The Filipino Culture and Values The complexity of Filipino culture is compounded as this has been exposed to continuous and various streams of culture from without. This influences werenot passively absorbed in to the Filipino culture but assimilated in a selective way , and this process of a acculturation varied from region to regionFilipino values- refers to the set of values or the value system that a majority of the Filipino have historically held important in their livesContributory Factors to Filipino CultureThe Filipino culture is a summation of indigenous forces and foreign influences that had come tobear upon the people in varying degrees during the lastcenturies .These foreign influences that contributed in the shaping of a Filipino culture are as follows:The alays- The basic component of Filipino culture is the alay temperament which could best be described by !niceness and pleasantness" to others rather than by virtue of law abiding features. #n its fluidness of culture , the alay family clan or unit is the world$s best security system.Chinese % filial pietybetween parents and children , the flexibility to go along with other people and the ! sageliness within and the &ingliness without !of the Filipino is believed to be due to Chinese influence.The #ndian influence- #ndian influence is found in the languages , mode of dressing , architectural art , fol& , beliefs , brass , and copperware.The 'indu influence % is the most pervasive in the Filipino belief system . For instance is the prediction of Filipino newspaper readers for horoscope and fortune- telling sections.The (panishheritage % it is reflective of more developed societies at their point of contact , broadenedthe outloo& of the Filipino . (pain introduced a community oriented rather than a family- oriented religion in the form of Christianity . #t contributed to an elite class . ) social and political organi*ation, according to western institutions, wasbrought into the +hilippines. The )mericans % the united states further broadened this heritage by introducing a democracy that called for individual liberty and e,uality as well as a national political community to which everybody was supposed to participate through national suffrage.The Filipino has thereby a foothold in many cultural spheres: the alay, the )nglo-(axon, the 'ispanic, the 'indu-#slamic and even the Chinese. The Filipino cultural perspectivesThe Filipino culture$s existence and development is viewed and interpreted in many ways. (ome of them are:-.TheTraditionalConcept-thetraditionalist holdsthatFilipinoculturewasdevelopeddueto theconglomerationofthephysical,intellectual, moral,andspiritualaspects.#tassumesthat underneath the independent and widely divergent cultureasshownintheirwayoflife,thereisan underlyingbasicrootofunitythatholdsthe culturaltreetogetherandinfusesoneclear, distinct substance through its veins. This includes theirartofliving,philosophyinlife,attitudes toward .od, nature and fellowmen./. The0ationalistic1iew-this conceptregardsculture as the summationoftheneedsofthepeople,thedescriptionof theirpastandpresentcondition,anexpressionoftheir values,thoughtsandemotions,andthedepictionoftheir historicstrugglestoliberatethemselves.Truenational cultureisinextricablylin&edtothepeople$sneeds,ideas, emotions, and practices.2. Cultural 3ualism- this theory maintains that the +hilippines isatransitionalsocietydominatedononesidebythe traditionalcultureandontheothersidebythemodern culture.Thenormsandvaluesofthesetwoforces inevitablyopposeeachotherleadingtoconflictsinthelife of individual. 4ecause of the conflict brought by the various foreign influences into the +hilippines, the Filipinos have to engageintoaselectiveintegrationandmodificationof foreign influences into a distinct Filipino culture.The Filipino cultureBelief SystemFilipinosarereligious.Theybelievesomuchin supernaturalpowersandviewthemselvesasonlya speckinthiswideuniverse.ThisFilipinobeliefinthe supernaturalpowerstaughtthemtotrustprayersrather thanhardworkintherealizationoftheirdreams. Success is considered a blessing from above, a result of good luck and faith. It also taught him to value traits like perseverance, patience, and endurance. .ood is consideredrelative. 5hat is considered good to one may not be good to another. 'appiness and success differ from one person to another. 6lders, parents, and superiors are respected and obeyed. 'ospitality is one practice Filipinos believe in because it is their way of implementing threw golden rule: !3o unto others what you want others do unto you". 1alue (ystemCulturalvaluesaresharedassumptionof what is right, good, or important. 1alues actually guideman$sbehaviorandactionasherelates himself in most situations in life.The Filipino values can best be seen from theaspectsofpersonalandsocialrelationships. +ersonally,theFilipinosvaluemoretheirhonor andstatusthananythingelse.ajorityofthem ta&es care of their honor 7&arangalan8 rather than wealth. #ndecisionma&ing,theFilipinosusually consult and ta&e into consideration the consensus ofthefamilymembersasthefeelingsofthose who are to be affected.The Filipino valuesFamily- The +hilippines is &nown to be a family centered nation. The Filipinos recogni*e their family as an important social structure that one must ta&e care of. They give importance to the safety and unity of one$s family. The Filipino family is so intact that it is common for members of the same family wor& for the same company. #t is also common to find the whole clan living in the same area as that the Filipinos are afraid to be too far from their own family.9tang-na-loob - it is a techni,ue of reciprocity of debt of gratitude to others within the family circle or primary group, sometimes unlimited in nature, emotional rather than financial or rational. #t is a sign of marginal economy where no place is available for bargaining, formal agreements, written contracts, specific rights, and responsibilities. #nability to repay !utang-na-loob"will result in the individual being labeled as !walang utang-na-loob" or !walang-hiya." +a&i&isama % this is closely related to utang-na-loob. #t is the value of belongingness and loyalty tothesmallin-groupwithsensitivitytothe feelingsofothersontheprincipleof!giveand ta&e." +a&i&isama is a fol& concept of good public relations and avoidance of conflict with the leader or majority of the groups. 'iya % this controls to a large extent the behavior oftheindividualandmostli&ely,isgenerally dependent on what others will thin&, say, and do. 4ecause of hiya, a Filipino cannot say !0:" even ifitisagainsthiswilltodowhatisbeing re,uested. 4ahalana%acommonexpressionamong Filipinosinthisrestonthefatalisticoutloo&and strongdependenceonthe!spirits$whowillta&e careofeverythingiftheyarereallymeantfora person.+oliteness-Filipinos are taught to become respectful individuals. This is mainly due to the influence of Christianity that tells us to honor both our parents and our elders. The use of ;$po$$ and ;$$opo$$$ when in conversation with an elder or someone who is older is a manifestation of how Filipinos respect their elders. #ndividualism % it is a pattern of behavior which characteri*estheFilipinoasaself-centered.The desiretoma&eanameforhimselfbecomesthe primary motivation for success. )mor-propio % it is the individuals highly emotional reaction to protect his honor and dignity when they are threatened or ,uestioned and to retaliate. Common forms ofamor-propio are !hele hele bago ,uire," or !pa&ipot" which shows at the outset a person initially refusing an offer even if he really wants very much to accept it.