Lesson 4:
The Political
Self and Being
Filipino
• The Philippines as we know it
today has only emerged in the
1890s after over three centuries
of colonization of the Spaniards;
• Liberation from the last colonizers,
the Japanese, only occurred in
1946.
• Foreign culture, beliefs, language,
and religion have made a huge
dent on our own by setting a
foundation to the contemporary
Filipino identity and culture
Who Is a Filipino?
• Filipinos are often referenced from globally
know personalities who have made Filipino
better recognized in the world.
• Citizenship is not the only marker of being a
Filipino; People who were born and grew up in
the same culture develop and share common
personality traits and value
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Filipino Values and Traits
The Filipino Hospitality
Filipinos welcome their guests and tourists as if they
are their
own brothers and sisters. They always make their
guests feel at home, offering them something to eat, or
even a place to stay.
• Respect for Elders
- Filipinos greet their elders by kissing their hand
while saying
“Mano po!” and constantly using “po” and “opo” in
conversations.
- A wide array of references to elder people such as
ate for older
sister; kuya here
Add source for older brother; tito and tita for uncle
• Close Family Ties
- Filipinos maintain a tight relationship with
their families. They are fond of family reunions
during birthdays, holidays, or fiestas year-round.
- Some Filipino families even opt to live in a
big house where everyone can stay together.
Nursing homes are almost always not an option
for family members.
• Cheerful Personality
- Filipinos smile when they are happy, or
sometimes even when they are sad or angry.
Smiling has been a coping strategy for many
Filipinos especially during trying times and
calamities
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• Self-sacrifice
- Filipinos go out of their way to extend help
to their friends, families, and loved ones.
- Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) sacrifice
a lot. That is why they are regarded as
modern-day Filipino heroes.
• Bayanihan
- It is the spirit of communal unity and
cooperation of Filipinos. It is also about giving
without expecting something in return.
• “Bahala Na” Attitude
- It is the Filipino version of the famous line
“Hakuna Matata,” meaning no worries.
- The phrase is said to have originated from
“Bathala na,” where Bathala means God, and
the phrase meaning leaving everything into
God’s hands.
Colonial Mentality
It is regarded as the lack of patriotism and the
attitude where
Filipinos favor foreign products more than their own;
but also
the desire to look more foreign than local and keep
up with
foreign beauty trends.
• “Mañana” Habit
- Filipino term for procrastination; derived from a
Filipino phrase
called “Mamaya na” meaning dawdling things, which
could
have been done at an earlier time.
• “Ningas Kugon”
- “Ningas” is a Filipino term for flame and “kugon” is
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a Filipino
• Pride
- Most Filipinos hold on to their pride as if they
are more precious than keeping a good
relationship with family and loved ones.
• Crab Mentality
- It is a toxic trait among Filipinos where one
resents the
achievement of another, instead of feeling happy
for that person; just like crabs in a container, they
pull each other down.
• Filipino Time
- Filipinos have this common attitude of arriving
late at
commitments, dinner, or parties especially if they
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Filipino Markers
1. Proverbs or Salawikain
a. proverbs expressing a general attitude
toward life and
the laws that govern life
b. ethical proverbs recommending certain
virtues and
condemning certain vices
c. proverbs expressing a system of values
d. proverbs expressing general truths and
observations
about life and human nature
e. humorous proverbs
f. miscellaneous proverb
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2. Superstitions
- Filipinos’ set of superstitions passed down
from generation to generation
- Some of these may be influenced by beliefs
from other
cultures, but Filipinos have retold these
superstitions
according to their own experiences.
3. Myths and Legends
- Due to the Philippines’s rich culture and
history, numerous myths and legends have
sprung.
- These stories
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are aimed to explain the origin
4. Heroes and Icons
- Heroes serve as a reminder of true
patriotism and
nationalism as they have sacrificed their
lives for the sake of their country’s freedom and
progress.
- Famous Filipino icons such as Lea Salonga,
Manny
Pacquiao, and our very own national hero,
Jose Rizal, have made the Filipino name more
pronounced worldwide through their own
expertise.
How to Be A Good Filipino
1. Be an active Filipino citizen.
2. Study the Philippine history.
3. Support local products.
4. Speak the Filipino language.
5. Do not spread fake news and be
democratic in engaging with dissent.
SALAMAT PO
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