PHILIPPINE VALUES

Leah de Roulet once stated, “Science and Technology are powerful tools but how do we use them? Shall we use them to destroy or to build? It depends on our values.

All values are important. Everyone who has ever touched one’s life in some way is a mentor for good or bad. Life is a blend, and a person blends with all the influences tat have touched his/her life.

Values are defined in a number of ways:

Etymologically, value comes from the Latin word “valere” which means to be strong, to be worth.

Values are those standards by which a group of society judges the desirability and importance of persons, ideas, actions or objects.

Importance of Values
1. Provide the framework within which judgments are made.
2. Give purpose and direction to the lives of people.
3. Give meaning and significance to life and to the totality of society.
4. Make things desirable, satisfying and worthy of approval.

Filipino Oriental and Occidental Value Orientations Dichotomy

1. Rationalism vs. Non-rationalism

Rationalism involves a belief that by systematic planning, studying and training, one can actually control and manipulate his or her destiny. A rational person is scientific-oriented, liberal and skeptical. It refers to the belief or doctrine that all knowledge and truth is found only in reason, that it is ascertainable by rational processes of thought, and that there is no supernatural revelation.

Examples: Kasipagan, Pagpaplano sa buhay, Paghahanda sa kinabukasan, Pagtitiwala sa sarili, Paghasa sa katalinuhan

“Ang maniwala sa sabi-sabi, walang bait sa sarili”
“Ang may isinuksok sa dingding ay may titingalain”
“Mas maganda ang knabukasan kung may pinag-aralan”
“Kapag may katwiran, ipaglaban mo”
“Kung ano ang itinanim ay siya mong aanihin”

Non-rationalism involves the belief in the supremacy of nature and forces outside one’s self like the belief in ghosts, spirits, gods or deities and other supernatural beings. It involves an uncritical acceptance, reverence and protection of traditions and rituals, unquestioning obedience to authority and loyalty to one’s group.
Examples: Bahala na, dependence on espiritista, reliance to amulets, gayuma or anting-anting, tinalaga ng Diyos, gulong ng palad, kapalaran

“Pag di uukol di bubkol”
“Bawat nilalang na isinilang may nakatakdang kapalaran”
“An buhay ay parang gulong, minsan nasa ilalim, minsan nasa ibabaw”
“
2. Personalism vs. Impersonalism

Personalism refers to the tendency to give due importance to intrapersonal and interpersonal relations in working arrangements.

Examples: Kaibigan, kamag-anak, comadre and compadre, nepotism, favoritism lakad and palakasan system

Impersonalism refers to the tendency to eliminate the influence of friendship or kinship in working relations. Behavior is depersonalized, standardized or institutionalized.

Examples: walang personalan, trabaho lamang, walang malakas, walang mahina, walang palakasan, hustisya para sa lahat, walang mahirap, walang mayaman

3. Particularism vs. Universalism

Particularism refers to the tendency to center his or her concern on his or her sub-groups made up of relatives, friends, colleagues and associates.

Examples: tayo-tayo system, fraternity and sorority ties, kapartido system, kababayan, kapangkat

Universalism refers to the tendency to focus one’s attention and concern on the promotion of the national and common weal.

Examples: public welfare, national identity, social justice, public service

4, Nationalism vs. Internationalism

Nationalism is the feeling of oneness an devotion to one’s nation. Simply, love of country.

Examples: Byan ko, mahal ko, isang bansa, isang diwa, taas noo, Pilipino

Internationalism rests on the belief in having friendly relations between and among nations for their mutual and common benefit. It is the advocacy of making nations of the world as one global community, removing all geographical, cultural social and cultural barriers towards the community of nations and making all people as citizens of the world.

General Philippine Values

Bahala na – a kind of fatalistic resignation and involves dependence and abiding faith in supernatural spirits.

Utang na loob – debt of gratiuse which is difficult or almost impossible to quantify.

Amor propio – high self-esteem ans is shown in the sensitivity of a person to hurt feelings and insults, real or imagined.

SIR – smooth interpersonal relations, such as the use of polite language, soft voice and gentle manner.

Euphemisms – circumlocutory remarks to avoid frankness and directness like siguro, pipilitin ko, susubukan ko, kuwan, marahil

Pakikisama – good public relations

Delicadeza – conformity to the thical practices or expectations of the group.

Palabra de honor – keeping one’s word or doing what ha promised

Hele-hele bago quiere or pakipot – behavior that a person initially refuses an offer if he or she is subject to more prodding.

Ningas cogon tendency – good only at the start ; full of energy or enthusiasm only at the beginning

Colonial mentality – mental attitude of preferring imported products or ideas over locally made ones

compadre system – practice of choosing well-known or affluent persons to act as godparents in wedding or baptisms.

Crab mentality – mental attitude of putting down other people to prevent them from reaching the top

manana habit – procrastination; mamaya na, saka na lang, bukas na lang