strengthening filipino family values essay

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Family Ties: The Heartbeat of Filipino Culture

In filipino culture, the family shines as a beacon of strength and solidarity. from cherished traditions to unwavering support, discover the essence of filipino familial bonds that stand the test of time..

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Transferring Values to Your Family: Evolving Filipino Dynamics

Armando bartolome | december 14, 2023.

Exploring Filipino Family Dynamics

Filipino family dynamics are deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines. Family holds immense importance in Filipino culture, serving as the foundation of society. It is through the family unit that values and traditions are passed down from one generation to another, ensuring the continuity of Filipino identity. Traditional values play a significant role in shaping these dynamics, emphasizing respect, obedience, and storytelling as means of preserving family history. However, as times change, so do family values. Modern Filipino families are influenced by evolving societal norms and global influences while striving to maintain their cultural roots.In this blog post, we will delve into the intricacies of Filipino family dynamics and explore how traditional and evolving values contribute to nurturing strong family bonds.

The Significance of Family in Filipino Culture

Filipino culture places a profound emphasis on the significance of family. It serves as the foundation of Filipino society, with strong family bonds and support networks being highly valued. In the Philippines, families are not limited to immediate relatives but often include extended family members, creating an expansive network of support and connection. This sense of community is deeply ingrained in Filipino culture, fostering a collective responsibility for the well-being and success of each family member.

Family plays a crucial role in shaping individual identity within Filipino society. From an early age, children are taught core values that form the basis of their character. Traditional Filipino family values such as respect, obedience, and loyalty are instilled in individuals, influencing their beliefs, behaviors, and decision-making processes. These values provide a sense of belonging and identity, grounding individuals in their cultural heritage.

Upholding Traditional Values

Filipino family dynamics are deeply rooted in traditional values that have been passed down through generations. Respect and obedience hold immense importance in Filipino culture, shaping the dynamics within the family unit. Respect for elders and authority figures is deeply ingrained, with children being taught to honor and defer to their parents and older relatives. This emphasis on respect fosters a sense of harmony and hierarchy within the family.

In addition to respect and obedience, storytelling plays a significant role in preserving family history and cultural heritage. Filipino families pass down their history, values, and traditions through oral traditions. Elders share stories of their ancestors, imparting wisdom and knowledge to younger generations. This practice not only strengthens familial bonds but also ensures the continuity of Filipino cultural identity.

By upholding these traditional values, Filipino families maintain a strong sense of unity and cohesion. These time-honored values serve as guiding principles that shape behavior, decision-making, and relationships within the family.

Balancing Tradition and Progress

Filipino families face the ongoing challenge of balancing tradition with the progress of modern times. While traditional values hold a significant place in Filipino culture, evolving societal norms and global influences necessitate adaptation. Filipino families navigate this tension by embracing change while preserving their cultural roots.

Adapting to modern lifestyles does not mean abandoning cultural identity. Instead, it involves finding a harmonious balance between tradition and progress. Filipino families recognize the importance of staying connected to their heritage while embracing new ideas and practices that align with changing times.

Education is highly valued in Filipino culture and is seen as a pathway to success. Filipino families prioritize providing their members with access to quality education, recognizing its transformative power. They support their children's pursuit of higher education and career aspirations, encouraging them to explore various fields while instilling core values that will guide them on their journey.

By striking a balance between tradition and progress, Filipino families ensure the continuity of their cultural heritage while embracing the opportunities and advancements of the modern world.

Celebrating Diversity in Family Units

Filipino families are known for their inclusive and diverse family units, which contribute to the richness of Filipino culture. Extended families play a significant role in Filipino family dynamics, with many households including not only immediate relatives but also extended relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. This close-knit structure fosters strong family relationships and support systems.

Community support and cooperation are integral to Filipino family life. Filipinos value the sense of belonging that comes from being part of a larger community. They actively engage with their neighbors and participate in communal activities, creating a network of support that extends beyond the boundaries of their own family.

Multiculturalism is embraced within Filipino families through intermarriage and cultural diversity. The blending of different traditions and customs from various backgrounds enriches the fabric of Filipino families. It allows for the exchange of ideas, practices, and perspectives, fostering an environment where different cultures can coexist harmoniously.

The celebration of diversity within Filipino family units strengthens familial bonds and promotes understanding among family members. It creates an environment where individuals learn to appreciate different cultures while maintaining their own unique identity.

Adapting to Technological Changes

Technology has become an integral part of Filipino family life, transforming the way families communicate and connect. The advent of technology has brought both challenges and benefits to maintaining family relationships in the digital age.

Technology has revolutionized communication within Filipino families, allowing them to stay connected despite physical distances. Through video calls, messaging apps, and social media platforms, family members can easily share updates, photos, and videos. This instant connectivity helps bridge the gap between loved ones who may be living in different parts of the world.

However, technology also presents challenges that Filipino families must navigate. Excessive screen time and reliance on digital devices can sometimes lead to a decrease in face-to-face interactions. Families need to find a healthy balance between utilizing technology for communication while still prioritizing quality time spent together offline.

Filipino parents have adapted to the digital age by taking on the role of digital parenting. They guide their children's online activities, ensuring they engage in safe and responsible technology use. Online safety is a top priority for Filipino parents, who educate their children about cyberbullying, privacy settings, and appropriate online behavior.

By embracing technology while being mindful of its impact, Filipino families can harness its benefits while maintaining strong bonds and nurturing meaningful connections.

Strengthening Family Connections

Effective communication is essential for fostering stronger family bonds within Filipino families. Open and honest communication creates a safe space for family members to express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns. It promotes understanding, empathy, and harmony within the family unit.

Active listening plays a crucial role in effective communication. When family members actively listen to one another, they show respect and validate each other's experiences. This deepens the connection between family members and strengthens their relationships.

Nurturing strong family relationships also involves spending quality time together and engaging in shared activities and celebrations. Whether it's enjoying meals together, participating in hobbies or traditions, or celebrating special occasions, these shared experiences create lasting memories and deepen the bond between family members.

Supporting each other's emotional well-being and growth is another important aspect of nurturing strong family connections. By offering encouragement, understanding, and guidance, family members can help each other navigate life's challenges and celebrate achievements. This support system provides a sense of security and belonging within the family.

By prioritizing effective communication, spending quality time together, and supporting one another's emotional well-being and growth, Filipino families can strengthen their connections and build resilient relationships that withstand the test of time.

Transferring Values for Stronger Family Bonds

Embracing the rich tapestry of Filipino family dynamics is key to nurturing strong family connections. By passing down traditional and evolving values, families can instill a sense of identity, belonging, and shared purpose. The celebration of diversity and adaptability within Filipino families allows for the integration of different backgrounds and traditions, creating a vibrant and inclusive family unit. Through the transfer of values, Filipino families ensure that their cultural heritage continues to thrive while embracing the opportunities and challenges of the modern world. By doing so, they lay a solid foundation for stronger family bonds that withstand the test of time.

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Strengthening Filipino families

• BusinessMirror Editorial
• October 2, 2017
• 3 minute read

Not too many Filipinos might be aware that there is such a thing as a National Family Week and that the country just concluded its 25th-year celebration of the event.

The National Family Week is based on Presidential Proclamation 60, which was signed by former President Fidel V. Ramos on September 28, 1992.  It seeks to strengthen family unity and relationships through the promotion of Filipino family values.

Held every fourth week of September, this celebration is led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development as chair of the National Committee on the Filipino Family, together with partners from other government agencies, non-governmental organizations, academe, churches and sociocivic groups.

In recognition of this milestone year, the theme for the 2017 celebration is “Tungo sa Maginhawa, Matatag at Panatag na Pamilyang Pilipino”, which envisions better initiatives to strengthen the Filipino family in the new generation.

The Family Code says the family is the foundation of our nation.  It is the basic unit of our society, “which public policy cherishes and protects”. But what constitutes a family nowadays?

Family relations are no longer confined between husband and wife or parents and children, or among brothers and sisters, as defined in the Family Code.

In the Philippines, where millions of Filipinos work abroad, where more women join the work force every day and where there are more dual-income families than ever before, it is not uncommon to have married couples or parents and children who live in different places, to have grandparents caring for grandchildren or aunts and uncles caring for nieces or nephews while the parents work overseas or other kinds of family structures.

It is understandably quite difficult to encourage a positive experience and have positive relationships at home when one or both parents are working abroad or are too busy eking out a living here in their own country. Poverty and the pressure to make ends meet definitely put a stress on family relationships.

We certainly welcome the government’s commitment to the Filipino family, in its various forms and structures, and we hope last week’s activities will eventually result in a variety of doable strategies and policies that would help Filipinos cope with work and family responsibilities.

Of course, first things first: ensuring long-term economic growth and job creation would help bring more Filipino fathers and mothers working abroad back home, which, in turn, would help immensely in restoring harmonious family relations.

The government is also armed with a host of labor-friendly laws and policies that are supposed to guarantee not only better working conditions but also more time with one’s family, like maternal- and paternal-leave laws, child-care provisions and flexible work arrangements. However, these laws must be strictly and seriously enforced, otherwise they would just look good on paper.

In the private sector, companies must also recognize that having a family-friendly culture and implementing family-oriented policies could actually improve the bottom line of their businesses.

Flexible work arrangements, for instance, not only help workers spend more time with their families but also greatly improve their productivity. Fast-evolving technologies certainly allow more and more workers not to come into the office every day.

A 2012 poll by property lessor Regus Centres Inc. revealed that 68 percent of businesses in the Philippines believe they are more productive as a result of flexible work arrangements, and 63 percent have seen an increase in revenues accordingly. More and more companies are also providing child-care services in their workplaces, which has also boosted their employees’ morale and productivity while reducing turnover, tardiness and absenteeism.

We hope employers everywhere in the country would help their workers achieve work-family balance by having such and similar practices.

No doubt, happier families lead to happier workers, which could only ensure a high return on their investments.

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7 Values that Keep the Role of the Filipino Family in Society Strong

• March 15, 2024

Table of Contents

The Importance of the Filipino Family

How Important is the Filipino Family in Shaping the Philippine Society?

Traditional Filipino Family Values that Make Us Distinct From Other Cultures

Filipino family value #1: importance of extended family support.

Filipino Family Value #2: Emphasis on Respect for Elders

Filipino Family Value #3: Strong Sense of Community and Bayanihan

Filipino Family Value #4: Value of Hospitality and Generosity

Filipino Family Value #5: Resilience in Facing Adversity Together

Filipino Family Value #6: Emphasis on Education and Family Success

Filipino Family Value #7: Faith and Spirituality

Historical Perspective: Filipino Family Values in the Philippines

Economic Contribution of Filipino Family: Financial Support and Stability

Social cohesion in the filipino family: building strong community bonds.

Cultural Preservation of Filipino Family: Passing on Traditions

Emotional support system: filipino family’s mental well-being and resilience.

Influence of Filipino Family on Moral Development and Societal Norms

Challenges Faced by a Filipino Family Today

Final words: the enduring influence of filipino family in philippine society.

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MISSION: To foster FILIPINO NATIONALISM. "Shake the foundations." Seek knowledge/understand/think critically about roots of socioeconomic-political predicaments in our homeland; educate ourselves, expose lies/hidden truths and fight IGNORANCE of our true history. Learn from: our nationalist heroes/intellectuals/Asian neighbors/other nations;therefrom to plan/decide/act for the "common good" of the native [Malay/indio] Filipino majority. THIS BLOG IS NOT FOR PROFIT.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Understanding the filipino value system - fr. vitaliano r. gorospe, s.j. ...looking in the mirror (updated).

" Many Filipinos are what I call Sunday-religious, that is they go to church every Sunday, take in confession and communion, but the rest of the week they bribe and do corrupt deeds..." 

-- Dr. Pura Santillan-Castrence

"Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual; the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country." - Karl Kraus, 1874-1936.

"I either want less corruption, or more chance to participate in it." - Ashleigh Brilliant, 1933

"The accomplish to the crime of corruption is frequently our own indifference." - Bess Myerson, 1924-prese nt

"Upang maitindig natin ang bantayog ng ating lipunan, kailangang  radikal  nating baguhin hindi lamang ang ating mga institusyon kundi maging ang ating pag-iisip at pamumuhay.  Kailangan ang rebolusyon,  hindi lamang sa panlabas, kundi lalo na sa panloob!"  --Apolinario Mabini,   La Revolucion Filipina  (1898) "Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world." Education allows us to better understand the world in which we live in. - Nelson Mandela (1918-2013

UPDATE (3/21/2022): ANOTHER ELECTION COMING ON MAY 9, 2022. I SEE THE NEED TO REPOST THIS ONE...NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED FOR THE BETTER...ACTUALLY FOR THE WORST YES...FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE NATIVE FILIPINO CITIZENRY. .. THE COST OF IMPOSED IGNORANCE ON THE MAJORITY AND INDIFFERENCE OF THE SO-CALLED EDUCATED ELITE... ENRAGING AND SAD AS ALWAYS... 3/30/2022: Our Native Filipino value system is not necessarily the same as what is commonly labeled "Asian values" which I identify as more Confucian, etc. But that's another topic. Glad to find feedback under Comments. Thank you all. * *************************

Notes to new readers/visitors:   1. colored and/or underlined words are html links. click on them to see the linked posts/articles. please share: forwarding this and other posts to relatives and friends, especially those in the homeland, is greatly appreciated. to share, use all social media tools: email, blog, google+, tumblr, twitter, facebook, instagram, whatsapp, etc. thanks 2. click the following underlined title/link to checkout these essential/primary readings about us filipino natives: primary blog posts/readings for my fellow, native (malay/indio) filipinos-in-the-philippines 3. instantly translate to any of 71 foreign languages. go to the sidebar on the right to choose your language. fellow native filipinos translation in cebuano and tagalog. 4. the postings are oftentimes long and a few readers have claimed being "burnt out."  my apologies...t he selected topics are not for entertainment but to stimulate deep, serious thoughts per my mission statement and hopefully to rock our boat of ignorance, apathy, complacency, and hopefully lead to active citizenship..

LET US NOT KEEP OUR HEADS IN THE SAND

* *************************

 I have noted that this particular posting about our Filipino traits and values has been/is very popular among visitors and  I guess the popularity stems from the desire of seriously concerned fellow native Filipinos to: learn, have a deeper understanding, find solutions to stop and reverse the national predicaments suffered and being inflicted on the lives of past, present and foreseeable future generations of our fellow native Filipino majority. 

With such understanding, it is hoped that it will lead to an appreciation and realization that a great   part of the problem is ourselves.   I think and believe that many of our national problems are created and/or  heightened, knowingly or unknowingly, by our so-called  Filipino Norm of Morality . 

Although we may explain our behavior by referring to traits or values, to those of us who have some exposure in psychology we may define  traits as more about dispositions or tendencies; while values as generally what we consider important and thus prioritize  and use as the standard for behavior or justification/rationalization for actions or choices. 

We appreciate and realize that traits and values may influence one another reciprocally, but I believe and think that the latter has greater influence in more instances (a thinking person tend to behave more  consistently according to his values ).

Let us hope and work for --in our own little way at the very least-- this realization to come sooner (as it is almost too late), and recognize the  urgent   need for changes in our Filipino traits and values, more fundamentally to re-examine our values:  

• to employ their positive and dampen their negative potentials in our culture and society, 
• to appreciate acting with less individualistic, personal selfishness; and instead
• to recognize the higher  need for a strong sense of national community  which we desperately miss; and
• to express in terms of national unity, i.e.  Filipino nationalism ; the  sine qua non  for national progress, that is, the attainment of the  common good

This post touches on the issue of culture , i.e. our native Filipino culture. As we know, it is imperative that we  obtain   a deep awareness of our native history and society/culture; our society which embeds in the subconscious Filipino mind within each of us  --through our home, church, and school, etc.--    a  culture, our native society's worldview :  the source of our values, attitudes and behaviors- which has been formed by a complex mix of geography, still primitive/traditional economic relations, religion, and long, divisive colonial history, etc. 

Here our native culture is looked at just from the religious point of view. Frankly, I see this point of view as limited or inadequate , based on what I have alluded to regarding the source in the preceding paragraph.   I will go back, try a broader and deeper look into the issue of our native Filipino culture, i.e. cultural aspects which I see as obstacles to national development sometime later.

[ ADDENDUM : A s I commented in  Split-level Christianity, Part 2 of 2 ,  below  essay is similarly a synthesis of Christian/Catholic theology and social science; thus expectedly with a Catholic  spin.

I personally think and believe that (personal and social)  ethics and morality do  NOT  necessarily emanate only out of having a religion or being a believer in a "God"  (for us: the monotheistic Christian God as traditionally or b iblical  understanding). 

Contrary to the assumption or belief of many Christians, native or not, there are atheists, agnostics, so-called pagans, non-Christians, and what have you who were/are more ethical/moral and unselfishly act for social justice than those who are self-proclaimed or supposedly religious Christians of various shades: Catholics, mainline Protestants, Pentecostals or Evangelicals.

In short , I believe in the possibility of a Godless morality, though I admit that it is much more difficult to attain. With a religion that stresses fear of supernatural justice or retribution, then believers will tend to follow what they think or are taught as God's (or gods') command.]

- Bert, 9/18/2013

With the ever-worsening greed and corruption that gravely permeate all branches of our civil government and military, including the public/social service institutions (see all these crimes and treasonous acts as essentially glossed-over legacies of the Marcos Dictatorship); and with t he majority of our fellow Filipinos kept functionally ignorant by design, the latter can only feel perennially abandoned by its government. 

All the while the minority who benefit from the recognized system of patronage take care of their extended families and associates .  Transparency in government has not taken root:

• thanks to the apathy of the upper/middle classes -some of whom benefit (or want to) from this status quo; 
• and thanks to the imposed ignorance of the native majority (as transparency can be put in place only by strong demand from a well-informed and active majority).

We oftentimes wonder what kind of values we have now; what have we lost in terms of social conscience, of social morality (let us forget here about sexual morality to which the church hierarchy seems to pay relatively more attention to). The question nowadays seems to be "Why can't we be good?"

We Filipinos point out, ad nauseam, about our homeland as being the only Christian nation in Asia, as if it were a badge that we can brandish around. We do not seem to wonder whether that really is something to be proud of; or are we just -unknowingly- exposing our ignorance about what authentic of Christianity is all about?

With hundreds or thousands of Catholic schools we have, where many members of our socioeconomic and political rulers/elites got their so-called education (maybe "instruction" is more apt). let us ask ourselves:

• What kind of Christian education did these members and/or children of the elite class get?
• How come some, if not many, of those who commit crimes and are guilty of corruption were from exclusive Catholic schools?
• What kind of scholastic mentors/teachers did they have? Have the mentors themselves sold out? 
• Why did the good moral and church social teachings not stick?   We have expected these alumni of Catholic schools/colleges/universities to be better than those who attended public or secular schools. 
• Is it our unique case that social morality can not really be taught in schools nor be practiced in the real world?

Below is an interesting and informative essay on understanding our Filipino value system, written just a few years after the Marcos downfall, by the late Fr. Vitaliano Gorospe, S.J. 

(However, I think Fr. Gorospe was quite naive about the kind of leadership our homeland needs then and now. I also doubted his knowledge of the true character of Cora Aquino).

- Bert M. Drona

CHAPTER VI: UNDERSTANDING THE FILIPINO VALUE SYSTEM -  FR. VITALIANO R. GOROSPE, S.J.

Since the February 1986 Revolution (1) , values development has been one major concern of the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports (DECS).

Undersecretary Minda Sutaria has publicized the second draft of the DECS Overall Values Framework, designed to assist teachers at all levels. This latest draft, basically similar to that proposed by Fr. Raul Bonoan, S.J . in "Paideia, Humanism, and Magpakatao: Values for National Reconstruction," (2) bases its framework on the provisions of the Philippine Constitution of 1986. If we are to discover our traditional values and make sure that they contribute to the "just and humane society" and "total human liberation and development" of which the Philippine Constitution speaks, we must ask some basic questions. 1) What is the philosophical basis of Filipino values? 2) What is distinctive about the Filipino value system?

VALUE PHILOSOPHY

A brief introduction to the philosophy of human values is necessary for an understanding of Filipino values and values education. A Filipino experiences family closeness and solidarity (pagpapahalaga sa pamilya) , politeness (use of po or ho) , hospitality (tuloy po kayo), gratitude (utang na loob) from "within" , that is, subjectively and emotionally, unlike a non-Filipino observer, social scientist, or psychologist who studies Filipino values objectively from "without" or "from a distance".

Such Filipino values as social acceptance , (pakikisama, amor propio, economic security, pagmamay-ari) , and trust in God (paniniwala sa Diyos, bathala or Maykapal) find their philosophical basis in man's dynamic openness toward nature and the world (e.g., the value of hanap-buhay ng magsasaka) , one's fellowmen (the values of paggalang, hiya, katarungan, pag-ibig), and God (the values of pananampalataya, pananalangin, kabanalan) . 

This dynamic openness of man is an openness to the possibilities of the future. That is why values are something to be realized . Take the value of peace. The Philippine situation is now characterized by insurgency; the conflict between the NPA, the MNLF, and the AFP; vigilante groups; hostility and division--in short, an absence of national peace and order.

Human values are not merely private. All values have a social aspect. The government official who demands porsiyento , the fireman or policeman who extorts tong or lagay f or a service which is his duty, all contribute to the worsening graft and corruption. We are all responsible for one another (tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isa't-isa).

Values are both subjective and objective. They involve a subject or person who values (e.g., a young girl) and an object or value to be realized (e.g., pagkamahinhin) . Justice is objective because it is a value that should be realized by all. It also becomes subjective if justice becomes a value for me. There is an objective difference between value and disvalue, pleasure and pain, life and death, poverty and affluence, heroism and cowardice, truth and error, right and wrong, holiness and sinfulness. The difference is not only in the mind or a matter of personal taste or preference. Even if I close my eyes to the ugly poverty around me, the poor will not disappear.

The heroes of EDSA placed the good of the Filipino people before the safety and security of their families. They were willing to risk their lives for God and people. Value-ranking or the priority of values is not merely arbitrary or subjective . There is an objective ranking of values based on existence or reality and other objective criteria.

Using the criteria of permanence, ability to be shared, and depth of satisfaction, Max Scheler ranked human values from the lowest to the highest as follows: (3) sense values like sensual pleasure are exemplified by the lakuatsero or pabling; utilitarian values like profit and efficiency by the businessman and technocrat; life values, by the doctor and the hero, e.g., Dr. Bobby de la Paz and Emilio Jacinto ; cultural values, by the genius and the artist, e.g., Jose Rizal and Francisco Balagtas ; religious values, by the saint, e.g., Mother Teresa or Lorenzo Ruiz. Moral and religious values are pre-eminent and claim the highest priority in the objective scale of values because they are absolutely necessary in order to become fully human (magpakatao).  

FILIPINO VALUES: NATURE, CONSTELLATION, AND CONTEXT

What are Filipino values? What is distinctly Filipino in our value system? 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.

First, although mankind shares universal human values, it is obvious that certain values take on for us a distinctively Filipino flavor. The Greek ideal of moderation or meden agan, the Roman in medio stat virtus, the Confucian and Buddhist "doctrine of the Middle" , find their Filipino equivalent in hindi labis, hindi kulang, katamtaman lamang.

Secondly, when we speak 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 different foods, speak various languages and sing different songs. Thus, we easily recognize Filipino, American, Chinese, Japanese, or any other foreign food, language, or music. The difference lies in the way these elements are ranked, combined, or emphasized so that they take on a distinctively Filipino slant or cast.

For instance, in China, honesty and hard work may rank highest; Chinese and Japanese cultures give great value to politeness and beauty; American culture to promptness and efficiency; and Filipino culture to trust in God and family centeredness . In this sense of value-ranking and priority of values, we can speak of dominant Filipino values .

Thirdly, universal human values in a 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 (4) but also of what Fr. Horacio de la Costa, S.J . calls the Filipino "nationalistic" tradition (pagsasarili, pagkakaisa, pakikisama, pakikipagkapwa-tao, and pagkabayani. (5)

A Filipino value or disvalue does not exist alone, in isolation, or in a vacuum . Filipino values like bahala na, utang na loob, hiya, pakikisama, pakiusap are clustered around core values like social acceptance, economic security, social mobility, and are always found in a definite context or set of circumstances.

Both positive values and negative disvalues together form a characteristic constellation in school (aralan at dasalan [studying and praying], kuwentuhan at laruan [story telling and game], inggitan at tsismisan [envying and gossiping]), which differs from the configuration found in government offices ( pagkakaisa [unity] , pagkabayani [heroism], intriga [intrigue], palakasan [show of power], sipsipan [bribery], palusot) , in business firms (palabra de honor [word of honor], delicadeza [finesse], "commission", "kickback", padulas [grease money] , lagay [bribe]), or in the barrio barangays (paggalang [honoring], pagdadamayan [comforting], bayanihan [cooperation], bahala na [come what may], utang na loob [gratefulness], hiya [shame]/ pakiusap [appear], palakasan [show of power]).

To change a framework of values, it may be necessary to change the constellation and context of those negative values that hinder Filipino and Christian development

Fourthly, we can speak of Filipino values in the sense that the historical consciousness of values has evolved among our people. The Filipino concept of justice has evolved from inequality to equality, and to human dignity; from the tribe, to the family, and to the nation (6) . Filipino consciousness of these different values varies at different periods of our history. It is only in the last two decades that the Filipino people have become more conscious of overpopulation and family planning, environmental pollution (Kawasaki sintering plant) and wildlife conservation (Calauit Island), and the violation of human rights (Martial Law), active non-violence and People Power (1986 non-violent Revolution).

It is only in the last two decades that the Filipino people have become more conscious of overpopulation and family planning, environmental pollution (Kawasaki sintering plant) and wildlife conservation (Calauit Island), and the violation of human rights (Martial Law), active non-violence and People Power (1986 non-violent Revolution).

FILIPINO VALUES: AMBIVALENCE AND SPLIT-LEVEL CHRISTIANITY

Are Filipino values good or bad? The truth is that Filipino values are ambivalent in the sense that they are a potential for good or evil, a help or hindrance to personal and national development, depending on how they are understood, practiced or lived. They can be used in a good or evil context , e.g., pakikisama sa kabuktutan or sa kaunlaran . Filipino values have both positive and negative aspects depending on the context in which they are found.

In a social system or atmosphere of extreme insecurity, the positive qualities of the Filipino take on negative and ugly appearances . For example, utang na loob can lead to pakiusap, nepotism and "cronyism". Pagmamay-ari ng kapangyarihan (the possession of power) and their abuse could lead to class distinction or the "malakas-mahina system". Hiya can become pakitang tao or gaya-gaya; machismo (tunay na lalake) is partly responsible for the "querida system" and the doble kara morality.

To show the ambivalence of Filipino values , one example will suffice. Take the well known but ambivalent Filipino bahala na mentality . On the one hand, this Filipino attitude could be the root of the positive value of risk taking, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility. Prof. Jose de Mesa , in a pioneering book on the Filipino and Christian meaning of bahala na, stresses the positive meaning of this virtue of risk-taking, enterprise, and joint trust in both human effort (bahala tayong lahat) and divine Providence (bahala ang Maykapal) (7) . A people's will to take chances and risks, no matter what difficulties and problems the future entails, is necessary for a nation's growth and destiny. Bahala na could be a genuine faith and trust in Divine Providence that also presupposes self-reliance (pagsasarili) that took the form of People Power in the EDSA revolution. Bahala na was a positive and nationalistic virtue for Jose Rizal, who believed that Filipinos could no longer rely on the Spaniards but only on themselves and on God. On the other hand, in the past, the negative aspect of bahala na which dominated Filipino life meant a false sense of resignation (ganyan lang ang buhay), a superstitious belief or blind faith (malas/suwerte, tadhana, kapalaran) , or escape from decision-making and social responsibility . As such it may be the root cause of national apathy (walang pakialam) and collective paralysis of action (bakit pa kikilos) to solve both local and national problems. Everything is already predetermined or fated. Negatively, bahala na could engender a false sense of security with God as insurance or a security blanket . For example, if God wants Filipino families to have plenty of children (anak ay kayamanan) , God will take care of everything. Bahala na could be the cause of the absence of national initiative and of that discipline required for national growth. When negative bahala na prevails, nothing ever gets done. Potholed roads, uncollected garbage, countless unsolved murders, carnapping, and smuggling remain year after year. How many have ever been arrested, convicted, or jailed for wanton murder or for notorious graft and corruption? A sense of national frustration, helplessness, and despair grips the nation and the people no longer care . Nothing is going to happen--Bahala na, come what may. From a Filipino perspective, what social reforms are necessary to transform bahala na positively? No society will long endure unless there is justice; that is, unless a system of reward and punishment exists and is effective. If in Philippine society lying and stealing people's money are rewarded and truthfulness and honesty are punished, what else can one expect but a badly broken political will for national reform? The present government should therefore prioritize an effective system of universal sanctions for those who hold power . From a Christian perspective, the Christian doctrines of divine Providence, creation, stewardship of land and property, and the conservation of our natural resources remain the challenge and task of parents, educators, and Christian evangelizers. Split-level Christianity or double-standard morality , the immorality and hypocrisy of many so-called Filipino Christians, is a scandal to both Christians and non-Christians alike. A people's will to take chances and risks, no matter what difficulties and problems the future entails, is necessary for a nation's growth and destiny. Bahala na could be a genuine faith and trust in Divine Providence that also presupposes a self-reliance (pagsasarili) that took the form of People Power in the EDSA revolution. Bahala na was a positive and nationalistic virtue for Jose Rizal, who believed that Filipinos could no longer rely on the Spaniards, but only on themselves and on God.

On the other hand, in the past the negative aspect of bahala na which dominated Filipino life meant a false sense of resignation (ganyan lang ang buhay), a superstitious belief or blind faith (malas/suwerte, tadhana, kapalaran) , or escape from decision-making and social responsibility . As such it may be the root cause of national apathy (walang pakialam) and collective paralysis of action (bakit pa kikilos) to solve both local and national problems. Everything is already predetermined or fated.

Negatively, bahala na could engender a false sense of security with God as insurance or a security blanket . For example, if God wants Filipino families to have plenty of children (anak ay kayamanan) , God will take care of everything. Bahala na could be the cause of the absence of national initiative and of that discipline required for national growth.

When negative bahala na prevails, nothing ever gets done. Potholed roads, uncollected garbage, countless unsolved murders, carnaping and smuggling remain year after year. How many have ever been arrested, convicted or jailed for wanton murder or for notorious graft and corruption? A sense of national frustration, helplessness, and despair grips the nation and the people no longer care . Nothing is going to happen--Bahala na, come what may.

From a Filipino perspective, what social reforms are necessary to transform bahala na positively? No society will long endure unless there is justice; that is, unless a system of reward and punishment exists and is effective. If in Philippine society lying and stealing people's money are rewarded and truthfulness and honesty are punished, what else can one expect but a badly broken political will for national reform?

The present government should therefore prioritize an effective system of universal sanctions for those who hold power . From a Christian perspective, the Christian doctrines of divine Providence, creation, stewardship of land and property, and the conservation of our natural resources remain the challenge and task of parents, educators, and Christian evangelizers.

Split-level Christianity or double-standard morality , the immorality and hypocrisy of many so-called Filipino Christians, is a scandal to both Christians and non-Christians alike. (8) It is important to distinguish between pseudo-Christianity in all its varied forms and authentic Christianity ; between bad and good Christians. We must also take into account the ambiguity of any religious commitment, which is not something made once and for all, but a life-long process that demands constant conversion and renewal. We must also distinguish between Filipino actual and normative behavior ( between what is and what ought to be) . Filipino values are not static, i.e., they are not simply what they are, but dynamic, i.e., they become. From a historical perspective, the question to ask about Filipino values is: Ganito kami noon: paano kayo ngayon? How are we to know towards what goal or direction Filipino values ought to move or become? Now that we have regained our democratic form of government once again and have arrived at a privileged historical kairos, how do we transform Filipino values to build a more "just and humane society" (Preamble, 1987 Constitution)?

Filipino values are not static, i.e., they are not simply what they are, but dynamic, i.e., they become. From a historical perspective, the question to ask about Filipino values is: Ganito kami noon: paano kayo ngayon? How are we to know towards what goal or direction Filipino values ought to move or become?

Now that we have regained our democratic form of government once again and have arrived at a privileged historical kairos, how do we transform Filipino values to build a more "just and humane society" (Preamble, 1987 Constitution)?

We need both external structural and internal cultural change. It is here that the Christian faith should, in the last analysis, point the way to the kind of values education needed for national reconstruction.

Ateneo de Manila University Manila Source: http://www.crvp.org/book/Series03/III-7/chapter_vi.htm

"We shall be better and braver and less helpless if we think that we ought to enquire, than we should have been if we indulged in the idle fancy that there was no knowing and no use in seeking to know what we do not know..." – SOCRATES “They do not easily rise whose abilities are repressed by poverty at home.” - Decimus Juvenalis, 120 AD (CE)

23 comments :

Bert, Please consider the aspect of our Filipino language/dialect as this relates to our values. Ours is an inadequate language that the commonly cited taglines/lingo almost always defies logic. Remember : language defines logic. What we hear, what we utter and say eventually form our value system.Our clueless educators especially those from UP ( who btw, are handsomely paid by the Filipino taxpayers) insist on the use of the Pilipino,a dead language which cannot lead to progressiveness. I do not know if you think I have expressed myself well enough for you to understand me but it is because I am a Filipino. I cannot express myself well. I do not want to use the popular buzzwords because these corrupt my mind. YKWIA(you know who I am) p.s. The Jesuit priest who wrote the subject article must have been away too long-naming Corazon a model of what we want in a Filipino leader.

What Fr. Gorospe explained is appreciated but there is a deeper and more important reason why we Filipinos have values like this. We have to act and make a 360 degree turn in our lives for the better and I believe we can start it right by healing our generational sins.

Since we don't live in a perfect world, there is some form of corruption everywhere. But do you see other countries trashing themselves because of the sins of the few? Perhaps this mentality justifies the people who are exploiting their power into thinking Filipinos deserve the abuse anyway. It is doubtful that a self-blaming negativity would turn things around. Better to believe in our own goodness and fortitude and to revive every Filipinos' decency and nobility. - LS

YKWIA, Am sorry IDNKY and I unfortunately have no time to find out. Anyway, looks like you made several assertions that need further elaborations. I do not know what made you claim that "language form our value system," or that Pilipino is a dead language or that it will not lead to progressiveness; or that UP professors are clueless and alluding to their being highly paid. You seem more to have some chips on your shoulder for whatever reason(s). Cheers! Bert

How do you propose to heal our "generational sins?" And of course, we need to know and understand what these are that you refer to.

Denial or "keeping under the rug" does not solve problems. Your comment reminds me of Imelda Marcos' instructions to put up tall fences and have them painted to cover the slum areas ("eyesores" to her and her sycophantic cliques)whenever she with a foreign dignitary has to pass by or to show around. Before a person can change oneself, he has to know himself; that is, if he wants to improve himself, he has to look at himself, know and understand his strengths and weaknesses, the latter he shall try his best to correct. Any seriously thinking person knows it is not a perfect world. Sure there is corruption in any country or society. It's all a matter of degrees. And ours is one of the worst, in that our rulers' acts of corruption gravely and adversely affect the lives of the present/future generations in the homeland. Maybe you are "lucky" not to be in dire straits due to the systemic corruption in our homeland. I know many friends and relatives who were in middle class and now have slid down to near misery. Thanks to what you seem to see only as only a "few" rascals (to put it mildly) --who in my mind, ought to be in the crosshairs of a firing squad. Note that the "few" since the Marcos times are still around and are active members of the ruling elite, and joined by the new breed of similar minds. Bert

is "ningas kugon" a part of our philippine value system..presently i'm taking this subject (philippine value system) and is about to report this saturday the asigned topic is "nignas kugon"..unfiortunately, i haven't found any related topics in my searches..i would be very glad if you could help me...thank you and keep up the good work!

Ningas Kugon, heck out my archives. go to the sidebar and click on "filipino values"; there are 10 articles listed under it." Click also SCRIBD in the SIDEBAR.

wala bang interesadong foreigner na mag aral ng filipino values..... wala akong makuhang essay para dito....////?????

:must have some specified detaiLs on where does these values come from.

thanks for all the comments here.. you guys helped me in my assignment. =')

We can safely think most foreigners in our homeland are there for their selfish individualism and business(i.e. multinationals/transnationals)reasons. Thus, it would be/is logical for them as individuals and their business goals to learn and understand Filipino values in order to employ such knowledge to manipulate the natives (the market), to consequently and endlessly expand and maximize their bottom line(profits - to be repatriated out of the country). - Bert

Filipinos values are made for us to live to adjust situation it is just being influenced by different culture that makes the complex Filipino values, it is also compromise to the way of living, socially, economically and capitation for survival.

some of the values we have is embarrassing..however, we are still using it..

Filipino thinks psychologically, intuitively and inductively. These notion seems an absurd avenue for us Filipinos to constitute a strong foundation to our daily living especially to our decision makings. We must be more reflective and also considerate to the situations that bother us. I am not pretty much sure if Filipino philosophy can be an apt ground. It is likewise a drift.

From what i see, Filipinos nowadays only few of them still has the FILIPINO VALUES. It's very important to have this character because it's for our own good, we respect others and they will respect us back. We should instill Filipino Values not only to our future generations but also to the generations of today. Cyndee Cahilig, Contributor, OurHappySchool.com.

I agree, I wouldn’t consider it a best practice. health and physical education book

Hi Bert, I am a foreigner and it really goes beyond my comprehension why Filipinos still think and behave today, the same way we did 50, 60 years ago. With today's technology (internet) all information is out in the open. But instead I still face a lot of Filipinos who are naive and ignorant. The holistic view, the harmony model, hiya, utang na loob, respect (Mano) (to name just a view) will not lead to progress, nor evolvement of the population. Furthermore, although on paper there may be a strict seperation of state and church, in reality that seperation does not exist at all. In my country we have a complete different definition of the word respect. A person has to earn and deserve my respect based on perxsonal achievement. Being older and being a parent is NOT an achievement. This is why doing the Mano is almost impossible for me to do. Or I can do it but themn it means nothing to me. Hence the gesture is empty while the receiver will think I respect him/her. I also notice that Filipinas are treated unequally bec Filipinas are very submissive to their husbands/boyfriends and or males in general.

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The Contemporary Filipino Family Life: Towards A Comprehensive Family-Oriented Counseling Program

This study is an exploration of the contemporary Filipino family interrelationships and dynamics with the objective of proposing a family-oriented counseling program which can be implemented for a better family wellbeing. Nine families from the province of Nueva Ecija were selected and interviewed to assess their overall family functioning. Data gathered were analyzed thematically. The qualitative data’s trustworthiness where squared through triangulation, stability check, and member checking. Yielded themes were then used as a benchmark for the organization of a comprehensive family counseling program. Major themes revolved around family relationships, familial decision making, and societal judgmental attitudes. Hence, it can be assumed that the contemporary Filipino family can be best understood from the viewpoints of these themes. The proposed family-oriented counseling program was designed based on the overall implications of the said themes. This consisted of responsive and exp...

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Amid the pandemic, the importance of family and faith 

Family and community ties and faith will get Filipinos through the pandemic, according to panelists at a virtual conference on cultivating a culture of well-being.

Families can be mental health advocates by maintaining activities that enrich the experience of each member, thereby strengthening their support system, said Dr. Carolina U. Rayco, national executive director of the Philippine Mental Health Association. 

“Everything starts with the family. If kids see that we [adults] have a good disposition, then they will have a good model for how to cope with their own challenges,” she said. Republic Act No. 11036, or the the Mental Health Act, promotes mental health services, but it can “only do so much for us,” she added. 

Parents who aren’t tech-savvy can still help their children—a majority of whom are remote learners—by teaching “time management, discipline, and responsibility,” said Shiena R. Base, a technical specialist on child protection at Educo Philippines, a global development non-government organization.  

Plants, suggested Dr. Kenneth Ross P. Javate, a psychiatrist who consults at The Medical City, can be used to teach children these life skills. “Find a way to get nature inside the home. Plants, which teach the value of time and patience, are a good alternative to gadgets,” he said.

THE LITTLE THINGS In taking care of their children, adults must not forget to take care of themselves. The 24/7 confinement imposed by the coronavirus threat has strained many marriages and has led to a rise in relationship conflicts worldwide. 

“Arguments are a part of married life. What’s not acceptable is arguments with violence,” Educo’s Ms. Base said. “Appreciate the little things and accept that differences are part of married life. If there’s violence, never hesitate to seek advice and ask for help.” 

Fr. Carmelo “Tito” A. Caluag, who hosts the weekly show Journeys of Hope on iWant, said that faith can alleviate the feeling of isolation. 

“A lot of families hear mass more nowadays because of the availability of online masses,” he said. “That’s one paradigm shift. Ang buhay panalangin nagbago [There has been a change in people’s spiritual life].”

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, he added, created programs on food security, education, well-being, malnutrition, and job creation to offer to families through dioceses. He said that some of these programs have an agri-entrepreneurship focus that addresses not only immediate needs but also long-term sustainability.

“We need to find programs that empower people again,” he said. “What we need to give the Filipino family now is hope.” 

Organized by Unilab Foundation, Inc., the Filipino Family Wellbeing Virtual Conference was a multisectoral event aimed at addressing issues related to the pandemic and the health of families. — Patricia B. Mirasol

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The misallocation of our abundant human resources as evidenced by a shortage of technical skills, such as those in construction, highlights the importance of enlightened parents’ participation in the choice of careers, occupations, or professions by their children.  This  brings up the whole issue of how the pandemic has given parents a wider opportunity to be the “first educators” of their children.

The long months of lockdowns enabled parents to spend a great deal more of time, especially with their children below 20 years of age who were among those whose movements were restricted. Hopefully these have reminded parents at all social levels of what St. Josemaria Escriva, the modern saint who has taught and written most about marriage and family life, has emphasized about the role of parents in the education of their children.

Quoting from an article in the Opus Dei website entitled 14 Questions about the Family, St. Josemaria  taught:  “The parents are the first people responsible for the education of their children, in human as well as in spiritual matters.  They should be conscious of the extent of their responsibility.  To fullfil it, they need prudence, understanding, a capacity to love, and a concern for giving good example…. Imposing things by force, in an authoritarian manner, is not the right way to teach.  The ideal attitude of parents lie more in becoming their children’s friends — friends who will be willing to share their anxieties, who will listen to their problems, who will help them in an effective and agreeable way…. Being a father or a mother is not simply a matter of bringing children into the world.  The capacity for generation, which is a share in the creative power of God, is meant to have a continuation.  Parents are called to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the development of their children into men and women who will be authentic Christians.”

A very important part of being “an authentic Christian” is to use one’s talents and gifts for the common good of society.  Hopefully, the five or more months of very close contact of parents with their young children have reopened the eyes of parents on how they can take a more active part in the the moral, intellectual, and spiritual formation of their children.

I would consider this opportunity for closer bonding of parents with their children as another blessing in disguise of the pandemic.  This enforced confinement, so to speak, in the home has given parents the opportunities to make up for their previous lack of time devoted to their children (because of work and other commitments) and observe more closely the moral virtues and intellectual achievements  in which their children can grow more. This greater time spent at home should have given parents clearer ideas on the very important balance between exercising parental authority and educating their children in the proper use of their freedom.

Again, St. Josemaria gives the most practical advice about how to make this difficult balancing act that has bothered parents since time immemorial:  “I always advise parents to try to be friends with their children.  The parental authority which the rearing of children requires can be perfectly harmonized with friendship, which means putting themselves, in some way, on the same level as their children…. Children — even those who seem intractable and unresponsive — always want this closeness, this fraternity, with their parents. It is a question of trust.  Parents should bring up their children in  an atmosphere of friendship, never giving the impression that they do not trust them.  They should give them freedom and teach them how to use it with personal responsibility…. It is better for parents to let themselves ‘be fooled’  once in a while, because the trust that they have shown will make the children themselves feel ashamed of having abused it — they will correct themselves.  On the other hand, if they have no freedom, if they see that no one trusts them, they will always be inclined to deceive their parents.”

This greater involvement of parents as the first educators will actually be heightened by the “new normal” in education resulting from the pandemic.  Until face-to-face classes can be held again (which may still be in the first quarter of 2021), formal education at all levels will be delivered through distance learning.  A great deal of learning even of the youngest children will have to happen at home either through digital means or through learning modules that will be distributed to the students.  At least at the primary and secondary levels, the parents cannot shirk their responsibility of assisting their children adapt to this new normal in the educational process.

Parents will have to take more seriously the various seminars that will be sponsored by the schools in which their children are enrolled about the nature of blended learning.  No matter how busy they are in both their professional occupations and household work, both parents must participate in some form of home schooling.  They will have to acquire a minimum understanding of what synchronous and asynchronous online sessions,  the Canvass learning management system and other learning modalities  are all about.  Fortunately, some of the educational institutions that are leading in the transition to on-line distance learning, such as the schools of the Affordable Private Education Centre (APEC) founded by the Ayala group and the Far Eastern University, are actively educating parents on how they can assist their children at home in making the most out of this new normal in the delivery of formal education at the basic education level.

In terms of the family budget, a larger percentage will have to be devoted to improving Internet connections for those who can afford them and to constantly upgrade such digital devices as smart phones, laptops, desktops, and other items  I foresee a shift of family expenditures from such non-basic items such as eating out, foreign traveling, lavish celebrations like those during weddings,  anniversaries, graduations, birthdays, etc.,  towards requirements of the new normal, e.g., digital tools and services.  In fact, there are already anecdotical reports that parents from lower-income households are already bartering poultry and other agricultural products with second-hand smart phones and other digital devices so that they their children will be able to participate in the blended learning that even the public schools are obliged by the circumstances to adopt.

Especially for those households at the middle-income level, the pandemic has already resulted in a drastic change in consumption patterns.  The consumer goods and services that will constitute the bulk of their expenditures will also shift towards pharmaceutical and other products needed for  health and wellness, hospital and other medical fees and products and services that will strengthen their immunity not only against COVID-19, which is expected to linger for a long time, but also other types of illnesses.

A recent study by economists from the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) reported a slight delay in the Philippines graduating from low-middle-income to upper-middle-income status that has been caused by COVID-19.  It is expected, though, that within the next five years or so, the Philippines can attain the upper-middle-income status by attaining a per capita income of more than $4,000.  At this level, aspirations of households include educating children until college, owning a car, owning a medium-sized house, finding time to relax with family and friends, owning a business, and being able to travel around the world.  Once the economy is able to attain a GDP annual growth rate at the pre-pandemic level of 6 to 7 percent, these aspirations will lead to a recovery in the sales of the automotive industry, a continuation of the growth of the economic housing segment of the real estate industry,  and a moderate recovery of the restaurant business which is essential for relaxing with family and friends.

The desire to travel abroad may have to be postponed for a much longer time.  What could grow almost instantly once people are allowed to move more freely from one province to another and from one island to another is domestic tourism.  Before the pandemic, there were over 60 million middle-class people who spent part of their leisure time traveling to the many tourist destinations within the Philippine archipelago.  It will be domestic tourism that will enable the hospitality industry to recover.

(To be continued.)