LESSON 8

THE FILIPINO CHARACTER

MOTIVATIONAL
ACTIVITY
“CHOOSE YOUR FILIPINO
DISH!”
GAME MECHANICS:
Choose a Filipino dish, each with a
different scrambled letters and hints.
Unscramble the letters to reveal the
answer and give your insights or
opinion about that word.
 HEY, ARE
READY?
YOU
 CHOOSE
YOUR DISH!

ADOBO SINIGANG PAKBET

 IF YOU CHOSE
ADOBO:
Based from the given hints, what
Filipino value is being described?

HINT 1
“Lack of patriotism”

HINT 2
‘Actual preference for foreign
things”

NLIACOOL
TNELYITMA
 IF YOU CHOSE
ADOBO:
Based from the given hints, what
Filipino value is being described?

HINT 1
“Lack of patriotism”

HINT 2
‘Actual preference for foreign
things”

COLONIAL
MENTALITY
 IF YOU CHOSE
SINIGANG:
Based from the given hints, what
Filipino value is being described?

HINT 1
“Done by tsismis or intriga”

HINT 2
“The personal ambition that is
completely insensitive to the
common good.”
ACRB
TNELYITMA
 IF YOU CHOSE
SINIGANG:
Based from the given hints, what
Filipino value is being described?

HINT 1
“Done by tsismis or intriga”

HINT 2
“The personal ambition that is
completely insensitive to the
common good.”
CRAB
MENTALITY
 IF YOU CHOSE
PAKBET:
Based from the given hints, what
Filipino value is being described?

HINT 1
“Often violating the rules”

HINT 2
“Lack of precision and
compulsiveness”

CKAL FO
SNIILPDEIC
 IF YOU CHOSE
PAKBET:
Based from the given hints, what
Filipino value is being described?

HINT 1
“Often violating the rules”

HINT 2
“Lack of precision and
compulsiveness”

LACK OF
DISCIPLINE
 LESSON
PROPER
Now that we’re done with the
motivational activity, we will now
proceed with our discussion.
 WHAT IS A
CHARACTER?
Character involves habits and
tendencies of thoughts and
actions that are not, or at least,
not have been, original to a
person.

It is also defined as the way

someone thinks, feels, and
behaves.
THE FILIPINO
CHARACTER:

STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES
THE STRENGTHS
OF THE FILIPINO
CHARACTER ARE:
1.pakikipag-kapwa-tao,
2.family orientation,
3.joy and humor,
4.flexibility, adaptability and
creativity,
5.hard work and industry,
6.faith and religiosity and
7.ability to survive.
The following is an excerpt of
the Report “A Moral Recovery
Program: Building a People,
Building a Nation” submitted on
April 27, 1988 by the Task Force
to President Corazon Aquio, the
Senate and the members of the
press by then Senator Leticia
Shahani, the moving spirit
behind the program.
The weaknesses of the Filipino
character as cited in the Report
are as follows:
 EXTREME
FAMILY
CENTEREDNESS
Excessive concern for family
means using one’s office and
power to promote family intersts
and thus factionalism patronage,
political dynasties and the
protection of erring family
members. It results in lack of
concern for the common good,
and acts as a block to national
consciousness.
 EXTREME
PERSONALISM
“Takes things personally”,
cannot separate objective task
from emotional involvement.
Because of this the Filipino is
uncomfortable with bureaucracy,
with rules and regulations and
with standard procedures. He
uses personal contacts and gives
preference to family and friends
in hiring, services and even
voting. Extreme personalism
leads to the graft and corruption
evident in Philippine society.
 LACK OF
DISCIPLINE
A casual attitude toward time and
space, manifested in lack of
precision and compulsiveness, in
poor time management and
procrastination. Aversion to
following procedures strictly results
in lack of standardization and quality
control. Impatience results in short
cuts, palusot, ningas cogon. Lack of
discipline often results in inefficient
work systems, the violation of rules
and a casual work ethic lacking
follow through.
 PASSIVITY AND
LACK OF INITIATIVE
Waiting to be told what to do,
reliance on others (leaders and
government), complacence, lack of
a sense of urgency. There is high
tolerance for inefficiency, poor-
service, and even violations of
one’s basic rights. Too patient and
matiisin; too easily resigned to his
fate, the Filipino is easily
oppressed and exploited.
 COLONIAL
M E N TA L I T Y
Lack of patriotism, or of an
active awareness,
appreciation and love of the
Philippines and an actual
preference for things foreign.
 KANYA-KANYA
SYNDROME,
TALANGKA MENTALITY
Done by tsismis, intriga,
unconstructive criticism... It is
evident in the personal ambition
that is completely insensitive to
the common good, e.g., the lack
of a sense of service among
people in the government
bureaucracy. This results in the
dampening of cooperative and
community spirit and in the
trampling upon other’s rights.
 LACK OF SELF-
ANALYIS AND
SELF-REFLECTION
The tendency to be superficial
and somewhat flighty. In the
face of serious personal and
social problems, there is lack of
analysis or reflection and
instead satisfaction with
superficial explanations and
solutions.
 EMPHASIS ON
PORMA RATHER
THAN SUBSTANCE
This lack of analysis and
emphasis on form is reinforced
by an educational system that
is more form than substance...
 VALUES EDUCATION IN SCHOOL
In 1988, Senator Shahani’s To address this, the Department
report pointed out several of Education introduced Values
weaknesses in the Filipino Education into the school
character, such as focusing curriculum. This subject helps
too much on family, being students understand and
overly personal in practice good values, like love
relationships, lacking for God, others, the
discipline, and being environment, and the nation.
passive. These traits can Over time, this subject was
prevent Filipinos from renamed Edukasyon sa
reaching their full potential Pagpapakatao (EsP), especially
and contributing to the in the K to 12 program. For
country’s growth. Grades 1-10, EsP is taught as a
separate subject, but in Grades
11-12, courses like Philosophy
of the Human Person and
 OTHER STUDIES ON FILIPINO MORAL CHARACTER

Studies on Filipino moral Fr. Gorospe referred to this as

character, notably by Fr. "group-centeredness" or
Jaime Bulatao, Fr. Vitaliano "group thinking," where one's
Gorospe, Fr. Leonardo group influences moral
Mercado, and others, decisions, leading to external
highlight the communal rather than internal moral
nature of Filipino morality. Fr. guidance. This mentality,
Bulatao described the "kami" known as "sakop" by Fr.
mentality, where people Mercado, dictates behavior,
identify strongly with their fostering both positive and
family or group, opposing negative actions based on
those outside it. group welfare, sometimes at
the expense of individual
moral principles.
 IMPACT OF CULTURE ON MORALITY

The impact of culture on In contrast, in the Philippines,

morality can be seen in the committing immoral acts
contrast between Japan's brings guilt, but individuals
"shame culture" and the may feel absolved after
Philippines' "guilt culture." In confessing their sins, leading
Japan, individuals avoid them to potentially sin again
immoral acts due to the fear without long-term moral
of public shame, with change.
extreme cases leading to
hara-kiri (suicide) to restore
honor.
APPLICATION
 APPLICATION
Cite instances where extreme
family centeredness, lack of
discipline, passivity and lack of
initiative, colonial
mentality,kanya-kanya
syndrome, talangka mentality,
lack of self-analysis and self-
reflection are manifested in
Philippine society.