James Daniel L.

Garcia
2014-72665

POSC 1 B-3R
March 11, 2015

The Death of a Culture: Philippines Biggest Mistakes

The Philippines was first ruled by the moral values set by the culture of the datus and the
rajas of the different barangays all over the country at that time. The laws that were passed were
all based on the needs of the people and all were only for the peace and order in each groups.
When the nation was conquered by the Spaniards, the Philippines became a city of Spain, the
rulers were given powerless government positions, and the system of government was patterned
on the Spanish legislature, a bicameral parliament. The government was connected to the
Catholic Church, making the laws implemented on the people more moralistic in nature,
although it was sometimes used for the exploitation of the citizens. If corruption was out of the
picture, it can be said that the government during the Spanish era and the reign of the datus and
rajas were somehow alike in the context of morality. Both governments have a good basis on
lawmaking: to meet the needs of the people and for the peace, order, and unity of the nation.
The Philippine government at the present is based on the concepts, laws, and institutions
of the Western countries. This was carried out when the Philippines was conquered by the United
States of America. The Filipinos were first given limited governance over its own nation. A
national government was introduced later and made the American regime an idol to its system.
As the Republic of the Philippines prospered, its ties to the past systems of government slowly
collapsed, losing the values that our ancestors used to establish the state that we have today. The
laws that the Americans gave changed the way of thinking of the people, losing the traditions and
conventions that the people were ought to do. Philippines is now considered as a morally ill
country.
The Philippine politicians is set as one of the examples of how the country is sick. They
are driven by their own agendas. As seen in the recent issues of Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon Revilla,
and Juan Ponce Enrile, the health and life, as well as the satisfaction of the ordinary needs of
each person, easily could be neglected in the pursuit of political goals. Some politicians only
attained their position through popularity and patronage, legal and/or illegal. The candidates for
elections killing each other to gain a position of power. Millions of pesos were spent by people

who desperately want power, not by people who are willing to serve the people and the country.
People running for high positions are even uneducated and lacking training and experience to the
political world. The morality of the people, taught by the Roman Catholic Church, is easily
disregarded by the authorities. The people who run for politics should be like a true Confucian
official: well educated; has a love of learning and knowledge; is loyal to ruling power; is
incorruptible by money, titles, and flattery; is deferential and respectful; leads by moral example;
practices filial piety and honors and obeys parents; practices self-cultivation, daily examining
thoughts, motives, and values; knows the virtues of honesty, trust, compassion, forgiveness,
justice, loyalty, and moderation and practices them; is benevolent and has an extensive love for
the people; and will be absolutely courageous in facing a corrupt ruler. (Frederickson, 2002). It
is not implied that the people should convert to Confucianism, but they should learn from them
of what they must do as the leaders of the nation. If the politicians care about the country, they
need to start considering what is best for the nation, not what is best for themselves. In our part,
as citizens of the Philippines, we should start to vote wisely and call for competence and honesty
from the leaders. We should learn from our cultures morals and values. Being well educated in
the political world is one step closer to having a better judgment for a better community. The
elected officials should be part of the educated lot. We should also be more aware of the current
events so that we know how to respond to certain activities that require your judgment. We need
to look back and reminisce the days when we truly became a united nation.