Angelica Cho : Andrea Beatrize Monterey

FILIPINO PERSONALITY

A. The Filipino Culture

"We are Filipinos. We live according to the dictates of our culture. It is neither nor fair to judge us based
on foreign cultural values."

Identification: Philippines was named Filipinas to honor King Philip.

Capital: Manila

Population: 107,668,231 (2014 estimated)

Ethnic Make-up: Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%

Filipino Family Values

 Family is the center of social structure

 Filipinos get their strength and stability from their family
 Concern for the extended family is concerned

Filipino Culltural Awareness

 Bayanihan- the creation of association with neighbors and helping attitude whenever one is in
great need
 Close family ties- We are close to our family because it is the primary community we grew up to.
 Pakikisama- It involves getting along with the others to have a harmonious relationship
 Hiya- Motivating factor behind a behavior
 Utang na Loob- It is owed by a person who has helped him through the trials he had undergone.

Linguistic Affiliation

 Official Language- Filipino, 55% of the residents speak Filipino fluently.

 There are three important dialects: Cebuano in the southern islands, Ilocano in the North,
Tagaog in the NCR
 "Taglish" mixture of Filipino and English, it is becoming a standard language

Food in Daily Life

 No rice? It is not consider as a meal

 Three crops a year is harvested to provide enough rice for the population
 Fish, chicken and pork are usually fried
 In the afternoon people eat merienda, Filipinos like sweet foods, mixture of instant cofee may be
served. Coca-Cola is very popular.
  Mango is the national fruit.

Basic Economy

 Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the occupations of 40 % of the 30 million who are
employed.
 Unemployment rate is over 9%
 50% of the population lives below the poverty line

Sports and Games

 Filipinos enjoy watching American and Filipino professional basketball leagues

 Basketball courts are the only sport-site that can be found in barangays and schools.
 Cockfights are popular sport among men
 Mah-jjong is very popular especially for women

Marriage

 Marriage a civil ceremony that is conducted by the city office or church.

 Arranged marriage is not part of the Filipino life.
 Young professionals wait until their late twenties to marry.
 Women believed that being married to a wealthy men or a foreigner will guarantee happiness.

Education

 Filipinos regard education as the path upward to mobility

 90% of the population in the age of 10 years old is literate
 Education is compulsory until the age of 12

Etiquette

 Being corrected or correcting a person in public is not acceptable behavior.

 People always want to grant requests, so they often say yes when they mean no or maybe.
 Time management and consciousness are not important considerations.
 People pride themselves in hospitality

Religious Belief

 Philippines is the only Christian nation in Asia

 85% of the Filipino are Roman Catholic
 Each barangay has patron saint. The saint day is celebrated by a fiesta that includes a religious
ceremony

Religious Practitioners

 Religious leaders are powerful figure

 Local priest and ministers are highly respected that requests from them take on the power of
mandate.
  A family having a son or daughter with a religious career is a high honor.

Title: Philippines Guide, By: Commisceo Global http://www.commisceo-global.com/country-

guides/phillippines-guide

Title: The Philippines, By: Culture of the Philippines Forum http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/The-

Philippines.html

B.Concept of kapwa, loob and core Filipino values

Our culture is a big reflection of our great and complex history. It is influenced by most of the people we
have interacted with. A blend of the Malayo-Polynesian and Hispanic culture with the influence from
Chinese, Indians Arabs, and other Asian cultures really contribute to the customs and traditions of the
Filipinos.

Filipino culture is unique compared to other Asian countries, and beliefs apply every day in the life of the
Filipinos and reveal how rich and blessed the culture the people have.

Let’s review some of the popular Filipino traditions and find the similarities that bind Filipinos to each
other.

First on the list is Mano Po. When children or young people greet or say goodbye to their elders they
typically do so by taking the right hand of the elder with their right hand and touch the back the elder's
hand lightly on their forehead. It is a way of giving respect to the elders and I believe that is also a way of
receiving blessing to the elders.

Mano is a Spanish word for “hand” while Po is used in the end of the sentence when addressing elders
or superiors.

Next is that Filipinos are one of the most hospitable people you may find anywhere. Foreign visitors in
the country are treated with the utmost respect. This trait is usually seen during fiestas and holidays
where many Filipinos are giving their best to entertain their visitors well.

It is amazing to see that even the simplest home along the road opens their home to a stranger. For
Filipinos, to be able to serve others gives them honor of showing true friendship. Filipino Hospitality is a
trait you can't take away from them.

Having Close Family Ties is also one of their unique traits. It is one of the outstanding cultural values that
Filipinos have. The family takes care of each other and are taught to be loyal to family and elders by
simply obeying their authorities. This is one of the unique characteristics of Filipinos. 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, funerals etc. is evidence
that Filipino people valued not only our cultural tradition but the spirit of our family. As Filipinos, we are
blessed to have been brought up with strong family ties.

Next is that Filipinos are one of the most hospitable people you may find anywhere. Foreign visitors in
the country are treated with the utmost respect. This trait is usually seen during fiestas and holidays
where many Filipinos are giving their best to entertain their visitors well.

It is amazing to see that even the simplest home along the road opens their home to a stranger. For
Filipinos, to be able to serve others gives them honor of showing true friendship. Filipino Hospitality is a
trait you can't take away from them.

Having Close Family Ties is also one of their unique traits. It is one of the outstanding cultural values that
Filipinos have. The family takes care of each other and are taught to be loyal to family and elders by
simply obeying their authorities. This is one of the unique characteristics of Filipinos. 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, funerals etc. is evidence
that Filipino people valued not only our cultural tradition but the spirit of our family. As Filipinos, we are
blessed to have been brought up with strong family ties.

Religion

The Philippines is one of 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.
They are very devoted to religions that sometimes many take the risk of their lives just to touch the Black
Nazarine (in Quiapo Manila). For many, it is just a choice between their faith and fears.

Filipinos believe that having a strong devotion may lead to a better life and their guidance to face
everyday life.

Superstition

In the Philippines, 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.

These beliefs are part of our culture, for one derives their beliefs from the influences of what their
customs, traditions and culture have dictated to explain certain phenomena or to scare people. Some are
practiced primarily because Filipinos believe that there is nothing to lose if they will comply with these
beliefs.

Marriage
In the country, marriage is a sacred union of man and women after a period of courtship and
engagement. It is a sacrament between two people who love each others. For many Filipinos, the eternal
quality of dedication to God pervades a truly sacred marriage. A sacred marriage is a covenant between
two who love each other in God and with God, whose joining becomes an expression of the desire of
each to love and serve God together.

Death

Death in the Philippines is one of the most important occasions in family life. For many Filipinos, a death
of relatives is an opportunity to strengthen ties in the Family. To pay respect and honor the relationship
to the deceased, long lost relatives, friends, and even relatives working abroad are reunited.

The Philippines is the home of some unique death rituals that are partly religious and mostly
superstitious. The mourning and the weeping are still present, but a happy and welcoming atmosphere
would usually envelop the place to help the deceased on his journey to the afterlife.

After the death of a person, a nine-day period of having a novena of prayers and Masses offered up to
the deceased is held, although the beginning of the "Siyam na araw" varies, but usually ends the week
after the death. Another period follows after death, the 40-day mourning period. Family members
indicate their state of bereavement by wearing a small, black rectangular plastic pin on their left breast
or breast pocket area. A ceremonial mass is held at the end of this 40-day period. Common belief states
that the soul goes to Heaven after these 40 days, following the belief that Jesus Christ ascended to
Heaven after the said period of days.

Society

The primary ancestors of Filipinos are Malays who came from the southeastern Asian country which is
now called Indonesia. The Philippines is a combined society, both singular and plural in form. It is
singular as one nation, but plural in that it is fragmented geographically and culturally. The nation is
divided between Christians, Muslims, and other religious-ethno-linguistic groups; between urban and
rural people; between upland and lowland people; and between the rich and the poor. Although
different in numerous ways, the Filipinos are very hospitable and give appropriate respect to everybody
regardless of race, culture and belief.

Christmas in the Philippines

Christmas in the Philippines is considered as 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 Cebú on the third Sunday of January. In one’s article, Archbishop Cruz told in his Christmas
message that "the essence of Christmas is God made flesh, God who has come among us" in an act of
love "that joins humankind to the Living God through our Lord Jesus Christ" For many Filipinos, the true
essence of Christmas for is not gift giving but sharing this special holy day with family.

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. Fiestas in the Philippines are held to celebrate a patron saint. It is
part and parcel of Filipino culture through good times and bad times, it must go on. The biggest and
most elaborate festival of all is Christmas, a season celebrated with all the pomp and pageantry where
the whole country breaks out in celebrations that can begin long before December. For individual
Filipinos, fiestas can be a way of supplicating the heavens or to make amends for past wrongs. It is a way
to celebrate their blessings, commemorate their past and observe solemn religious rituals. Celebrations
may take the form of music, dancing, feasting, beauty contests, balls, processions, sports challenges or a
host of other events. Spanish influence is evident in the elaborate masks, makeup, headdresses and
costumes worn by the revelers; outfits which often take months of preparation.

Living with Parents

Filipinos highly value the presence of family more than anything. Adult children living with their parents
are another Filipino traditional that make them exceptional. Unlike in the United States where children
leave the home after finishing high school or college, many Filipinos continue living with parents until
they get married.

Eating with a Fork and Spoon

One Filipinos identity is that they are eat using a fork and a spoon. The fork is place in the left hand while
the spoon is in the right hand. Fork is used to place or push the food into the spoon which is held by the
right hand.

Since rice is the main staple of the Filipinos at almost every meal, the fork and spoon method is ideal. It
is believe that the use of a spoon and a fork is perfect for the way Southeast Asians prepare and cook
their food. Unlike the Americans who like their meats and other food items in big slabs and humongous
chunks, Southeast Asians generally prepare their dishes in bite-sized pieces -- chopped, minced or
ground -- thus leaving no real need for a knife.

Eating with Hands (Kamayan)

In addition to the use of the fork and spoon, eating with your hands or kamayan is another common
Filipino tradition. For many Filipinos, kamayan gives full taste to the food instead of using utensils.
Gather a small portion of meat or fish and a bite-sized portion of rice on your plate. Then use all your
fingers to gather the food into a small mountain or mound. Pick up the little mound and put it in your
mouth using your thumb to gently push the food in.

Filipinos usually eat rice that has a slightly sticky consistency so making the little mounds is easier than if
you were to use a jasmine or basmati rice. Of course, this method of eating doesn't work with soup/stew
or noodles and other kinds of food but for your basic plate of rice, meat/fish and vegetables it works
quite well! Next time you make dinner try eating kamayan.

Balikbayan Boxes
Some Filipinos leave the Philippines to live and work abroad. A balikbayan box is a box of items sent by
the balikbayan to their family in the Philippines. The box can be sent or it can be brought by the sender
when they themselves return to the Philippines. Balikbayan boxes come in all different sizes and
dimensions from bulilit (small) to extra large. It can be filled with almost anything but it is usually filled
with items that cannot be found in the Philippines or items that may be too expensive for the average
person to buy in the Philippines. Common items found in balikbayan boxes include: clothes, shoes,
chocolate, nuts, vitamins, basketballs, coffee and tea, magazines, shampoo/conditioner, soap, body
lotion, etc.

pakikipagkapwa-tao/loob:

This is the shared sense of identity and consciousness of the 'other'. Ito ang pagtatanggap at pakikitungo
sa ibang tao bilang kapantay, katulad. It is treating others with the respect and dignity as an equal- not
someone below the individual.

C.Inigenization of Filipino Personality

 Sikolohiyang Pilipino is anchored on Filipino thought and experience as understood from

a Filipino perspective according to Enriquez,1975

 Indigenization is based largely on simple translation of concepts, methods, theories and

measures into Filipino.

Indigenous psychology-kinagisnan and katutubong sikolohiya.

 Kinagisnang sikolohiya
-the subconscious psychology embedded in the native language, art, music, culture and
religion (one has been born into; unaware)

 This is called indigenization from within which means looking for the indigenous
psychology from within the culture itself and not just clothing a foreign body with a local
dress.

‘‘Filipino values’’ from the exogenous and indigenous perspectives.

 Thomas Andres defines bahala na as ‘‘the Filipino attitude that makes him accept
sufferings and problems, leaving everything to God. ‘Bahala na ang Diyos (God will take
 care of us). This attitude is a fatalistic resignation or withdrawal from an engagement or
crisis or a shirking from personal responsibility’’
 The Sikolohiyang Pilipino perspective interprets bahala na differently. It is explained that
bahala na is not ‘‘fatalism’’ but ‘‘determination and risk-taking’’. When Filipinos utter the
expression ‘‘Bahala na!’’ they are not leaving their fate to God and remaining passive.
Rather, they are telling themselves that they are ready to face the difficult situation
before them, and will do their best to achieve their objectives.

 Hiya.American scholar Lynch, saw hiya as ‘‘the uncomfortable feeling that accompanies
awareness of being in a socially unacceptable position, or performing a socially
unacceptable action.

 The more appropriate translation of hiya in English is not ‘‘shame’’ but ‘‘sense of
propriety’’. It depends of the affixes that is used

 Utang na loob. Utang na loob was translated as ‘‘debt of gratitude’’. It iss ‘‘the principle
of reciprocity incurred when an individual helps another. The person helped then feels an
obligation to repay the debt in the future when the helper himself is in need of aid, or he
may repay his debt by sending gifts.

 In fact, this is expressed in a popular Filipino saying, ‘‘Ang hindi lumingon sa

pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan. Utang na loob is a calling heard
by many Filipinos who go to other lands but who still retain strong ties with their
homeland.

 Pakikisama vs. pakikipagkapwa. Pakikisama was identified as a Filipino value, giving

it the English translation of maintaining ‘‘smooth interpersonal relations’’ by going along
with the group or the majority decision.

 Pakikipagkapwa which means treating the other person as kapwa or fellow human
being. There are two categories of kapwa: the Ibang-Tao (outsider) and the Hindi-Ibang-
Tao (one-of-us). In Filipino social interaction, one is immediately placed into one of these
two categories and how one is placed determines the level of interaction one is shown.

Indirect communication

Part of our socialization is being sensitive to non-verbal cues, having concern for the feelings of
others, being truthful but not at the expense of hurting others’ feelings.

This has made the sharpening of pakikiramdam (shared inner perception) a particularly
desirable skill in many situations involving Filipino social interaction.

Pakikiramdam is a request to feel or to be sensitive to. It is a shared feeling.

References:
Title: Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino psychology): A legacy of Virgilio G. Enriquez (2000)

By: Rogelia Pe-Pua (The University of NewSouth Wales)

Elizabeth Protacio-Marcelino (University of the Philippines)