Culture 

is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing

language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. ... The word "culture" derives from a
French term, which in turn derives from the Latin "colere," which means to tend to the earth and
grow, or cultivation and nurture.

CULTURE IS LEARNED- Man’s culture is acquired and developed through experience.

Through his family, his education is either formally, informally or non-formally learned rather
than transmitted through the genes.

PEOPLE HAVE VARIED CULTURES- As Philip Bargely (Tulio, 2000) says, It is an error to
identify a culture with the society in which it is formed and to talk about them both as they were
the same thing, Thus, Western culture maybe contrasted with Far Eastern culture for the reason
that the culture of the 20th century maybe different from that of the 21st century.

CULTURE IS A GROUP PRODUCT- This is an adaption of the whole social group to its
environment where humans belong. Man is very much a part of the environment he creates.

CULTURE IS TRANSMITTED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION- Culture maybe

transmitted by suggestion, formal communication, mass communication, or through a system of
reward and punishment. Through language, ideas and attitudes, customs and traditions are
conveyed from one culture to another.

CULTURE IS ADAPTIVE- As a result of man’s to satisfy his need and to adapt to his
environment, he creates institutions that are essentially linked to each other.

Values

Values are individual beliefs that motivate people to act one way or another. They serve as a
guide for human behavior. Generally, people are predisposed to adopt the values that they are
raised with. People also tend to believe that those values are “right” because they are the values
of their particular culture.

Kinds of Values

BIOLOGICAL VALUES- These are necessary for the physical survival of man or an
organization. A.) Life and Health B.) Food and Shelter C.) Work

SOCIAL VALUES- These are necessary for the following needs and fulfilment: a.) Leisure and
sex b.) Marriage c.) Family and Love d.) Parental authorit e.) Education
RATIONAL VALUES- These are necessary to the functions and fulfillment of the intellect and
the will. a.) Understanding and control of value b.) Guide for self control c. Solidarity d.
Religion

Function of Values

It serves as a means of social control. Through values, one can control him/herself in doing
wrong things that society disapproves of.

It promotes work efficiency. A worker with the right sense of work values is more effective and
efficient than those who do not possess the same values.

It can predict behaviour. Your present values and attitude will show who you will be in the
future.

It promotes economic progress and security. As pointed out, values is the most important factor
for men to become effective agents of change and development.

It promotes health. If one values his health, he/she will avoid doing things perilous to his/her
health like overeating and engaging in vices. As commonly said, “Health is wealth.”

It makes the world a better place to live in. Value of neatness, cleanliness, love and care for the
surroundings make the world a desirable place. Cleanliness is the next to godliness.

It promotes safety. If one is a cautious and law-abiding citizen, is courteous, obey traffic rules,
and drives without the influence of liquor, street accidents can be avoided.

It provides for the future. This holds true with spiritual values. The promise of eternal life is
clearly stated in the Bible. This promise gives hope to the believer thereby guaranteeing him
peace of mind.

A. Choosing

- to choose freely

- to choose from alternatives

- to choose from alternatives after considering the consequences of the same

B. Prizing

- to cherish and be happy with the choice

- to be willing to affirm the choice publicly

C. Acting

- to actually do something about the choice

- to act repeatedly to affirm the choice publicly

Pakikipagkapwa-Tao (regard for others). Filipinos are open to others and feel one with others.
We regard others with dignity and respect, and deal with them as fellow human
beings. Pakikipagkapwa-tao is manifested in a basic sense of justice and fairness, and in concern
for others. It is demonstrated in the Filipino's ability to empathize with others, in helpfulness and
generosity in times of need (pakikiramay), in the practice of bayanihan or mutual assistance, and
in the famous Filipino hospitality.

Family Orientation. Filipinos possess a genuine and deep love for the family, which includes not
simply the spouses and children, parents, and siblings, but also grandparents, aunts, uncles,
cousins, godparents, and other ceremonial relatives. To the Filipino, one's family is the source of
personal identity, the source of emotional and material support, and the person's main
commitment and responsibility. Concern for family is manifested in the honor and respect given
to parents and elders, in the care given to children, the generosity towards kin in need, and in the
great sacrifices one endures for the welfare of the family. This sense of family results in a feeling
of belonging or rootedness and in a basic sense of security.

Joy and Humor. Filipinos have a cheerful and fun-loving approach to life and its ups and downs.
There is a pleasant disposition, a sense of humor, and a propensity for happiness that contribute
not only to the Filipino charm, but to the indomitability of the filipino spirit. Laughing at
ourselves and our trouble is an important coping mechanism. Often playful, sometimes cynical,
sometimes disrespectful, we laugh at those we love and at those we hate, and make jokes about
our fortune, good and bad.

Flexibility, Adaptability and Creativity. Filipinos have a great capacity to adjust, and to adapt to
circumstances and to the surrounding environment, both physical and social. Unplanned or
unanticipated events are never overly disturbing or disorienting as the flexible Filipino adjusts to
whatever happens. We possess a tolerance for ambiguity that enables us to remain unfazed by
uncertainty or lack of information. We are creative, resourceful, adept at learning, and able to
improvise and make use of whatever is at hand in order to create and produce.

Hard work and Industry. Filipinos have the capacity for hard work, given proper conditions. The
desire to raise one's standard of living and to possess the essentials of a decent life for one's
family, combined with the right opportunities and incentives, stimulate the Filipino to work very
hard. This is manifested most noticeably in a willingness to take risks with jobs abroad, and to
work there at two or three jobs. The result is productivity and entrepreneurship for some, and
survival despite poverty for others.

Faith and Religiosity. Filipinos have a deep faith in God. Innate religiosity enables us to
comprehend and genuinely accept reality in the context of God's will and plan. Thus, tragedy and
bad fortune are accepted and some optimism characterizes even the poorest lives.
Ability to Survive. Filipinos have an ability to survive which is manifested in our capacity for
endurance despite difficult times, and in our ability to get by on so little. Filipinos make do with
what is available in the environment, even, e.g., by eking out a living from a garbage dump. This
survival instinct is related to the Filipinos who bravely carry on through the harshest economic
and social circumstances. Regretfully, one wonders what we might be able to do under better
circumstances.

Weaknesses

Extreme Personalism. Filipinos view the world in terms of personal relationships and the extent
to which one is able personally to relate to things and people determines our recognition of their
existence and the value. There is no separation between an objective task and emotional
involvement. 

Extreme Family-Centeredness. While concern for the family is one of the Filipino's greatest
strengths, in the extreme it becomes a serious flaw. Excessive concern for the family creates an
in-group to which the Filipino is fiercely loyal, to the detriment of concern for the larger
community or the common good.

Lack of Discipline. The Filipino's lack of discipline encompasses several related characteristics.
We have a casual and relaxed attitude towards time and space which manifests itself in lack of
precision and compulsiveness, in poor time management and in procrastination. We have an
aversion to following strictly a set of procedures, which results in lack of standardization and
quality control.

Colonial Mentality. Filipinos have a colonial mentality which is made up of two dimensions: the
first is a lack of patriotism or an active awareness, appreciation, and love of the Philippines; the
second is an actual preference for things foreign.

Kanya-Kanya Syndrome. Filipinos have a selfish, self-serving attitude that generates a feeling of
envy and competitiveness towards others, particularly one's peers, who seem to have gained
some status or prestige. Towards them, the Filipino demonstrated the so-called "crab mentality",
using the levelling instruments of tsismis, intriga and unconstructive criticism to bring others
down. There seems to be a basic assumption that another's gain is our loss.

Lack of Self-Analysis and Self-Reflection. There is a tendency in the Filipino to be superficial and
even somewhat flighty. In the face of serious problems both personal and social, there is lack of
analysis or reflection. Joking about the most serious matters prevents us from looking deeply into
the problem. There is no felt need to validate our hypotheses or explanations of things. Thus we
are satisfied with superficial explanations for, and superficial solutions to, problems.

A true Filipino who professes the following core values of truth, love and faith; integrity, hard

work and social justice as enumerated by Fr. Gorospe:

TRUTH, LOVE AND FAITH- As a human being, one must always seek the truth to live up in
conformity with the duly accepted norms of society and to what is righteous within the context of
eternal principles of right, or law of order. For in truth, you show your love and faith in our
creator as you show it to others; you show your love for work and inspire and transform others,
giving them satisfaction and hope for a just and humane society.

INTEGRITY- Integrity and honesty are the wholeness of a man’s moral nature, which means he
is sound, incorruptible, and particularly strict about fulfilling the trust given him by others; a
virtue of uprightness and soundness. A man of integrity and sincerity acts on the basis of
fairness, propriety or conformity to standards, adherence to facts and lives worthily to his
abilities, capabilities and capacities. Live up to what you have. Do not be materialistic so that
you will not be tempted to indulge in activities that involves dishonesty, and graft and
corruption. A common Filipino agade tells us, kung maiksi ang kumot, matuto kang mamaluktot.

HARD WORK- Filipinos are hard working and industrious given the right conditions and
motivations. They are known to be matiisin or mapasensiya.

SOCIAL JUSTICE- This is impartiality in dealing with other people. It requires the sharing of
talents and material possessions and especially with the unfortunate. Adhering to the well-
founded principle that all earthly goods belong to human beings, we should at least learn the art
of sharing what we have with the less privileged so that they will have a more decent life. Our
intellect and skills should not only for ourselves but also for those who have been less endowed.

Every organization has an ethical code that guides its decision making and activities
to have effective productivity and maintain its reputation. Ethical behavior ensures
that staff completes work with honesty and integrity and meets the aim of an
organization by adhering to rules and policies.

Employees make better decisions in less time with business ethics as a guiding

principle; this increases productivity and overall employee morale. When employees
complete work in a way that is based on honesty and integrity, the
whole organization benefits.