LESSON PLAN

COURSE : Public Safety Basic Recruit Course

MODULE : I – Breaking Period

SUBJECT : Values

METHODOLOGY : Lecture

DURATION : 8 hrs

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this lesson, the participants will be able to:

 Understand the definition and importance of Values;

 Discuss briefly and concisely the roots of Filipino Character, the Filipino
Loob, and the Filipino Psyche;
 Enumerate and explain the Ten Commandments of Human Relations;
and relate its importance in the Police Work; and
 Dramatize the Strengths and Weaknesses of Filipino Character and
conduct intelligent critiquing and discussion

LEARNING AIDS:

 Multi-Media Projector

 Projector Screen

 Laptop Computer

 Laser Pointer

 Whiteboard

 Whiteboard marker
 LESSON TIMETABLE

Topics No. of hours Mode of Instruction

(MOI)
I. Introduction/Motivation 15 mins Springboard/Motive
Question
II. Presentation: 30 mins Lecture & Discussion
 Values Defined & Its
Importance

III. Lesson Proper: 4 hrs Lecture & Discussion

 Roots of Filipino Character
 The Filipino Loob
 The Filipino Psyche
 The Filipino Values
- Intro to Police Officer’s
Values
- Moral Values
- Work Values
 Ten (10) Commandments
of Human Relations
 Strengths and Weaknesses
of Filipino Character
IV. Group Activity: 2 hrs & 30 Briefing and Group
 Students to portray the mins Presentation
Strengths and Weaknesses
of Filipino Character
- At Home
- In the Community
- In the Church

V. Summary & Evaluation 45 mins Critique & Summing Up

Total number of hours allotted – 8 hrs

 LESSON MANUSCRIPT

LESSON TOPIC- VALUES

I. Introduction:

A. 1. Prayer before the start of the class.

2. Introduce instructor to the participants.

B. Motivation: Presentation of Spring Board/Motive Question

II. Lecture Proper:

1. VALUES DEFINED AND ITS IMPORTANCE

A. Values Defined – are beliefs, principles and philosophies that are

important, cherished, prized, upheld and defended: 1

- which is actually chosen, prized, desired, esteemed, liked, approved,

or enjoyed by anyone at any time;

- it is the actual experience or enjoying a desired activity; - an existing

realization of desire;

- an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of

existence is personally or socially preferable to the opposite or the
converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence;

In totality, the application of ethical and morale principles.

B. The Importance of Values

Without ethical perception, man is only an animal. Without values,

man as a rational being is a failure. Because ethics is too essential
to be dismissed, each one of us was gifted with an innate ability to
understand what is right and wrong. No matter how rudimentary and
vague, even the primitive men had it. And modern man, finding

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convenient reasons to turn his back from it, discovers that he is in the
center of it.

Moral values are the only true measure of what man ought to be.
The most powerful king, or the most successful professional, is
nothing unless he too is morally upright. Thus, the philosophers
speak of Ethics as the “only necessary knowledge”. "We are tempted
to center everything on human happiness", says Jacques Leclercq,
"forgetting that man's greatness, perfection and happiness, his whole
meaning in fact, consist in transcending the commonly accepted
human good".

Moral values are the foundation of every human society. Rightly,

Russell (1995) observes that "without civic morality, communities
perish; without personal morality their survival has no value". Every
culture admits the importance of morality as a standard of behavior.
When the moral foundations of a nation are threatened then society
itself is threatened. In the words of Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani:

1. Values are principles that allow us to guide our behavior to fulfill

ourselves as individuals.
2. They are fundamental beliefs that help us prefer, accept and
choose one thing over another or a behavior over another. They are
also a source of satisfaction and fulfillment.

3. They provide a guideline to formulate goals and objectives,

whether personal or collective. They reflect our keenest interests,
feelings and convictions.

4. Values refer to human needs and represent ideals, dreams and

aspirations. Their importance is independent of the
circumstances. For example, even though we may be unfair, fairness
still has a value. The same happens with wellbeing or happiness.

5. Values have worth in and of themselves. They are important for

what they are, what they mean, and what they represent, and not for
what others think of them. Values, attitudes, and behaviors are
closely linked. When we talk about attitudes, we refer to the
willingness to act in any given moment, according to our beliefs,
feelings and values.

6. Values translate into thoughts, concepts or ideas, but what we

appreciate most is behavior, what people do. Valuable persons live
according to their values. Their worth is reflected in their values and
how they express these values in their daily life.
 7. Values also constitute the foundations for co-existence n a
community and relations with others. They regulate our behavior to
the benefit of collective well-being. Maybe this is why we tend to
relate to others using behavioral rules and norms, when in fact they
are personal decisions. That is, we decide to act in a certain way and
not in another, based on what value is important to us. We decide to
believe in it and we value it.

8. In an organization, values serve as a framework for the behavior

of its members. These values are based on the nature of the
organization (its purpose); why it was created (its objectives); and its
projection into the future (its vision). To this end, they must encourage
the attitudes and actions required to achieve the organization’s
objectives.

2. ROOTS OF THE FILIPINO CHARACTER

1. The Home Environment.
Child rearing practices is characterized by;
 high nurturance,
 low independence training
 low discipline (rigid standards of behavior or performance
are not imposed).
 Filipino family grow in the atmosphere of affection and
overprotection
 Family relations
 Family attitudes and orientations

1. Religion is the root of Filipino optimism and the capacity to accept

life’s hardship. However, Religion also instills in the Filipino attitudes
resignation and pre-occupation with the after life. We also become
vulnerable victims of opportunism, oppression, exploitation and
superstition.
2. Economic Environment. Many Filipino traits are rooted in the
poverty and hard life that is the lot of many of us Filipinos. Poverty
has become the excuse for graft and corruption.
3. Culture and language. (Warmth, person orientated, Sense of Joy
and humor are part of our culture. Filipino culture is also
characterized by an openness to the outside, which easily
incorporates foreign elements without the basic consciousness of our
cultural core. This is related to our colonial history and to the use of
English as a medium of instruction in schools.
4. History. We are products of colonial history. Colonialism developed
a mind-set in the Filipino to think of the colonial power as superior
and more powerful. As a second class citizen to the Spanish and
 then to the Americans, we developed a sense of inferiority to the
white men. We developed a dependence on foreign powers that
makes us believe that we are not responsible for our country’s fate.

3. THE FILIPINO “LOOB” CONCEPTS WHOSE EXPRESSION INVOLVES

"LOOB”2

The word Loob, simply taken as 'inside' and not a construct, is

also used for "looban," which means an interior compound, or
community; and for the term "manloloob", which means 'robber', literally
'someone who enters'.

As a core concept of value, Loob and its variants are a critical aspect of
numerous Filipino value constructs, of which the following are examples:

Concept Definition Literal Meaning

Utang na loob Debt of gratitude 'Borrowed inner self'
May utang na A good person, a person who understands
'With an inner debt'
loob what it means to owe a debt of gratitude
Nakikingutang 'To borrow one's inner
To seek a favor from someone
ng loob self'
'To put inside
Ipagkaloob To entrust
someone's inner self'
Lagay ng loob Mood, one's state of mind or feeling 'State of the inner self'
Lakas-loob Courage 'Inner force'
'Durability/strength of
Tibay ng loob Inner strength, resilience
the inner self'
Tining ng loob Clarity of thinking, feeling, volition 'Calm of the inner self'
Kababaang 'Lowness of the inner
Humility
loob self'
Kabutihang- 'Inner
Good naturedness
loob goodness/kindness'
Kagandahang
Generosity, noblemindedness 'Inner beauty'
loob

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May kusang- 'With inner
One who does his work without prodding
loob direction/volition'
Payapang loob A calm person, to be at peace, to accept 'Inner peace'
'One who shares his
Mapagkaloob A generous person
inner self'
Mahina ang
A coward 'Weak inner self'
loob
A daring person, can be positive (to be
Malakas ang courageous) or negative (the phrase Ang lakas
'Strong inner self'
loob ng loob mo! is often synonymous with
the English rebuke 'How dare you!')
Malamig ang 'Coldness of the inner
An indifferent person
loob self'
'Closed inner self',
Pikit ang loob One who is blind to injustice
'Shut from the inside'
Mabigat ang 'Heaviness of the inner
The state of being sad, heavy-hearted
loob self'
Maluwag sa 'Loose from the inside',
A state of being willing, cheerfully ready
looba 'Inner openness'
'Not to have it in
Wala sa loob A state of being unwilling
oneself'
Tapat na
Sincerity, loyalty, trustworthiness 'Truth of the inner self'
kalooban
Masasamang- 'Those with bad inner
Criminals
loob beings'
Kapalagayang 'One you would entrust
Confidante, intimate
loob your inner self with'
Pampalubag-
Consolation 'Salve for the inner self'
loob
Kagaanang- Grace, something to pacify intense emotion 'Lightness/Lifting of the
loob such as anger inner self'
'The entirety of the
Saloobin One's inner thought or inner feelings, attitude
inner self'
'Feel bad inside',
Masama ang
To hold a grudge, to be angry with 'Sickness of the inner
loob
self'

4. THE FILIPINO PSYCHE

In Greek mythology, Psyche was a beautiful princess, a mortal
who incurred the ire of Aphrodite but won the love of the god of love, Eros.
 She endured suffering and humiliation but was eventually reunited with
Eros and later became immortal.

Today, Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as the soul, mind, or

personality of a person or group. So, when we say the “Filipino Psyche,"
what exactly do we mean?

Many have criticized Filipino ways—values, morality, belief

systems, and culture in general. Some believe that ours is a “damaged”
culture. These statements are often sweeping and, in many cases, are
observations of a certain group within a specific period.
How many scientific studies have been done to prove—or disprove these
assertions? And how culture-sensitive are these studies?

It’s like evaluating an apple using orange standards. Apples can

never ever measure up to oranges anymore than oranges can to apples!
A professor from the University of the Philippines, Dr. Virgilio G. Enriquez
made such an observation and began what is now known as Sikolohiyang
Pilipino.

For some 40 years, a growing number of professors and students

have been studying and teaching Filipino psychology or Sikolohiyang
Pilipino. They have shed light on uniquely Filipino ways and traits by
explaining these from a Filipino perspective—the proper perspective.
Through the years, they have been looking into the Filipino culture and
experience and have developed measures, approaches and methods
much more useful and appropriate to our culture and in our own language.

And because Sikolohiyang Pilipino is about the Filipino psyche, it

is multi-disciplinary. This means that it is available and useful for other
disciplines or areas, those using foreign assumptions, measures,
approaches and methods.

While it encourages the use of the Filipino language, it does not

reject English or any other language for that matter. The use of Filipino
and other Philippine languages becomes inevitable in the quest to
understand the Filipino psyche because many ideas and concepts
meaningful to us are expressed in words that have no direct or adequate
translations in other languages— like sayang, hiya—and especially,
kapwa.

The late Dr. Enriquez says that kapwa is a core concept in Filipino
psychology for which there is no foreign term or concept that quite captures its
rich meaning. Fellow or fellowmen does not evoke the same feeling or emotion
while “other” loses its essence. Brethren in the religious sense may seem close
but it still refers to brothers who are “others” while kapwa includes the self and
therefore means “shared identity” so that the terms pakikipagkapwa and
pakikipagkapwa-tao evokes so much, much more than simply relating to our
“fellowmen."
 Understanding these enables us to see Filipino ways in a different light.
Once evaluated and explained from our own perspective, we are able to take
pride in our positive traits and improve/reframe the negative. Hopefully, as more
people outside the academe understand and embrace this, we will no longer
regard our culture as “damaged,” nor our language inferior. Perhaps, we will
come to appreciate the value of using our own language in teaching math and
science, of understanding and embracing our uniqueness, our psyche. Looking
at ourselves, from our own experience, languages, culture and history is key to
understanding our own psyche.

5. THE FILIPINO VALUES

*Types of Values
We can speak of universal values, because ever since human
beings have lived in community, they have had to establish principles
to guide their behavior towards others. In this sense, honesty,
responsibility, truth, solidarity, cooperation, tolerance, respect and
peace, among others, are considered universal values. However, in
order to understand them better, it is useful to classify values
according to the following criteria:

1. Personal values:
These are considered essential principles on which we build our life
and guide us to relate with other people. They are usually a blend of
family values and social-cultural values, together with our own
individual ones, according to our experiences.

2. Family values:
These are valued in a family and are considered either good or bad.
These derive from the fundamental beliefs of the parents, who use
them to educate their children. They are the basic principles and
guidelines of our initial behavior in society, and are conveyed
through our behaviors in the family, from the simplest to the most
complex.

3. Social-cultural values:
These are the prevailing values of our society, which change with
time, and either coincide or not with our family or personal
values. They constitute a complex mix of different values, and at
times they contradict one another, or pose a dilemma.

For example, if work isn’t valued socially as a means of personal

fulfillment, then the society is indirectly fostering “anti-values” like
dishonesty, irresponsibility, or crime.
 Another example of the dilemmas that social-cultural values may
pose is when they promote the idea that “the end justifies the
means”. With this as a pretext, terrorists and arbitrary rulers justify
violence, intolerance, and lies while claiming that their true goal is
peace.

4. Material values:
These values allow us to survive, and are related to our basic
needs as human beings, such as food and clothing and protection
from the environment. They are fundamental needs, part of the
complex web that is created between personal, family and social-
cultural values. If exaggerated, material values can be in
contradiction with spiritual values.

5. Spiritual values:
They refer to the importance we give to non-material aspects in our
lives. They are part of our human needs and allow us to feel
fulfilled. They add meaning and foundation to our life, as do
religious beliefs.

6. Moral values:
The attitudes and behaviors that a society considers essential for
coexistence, order, and general well being.

A. Introduction To Police Officer’s Values

*Strengths of the Filipino Police Officer

1) Spiritual Beliefs. PNP members are traditionally religious and God-

loving persons. They attend religious services together with the
members of their family. During times of great personal crisis and
danger, they bravely forge on, confident that Divine Providence will grant
them protection and safety.
1) Valor. History attests that the Filipino law-enforcers have exemplified the
tradition of valor in defending the country from aggression and
oppression and protecting/preserving the life and property of the people.
They sacrificed their limbs and lives for the sake of their countrymen
whom they have pledged to serve.
2) Patriotism. The PNP members are traditionally patriotic by nature. They
manifest their love of country with a pledge of allegiance to the flag and
a vow to defend the Constitution.
3) Discipline. The discipline of PNP members is manifested by instinctive
obedience to lawful orders and thorough and spontaneous actions
towards attainment of organizational objectives guided by moral, ethical
and legal norms.
4) Courteous. PNP members are upright in character, gentle in manners,
dignified in appearance, and sincere in their concern to fellowmen.
5) Word of Honor. PNP members’ word is their bond. They stand by and
commit to uphold it.
6) Duty. PNP members have historically exemplified themselves as
dedicated public servants who perform their tasks with deep sense of
responsibility and self-sacrifice. They shall readily accept assignment
anywhere in the country.
7) Loyalty. PNP members are traditionally loyal to the organization,
country and people as borne by history and practice.
8) Camaraderie. The binding spirit that enhances teamwork and
cooperation in the police organization, extending to the people they
serve, is manifested by the PNP members’ deep commitment and
concern for one another.

*Weaknesses of the Filipino Police Officer.

The weaknesses of the Filipino Police Officer are rooted on how he

individually adapts to the reality of his chosen profession. After gaining much
needed experience, a police officer oftentimes realizes that the procedural
approach (by the book) does not necessarily guarantee results. In like
manner, the same police officer acknowledges that the public unfairly judges
his competence based on actual results and not on whether he followed the
correct process or not. Faced with this moral dilemma, a police officer
sometimes adjusts his high ethical standards in order to meet the
expectations of the public. This process eventually creates a phenomenon
known as a “sub-culture”, wherein a parallel set of values now exists side
by side with the prescribed values and behavior by the organization. The
following are the manifestations of this so-called “sub-culture”, which, to be
fair, do not necessarily apply to all police officers, but are generally regarded
to be existing and accepted as valid.

1. Misplaced Loyalty. Due to the bonds shared by police

officers in their line of work, it becomes one’s paramount
duty to protect his fellow officers at all costs, as they would
protect you, even though you may have to risk your own
career or your own life to do it. If your colleagues make a
mistake, took a bribe, seriously hurt somebody illegally, or
got into other kinds of trouble, you should do everything you
can to protect them in the ensuing investigation. If your
colleagues are routinely breaking rules, you should never
 tell supervisors, reporters, or outside investigators about it.
If you don't like it, quit or get transferred to another
assignment. But never, ever, blow the whistle.

1. Cynicism. Sometimes, because of the experiences they

acquire as law enforcers, police view all citizens with
suspicion. Everyone is a possible problem, but especially
those who fit a type. Recruits learn this way of looking at
others from older officers if they have not come to the job
already holding these perceptions. Cynicism spills over to
their relations with other people, since they have found that
friends expect favors and special treatment, and since
police routinely witness negative behavior even from the
most upstanding of people. As a result, their work life leads
them to the conclusion that all people are weak, corrupt, and
dangerous.

2. The Use of Force. The police sometimes embrace force for

all situations wherein a threat is perceived. Threats may be
interpreted as acts or statements "against the officer's
authority" rather than those against the officer's physical
person. So anyone with an "attitude problem" deserves a
lesson in humility. Force is both expressive and
instrumental. It is a clear symbol of the police officer's
perceived authority and legitimate dominance in any
interaction with the public, and it is also believed to be the
most effective method of control. In other words, everyone
understands a baton; it cuts across all social and economic
barriers and is the most effective tool for keeping people in
line and getting them to do what is required without
argument. Police officers sometimes think that they should
never hesitate to use physical or deadly force against
people who "deserve it," or where it can be an effective way
of solving a crime. The use of force is justifiable by virtue of
the doctrine of self-defense, defense of relative and defense
of stranger, and if the police has probable cause to believe
that the subject poses an imminent danger of death or
serious injury to the police or other persons.

3. “The Police as Victims” Mentality. This concept is based

on the idea that the police are victims of public
misunderstanding and scorn, of low wages and self-serving
administrators. This feeling of victimization sets police apart
from others and rationalizes a different set of rules for them
as opposed to other members of society.
4. Preferential Application of the Law. Decisions about
whether to enforce the law, in any but the most serious
cases, should be guided by both what the law says and who
the suspect is. Attitude, demeanor, cooperativeness, and
even regional affiliation, age, and social class are all
important considerations in deciding how to treat people
generally and whether or not to arrest suspects in particular.
When a fellow police officer’s immediate family or relative
commits a minor infraction, it is understandable to look the
other way because of “pakikisama”. It is common to hear
the term “balato mo na sa akin ito” during these types of
situations. It is likewise understandable to expect the same
treatment from your fellow officers when your family or
relatives are involved. It’s a quid pro quo situation.

5. “The Police as Untouchables”. Disrespect for police

authority is an offense that should always be punished with
an arrest or use of force. This number one "offense," which
is known as "contempt of a person in uniform” cannot be
ignored. Even when the party has committed no violation of
the law, a police officer should find a safe way to impose
punishment, including an arrest on fake charges.

6. Rewards. Police do very dangerous work for low wages, so

it is proper to take any extra rewards the public wants to
give them, such as free meals, Christmas gifts and free
access to movies, public transport etc. The general rule is:
Take any reward that doesn’t change what you would do
anyway, such as eating a meal, but don’t take money that
would affect your job, such as not giving traffic tickets. One
theory is that it is acceptable to accept any type of reward
as long as it was given wholeheartedly by an individual to a
police officer. This rationalization was even given a term:
LAUGHING MONEY.

7. Due Process. Due process is only a means of protecting

criminals at the expense of the law abiding and should be
ignored whenever it is safe to do so. Illegal searches and
wiretaps, interrogation without advising suspects of their
rights, and if need be (as in the much admired movies such
as Dirty Harry), even physical pain to coerce a confession
are all acceptable methods for accomplishing the goal the
public wants the police to accomplish: fighting crime. The
rules against doing those things merely handcuff the police,
making it more difficult for them to do their jobs. 4.9 Lying
and Deception. Lying and deception are an essential part of
 the police job, and even perjury should be used if it is
necessary to protect yourself or get a conviction on a “bad
guy”. Violations of due process cannot be admitted to
prosecutors or in court, so perjury is necessary and
therefore proper.

B. The Six (6) Core Moral Values:

1. Love Of God – give God what is due Him and develop the moral
virtue of religion through adoration, prayer and obedience.
2. Respect Of Authority – treat freedom with a sense of self-
determination and personal responsibility, and as a social being,
exercise intelligently obedience.
3. Selfless Love Of People – respect human life, respect the human
body, learn to give, to give oneself, and to love.
4. Chastity – respect the dignity of human sexuality by practicing
chastity in marriage through sexual love that is romantic,
procreative, exclusive and lasting, or if unmarried, by having no
experience of sexual pleasure.
5. Responsible Dominion Over Material ThINGS - should not be
dominated by it (detachment) and should share it with his
fellowmen bearing in mind that the material world is limited
(scarce).
6. Truthfulness – never telling what is not true (untruth) because it
destroys the foundation of social life which is based on mutual
trust.

C. The Six (6) Core Work Values:

1. Industriousness – what a person wants to, looks for, keeps busy,

and strives to work well.
2. Sense Of Responsibility – what a person does is dependent on
him and he puts his will and intellect to his job (creativity/initiative)
and is held accountable for it.
3. Order (Sense Of Time) – prioritizes the use of time, values his
time, “first things first”.
4. Collaboration – fosters teamwork and solidarity for unity.
5. Determination – a person possesses qualities of perseverance,
patience and strength to cope with obstacles, difficulties and
trials.
6. Service – performing duties or work for another, a person or an
institution that brings about benefits and/or results
6. TEN COMMANDMENTS OF HUMAN RELATIONS

 Speak to people. There is nothing as nice as a cheerful words of

greetings
 Smile at people. It takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile
 Call people by name. the sw2eetest music to anyone’s ears is the sound
of his name.
 Be friendly and helpful. If you would have friends, be friendly.
 Be cordial. Speak and act as if everything you do is a genuine pleasure.
 Be genuinely interested in people. You can like everybody if your try.
 Be generous with praise. Cautious with criticism
 Be considerate with the feelings of others. It will be appreciated.
 Be thoughtful of the opinion of others. There are three sides of the
controversy; yours, the others fellow’s, the right one.
 Be alert to give service. What counts most in life is what we can do for
others.

7. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE FILIPINO CHARACTER

A. STRENGTH OF THE FILIPINO CHARACTER

 Pakikipagkapwa-Tao. Filipinos are open to others and feel one with

others. We regard others with dignity and respect and deal with them
as fellow human beings. Pakikipagkapwa-tao is manifested in a basic
sense of justice and fairness and in concern for others. It is
demonstrated in the Filipino's ability to empathize with others, in
helpfulness and generosity in times of need (pakikiramay), in the
practice of bayanihan or mutual assistance, and in the famous Filipino
hospitality. Filipinos possess sensitivity to people's feelings
(pakikiramdam), pagtitiwala or trust and a sense of gratitude or utang
na loob. Because of pakikipagkapwa-tao, Filipinos are very sensitive
to the quality of interpersonal relationships and are very dependent on
them. If our relationships are satisfactory, we are happy and secure.
Pakikipagkapwa-tao results in camaraderie and a feeling of closeness
to one another. It is the foundation for unity as well as the sense of
social justice.

 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. To the Filipino, one's family is the
source of personal identity, the source of emotional and material
support, and one's main commitment and responsibility. Concern for
family is manifested in the honor and respect given to parents and
elders, in the care given to children, the generosity towards kin in
 need, and in the great sacrifices one endures for the welfare of the
family. This sense of family results in a feeling of belongingness and
rootedness and in a basic sense of security.

 Joy and Humor. Filipinos have a cheerful and fun-loving approach to

life and its ups and downs. We have a pleasant disposition, a sense
of humor and a propensity for happiness that contribute not only to the
Filipino charm but also to the indomitability of the Filipino spirit.
Laughing at ourselves and the mess we are in is an important coping
mechanism. Often playful, sometimes cynical, sometimes
disrespectful, we laugh at those we love and at those we hate and we
make jokes about fortune and bad. This sense of joy and humor is
manifested in the Filipino's love for social celebrations, in our capacity
to laugh even in the most trying of times, and in the appeal of political
satire. The result is a certain emotional balance, optimism, a healthy
disrespect for power and office and the capacity to survive.

 Flexibility, Adaptability and Creativity. Filipinos have a great

capacity to adjust and to adapt to circumstances and the surrounding
environment, both physical and social. Unplanned or unanticipated
events are never overly disturbing or disorienting as the flexible
Filipino adjusts to whatever happens. We possess a tolerance for
ambiguity that enables us to remain unfazed by uncertainty or lack of
information. We are creative, resourceful, quick learners, and have
the ability to improvise and make use of whatever in order to create
and produce. This quality of the Filipino is manifested in the ability to
adapt to life of the world, in the ability to make new things out of old
scraps, in the keep old machines running, and of course, in the
creative talent manifest cultural sphere. It is likewise seen in the ability
to accept change. The result is productivity, innovation,
entrepreneurship, equanimity, and survival. 2.5 Hard Work and
Industry. Filipinos have the capacity for hard work given proper
conditions. The desire to raise one's standard of living and to possess
the essentials of a decent life for one's family, combined with the right
opportunities and incentives, makes the Filipino work very hard. This
is manifested most noticeably in the willingness to take risks with jobs
abroad and, while there, to work at two or three jobs. The result is
productivity and entrepreneurship for some and survival despite
poverty for others.

 Faith and Religiosity. Filipinos have a deep faith in God. Our innate
religiosity enables us to comprehend and genuinely accept reality in
the context of God’s will and plan. Thus, tragedy and bad fortune are
accepted and some optimism characterizes even the poorest lives.
Filipinos live very intimately with religion. It is tangible, and touchable
--apart of everyday life. We ascribe human traits to a supernatural God
 whom we alternately threaten and thank, call upon for mercy or
forgiveness and appease by pledges. Thus prayer is an important part
of our lives. The faith of the Filipino is related to bahala na which,
instead of being viewed as defeatist resignation, may be considered
positively as a reservoir of psychic energy, an important psychological
prop on which we can lean during hard times. This pampalakas ng
loob allows us to act despite uncertainty. Our faith and daring was
manifested at EDSA and at other times in our history even when it was
difficult to be brave. It is also seen in the capacity to accept failure and
defeat without our self-concept being devastated since we recognize
forces external to ourselves as contributing to how events in our lives
turn out. The results of the Filipino's faith are courage, daring,
optimism, inner peace, as well as the capacity to genuinely accept
tragedy and death.

 Ability to Survive. Filipinos have an ability to survive, which is

manifested in our capacity for endurance despite difficult times and in
our ability to get by on so very little. Filipinos make do with what is
available in the environment (e.g.,making out living from a garbage
dump). This survival instinct is related to the Filipino's other strengths
-- a basic optimism, flexibility and adaptability, hard work and a deep
faith in God. It is manifested in the millions of Filipinos who bravely
live through the harshest economic and social circumstances.
Regretfully, one wonders what we might be able to do under better
circumstances.

A. NEGATIVE TRAITS OF THE FILIPINO

 Extreme Personalism. Filipinos view the world in terms of personal

relationships and the extent to which one is able to personally relate to
things and people determines the recognition of their existence and the
value given to them. There is no separation between an objective task
and emotional involvement. This personalism is manifested in the
tendency to give personal interpretations to actions, i.e. "take things
personally." Thus, a sincere question may be viewed as a challenge to
one's competence or positive feedback may be interpreted as a sign of
special affection. There is in fact some basis for such interpretations as
Filipinos are quite personal in criticism and praise. Personalism is also
manifested in the necessity for the establishment of personal
relationships before any business or work relationships can be
successful. Because of this personalistic world view, Filipinos have
difficulty dealing with all forms of impersonal stimuli. It is for this reason
that one is uncomfortable with bureaucracy, with rules and regulations
and with standard procedures, all of which tend to be impersonal. In the
face of these, we ignore them or we ask for exceptions. Personal
contacts are involved in any transaction and these are difficult to turn
 down. Preference is usually given to family and friends in hiring, delivery
of services and even in voting. Extreme personalism thus leads to the
graft and corruption evident in Philippine society.
 Extreme Family Centeredness. While concern for the family is one of
the Filipino's greatest strengths, in the extreme it becomes a serious
flaw. Excessive concern for the family creates an in-group to which the
Filipino is fiercely loyal to the detriment of concern for the larger
community or for the common good. Excessive concern for family
manifests itself in the use of one's office and power as a means of
promoting the interest of the family, in factionalism, patronage and
political dynasties, and in the protection of erring family members. It
results in lack of concern for the common good and acts as a block to
national consciousness.

 Lack of Discipline. The Filipino's lack of discipline encompasses

several related characteristics. We have a casual and relaxed attitude
towards time and space which manifests itself in lack of precision and
compulsiveness, in poor time management and in procrastination. We
have an aversion for following strictly a set of procedures and this result
in lack of standardization and quality control. We are impatient and
unable to delay gratification or reward, resulting in the use of shortcuts,
in skirting the rules (the palusot syndrome) and in foolhardiness. We are
guilty of ningas cogon, starting out projects with full vigor and interest
which abruptly die down leaving things unfinished. Our lack of discipline
often results in inefficient and wasteful work systems, violations of rules
leading to more serious transgressions and a casual work ethic leading
to carelessness and lack of follow-through.

 Passivity and Lack of initiative. Filipinos are generally passive and

lacking in initiative. One waits to be told what has to be done. There is
strong reliance on others (e.g., leaders, government) to do things for us.
This is related to one's attitude towards authority. Filipinos have a need
for a strong authority figure and feel safer and more secure in the
presence of such an authority. One is generally submissive to those in
authority and is not likely to raise issues or to question decisions. 3-25
Filipinos tend to be complacent and there rarely is a sense of urgency
about any problem. There is high tolerance for inefficiency, poor service
and even violations of one's basic rights. In many ways, it can be said
that the Filipino is too patient and long suffering (matiisin). Too easily
resigned to one's fate, Filipinos are thus easily oppressed and exploited.
 Kanya-Kanya Syndrome. Filipinos have a selfish, self-serving attitude
that generates a feeling of envy and competitiveness toward others,
particularly one's peers who seem to have gained some status or
prestige. Towards them, the Filipino demonstrates the so-called crab
mentality (referring to the tendency of crabs in a basket to pull each other
down) using the leveling instrument of tsismis, intriga and unconstructive
criticism to bring others down. There seems to be a basic assumption
that another's gain is one's loss. The kanya-kanya syndrome is also
evident in the personal ambition and the drive for power and status that
is completely insensitive to the common good. Personal and in-group
interests reign supreme. This characteristic is in the lack of a sense of
service among people in the government bureaucracy. The public is
made to feel that service from these offices and from these civil servants
is an extra perk that has to be paid for. The kanya-kanya syndrome
results in the dampening of community spirit and in the trampling upon
of the rights of others.

 Lack of Self-Analysis and Self-Reflection. There is a tendency in the

Filipino to be superficial and even somewhat flighty. In the face of 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. There to validate our hypotheses or explanations of
things satisfied with superficial explanations and superficial to problems.
Related to this is the Filipino emphasis on form than on substance. There
is a tendency to be satisfied with rhetoric and to substitute this for reality.
Empty rhetoric and endless words are very much part of public life. As
long as the right things are said, as long as proper documents and
reports exist, as long as the proper committees, task forces or offices are
formed, Filipinos are deluded into believing that what ought to be,
actually exists. The Filipino lack of self-analysis and our emphasis on
form is reinforced by an educational system that is often more form than
substance and a legal system that tends to substitute law for reality.