The Political Self

The Political Self
One’s political self is his identity as a member of the community or country to

which he belongs. He must take pride in his belongingness. As Filipinos, we have
many things to be proud of.
Being a Filipino
What makes a Filipino a genuine Filipino? Do physical characteristics ( having
dark hair, flat nose, and dark complexion) make one Filipino? Or is it a person’s
language, birthplace, and ethnicity?
Colonization of the Spaniards. Americans and Japanese culture, beliefs, language,
and religion have made a huge dent in Filipinos' lives by setting a foundation for
the contemporary Filipino identity.
Filipinos are often referenced from globally renowned personalities. They have
made Filipinos better recognized around the world through their expertise.
Technically, 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 by the law. (1987)
However, citizenship is not the only marker of being Filipino. It is said that people
who were born and grew up in the same culture develop and share common
personality traits and values.
Filipino Values and Traits
Traits are characteristics that are inherited.
Values are the ideas, beliefs, and attitudes about what is important that help
guide the way you live.
Filipino’s unique traits, reputable values, and laudable talents make the
Philippines a place to be.
Big Bright smiles tourists with the colorful and loud jeepneys that greet tourists.
Filipino phrases such as “Mabuhay” and “Salamat” and habits such as saying
“PO” and “opo” to the elders, leaving shoes or slippers at the front of the door
before entering a house, and the insistent asking of “Kumain ka na ba?” meaning
Have you eaten yet? These are unique traits of Filipinos.
Filipino Values and Traits
1. \Filipino Hospitality – welcomes guests as if they’re family.
- Anticipates giving tours to friends who visit their hometown.
- Serves heaps of festive food during fiestas
- Fond of giving pasalubong
2. Respect for Elders – Like greeting elders by kissing their hands while saying
“mano po” and constantly using “PO” and “opo”
3. Close Family Ties- Filipinos maintain a close family relationship with their
family regardless that the children are old enough and already have families of
their own. They are also fond of family reunions during birthdays, holidays, and
fiestas year-round.
4. Cheerful Personality – Filipinos have the habit of smiling and laughing a lot.
They smile when they are happy, sad, or sometimes even when they are angry.
Smiling has been a coping strategy for many Filipinos especially during trying
times and calamities. They always try to maintain a positive outlook in life, which
makes them resilient and able to manage almost everything with a simple smile.
5. Self-Sacrifice – the self-sacrificing attitude of Filipinos can be seen as an
extension of Filipino hospitality. Filipinos go out of their way to extend their help
to friends, families, and loved ones. They wish to comfort and better lives for
their; loved ones and would even go to the extent of working abroad. There are
also times when the eldest among the children of the family would give up school
to work and provide for the rest of the family and educate his or her siblings.
6. Bayanihan – It is giving without expecting something in return. Filipinos are
always ready to share and to help friends and loved ones who are in need. It may
not always be in monetary form, but the time and effort they give also count as a
form of help for them especially showcased in calamities.
7. “Bahala Na” Attitude- the Filipino version of the famous line Hakuna Matata
meaning “no worries.” This phrase is said to have originated from “Bathala Na”
where Bathala means God and the phrase meaning leaving into God’s hands. It
can also be viewed as something similar to the cheerful and positive attitude of
Filipinos and allowing situations to take care of themselves instead of worrying
about them.
8. Manana Habit – This is the Filipino term for procrastination, it was derived
from a longer Filipino
phrase called “mamaya na” which means doing that could have been done at the
present at a later time. It is a poor habit of laziness which results in a heavier
workload.
9. Ningas Kugon – Ningas is a Filipino term for a flame and “kugon” is a cogon
grass that easily burns out after it is put into flames. “Ningas Kugon” refers to the
attitude of eagerly starting things but quickly losing eagerness soon after
experiencing difficulty just as fast as the fire has ignited.
10. Colonial Mentality – it is regarded as the lack of patriotism and the attitude
where Filipinos favor foreign products more than their own. This does not
concern only goods but the desire to look more foreign than local and keep up
with foreign beauty trends is included.
11. Pride – Most Filipinos hold on to their pride as if this is more precious than
keeping a good relationship with family and loved ones. When two parties are not
on good terms, they find it hard to apologize and wait until the other party asks
for an apology first.
12. Crab Mentality – a toxic trait among Filipinos when one resents the
achievement of another, instead of feeling happy for that person. Just like crabs
in a container, they pull each other down and ruin each other’s reputation rather
than bringing them up; which results in no progress.
13. Filipino Time – Filipinos have this common attitude of arriving late at
commitments, dinners, and parties especially if they are meeting someone close
to them. They tend not to observe punctuality.

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The Political Self

One’s political self is his identity as a member of the community or country to

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