have as a nation is our colonial mentality, defined as a
preference for all things foreign over our own, a negative trait we acquired from our days
under the Spanish and the Americans. As a result, we Filipinos have been indoctrinated with
misconceptions that our culture is inferior to that off our pas colonizers.
6. General Disregard for Rules
 Filipino are known law abiding individuals but with stronger inclination to disregards these
laws. Ironically, Filipino abroad follow rules and laws because they know they cannot get away
with not following them. Most advance countries have very organized law enforcement
agencies. In short, anyone who violates the laws and rules will be punished. In foreign land,
Filipinos cannot simply bribe authorities. Whereas, many Filipinos enforces are corrupt,
incompetent and ill equipped to enforce the law. So the tendency is to break and even ignore
the laws.
7. Procrastination or “Mañana Habit”
 This is another habit which keeps the development of our country slow. Look at the
government projects which have been left undone for year. If only they were completed
immediately, then many Filipinos would have already benefited from them. This is also true
with many of us. Instead of working on a task while there is much time, we wait for the
deadline because we feel lazy to start on them, or we want to use the time in other things. Of
course, the outcome of our completed work would not be of high quality because they were
rushed.
8. Corruption
 One of the biggest social ills our country has continued to face since time immemorial is the
issue of corruption. Let’s face it, our “culture of corruption” is embedded deep within our
system and reinforced by a complex web economic and social factors which include personal
ambitions and a twisted sense of loyalty to friends and kin. The Philippines is in for a long haul
if our officials and we ourselves do not get rid of this very negative habit.
9. Gossiping
 Filipinos are fond of talking about others’ business. It is not true that only women are into
gossiping. Even men can also be noisy on other people’s lives. Sadly, this does not bring any
good to the subjects. Secrets are brought out; failures and flaws are emphasized; and
relationships are destroyed. Worse, as gossips are passed around, they tend to be twisted
until the final story becomes too far from the original – thus, causing more damage.
10. Passivity (lack of leadership)
 Filipinos’ lack of initiative for change is also one reason why our country does not progress.
We keep on complaining against the government and other societal issues. However, we do
not do anything about them. One of our excuses is the lack of faith that our small actions can
bring change. However, the worse reason for this could be our lack of care for what is
happening around us. Common Filipinos also lack courage and confidence. If you can notice it,
in classrooms, churches or conference rooms, most of us don’t like to sit in the front seat.

REFERENCES:
1. Agdalpen, R.T. & Franciso, J. (2019). Ethics Ako at ang Kagandahang Asal Bilang Isang Filipino.
Mindshapers Co., Inc. Manila, Philippines
2. Leaño, R., Gubia-on, A. & Sinuldong-Ocampo, I. (2018). Ethics for College Students. Mindshapers
Co., Inc. Manila, Philippines
SEATWORK. WORD SEARCH. Find and list the 20 words (about our topic the Filipino Way) in all of the
direction that are hidden in the grid. The words maybe hidden in any directions. (20 points)

V G N I P I S S O G G A Y A G A Y A F D
C M Y Z D A M A Y A N F V Z Z Z W R U A
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