Cabe, Carol Ann Q.

Dela Cruz, Clarisse Ann C.

Hezeta, Kyle Cedric B.

Reyes, Adrian Russell B.

Santillan, Patricia Mae R.

Santos, Ericka-Ann D.

POLITICAL SELF

Philippines by the Numbers

 There are now 7,641 islands.

 We were liberated from the Spaniards in 1890s.
 We were liberated from Japan in 1946.
 There are 104 million Filipinos.
 3 island groups.
 There are currently 6 presidents under the 1987 Constitution.

Who is a Filipino?

According to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Filipino citizens are “..those whose
fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines, those born before January 17, 1973, of
Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority, and
those who are naturalized in accordance with law.”

Citizenship is not the only marker of being a Filipino. Culture and history have greatly
influenced the manner Filipinos learn, live and behave.

Filipino Values and Traits

1. The Filipino Hospitality

A Filipino trait that is known everywhere is the Filipino’s brand of hospitality. They are
fond of giving pasalubong or tokens from their travels and pabaon or farewell gifts to their
visitors.

2. Respect for Elders

Filipinos greet their elders by kissing their hand while saying “Mano po” and constantly
use “po” and “opo” in conversations. There is also a wide array of references to elder people
such as ate, kuya, tito, tita, lolo, lola, manong, and aling.

3. Close Family Ties

Filipinos maintain a tight relationship with their families. Some Filipino families opt to live
in a big house where everyone can stay together and nursing homes are almost always not
an option.
 4. Cheerful Personality

Filipinos have a habit of smiling and laughing a lot. They always try to maintain a positive
outlook in life which makes them resilient and able to manage everything with a simple
smile.

5. Self Sacrifice

Filipinos go out of their way to help other people. This attitude of Filipinos is an extension
of our being hospitable. Because of our love for our families and friends, we don’t want them
to suffer and let ourselves take all the responsibility.

6. Bayanihan

Bayanihan is the spirit of communal unity and cooperation of Filipinos. This is also about
giving without expecting something in return. Filipinos are always ready to share and help
other people.

7. “Bahala Na” Attitude

“Bahala na” is the Filipino version of “Hakuna Matata” which means no worries. The
phrase is said to have originated from “Bathala Na”, where Bathala means God, and the
phrase meaning leaving everything into God’s hands.

8. Colonial Mentality

Colonial Mentality is regarded as the lack of patriotism and the attitude where Filiipinos
favour foreign products over their own. This is attributed to the centuries of colonization
Filipinos have experienced under the Spanish, American, and Japanese rule.

9. Mañana Habit

This is the Filipino term for procrastination. It was derived from a longer Filipino phrase
“Mamaya na” meaning dawdling things.

10. “Ningas Kugon”

“Ningas” is a term for flame and “kugon” is a term for Cogon grass which easily burns out
after it is put into flames. Ningas kugon then refers to the attitude of eagerly starting things
but quickly losing eagerness soon after experiencing difficulties.

11. Pride

Most Filipinos hold on to their pride as if it is more precious than keeping a good
relationship with family and loved ones.

12. Crab Mentality

This is a toxic trait among Filipinos where one resents the achievement of another instead of
feeling happy for that person. Just like crabs in a container, they pull each other down and
ruin each other’s reputation rather than bringing them up.

13. Filipino Time

 Filipinos have this common attitude of arriving late to commitments and plans, especially
if they are meeting someone close to them. They tend not to observe punctuality altogether.

Filipino Markers

The following are constant reminders of our nationality:

1. Proverbs or Salawikain – sayings that convey lessons and reflections on Filipino

practices, beliefs, and traditions.

Damiana Eugenio, regarded as the mother of Philippine folklore, classified proverbs into 6
categories:

a. Proverbs expressing a general attitude toward life and the laws that govern life
b. Ethical proverbs recommending certain virtues and condemning certain vices
c. Proverbs expressing a system of values
d. Proverbs expressing general truths and observations about life and human nature
e. Humorous Proverbs
f. Miscellaneous Proverbs

2. Superstitions – influenced by beliefs from other cultures but Filipinos have retold
these superstitions according to their own experiences and they sometimes end up
even more interesting.
3. Myths and Legends – aimed to explain the origin of things and the same teach a
valuable lesson.
4. Heroes and Icons – reminder of true patriotism and nationalism as they have
sacrificed their lives for the sake of their country’s freedom and progress.

How to be a Good Filipino

1. Be an active Filipino citizen – be aware of the current events and participate in

government programs that aim for the country’s progression and development.
Exercise your right to vote.
2. Study the Philippine history – by learning and fully understanding the events of the
Philippine history, you will learn so much as to why it is important to love your country
with your life.
3. Support local products – by buying local products, you do not only support local
manufacturers and businessmen, but you also help strengthen the economy.
4. Speak the Filipino language – speaking Filipino serves as a unique identifier of
being a Filipino.
5. Do not spread fake news and be democratic in engaging with dissent