Chapter 11 - The Filipino Values

Filipino values are our cultural values. They sum up our response to the meaning of human life
in the context on cultural settings. They shows our strengths and weaknesses as people.

Filipino Cultural Values

Cultural values are “our distinctive way of becoming human in this particular place and time (Vitaliano
Gorospe, Filipino Values Revisited, 104). The concept of "becoming human" means "pagpapakatao”.
(Good character) (An acts that fits to human nature) (Inherent and essential)

Filipino values spring from our peculiar way of viewing life - its origin, its meaning (depends on ones
experienced/life situations), and its purpose (to attained your potentials). Foremost among our values
is pananalig sa Maykapal. The Filipino puts his trust entirely in God's hand. He believes that his destiny,
or suwerte, depends on God's wishes/will.

The Filipino calls to God when things are bad, when there is a calamity or an epidemic, or when a friend
or relative is sick. He praises God for a good harvest, for passing Board exams, for the return of the
stolen property, for surviving an illness or an accident, and for living a long life. He attributes his
misfortunes to his sinfulness and he vows to endure physical suffering in the atonement of his sins. He
entrusts to God any unresolved issues or suffered injustice - "ipapasa-divos na lamang". And he swears
to God to prove his honesty, swearing - Sumpa man sa Divos.

The Filipino expresses concerns to others through pakikipagkapwa, pagmamahal sa pamilva, and
pagmamahal sa bayan. He believes in himself and his abilities.

Filipino Moral Ideal

The Filipino believes moral integrity (honor/honesty) is the essentiality of "becoming human".

It is above the desire for material enrichment - "Di baling mahirap, basta't may dangal".

The Filipino moral ideal coincides with what other people of any culture regards as the greatest attribute
of a human being. A person must be caring, honest, hardworking, and respectful to others. He must
have an impeccable (perfect) character. Falling the moral standard makes a person masamang tao,
and is looked down on as havop, or walang hiva, a shameless beast.

Characteristics of a responsible person

1. A responsible person differentiates between what is essential from what is accidental.

The Filipino must cultivate his sensibility (awareness) so he can discern what is good or bad in
a situation. He must be able to see through the actuations of do-gooders so that he is not deceived by
false promises or pretences.
2. A responsible person internalizes his values.

Values must be ingested and digested, so to speak, so that they become part of your character.
An act of kindness, for example, must come from the heart. And when we say we love God, it is loving
God - with all our mind and with all our soul.

3. A responsible person accepts the consequences of his actions.

When the Filipino wishes to guarantee the truth of anything, he swears by his life, declaring "
mamatay man ako". Filipino needs more than just rhetorical words. He needs to show deeper maturity,
accepting his mistakes instead of attributing them to others. (Blaming)

Core Values of the Filipino

Moral maturity is a process of change. It means a new way of thinking, a new perception of realities.
For Filipino, this growth begins with a fresh view of human dignity. While the significance of human
dignity has always been part of the Filipino tradition, somehow its true meaning has been lost in the
national consciousness of the people. Today, for example, people rarely act based on "delicadeza"

The education of the Filipinos should center on these values, namely - Truth, Love, and Faith; Integrity,
Industry, and Social Justice.

1. Truth, Love, and Faith:

One should seek the truth relevant to his circumstances. Applying oneself to research or seeking
the counsel of prudent (wise) men leads to proper instruction. On the other hand, listening to rumors
and gossips is always risky.

Love for the good should be the basis of decisions and choices. One should be ready to choose
not based on what is pleasant or unpleasant, convenient, or inconvenient, but solely based on what is
objectively good under the circumstances.

Religious faith is needed too. Reason and good intentions are not enough. There are many
riddles in life which only faith

2. Integrity

The word stands for completeness. It connotes perfection, adhering to what is truth and
committing oneself to what is good. It means condemning deceit, cheating, stealing, fraud, hypocrisy,
and dishonesty in all forms, such as "lagay, padulas, areglo, palusot, kaplastikan, and palakasan.

3. Industry

Filipinos believe in honest work and have qualms (worries, fears) about feeding their families
through ill-gotten money. The desire to improve his life and that of the family drives the Filipino to work
any place in the world, and where he goes he is recognized for his competence, diligence, and honesty.
(Is it true?)
 On the other hand, an inordinate desire to get rich quickly and to accumulate too much is
dangerous to the soul. When a materialistic goal becomes the primary and sole reason for working,
work becomes an excuse for greed and contention. (Conflict)

4. Social Justice

Social justice is more than just the act of charity. It is founded on the truths which hold all earthly
goods as belonging to all men and to be distributed equally by them, (nb; not in the mathematical sense
of equality but prudential (practical) (wise) sense), so that everyone has access to a decent life.

On a personal level, social justice urges one to help the poor in every way possible, not because
it is the pious thing to do, but because every capable individual has to do so. Social justice demands
that we share our good fortune with the less fortunate.

Indeed, the Filipino must stand against poverty, for poverty is neither an option nor a choice, but
it is a social evil (bcoz it cause suffering) that needs to be eradicated by those who are exercising power
in the government. This is the basis of the land reform program of the Philippines which, however,
remains ineffective, causing endless conflict between landowners and tenants.

Conclusion

We Filipinos have our strengths and weaknesses. But, like all other people in the world, we
possess a beautiful soul. We are religious, helpful, diligent, truthful, and honest.

Anywhere in the world today, a Filipino is admired for his/her honesty, competence, and
dedication to work. Be one of them, but first you should FORM YOUR CHARACTER. And it will become
your best asset wherever you go.

YOU MAY FORGET ME AS YOUR TEACHER, BUT DO NOT FORGET TO DO GOOD ALWAYS.