As per, Erin Meyer author of The Culture Map: Breaking Through the

Invisible Boundaries of Global Business, different cultures deal with

misunderstandings and disagreements in dissimilar ways. Countries like Israel,

Spain, and Germany are more prone to exude aggression and demand rallies of

debate to smooth out concerns. This trait is apparent in their willingness to give

constructive criticisms. They are open for confrontation and do not see

confrontation as detrimental to their formed relationships. On the other end of the

spectrum are countries like Mexico, Japan, and China that are more reserved

and go out of their way to avoid confrontation. For them open confrontation is

inappropriate and will cause negative impacts to the formed harmonious

relationship, hence their reservation in giving negative feedbacks directly and

brazenly. Focus then lies on maintaining healthy and good relationships within a

workplace. From these differentiations on dealing with disagreements, the

Philippines fit perfectly with the likes of Japan and Mexico.

The most common indicator of deeply embedded cultural values is

spontaneous mass behavior. In this regard the EDSA People Power is perhaps

the best example of mass spontaneous behavior in the Philippines. This action

reflected common denominators in the traits of Filipinos involved in the

movement. It gave rise to a number of Filipino characteristics. On of which is the

trait of Filipinos to be non-confrontational. In same sense this manifests the

Bayanihan principle of the Filipinos.

Bayanihan is a Filipino custom derived from the word bayan. The word

refers communal unity to achieve a particular goal. In retrospect bayanihan was

observed in rural areas wherein the towns people go out of their way to extend a

helping hand to a family that will move to a new place. The relocation does not

only involve the personal belongings of the family, but also the entire house.

Filipinos cherish the ancestral trait of "bayanihan" which means cooperation.

However, this can be used to the extreme through "pakikisama. Under the

concept of Bayanihan, is a deeply rooted dominant cultural value in the

Philippines “smooth interpersonal relationships”. Smooth interpersonal

relationships is defined as the ability to get along with others in such a way to

avoid outward signs of conflict even under difficult circumstances (Coward,

1978). The value of smooth interpersonal relationships is primarily supported by

four basic Filipino values pakikisama, hiya, amor propio, and utang na loob.

(Wang, n.d.)

Generally Filipinos face difficulty in saying “no” when asked for favours.

Being a group-oriented society, relationships are treated with high regards.

Filipinos try to avoid inflicting pain towards the feelings of others and as much as

possible express their concerns and ideas with subtlety and modesty as not to

appear conceited. Given the cultural value of pakikisama the aim is to maintain

good feelings in all personal interactions to avoid confrontation. Filipinos may

tend to use a language that is more ambiguous to hide negative feelings through

a pleasant demeanor. Which is why some executives may beat around the bush

before conveying the truth to avoid embarrassing or offending an employee.

A Filipino will go through lengths to avoid shame or hiya. Hiya is integrally

connected to the concept of saving face and fixation with how one appears in the
eyes of others. Shame may be caused by an individual failing to live up to the

expectations of others and his own. Because of the concept of hiya, Filipinos are

afraid of failure and most often than not resist undergoing change and innovation.

In their books open criticism in public is possibly the greatest insult.

Filipinos are conformists, rather than risking a possible confrontations and

a loss of face. Amor propio or self-esteem is highly valued. Although literally

translated as "self-respect" or "self-esteem," amor propio has been characterized

as the highest degree of vulnerability to criticism whether good or bad that makes

easily wounds a person’s pride. “Filipinos learn to withstand a "loss of face" in

some situations, particularly when they perceive themselves to be at fault, but it

is devastating to be publicly criticized, insulted, belittled, or humiliated, or to lose

one's self-respect.” (Gochenour, 1990 as cited in Wang, n.d.)

The concept of obligation and interdependence is very strong in the

Philippines. Commonly a bond between two individuals will be formed based on

the concept of utang na loob. It is “an integral aspect of maintaining group

harmony and relationships that require the balancing of obligations and debts.”

(Herrington, 2001 as cited in Wang n.d.). For Filipinos it is imperative that

appreciation is shown to a grantor by returning the favour. Granted that the

debtor will go to extremes to attempt repayment, generally it is realized that the

debt can never be fully repaid and the obligation and to compensate will last for

generations over. Providing employment, saving a person’s life, aid by providing

money or kind, and making it possible for another to receive formal education are

gifts that incur utang na loob Furthermore these gifts initiate a long-term
reciprocal interdependency, where in the grantor can expect aid without any

hesitance from debtor when demand for it arises, in return the debtor can ask for

other favours.

In summation Filipino identify the full humanity of all the people and

regards other with respect and empathy. This instills a heightened sensitivity to

the nature and quality of interpersonal relationships that are pivotal source of

security and glee. The concept of pakikisama is strong therefore filipons tend to

be non-confrontational. Negativty is frowned upon and it is rare for people to

openly contradict one another (unless their amor propio is directly attacked).

References:

Coward, e. W. (1978). Values, Behavior, and Irrigation: Smooth Interpersonal

Relations in the Philippines. Philippine Sociological Review, 26(1), 41–47.
Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41853609
Wang, X. (n.d.). The Philippines: The Pacific Bridge across Cultures. Retrieved

April 21, 2016, from

http://ncl.ac.uk/ecls/assets/documents/pdf/countryfiles/CCC-Philippines.pdf