Filipino Traits and Characteristics

Grade 3 SibikaZPG 2012

Positive Traits

Faith in God

• We may have different religions in different sectors of our country, but what is consistent is that we all have one strong form of faith.

Close Family Ties

• We enjoy the feeling of having and knowing family members are around us. From cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents, some families share their homes, celebrate holidays and lend a hand to relatives when it is needed.

Positive Traits

Welcoming to visitors

• When we have people visit our homes, we always welcome them with smiles, conversation and food.

Obedient and dutiful

• In our culture, we always respect and follow what our parents and adults advise us to do. Not talking back, and trusting the adults around us has always been a part of who we are.

Positive Traits

Respectful

• From the “mano”, to saying “po” and “opo” to our elders, these words that are a part of our language show how we respect people.

Helpful

• It is expected that we help out in the house and offer help to siblings, friends and relatives when we can. We have the “bayanihan” spirit in us and it is why in times of calamities or disaster, Filipinos are mostly helpful to one another.

Positive Traits

Diligent and patient

• Majority of our livelihood in the Philippines is based on agriculture. It takes a lot of back-breaking work to plant the fields. Then it takes patience to care, water and harvest it.

Resourceful and creative

• During the times when we don’t have the means to accomplish something, we find ingenious ways of using what we have to solve our problems.

Positive Traits

Cheerful

• Because we’ve been through a lot of trials in our history, Filipinos have learned not to be depressed. Rather, we find a joke and try to have fun even during times of difficulty.

Thrifty and frugal

• We don’t like to waste anything since we don’t have a lot. We are careful of what we have, knowing that it will serve us well for a long time.

NegativeTraits

Nignas-kugon

• We start something eagerly but lose momentum and don’t tend to finish or reach long-term goals.

Mañana Habit

• Sometimes, Filipinos would like to put off doing things until it is too late. Examples are: fixing what needs to be fixed, or saving money for future expenditures.

NegativeTraits

Crab Mentality

• Filipinos sometimes get jealous of other people’s successes that they find a way to pull the other person down, rather than striving to be better.

Colonial Mentality

• If something is made in America or of a foreign brand, we think it is of greater quality. So we buy foreign products more than we would buy locally made products.

NegativeTraits

“Bahala Na”

• When helpless, we tend not to act to solve our problems. We usually don’t plan ahead, or plan for contingencies. Instead of covering all our bases, we simply let the fates dictate what will happen.

Sore Losers

• Many times, Filipinos become very competitive and hate losing. At times, when we lose, we find a way to get even.

Negative Traits

Lack discipline

• Pollution, traffic rules and following the law are things Filipinos tend to ignore. We like to sell our wares on the streets, beat the red light and throw our garbage in the wrong places.

Which Filipino traits have you seen in your family and friends?

Which Filipino traits do you see in yourself?

How can you change your negative traits into positive attitudes?