ILOILO CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management

GE 1. UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

LEARNING GUIDE 4: THE FILIPINO SELF

1 week, 3 hours
Learning Materials: Laptop, Cellphone
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
• Identify the different notions of the Self as conceptualized by Filipinos
• Identify Filipino values and traits
I.
Hello everyone! We Filipinos, though geographically an Asian, have also been greatly influenced by Western culture but
despite such influences we still have our own identity which we will re-learn in this lesson.

INTRODUCTION:

With the advent of technology, the world has become smaller. Communication is faster, easier, with immediate feedback. What
we used to pay so much for long distance communication is now almost free. Globalization has brought about many changes
to Filipinos as they witness with just one click different cultures, their development, their beauty as we tend to make
comparisons and struggles to keep up with more advance countries. With an easy access to the world, what happens to our
national identity? How does this affect our self-concept? What does one’s nationality contribute to a healthy view of one’s self?

WHAT MAKES A FILIPINO a genuine Filipino? Is it the physical? The brown skin, the flat nose, the dark hair that makes us
Filipino? More than the physical, a lot contributes to our nationality. So many years ago, the Philippines has been colonized by
the Spaniards, American, and Japanese. The culture of the colonizers made a mark to the Filipino culture, the languages we
speak, the food we eat, the fashion, and a lot more. It’s been several years over, are Filipinos still living in the shadow of the
colonizers or have we developed an identity of our own.

Must you be born and raised in the Philippines or have at least one ... not being true Filipino because they look more
European than Asian. ... Is being Filipino a state of mind, or is it something that takes place in the heart?

In this lesson, you will learn that the individual’s race, ethnicity, physical characteristics are not the only factors that makes a
person’s national identity. Values and traits are also important indicators that set apart one nationality from others.

WHO IS THE FILIPINO?

According to the Philippine constitution, “Filipino citizens are those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines,
those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority,
and those who are naturalized in accordance with the law,” (1987). However, citizenship is not the only marker of being a
Filipino. Culture and history have greatly influenced the manner Filipinos learn, live, and behave to date. It is said that the
people who were born and grew up in the same culture develop and share common personality traits and values. Generations
after generations, common traits and values have been passed on that the Filipinos of today still embody.

FILIPINO VALUES AND TRAITS

Every country has its own values and traits that determine their personality as an individual, and that’s what makes them
unique and different. We Filipinos on the other hand strongly believe that we have the best traits and values among all of the
country, even though we’ve been colonized by different country before since our ancestor’s traits and values remain within us.
We may also have this negative side but still those negative side has been recognized not only in our own home but in the
whole country. Those traits are:

Hospitable

One of the most well known qualities that every Filipinos have. The reason why most of the
foreigners embrace our country is because we, Filipinos are very hospitable even though we
never know or met that person ever since, we treat them warmly. This trait also make
e foreigners fell in love with our very own Filipino women.

Respectful

We usually observed how every Filipinos traits everyone that surrounds them, not only in the
youths but also the elders. When we met someone who is older than us we usually get their
hands then put it to our forehead. also, when someone ask us we simply response and add
“po” and “opo” which is also a sign of respect here in the Philippines.

Strong Family Ties and Religion

We, Filipinos tends to have a strong family ties that we keep every member of the family close to
each other. We are also one of the country who are very religious even though Catholic or
Christianity have been adopted during the Spanish era, our ancestors are already religious in
their own ways that they patronize “Anito’s” as there own God.

Generosity and Helpfulness

We, Filipinos are also known because of our generous and helpful attitude. Most of us extend
our help to others not only by money but also by the simple things that we do just like helping
others doing heavy things without expecting in returns even though sometimes we didn’t even
know that person.

Hardworking and Self-Sacrifice

Filipino are also known for being hardworking, not to mention our beloved OFW’s who are
working hard, sacrificing their own happiness just to give their child a good life. Some of us
may not notice the hard work of our farmers, those people who works twice harder than any
other people in this country. they work even under in the heat of the sun just to give their child
a better future, to feed them three times a day and to supply the whole nation of rice and any
other crops, and we should be proud for them.

Loving and Caring

As a Filipino, it’s also part of us the traits of being caring and loving specially with our love
ones. We care for them more than we care for our own selves, we will sacrifice everything that
we have just to provide all their needs. We are usually not the type of person who are very
vocal in telling them how much we care and love them but we show them by our actions and
our own little ways.
source: https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/Filipino-Traits-and-Characteristics
 Bayanihan System Bravery

A Filipino community spirit and Filipinos are known for showing

cooperation wherein a group of bravery and prowess most especially
individuals extends a helping when the family and our lives are
hand without expecting any threatened by other people
remuneration.
Creativity Joyful

Filipinos are creative, Filipinos have cheerful and

resourceful, quick learners and positive disposition in life
have the ability to improvise even bombarded with
and make use of whatever is problems. We have positive
on hand in order to create and outlook, a sense of humor,
produce. and strong fighting spirit that
contribute Filipinos as
known to be happy people.
Filipino Negative Values

• Laziness . It the most common trait in Filipinos today. It can be manifested seeing “tambays” very early in the morning,
gambling, drinking liquors, chatting with friends and many more despite of low income of the family.

• Colonial Mentality. The Filipinos’ colonial mentality comes in two dimensions: lack of patriotism or awareness,
appreciation and love for the country and actual preference for foreign things. Filipino culture is characterized by openness
to the output-side, adapting and incorporating the foreign elements into our image of ourselves. We tend to copy the
western culture as to foreign fashion, music, entertainment, lifestyle, technology and consumer items.

• Kanya-Kanya Syndrome (Crab Mentality). 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 and prestige.
Seeing others became successful, we tend to get jealous and make a move to put that person down.

• Bahala Na Attitude. Filipinos are generally passive and lacking in initiative. One waits to be told what has to be done.
There is strong reliance on others to do things for us. Filipinos are too patient, long- suffering and too easily resigned to
one’s fate.

• Ningas-cogon. Being enthusiastic only during the start of new undertaking but ends dismally in accomplishing nothing.

• Lack of Self-Analysis. There is tendency in the Filipino to be superficial and even somewhat flighty. In facing serious
problems, both personal and social, there is lack of analysis or reflection. We joke about the most serious matters and this
prevents looking deeply into the problem.

• Lack of Discipline/Filipino Time. Filipinos lack of discipline encompasses several related characteristics. We have a
casual and relaxed attitude towards time and space which manifest itself in lack of precision and compulsiveness, in poor
time management (Filipino Time) and in procrastination. We have an aversion in following strictly a set of procedures and
this results in lack of standardization and quality control. We are impatient towards making decisions resulting to use of
short-cuts.

https://www.slideshare.net/Mr_Martian/filipino-values-65493647
Reference Magpoc, Kate S. (2013). Filipino Values. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
http://www.slideshare.net/Kate_JRG/filipino- values-
 Self –reflection:

Which values traits do you think have?

Are you happy with your own values/traits?
If you possess negative traits, what do you think you need to do?

HOW TO BE A GOOD FILIPINO

After knowing the values and traits of a Filipino, how do you truly become a Filipino who contributed to society and its
development.

1. Be an active Filipino citizen. A good citizen should be aware of the current events and participate in government
programs that aim for progress and development. Exercising your right to suffrage, by voting, one can also become
an active citizen. Choosing the right leaders for the Philippines is helping and caring of its people.

2. Study the Philippine History. By understanding the events of the past can we learn so much as to why it is important
to love one’s country, extend help to fellowmen in need and recognize abuse of political power.

3. Support local products. This helps strengthen the local economy.

4. Speak the Filipino languange. A way of displaying love for country as well as this serves as a unique identifier of
being a Filipino.

5. Do not spread fake news and be democratic in engaging with dissent. It is a part of being a good Filipino to check the
reliability of sources before believing and spreading information. It is also the responsibility of every Filipino to
recognize disagreement in political views, be tolerant, and argue intelligently without having to resort into name-
calling people.

Alata et al, 2018

Thank you for reading and understanding this Learning

Guide. See you on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 via Google
Meet for our synchronous class. Link will be posted 30
minutes before the class through our FB Group page.
Attendance will be checked. Please be on time.
Thank you!