Cultural Changes in the Philippines

The Filipino people are deeply religious, resilient, and relatively easy-going. The Philippines is
considered the the most emotionally aware country in the world. While most might see their practice
of afternoon napping as a sign of laziness, it is more for practicality, as working under the searing
tropical sun during high noon is hazardous. Also, the typical Filipino work/school day starts
significantly earlier; both workers and students are usually awake as early as 5 in the morning.
One could easily see an amalgamation of Spanish, American, Chinese, Malay, and Japanese
heritage in modern Philippine culture in terms of cuisine, language, architecture and behavior. In
addition to that, Filipinos are generally friendly to foreign visitors.
American Influence - The Philippines assimilated the American education system, democratic
government, legal structure and American English as a language for education, mass media, and
legal/public documents. One can also see a strong American influence in such things as an appetite
for coffee and fast food, and a preference for American trends and culture. Coca- Cola, McDonalds,
Levis, and a host of other American brands have a very strong presence in the country.
Given their exposure to American culture, some of them are brand conscious and they would rather
purchase items that are in the fad rather than for reasons of practicality. Therefore, items such as
iPhones, cosmetic whitening products, and signature fashion items are purchased even if it takes
them three to six months to recover the costs for these items.
Spanish Influence - Elements of Spanish culture are in great abundance in the Philippines. For
instance, there are numerous loanwords from the Spanish language found in Filipino (the national
language), as well as within many of the other distinct regional languages in the archipelago. Words
such as pero, mas, pwede, mesa, cerrado, and other words and expressions are present in
everyday Philippine conversations. Filipinos enjoy siestas in the afternoon, drink cervezas, and hold
fiestas to celebrate bountiful harvests and religious occasions.
Chinese Influence - The Chinese influence on Philippine culture is also very apparent. It can be
seen in how the nuclear family lives in close proximity to each other, even if the children are already
adults and have families of their own. Respect for ones elders is also sacrosanct. Chinese cuisine is
also part and parcel of Philippine culture, with dishes such as pancit, siopao, siomai, hopia, and
others being based off their Chinese counterparts.

Because of the hardworking character of the Chinese, coupled by their natural business sense and
tenacity to survive in a foreign land, one can see that the largest and most powerful businesses in
the country are mostly run by families with Chinese ancestry. Around 40 of the 50 richest people in
the Philippines listed on Forbes magazine are Chinese-Filipinos. This group usually organizes itself
as large family-owned enterprises, controlling the production and sale of essential commodities,
inevitably earning them an integral place in the countrys power structure.
Other Cultural Characteristics - Dynastic political families, the clergy, and a handful of familyowned and controlled business conglomerates wield the most power and influence in the country.
Certain reforms are often subject to scrutiny by religious organizations (e.g., Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines). They stand on moral issues concerning decisions in regulations and
social reforms.
Politicians, on the other hand, author and lobby for laws and reforms, appealing and granting
policies that can affect commerce and investments.
The family-run conglomerates, wielding considerable financial power, are able to sway legislation in
favor of their business interests, and as such, are able to maintain and even expand their
commercial empires.
Moreover, modern Filipinos tend to purchase consumable items in sachets, such as food, shampoo,
mobile credit load, etc. Even if purchasing a larger-sized consumable item would be cheaper in the
long run, people can only afford to purchase smaller units and sizes. This tingi culture is a habit
influenced by a lack of finance to ones disposal.
It is a common sentiment of most Filipinos to consider leaving the country to work or immigrate as a
positive scenario as it is an upgrade to ones economic status and prosperity. As such, immigrant
Filipinos, overseas Filipino workers, and those that have married a foreign spouse are almost
immediately viewed as more financially viable.

Edison A. Jabat
H2B