This document discusses Filipino values and moral character. It begins by explaining that Filipino cultural morality centers around maintaining smooth interpersonal relationships. It then defines and provides examples of key Filipino values like pakikisama, hiya, amor propio, utang na loob, hospitality, and respect for elders. It notes both the strengths and weaknesses that stem from these values. The document concludes by outlining goals, strategies, and specific approaches for developing qualities like patriotism, integrity, and discipline in Filipino culture.

1. Ethics – Asian and Filipino
Moral Understanding
THE PINOY VALUES
and MORAL
CHARACTER

2. At the end of this Module, the students
should be able to:
1. Explain the Filipino Way: An Asian and a Filipino
Understanding of Moral Behavior
2. Classify and differentiate Strengths and weaknesses

3. (Perceived) Differences between
Western and Eastern “Ethics” :
Categories WESTERN ETHICS EASTERN ETHICS
Focus Finding truth Protocol and respect
Basis Rational thought Religious teachings
Emphasis Logic, cause and effect Respect towards family
Roots in Athens, Rome and Judeo-
Christianity
Hinduism, Buddhism,
Confucianism, Taoism
Approach Rational Holistic and cultural
Conflict and
harmony
Good must triumph over
evil
Good and bad, light and
dark, all exist in
equilibrium

4. FILIPINO
VALUES
FILIPINO MORAL
CHARACTER:
STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES

5. Think-and-
Share Tayo…

Activity
We will watch 3 short films
In each film, these are the guide
questions/points to ponder:
• Facts/details of the film (narrate the
story)
• What Filipino value/s are evident in the
film? In what instance/s? Cite same
personal experience about these values.
• Is the value/are the values considered
strength or weakness of the Filipino
character? Explain.
• Realization: What did you learn from the
film?

6. FILIPINO MORAL
CHARACTER:
STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES

7. Filipino Cultural Morality
Filipino cultural morality centers/anchors on ideally having
a Smooth Interpersonal Relationship (SIR) with others.
Smooth Interpersonal Relationship
Pakikisama Hiya
Amor
propio
Utang na
loob
Filipino
hospitality
Respect
for elders

8. 1. Pakikisama
 Maintaining good public relations/relationship
 Practice pakikisama in order to avoid clash with other people or certain group.
 Characteristics:
A value A goal
Keeping good feelings
in interactions
Get along well with
others (at all costs)

9.  Pamilya: Sama-sama, sa hirap at ginhawa
 Brotherhood / sisterhood
 Barkada: Bawal ang kill joy…
Having good public
relations
Over-generous
praise, concealing
negative feelings,
smiling even
things are going
wrong, avoiding to
say no, avoiding
losing temper.
POSITIVE
PAKIKISAMA
DESTRUCTIVE
PAKIKISAMA

10. 2. Hiya
 Feeling of lowliness, shame, embarrassment and shyness.
 Related to the concept of “Face”
 The Filipino concept of hiya is “fear of losing face”
Afraid to do bad
things as it may
damage one’s
reputation in the
sight of other
people.
Too much hiya
may lead to
having
inferiority
complex and
low self
confidence.
POSITIVE
HIYA
DESTRUCTIVE
HIYA

11. 3. Amor Propio
 Translated as self-esteem or self-respect or sense of pride (ayaw
patapakan ang pride)
 It comes from the Filipino’s tendency to protect his/her honor
and dignity such as refusing offers of others even he/she really
wants to accept them.
Protects from losing
self-respect,
publicly criticized,
insulted, belittled or
humiliated.
High degree of
sensitivity that
makes one
intolerant to
criticism and easily
have a wounded
pride.
POSITIVE
AMOR
PROPIO
DESTRUCTIVE
AMOR
PROPIO

12. 4. Utang na loob
 Involves the concept of reciprocity or returning the
received favor back
 Utang na Loob – debt of gratitude usually makes a
person “walang utang na loob” or “walang hiya”
Reciprocation: in
terms of parents
and children, and
with other people
To avoid being
dubbed as
walang utang na
loob, Filipinos
sometimes do
things that may
be bad (just to
return the favor)
POSITIVE
UTANG
NA
LOOB
DESTRUCTIVE
UTANG
NA
LOOB

13. 5. Filipino Hospitality
 Innate ability and trait of Filipinos to be courteous and entertaining
to their guests.
 Open heart/arms / warm welcome to guest/families/visitors
Filipinos are
internationally
known to be
warm,
welcoming and
accommodating.
Filipinos are
prone to being
abused and
maltreated.
POSITIVE
HOSPITALITY
DESTRUCTIVE
HOSPITALITY

14. 6. Respect for Elders
 Filipinos are respectful and have unique ways of expressing our respect for
our elders such as using “po” and “opo”, “pagmamano”
We, as Filipinos,
are highly
respectful to our
parents, teachers,
and those people
in authority.
it makes one
dependent or
irrationally
obedient to
parents and
elders.
POSITIVE
RESPECT
FOR
ELDERS
DESTRUCTIVE
RESPECT
FOR
ELDERS

15. Other values we should consider:
Give 5 other Filipino Values

16. Resilience
 Resilience – the ability to recover from / or adjust easily to
misfortune or change.
 Filipinos have the ability to accept what has happened and
able to fully recover easily.
 Filipinos smile even when they encounter problems – what
you see is not what you get.

17. Gulong ng Palad character
 Fate and fortune is like a wheel.
 Minsan nasa ibabaw, minsan nasa ilalim.
 Negative: Passivity and Lack of Initiative
 In contrast with what Henley said: “Man is the
captain of his own ship and master of his own
fate” and with…
 …what Protagoras said: “Man is the measure of all
things”.

18. Faithful and Religious
 The Filipino is a man of faith, prayer, patience,
perseverance, peace and love.
 These values of Filipinos are often misconstrued by critics to
mean inaction, lack of will-power, indecision and
indifference to progress.

19.  The “Bahala Na” Philosophy of Pinoys…”Bahala na” means…
 May be taken positively and/or negatively.
 In the negative sense, being excessively faithful and religious may really lead
to inaction and sloth. Bahala na Philosophy (leaving all the work to Bathala).

20. The Pinoy Love (Mapagmahal)
 When it comes to love – Hahamakin ang lahat.
 Pinoy Love – sa asawa at pamilya, gagawin ang LAHAT para sa
kanila.
 Mentalities: Family centeredness versus Extreme family
centeredness; True love is selfless love versus self love
 Other thoughts on love…
“UNTIL DEATH DO US PART” versus “WALANG FOREVER!!!”

21. Pakikipagkapwa-tao
 “Regard for others”
 Summarizes some of the values that we have (such as
hospitality, respect, pakikisama, utang na loob, pagtulong sa
kapwa, etc.)

22. A Moral Recovery
Program: Building a
People--Building a Nation
by Dr. Patricia Licuanan
Filipino Values

23. Filipino cultural morality, especially that which
concerns social ethics, centers on ideally having
“Smooth Interpersonal Relationship” (SIR) with
others.

24. STRENGTHS OF THE FILIPINO
CHARACTER
 Pakikipagkapwa-Tao (regard for others).
 Family Orientation.
 Joy and Humor
 Flexibility, Adaptability and Creativity
 Hard work and Industry
 Faith and Religiosity
 Ability to Survive

25. WEAKNESSES OF THE FILIPINO
CHARACTER
 Extreme Personalism – MAKASARILI
 Extreme Family-Centeredness - Nepotism
 Lack of Discipline
 Passivity and Lack of Initiative
 Colonial Mentality
 Kanya-Kanya Syndrome
 Lack of Self-Analysis and Self-Reflection

26. THE MANY FACES OF THE FILIPINO
 From this discussion of the strengths and
weaknesses of the Filipino, it is clear that there is
much that is good here, but there is also much
that needs to be changed. Many of our strong
points are also the sources of our weakness.

27. ROOTS OF THE FILIPINO CHARACTER
the home environment,
the social environment,
culture and language,
history,
the educational system,
religion,
the economic environment,
the political environment,
mass media, and
leadership and role models.

28. GOALS AND STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE
 Goals. Based on the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino, the
following goals for change are proposed. The Filipino should develop:
1. a sense of patriotism and national pride--a genuine love,
appreciation, and commitment to the Philippines and things Filipino;
2. a sense of the common good--the ability to look beyond selfish
interests, a sense of justice and a sense of outrage at its violation;
3. a sense of integrity and accountability--an aversion toward graft and
corruption in society and an avoidance of the practice in one's daily life;
4. the value and habits of discipline and hard work; and
5. the value and habits of self-reflection and analysis, the
internalization of spiritual values, and an emphasis upon essence rather
than on form.

29. GOALS AND STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE
 General Strategic Principles. In identifying goals for change and developing our
capabilities for their achievement, it is necessary to consider certain general
principles:
1. Strategies must be multi-layered and multi-sectoral;
2. Strategies must emphasize change in the power-holders as well as in
the masa (people);
3. Strategies should be holistic, emphasizing individual as well as systemic or
structural change;
4. The change should involve a critical mass of people;
5. The goals should be divided into small pieces for implementation;
6. Strategies must be connected to the daily life of people; and
7. Strategies must be implemented by an act of the will and involve self-sacrifice

30.  Multi-Layered, Multi-Sectoral Strategies.
 Roles of Power-Holders and the Masa.
 Holistic, Individual and Systemic/Structural Change.
 Critical Mass or Network of Change Initiators.
 Restricted or "Bite-Size" Goals.
 Goals Related to People's Lives.
 Act of the Will and Self-Sacrifice.

31. SPECIFIC STRATEGIES
 A. For Developing
Patriotism, and
National Pride:
1. Ideology.
2. History.
3. Languages.
4. Education.
5. Trade and Industry.
6. Media/Advertising.
7. Government.
B. Developing a Sense of the Common Good:
1. Government.
2. Non-governmental organizations.
3. Religious Organizations/Movements.
4. Education.
C. For Developing Integrity and
Accountability:
1. Government Leadership
Structure/Systems
2. Education/Training.
D. For Developing Discipline and Hard Work
E. For Developing Self-reflection and Analysis
1. Religion/Religious Movements.
2. Small Groups/NGO's.
3. Government Leadership.

32. Conclusions:
 About culture and cultural relativism…
 About Filipino values…
 Are there (any) Universal Values?
(Ethics book, pages 31-32 )