CHAPTER 2 beauty. The Americans highlight punctuality and efficiency in their values.
The Filipinos emphasize religiosity and family-centeredness.
VALUES DEVELOPMENT FOR CITIZENSHIP TRAINING
3. Filipinos have different meanings and motivations with regard to their
values and their cultural, socioeconomic, political, moral, and religious
Learning Outcomes: contexts. The Filipinos have a so-called “nationalistic” traditional value
a. Determine the nature of philosophical values of being a Filipino and justify system that exhibits their purposes, beliefs, convictions, and social
this perspective. principles. Examples of these values are pagsasarili, pagkakaisa,
b. Explain the popular values of good citizenship. pakikisama, pakikipagkapwa-tao, and pagkabayani.
c. Demonstrate the concept of values development for good citizenship in
relation to real-life situations. 4. Filipino values have evolved in terms of historical consciousness as
evidenced by the change in the concepts of justice, equality, inequality,
Philosophy of Values and human dignity. From the level of an individual to a family, tribe, and
The philosophy of human values is necessary for understanding values, nation, Filipino consciousness and values vary based on distinct periods of
such as family closeness and solidarity, politeness, being hospitable, and showing history. Regaining Philippine democracy is a transformation of Filipino
gratitude. values. It means building a more humane society and reforming values for
The subjectivity and objectivity of values involve a human person who nation reconstruction.
values and an object or value to be realized. Value and disvalue differ in a way as
pleasure and pain, life and death, poverty and affluence, heroism and cowardice, Good Citizenship Values
truth and falsehood, right and wrong, and holiness and sinfulness differ. The Good citizenship values promote the common good and concern for the
difference between such is real and evident, not just a matter of personal Filipino family and future generations as stipulated in the preamble of the 1986
preference. Constitution. Good citizenship is the conduct of oneself following the rights, duties,
and privileges of being a Filipino citizen.
Filipino Values
A value system arises from the cultural life of every Filipino. It is a 1. Love for God or Pagkamaka-Diyos
distinction of becoming a human person in a particular place, time, and situation. Submission to the divine creator and belief in the almighty Father’s
Filipino values can be discussed in four ways, namely: authority over all His dominations are regarded as having deep faith. In
Southeast Asia, the Philippines is one of the countries that are
1. There are values distinct among Filipinos, in the same way as there are predominantly Christian. Roman Catholicism is the most common religion,
values distinct in other cultures. The Greeks value hospitability. The followed by Islam. Therefore, religiousness is a Filipino value, and can be
Romans value the mos maiorum, which refers to the time-honored expressed through faith in the almighty, respect for life, order, work, and
principles, behavioral models, and social practices that affect private, concern for the family and future generations.
political, and military life. Confucian and Buddhist doctrines of the middle
way value the understanding of practical life, and avoid self-denial and 2. Love for Fellowmen or Pagkamaka-tao
self-indulgence. It is an equivalent to the Filipino translation of walang St. Paul defines love differently: Love is patient; it never fails; it is
labis, walang kulang, or katamtaman lamang. eternal. There are faith, hope, and love and the greatest of these is love.
This illustrates the real essence of love, which strengthens the foundation
2. The Filipino value system is a set of values that every Filipino has of the family and other social groupings. Love is a strong force within the
historically held in their lives. Such a value system can be similarly human community and provides a deeper meaning to the purpose of
observed across cultures. For the Chinese, the values honesty and hard human existence. Love for fellowmen can be expressed through love,
work rank the highest, while the Japanese greatly value politeness and freedom, peace, truth, and justice.
3. Love for Country or Pagkamaka-bayan 2. The Social Environment
Progressive countries can attain their economic goals because The Philippine social environment is characterized by the gap between the
people have trust and confidence in their governments and are actively rich and the poor. This gap is not simply economic but cultural, as the elite become
supporting their policies and programs. The government must reciprocate highly westernized and alienated from the masses. This feudal structure develops
the support it receives with honest, sound, and dynamic governance. Love dependence and passivity among the people. The components of the social
for country can be expressed through unity, equality, respect for the law environment are social structures and social systems. Interpersonal religion and
and government, patriotism, and the promotion of the common good. community interaction are the social systems of the social environment.
It is in the culture of the Filipinos to be dependent on relationships with
4. Love for the Environment or Pagkamaka-kalikasan others to survive. Because of the scarcity of resources in developing countries
Taking care of the environment involves the protection of land, such as the Philippines, where the system’s response to the people’s needs can
sea, air, plants, and animals, as well as protection against man-made be insensitive, inefficient, or nonexistent, the Filipinos become very dependent on
hazards and natural calamities. The love for the environment can be kinship and interpersonal relationships.
expressed by launching efficient and sustainable clean and green
activities. There is a need for the human person to show respect for the 3. Culture and Language
integrity of creation. Using environmental resources properly and prudently The action of developing a likable life is observable in the behavioral
shows one’s love for the environment. pattern of Filipino culture. The Filipino cultural values are characterized as being
warm and person-oriented, devoted to family, and joyful and humorous. These
Roots of the Filipino Character values are reinforced by socializing forces, such as the family, school, and peer
The strengths and weaknesses of Filipinos are rooted in several factors. groups.
These are the home environment, the social environment, culture and language, Aside from the aforementioned interpersonal values, Filipinos are also
history, the educational system, religion, the economic environment, the political characterized as being open to the outside world and easily incorporating foreign
environment, mass media, and leadership and role models. The Filipino value elements without consciousness of their cultural core. This manifests through the
system is established from personal alliance systems that are based on kinship, use of English as the medium of instruction in schools and the ensuing colonial
obligation, friendship, religion, and relationships. mentality. The introduction of English as the medium of education made the
Filipino youth regard American culture as superior.
1. The Home Environment
The following are the main components of the home environment:
Child-rearing is rewarding and difficult at the same time. Every parent has 4. History
a goal to have his/her child grow up a respectable and resourceful adult in The Filipino is the product of colonial history, which is regarded as the
society. Every child should grow up in a loving and affectionate culprit behind the lack of nationalism and colonial mentality. Colonization has
atmosphere, and parents should provide their children with the opportunity, developed the mindset of Filipinos to think of colonial power as superior and more
means, and support to pursue their goals. powerful. In turn, the Filipinos become second-class citizens beneath the Spanish
Parents should not become overprotective of their children because of and the Americans.
their own need for power and control, and they should not use coercion to The Filipinos developed a dependency on foreign powers, which makes
ensure that they remain the dominant forces in their children’s lives. them believe that they are not responsible for the fate of the Philippines. The
Parents should maintain discipline among their children, but must avoid Americans set up a public school system that taught English and the American
being overcritical. They should also avoid comparisons among siblings. way of life, which then infused with the culture of the Filipinos.
In Filipino families, everyone is encouraged to get along with siblings and
relatives. In the authoritarian setting, age and authority are values most; 5. The Educational System
however, such setup results in passivity and dependence on the authority. The inherent problems caused by using a foreign language resulted in
Children are taught to give primary importance to their family. other issues for the Filipinos. Using foreign educational materials, instead of local
ones, is problematic in a sense that the teachings the students learn from their
schools are irrelevant in the Philippine setting. For instance, in these teachings, the
teacher is the central focus and is highly authoritarian. In such setup, the Filipino
student must learn passivity and conformity, and he/she is taught to be dependent
on the teaching force.
6. Religion
The Filipinos’ optimism and capacity to accept the hardships of life are
rooted in religion. However, religion instills the attitudes of resignation and
preoccupation with the afterlife, thus becoming vulnerable to being victimized by
opportunism, oppression, exploitation, and superstition.
7. The Economic Environment
For the majority of Filipinos, their traits are rooted in poverty and
experiences of having a difficult life. The hardships of Filipinos drive them to take
risks, work hard, and develop the ability to survive. Unfortunately, poverty has also
become an excuse for graft and corruption in the government.
8. The Political Environment
The political environment is characterized by the centralization of power,
particularly in Manila. The political power and authority are concentrated only in the
hands of the upper class of the society. The participation of the Filipinos is often
limited to voting during the national and local elections. The basic services of the
government are concentrated in Manila and major municipalities, cities, and
provinces. This political situation in the Philippines may have led to the passivity of
Filipinos.
9. Mass Media
Technology is intended for reaching a mass audience and primarily as a
means of communication. The common media platforms are newspapers,
magazines, radio, television, and the internet. In the Philippines, the media
produces escapist movies, soap operas, comics, and more, which could possibly
cause the citizens’ passivity. Oftentimes, rather than confront poverty and
oppression, certain personalities tend to romanticize and exploit the issues
instead.
10. Leadership and Role Models
The Filipinos look up to their leaders as role models. People in the
government particularly should display proper behavior. Thus, when the leaders
violate the law and appear to be self-serving or driven by interest, and there is a
lack of public accountability, the Filipinos are affected negatively.