This document summarizes key positive and negative values of Filipino culture. The positive values discussed include being joyful, respectful, god-fearing, having a spirit of bayanihan or community cooperation, being brave and having strong family ties, hospitality, hardworkingness, and creativity. Negative values examined are laziness, having a colonial mentality, kanya-kanya or crab mentality, bahala na attitude, ningas-cogon or lack of follow-through, lack of self-analysis, and lack of discipline. The document provides examples and explanations for each value.

1. mmSurvey of Filipino
Values
Prepared by:
MAR JOHN A. GALLEGO
M.A.Ed. (Social Studies)

2. Filipino Positive Values

3. Joyful
We are known for
our smiles that can
warmth the hearts of
anyone. We have an
innate sense of happiness
and we can even find
humor in our problems.

4. Filipinos have cheerful
and positive disposition in
life even bombarded with
problems.
We have positive
outlook, a sense of humor,
and strong fighting spirit
that contribute Filipinos as
known to be happy people.

9. Respectful
Filipinos are taught to
be respectful.

10. We usually use “Po” and “Opo” when
addressing someone older than us.

11. God-Fearing
Even though Filipinos
sometimes argue to
what religion is
dominant; they
essentially have God as
a center of their lives.

12. Filipinos have deep faith
in God.
Our innate religiosity
enables us to comprehend and
genuinely accept reality in the
context of God’s will and plan.

13. Tragedy and bad
fortune are accepted
with optimism and full
belief that God is there
to help.

15. Bayanihan System
A Filipino
community spirit and
cooperation wherein a
group of individuals
extends a helping hand
without expecting any
remuneration.

18. Brave
Filipinos are known for
showing bravery and
prowess most especially
when the family and our
lives are threatened by
other people.

20. We are ready to
protect and risk our
lives just to help our
family.

23. Strong Family Ties
Filipino usually belongs
to large families of 6 to
12 children. Early on
their lives, children are
taught to look after their
siblings when parents are
working.

25. Even as they
grow into
adulthood they
choose to live
together.

26. Hospitality
Filipino trait of being
receptive and
generous to guests.

29. Hardworking
Filipinos have the capacity
for hard work given
proper conditions. The
desire to have a better life
makes the Filipinos to and
strive and work hard.

31. With jobs abroad,
OFW’s tend to have two
or more jobs. The result is
productivity and better
life for the family left in
the country.

34. Creativity
Filipinos are creative,
resourceful, quick
learners and have the
ability to improvise and
make use of whatever is
on hand in order to
create and produce.

36. Filipinos make new inventions out of
scraps, capacity to create new things out of old
machines and making new things from nothing.
This is also a reason why Filipinos have the
ability to adapt life in any part of the world.

40. Filipino Negative Values

41. Laziness
It the most common trait
in Filipinos today.

43. It can be manifested seeing “tambays” very early
in the morning, gambling, drinking liquors,
chatting with friends and many more despite of
low income of the family.

45. Colonial Mentality
The Filipinos’ colonial
mentality comes in two
dimensions: lack of
patriotism or awareness,
appreciation and love for
the country and actual
preference for foreign
things.

46. Filipino culture is
characterized by openness
to the output-side,
adapting and incorporating
the foreign elements into
our image of ourselves. We
tend to copy the western
culture as to foreign
fashion, music,
entertainment, lifestyle,
technology and consumer
items.

48. Kanya-Kanya Syndrome (Crab Mentality)
Filipinos have a selfish, self-serving attitude that
generates a feeling of envy and competitiveness
towards others, particularly one’s peers who
seem to have gained some status and prestige.

49. Seeing others
became
successful, we
tend to get
jealous and make
a move to put
that person
down.

50. Bahala Na Attitude
Filipinos are generally passive and lacking in
initiative. One waits to be told what has to be
done. There is strong reliance on others to do
things for us.

51. Filipinos is too
patient, long-
suffering and too
easily resigned to
one’s fate.

52. Ningas-cogon
Being enthusiastic only
during the start of new
undertaking but ends
dismally in
accomplishing
nothing.

53. Lack of Self-Analysis
There is tendency in the
Filipino to be superficial
and even somewhat
flighty. In facing serious
problems, both
personal and social,
there is lack of analysis
or reflection.

55. We joke about the most
serious matters and this
prevents looking deeply
into the problem.

56. Lack of Discipline
Filipinos lack of discipline
encompasses several related
characteristics. We have a casual
and relaxed attitude towards
time and space which manifest
itself in lack of precision and
compulsiveness, in poor time
management (Filipino Time) and
in procrastination.

58. We have an aversion in following strictly a set of
procedures and this results in lack of
standardization and quality control. We are
impatient towards making decisions resulting to
use of short-cuts.

59. Reference
Magpoc, Kate S. (2013). Filipino Values.
Retrieved April 17, 2015.
http://www.slideshare.net/Kate_JRG/filipino-
values-22162229?related=1

60. Thank You!!!