CRITICAL PAPER

on
“THE MISEDUCATION OF
THE FILIPINO”
By Prof. Renato Constantino

BSCS 1-1N – Group 9

Matt Antonio
Marco Noel Aoanan
Eigel Asinas
Adrienne Flores
John Joseph Yee
Submitted to
Prof. Patricia Camille Villa
Summary:
Upon gaining control of the Philippines, the Americans were faced with the threat of
possible resistance. Thus, the Americans had to use education to pacify the people, shaping
the minds of the youth to conform to American ideas. In the end, the Filipinos became
disconnected from their roots, developed a large-scale inferiority complex, and began to
strive to be Americans, ashamed of being Filipinos.

The way of education taught by the Americans was suited for a strong country like
America, but ill suited for a developing country such as the Philippines. As the American
style of education gives emphasis to internationalism rather than nationalism, it is harmful
for a nation lacking a strong foundation in nationalism. Our education system, then, is
deeply flawed in that we patterned it after advanced western societies, whose goals are
entirely different.

The use of English as the language of education, led many to look down upon the native
tongue. This led to a new wave of educated American Ilustrados to come about, who, like
their Spanish Era counterparts, were strong supporters of the way of life of what they
considered to be the new motherland. English also became the language of political
discourse. Because English is usually abandoned after school, the vast majority of
Filipinos, who were barely capable of speaking comprehensible English, were left out of
national issues due to this language barrier.

The Filipino education system should be designed with the needs of Filipinos in mind. The
goal of education is not only to produce men and women who can read and write, but also
those who can address the needs specific to their country. This can only be achieved by
integrating nationalism in education. Only with this can we survive as a people, and for
once, finally stand on our own feet.
Discussion of the Summary:
Instead of colonizing a country using violence, the Americans used the policy “Benevolent
Assimilation”. Through this policy, the Americans were able to educate Filipinos according
to their customs. They were able to produce Filipinos who can read and write, and speak
the English language. However, this led to the Filipinos abandoning their nationalism. The
way the Americans were able to shape the minds of the Filipinos is through textbooks that
contain appreciation on how the Americans liberated the Filipinos from being illiterate.
The information given to the Filipinos only conform to the good side of the Americans,
excluding the bad side. Miseducation led to the Filipinos not being able to learn as a
nationalist, but being able to learn as a colonial.

With education being the tool for the Americans to assimilate the country, the Philippines,
as a result, was left behind from its neighboring Asian countries. Everything Philippine can
only be appreciated through the country’s agricultural aspect, how the farmers smile when
doing their work, and the sweet nipa huts that can be seen from afar. This resulted on the
lack of progress for the country to undergo industrialization. Asian countries such as Japan
has its own network of industries. This was because they never conformed to any foreign
educational system. The educational system that the Japanese used was their own, thus they
learned through their native tongue. The case for the Philippines was different, as the
Filipinos were taught using a foreign language. This resulted to the adoption of western
values. It promoted internationalism rather than nationalism. It gave importance on how
the American country is economically, politically, and culturally developed.

Critical View/Perspective on the Content:

The Filipinos can grow itself even without being colonialized by any other countries. The
Philippines can never be marginalized if we aren’t taken over. Because of the
colonialization of the Spain to our country, it changed every single opportunity from the
people. The country lost control to its mainland, start changing policies and even traditional
living. When the Americans came, we we’re given the ability to learn and start living the
life with peace. We accepted every Americans offer for our country until it achieves its true
purpose. It can be seen before that people aren’t much educated and during the Spanish era
in our country, poor people are oppressed, and the other side they turned out just another
Spanish’s men, but it is glad that there are knowledgeable to being nationalist, use it as a
weapon for freedom. Americans changes it way, they were good, benevolent, many learned
to write and read. Speak English, and have a carrier until no one, and no one known that
every single time it loses the blood as of us. Until Philippines became a country that will
turn its superiority on Americans. Do things that Americans do, learn about their history,
and speak their language since it makes you extend than anybody else. When they learned,
no one became entitled to empower the superiority of being a Filipino to become a
wholesome.

Being target by other countries wasn’t its fault, but it was its mistake to forget how a
Filipino is. How it loses as a country and why we keep arguing our national identity. The
continuous stereotyping that Americans, and any other country is superior than being a
Filipino. The turn backs from its aspect of being known country is uprising. The
downgrading of Filipinos integrity in our known country. The country itself oppress its
own identity and gone educated by other culture. Filipinos are miseducated but some of
them doesn’t want to unlearn and relearn things that’s being mis cultured. They were shut
for their own interest.