THE FILIPINO TODAY

TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS

 TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS

• Filipinos has one of the best traits in the

world one of you must know. Although
they have been colonized by several
countries, core values from their ancestors
remained intact and is still applied up to
this time.
 THE FILIPINO VALUE SYSTEM
What are values?
Valere -‖which means to be strong and vigorous. This proceeds from the premise that a
human person has to have strength or valor in every endeavor. It is the basis on which his
strength in facing the challenges of life should be directed.

Dr. Tomas Q. D. Andres (1986) would define values as ―things, persons, ideas or
goals which are important to life; anything which enables life to be understood,
evaluated, and directed.‖

Edgar Sheffield Brightman defines value as ―whatever is liked, prized, esteemed, desired
approved, or enjoyed by anyone at any time. It is the actual experience of enjoying a desired
object or activity. Hence, value is an existing realization of desire.‖

Psalm 139:13-16
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was
not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that
were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
What are Filipino Values?

- Basis for what is right or wrong

- Persevere to attain
- Relation to his family and society in
general.
 Significance of Studying Filipino Values

- Provide us a deeper understanding of the Filipino culture

- Understanding and appreciating the positive side of Filipino

values and how they are applied to attain such goal

- Understand our Filipino values to enable us to put the

positive side of Filipino values in use and to disregard the
negative ones.

- Bring out the best in the Filipino society in general and the
individual in particular
Understanding Filipino Values and Culture

The Filipino society is composed of a mixture of different races and cultures

Malays and Indons, our colonists – the Spaniards and the Americans, and nationals of
other countries who have dealt with the Philippine society through trade – the
Chinese and the Indians. The resulting blend of this mixture of influences, which are
sometimes conflicting, is uniquely Filipino in character.

Most of the prominent Filipino values are the result of a blend of the rich Christian
values of Europe, the pragmatic and democratic values of America, and the spiritual
values of Asia.

The basic social unit in the Philippine society and basic foundation of nation is the
FAMILY (Article XV, Section 1)
- values and principles are nurtured and imbibed
- close family ties has long been practiced and considered as the foundation of the
Philippine society
- introduced to the concept of structure and hierarchy of power
- autocratic leadership
FILIPINO CHARACTERISTICS
BIPOLAR - a coin that has two sides or positive or negative in
polarity.

Ex. Utang na loob, or debt of gratitude

- altruistic drawing of interior goodness of a person by returning

a debt of gratitude, is by itself positive.
- when its is coerced to honor a debt of gratitude and return the
favor, then it becomes negative.

In order to shape the Filipino society into a successful and

progressive nation, there is a need to reevaluate the different
values that influence every Filipino individual‘s action to a set of
circumstances.
Utang na Loob
Debt of gratitude and a situation where an individual is required
to return a favor or service received. However, the return of
such service or favor cannot be translated into monetary
equivalent, and may reciprocated in a month of service or even a
lifetime.

EX: Politician

- be interpreted in a positive outlook. If it is used with the

concept of justice, truth and human dignity, it would reflect
the beautiful aspect of the Filipino character. Thus, this
altruistic feeling must voluntarily come from within the person
himself, kusang loob; and should not be demanded by
coercing the person who has utang na loob, so as blind his
sense of judgment.
BAHALA NA

Filipinos, by nature, are a religious group of people. They firmly

believe in the supernatural and in all kinds of spirit dwelling in
individual persons, places or things.

They believe in a Supreme Being who will take care of things for
them. The Filipino is very religious who has a saint to pray to
each day of the week. The term “bahala na” comes from the
words Bathala na. It reflects the Filipino‘s dependence on the
supernatural being and on fate. This tends to move toward the
commonly conceived procrastination character of the Filipino.
 1. HOSPITABLE

• This is one of the most popular qualities of

Filipinos. Foreigners who have gone to the
Philippines find themselves falling in love
for their hospitality. It's a different kind of
values which already existed thousands of
years ago
2. RESPECTFUL

• This is often observed not just from

younger people but also from older ones.
3. STRONG FAMILY TIES AND
RELIGIOUS

• Filipinos value their families so much that

they tend to be so intact.
4. GENEROSITY AND HELPFUL

• This is observed when one person has

nothing and they tend to share what they
have to them.
5. HARDWORKING

• Filipinos are hardworking people to the

fact that they are willing to work several
time to almost whole day just to feed their
families.
That's how Filipinos are.
6. LOVING AND CARING

• This is so true! Filipinos are the sweetest

and loving people in the world.
7. FAMILY ORIENTATION

• Filipinos possess a genuine and deep love

for family which includes not simply
spouse and children, parents and siblings,
but also grandparents, aunts, uncles,
cousins, godparents and other ceremonial
relatives..
8. FLEXIBILITY, ADAPTABILITY, &
CREATIVITY

• Filipinos have a great capacity to adjust

and to circumstances and the surrounding
environment, both physical and social.
9. ABILITY TO SURVIVE

• Despite grinding poverty, many Filipinos

survive. They can even make a livelihood
from garbage dumps. We have survived
many invaders, oppressors and natural
calamities, and have come out with hope
and determination to carve out our
existence anew.
• Significantly, the typical Filipino greeting
is "Mabuhay!"
10. CAMARADERIE (PAKIKISAMA OR
KAPWA -TAO

• While this trait is true to some extent, it

must be noted that camaraderie is present
only among close friends and relatives.
Gone were the days when you will see
people helping others even if they don’t
know each other.
11. DEBT OF GRATITUDE (UTANG NA
LOOB)

• Debt of gratitude still persists in the

Filipino psyche. You give a Filipino a favor
and he will surely remember it even if he
already returned the favor.
12. COLONIAL MENTALITY

• Colonial mentality is the thinking that

foreign talents and products are always
the good, the better, and the best, and that
the local ones are of poor or no quality at
all.
 GOOD TRAITS OF A FILIPINO

• Pakikisama/Harmony • Self Reliance

• Joyous • Very competitive
• Highly Intelligent • Very brave
• Faithful • Also known for their
• Loyal adaptability and
• Bayanihan endurance
• Being Optimistic
 BAD TRAITS OF A FILIPINO

• We complain a lot • Mañana Habit

• See only evil /judgmental • Dirty Minded
• Pilosopo
• Plastikan/ Backstabbers
• Too much hospitability
• Nepotism/Favoritism
• Ningas Kugon
• Crab Mentality • Lack of historical
• Always Late knowledge
• Tsismoso/Tsimosa • Padrino System
• Pakialamero
• Paasa