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MODULE 5 Lesson 1-2 Areas of Applications of Sikolohiyang Pilipino There were some attempts to formulate appropriate techniques in therapy suited to the Filipino personality. Bulatao (1978, cited in Enriquez, 1992), for example, made the following observations regarding couns...

MODULE 5 Lesson 1-2 Areas of Applications of Sikolohiyang Pilipino There were some attempts to formulate appropriate techniques in therapy suited to the Filipino personality. Bulatao (1978, cited in Enriquez, 1992), for example, made the following observations regarding counselling in the Philippines: Filipinos are free to be themselves when in a sympathetic group of friends than in a one on one situation. When supported by the group, Filipino clients prefer paternalistic counsellors to non-directive ones who are perceived to be detached and non-caring. Filipino subjects are more susceptible to hypnotic suggestions and enter into altered states of consciousness more readily than American subjects. Another area of application was in providing psychological help to children in especially difficult circumstances such as children in situations of armed conflict, street children, prostituted children, etc. Pioneering efforts were made by Elizabeth Protacio-Marcelino and her colleagues at the Children’s Rehabilitation Center. Their program focused mainly on crisis intervention through treatment and rehabilitation of these traumatized children. It applied the orientation of Sikolohiyang Pilipino by looking at the problem of the children at two levels. The first level focused on the specific needs and problems of the individual child. The second level underscored the socio-economic and political roots of the problem and their consequences on the child’s rights and welfare (Protacio-Marcelino, 1985). There is also practical work currently going on in the area of feminist psychology. Using the same principles of Sikolohiyang Pilipino, social and clinical psychologists have helped battered women understand their problems in the light of the different socio-cultural conditions affecting women in Philippine society. Sikolohiyang Pilipino has also been applied in industry particularly in the marketing of specific products and understanding consumer behavior. Several multi-national companies have contracted the PPRTH to train their personnel in this field. Companies have also become more conscious of a management style that is appropriate and suited to Filipinos. Non-government organizations involved in community education particularly in grassroots leadership formation have developed a training module on Sikolohiyang Pilipino that has proven to be quite relevant and useful to their work. The PPRTH is currently doing a three-year research project commissioned by the Education for Life Foundation (ELF) to look into the Filipino concept of a grassroots leader and the elements of Filipino leadership. Associations, conferences and other professional meetings Further to his role in defining the characteristics and perspectives of Sikolohiyang Pilipino and charting its direction, Enriquez spearheaded several activities that have continued long after his death in 1994 such as the holding of annual national conferences on Filipino psychology. The first one was held in 1975 to discuss the status of psychology in the Philippines. From this conference, the Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino (PSSP, National Association for Filipino Psychology) was born, aiming to promote Filipino thought. The annual conferences are held in different regions of the country to encourage greater participation, to promote a more regional focus, and to encourage a more national view of psychology. Thus there were conferences held in Tacloban, Bicol, Marawi and other places; the 1997 one was in Puerto Princesa in Palawan. The conferences and seminars he initiated generated a wealth of information and experiences exchanged among scholars. Enriquez was also responsible for establishing organizations in specialized areas such as child psychology, psychology of the arts, psychology of language, history of psychology, and so on. The spread of Sikolohiyang Pilipino outside the Philippines During his lifetime, Enriquez traveled a lot and in some cases lived for some time in various countries to teach, do research, and participate in conferences. It was during these trips that he was able to influence scholars living abroad (Filipinos and foreigners) to take a keen interest in Sikolohiyang Pilipino. This brought them together in various occasions and eventually led them to set up organizations and associations that supported the goals of Sikolohiyang Pilipino. In the 1970’s and 1980’s there were quite a number of these organizations in the United States (San Francisco and New Haven), Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Hongkong. With the death of Enriquez, however, only one has managed to continue with its activities and this is the association in San Francisco, California. However, there are still a number of individuals in these countries who believe in the Sikolohiyang Pilipino orientation and tradition though they may no longer have the organizational expression.  Debates within Sikolohiyang Pilipino Since the inception of Sikolohiyang Pilipino there has been a number of issues and concerns articulated by its proponents and critics. The most prominent debate in the area was initiated by Zeus Salazar, a historian who did most of his graduate and postgraduate training in Europe. He made significant contributions to Sikolohiyang Pilipino by underscoring the need for a socio-historical perspective in understanding the psychology of the Filipino. Salazar was both a friend and critic of Enriquez’s work. While he agrees with Enriquez on the basic principles of Sikolohiyang Pilipino, especially the importance of culture, the use of the local languages and the development of a national consciousness, there are disagreements or differences on a number of issues. Significant among these is the issue of Filipino-Americans. Salazar criticized Enriquez for including the study of Filipino Americans in the discourse of Sikolohiyang Pilipino. For Salazar (1991), Filipino Americans are not ‘‘Filipinos’’ since they are not legitimate culture bearers – they were born in the United States, do not share the Philippine cultural experience, and hardly speak any Philippine language. Sikolohiyang Pilipino, according to him, should focus on the lived experiences of people immersed in Philippine life and culture. Filipino-Americans do not have what both Salazar and Enriquez calls a ‘‘national consciousness’’ precisely because they are ‘‘outsiders’’ and unable to participate in national discourse that shapes consciousness. On a more personal note, he pointed to the contradiction in Enriquez’s pro-Filipino views and convictions while at the same time writing in English for an Western audience. Enriquez, on the other hand, called Salazar’s (1991) ‘‘pantayong pananaw’’ (the insider view representing ‘‘us’’ – ‘‘tayo’’ and excluding ‘‘them’’ – ‘‘sila’’) as ‘‘unabashedly emic’’. He labeled Salazar’s position as ‘‘reactionary ethnocentrism’’ which limits his views to the confines of national boundaries’’. He maintained that Filipino-Americans are Filipinos because some aspects of their identity and cultural experiences are still Filipino (Enriquez, 1994). Elizabeth Protacio-Marcelino (1996) responded to these points in her Ph.D. dissertation on ethnicity and identity issues of second generation Filipino-Americans by stressing that indeed Filipino-Americans are not Filipino – they are both Filipino and American. They have different cultural experiences growing up in America. However, they can still lay claim to Filipino cultural identity (differentiated from a national identity) because both their parents are Filipino, some of them still speak or at least understand one Philippine language. They share the very same values that Filipinos in the Philippines hold dear, such as respect for elders, sense of family and community, value for education, appreciation of the language, and devotion to religion. They may be ‘‘outsiders’’ to everyday Philippine experience but they still possess some critical elements of Philippine life and culture as transmitted by their parents and reinforced by their regular visits to the Philippines. This makes them ‘‘insiders’’ to a significant extent Psychology and culture Psychology, according to Salazar, is necessarily part of culture. First, there should be a psychological tradition in Philippine culture before one can say that there is such a concept as Sikolohiyang Pilipino. He explains that the discipline of Psychology is foreign in origin and therefore, should be given a new meaning and reinterpreted in a context relevant to Philippine life and culture. It is imperative then for psychologists to develop the discipline by abstraction, elucidation and articulation of new concepts and theories, thus, enriching that tradition. Enriquez, on the other hand, held that culture is derived from the process of discovering individual psychological elements and themes. To him, Sikolohiyang Pilipino exists as long as there are Filipinos. This type of psychology is already found in Philippine life and culture. One simply has to examine the attitudes, beliefs, values and practices of the Filipino and give importance to the Filipino’s personhood and aspirations as a people. Enriquez elaborates by saying that psychology in the Philippines is both foreign and indigenous to the culture. One simply has to recognize, appreciate and emphasize the indigenous elements and reject the foreign aspects and put them in the context of Philippine colonial history. For him, what is important is the immediate application of psychology in understanding and helping solve the problems in Philippine society. Universality of psychology For Salazar, the history and traditions of a particular culture is sufficient to contribute to universal psychology. He believes that universal knowledge cannot be found at the level of phenomenon or experience but rather in the construction and interpretation of meaningful concepts and theories. For Enriquez, it is necessary to understand the experiences of many cultures and traditions before one can contribute to universal knowledge in psychology. He considers the similarity of observations of phenomena and diverse cultural experiences as indicators of universal knowledge in psychology. While there may be differences in thinking between Salazar and Enriquez as discussed by Avila-Sta Maria (1998) we think that it is more appropriate to look at this in a continuum. Salazar’s more ‘‘emic’’ approach and Enriquez’s more ‘‘etic’’ approach (without any one of them neglecting or emphasizing only one approach) when put together eventually leads to the formation of universal knowledge in psychology. Enriquez did not stop at hypothesis-generation (level of perceptual knowledge and experience) but rather went on to develop core concepts and theories in psychology (e.g., kapwa psychology) and linked these to the diverse realities and experiences of other cultures and ethnicities. Salazar, on the other hand, continues to draw material for his theories from his critical understanding of culture and history. Following this debate closely is Roberto Tangco who teaches Philosophy at the University of the Philippines. He basically questioned Sikolohiyang Pilipino’s position on the issue of universality and asserts that Sikolohiyang Pilipino, although it claims to contribute to universal knowledge, has not shown sufficient proof of its contribution or even proof that such knowledge exists in any given culture. He argues that the ‘‘valuing’’ of a universal psychology is not reflected in Sikolohiyang Pilipino’s accumulated body of literature and research data. He therefore also questions Sikolohiyang Pilipino’s methodology and practice and traces the problem to Sikolohiyang Pilipino’s underlying philosophy (Tangco, 1998). Tangco is in the process of writing his Ph.D. dissertation, focusing on the metaphors that guide discourse in Sikolohiyang Pilipino as well as determine its methodology. Although Tangco does not say so, he is implying that Sikolohiyang Pilipino’s phenomenological orientation is not scientific and cannot pass the scientific standards of objectivity, reliability and validity – understood of course from a logico-positivist framework. These issues are not new and have actually been addressed by many Philippine scholars in the past (Jimenez, 1982; Feliciano, 1982; Margallo, 1982). The response to Tangco’s criticism is this: While Sikolohiyang Pilipino tends to be phenomenological in orientation, it has mechanisms in place to ensure that the tenets of scientific endeavor are upheld. While there may be no research as yet on cross-cultural comparisons of the concepts and theories developed by Enriquez, there are already various attempts at applying such concepts to understand other social and cultural realities (De la Torre, 1995; Lopez, 1996). In other words, the body of knowledge is there. Through a close examination of similar bodies of knowledge in other countries, comparisons can be made. Sylvia Estrada-Claudio (1997) was also critical of the notions of indigenous cultural elements and concepts because of the assumption that such are inherent or given in a culture. According to her, culture is not given nor static. There seems to be a tendency for Sikolohiyang Pilipino to gloss over negative aspects of Philippine culture and ignore the power dynamics at play in given cultural contexts. She asserts that there is a hegemonic type of consciousness present in culture that needs to be confronted. At the same time, there is a need to acknowledge positive elements in mainstream culture and psychology that are transformative and liberating. Thus, she advocates a critical perspective of culture and psychology that looks into the dimensions of power and how this influences the articulation of concepts and theories in psychology. She thinks that a phenomenological approach, although perhaps useful in the past, can no longer move Sikolohiyang Pilipino forward. It is therefore important for Sikolohiyang Pilipino to take a more critical stance and re-examine its methodology. She proposes to de-construct the hegemonic discourse by using discourse analysis in the context of a postmodern (post-colonial) perspective. Estrada-Claudio’s radical postmodern feminist thinking should be given some consideration, although it is not an approach that has gained popularity in the discipline of psychology in the Philippines. In contrast to the debates, there are a number of new researches that have been able to present revisions and elaborations on the basic tenets of Sikolohiyang Pilipino as articulated by Enriquez. Grace Orteza has improved on Sikolohiyang Pilipino’s understanding of pakikipagkuwentuhan (‘‘story-telling’’) as consistent with the core concept of Enriquez’s kapwa psychology. She compared the pakikipagkuwentuhan of the 1980’s to that of the 1990’s and corrected the mistaken notion that this is used only for sensitive and difficult topics/issues. She made the important point that one can use pakikipagkuwentuhan in practically any given situation in the spirit of pakikipagkapwa. (Orteza, 1997) Ma. Angeles Guanzon-Lapeña has made significant contributions in the understanding of the concept of leadership among the grassroots Filipinos by developing a new framework for leadership among Filipinos. She looked into the essential elements articulated in Sikolohiyang Pilipino in discovering the richness of indigenous knowledge, beliefs and practices as related to the various applications and areas of grassroots leadership formation. There are still no resolutions to these debates at this point. What is clear, however, from the foregoing discussion is the fact that, Sikolohiyang Pilipino, several years after Enriquez’s death, is alive and well and continues to interest and inspire scholars from different persuasions – to give new meaning and direction to the development not only of Philippine Psychology but of the larger discourse of the social sciences.  MODULE 6 Lesson 3-5 The Challenge of Making a Scientific Indigenous Field Research: An Evaluation of Studies Using Makapilipinong Pananaliksik Lately, psychological research, especially in social psychology, in the United States is moving away from the laboratory approach, toward the field approach because that latter is thought to be more appropriate and suitable. It is apparent that there is better fit between field approach and social behavior than between laboratory approach and social behavior. The shift, therefore, is not surprising. It is a necessary aftermath of the process of growing up and getting weaned from the natural and physical sciences from which the laboratory approach was borrowed and to which it is appropriately suited. To move is a natural consequence of psychology’s gaining identity for itself as a science apart from, and independent of, the natural and physical sciences; one which is dedicated to the understanding of human behavior, human relationships, and human interactions. It results from the realization that elements of human behavior and social interaction cannot be isolated and fragmented without distorting or misrepresenting them, a serious research error, considering that the ultimate goal of research is accuracy and truth. In the Philippines, the shift in psychology research is along the different lines. In search of a better fit and of greater relevance, a motivation which is shares with its western counterpart, Philippine psychological research is moving away from western paradigm and orientation toward the harnessing of indigenous approaches and conceptual frameworks. In the process, more and more indigenous tools of research are being designed and put into use. One of the most popular research models which we are being tried out these days is the one introduced by Carmen Santiago and Virgilio Enriquez (1976) of the University of the Philippines, the Modelo ng Pananaliksik. It is made up of two scales, namely, Iskala ng Mananaliksik and Iskala ng Pagtutunguhan ng Mananaliksik at Kalahok. The model radically deviates from the traditional rigid objectiveness of western approaches, but shares common characteristics with participant observation in many respects. It appropriately incorporates into the research process the peculiarities of the Filipino as an interacting individual and as a research participant, and of the Filipino milieu as a cultural setting for research work. Specifically, the Iskala ng Mananaliksik recognizes and utilizes typical Filipino way of getting information through gradual progression from the unobtrusive pagmamasid, pakikiramdam, pagmamatyag, and pagsubaybay, to the more obtrusive pagtatanung-tanong and pagsubok, then finally, to the participative pagdalaw-dalaw, pakikialam, pakikilahok, and pakikisangkot. The Iskala ng Pagtutunguhan, on the other hand, also acknowledge and takes full use of the gradual building up of a researcher-participant relationship which, according to the authors, should not be discouraged nor avoided, because it actually gives the researcher better access to more authentic data. The relationship is expected to start from pakikitungo and move on to pakikisalamuha, pakikilahok, pakikibagay, pakikisama, pakikipagpalagayang-loob, pakikisangkot, and, finally, to pakikiisa. The last stages are expected to be characterized by greater and more authentic data exchange between the researcher and the participant. Undoubtedly, the Santiago and Enriquez model is much, much more suitable to the Filipino culture, especially in conceptual terms. The scientific Filipino researcher’s task, however, is to make it work procedurally without sacrificing accuracy and truth. Given, the model’s peculiarities, this task is truly demanding and quite formidable. It has many built-in pitfalls and therefore offers far greater challenge than its more objective western counterparts.  Philippine Culture-Personality Research: A Review The culture and personality field, referred to by Honigmann (1976) as “another approach to cultural understanding… concentrates on the action who keep a way of life going… studies culture as it is embodied in its carriers’ personalities.” An Overview of Philippine Culture-Personality Research In the preparation of a bibliography of the literature in this field covering the period from 1890-1966 (Lagmay and Tan, 1971), a review over three questers of a century of Philippine culture and personality research, Allen Tan and the present writer were guided by the definition of culture-personality research of Francis L.K. Hsu (1961): 1. A work of culture-and-personality is one by an anthropologist who has a good knowledge of psychological concepts or by the member of another discipline who has a good knowledge of anthropological discipline who has a good knowledge of anthropological concepts. 2. Any work that deals with the individual as the locus of cultures. 3. Any work that gives serious recognition to culture as an independent or a dependent variable associated with personality. 4. Any work by an anthropologist which use psychological concepts or techniques or by a scholar in psychological discipline which provides directly pertinent data in forms which are usable by anthropologists. 5. The field of culture-and-personality is equivalent to the cross cultural stud of personality and sociocultural systems and includes such problems as: (a) the relation of social structure and values to modal patterns of child rearing; (b) the relation of modal patterns of child rearing to modal personality structure as expressed in behavior; (c) the relation of modal personality structure to the role system and projective aspects of culture; and (d) the relation of all the foregoing variables to deviant behavior patterns which vary from group to group. 6. The conception of personality-culture as emerged from interaction is fruitful. To this should be added that students of culture-and personality are concerned with behavior always with reference to its antecedents and cannot be satisfied simply to describe its characteristics. Child Rearing Studies The main topics in culture and personality would normally encompass the socialization process within any particular group of people. Child rearing practices, therefore, take a good deal of space, for it is assumed that one of the main components in the formation of basic personality structure of the individual within society is learning and patterning of behavior during the early years of childhood. Through a study of the socialization process, one is able not only to get at the structure of education and the mechanisms by which socialization is achieved, but it also enables one to get at the value system as well. investigations of the socialization process tend to focus on the years of infancy, early childhood, the character of early emotional relationship, later childhood, and the adolescents’ position in the wider kin group. The studies that were initiated to explore how groups have incorporated distinctive personality characteristics have, therefore, inquired into socialization, focusing on the individual’s transformation from infancy to adulthood. A close look at the Lagmay and Tan (1971) bibliography shows several entries on child rearing studies that have been done on the individual subcultures. These studies are limited- rather sporadic, and this in the sense that we speak of a dearth of materials in the area. The writer is not aware of a systematic coverage of the various regions. We therefore look forward to a larger project where gaps in knowledge about socialization in the various areas may be tackled. From the various socialization studies we have, it is observed that these are categories: field studies, sample surveys, and essays referring to child rearing. 1. Field studies Example: Nurge (1965) conducted research in a Visayan village, first in Southern Negros Occidental preliminary to an extensive study in Leyte. She reported a gradual process of transition, the Filipino child learning through examples and growing up in a leisurely fashion. 2. Survey researches Example: Guthrie and Jacobs (1966), focusing on national differences in child rearing attitudes, mentioned characteristics of the Filipino family, and came out with conclusions on achievement and authoritarianism which were at variance with the findings of other workers. In a later study of child rearing and personality development, a description of Filipino parents’ behavior and expectations toward their children was provided, in comparison with data from American culture. 3. Essays Example: In a more recently published bibliography prepared by Enriquez (1978) Sikolohiyang Pilipino: Batayan sa Kasaysayan, Perspektibo, Mga Konsepto, at Bibliograpiya, entries include various papers done on child rearing among Filipinos that are worth noting for their contributions to knowledge of child training practices in the Philippines. Other Socio-cultural Studies The deviant personality is also considered in the field of culture and personality just as much as the modal. Personalities showing psychopathological characteristics actually throw considerable light on modal personality. Recently, a good deal of material seems to have been accumulating, showing that psychotic patterns of behavior and thought are determined to a large extent by culture. The processes that operate with respect to the modal personality share a good deal with those that give rise to deviant members of the group. Varias (1959), Sechrest (1963), and Lapuz (1976), to name a few, have made contributions in this area. The culture and personality field deals with the use of methods that are distinctly psychological. The favorite techniques are the administration and interpretation of projective tests such as the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), doll play, drawing tests, etc., all of which give materials which are analyzed through specialized techniques requiring the conceptual apparatus of psychology. Various cultures may give culture-bound responses to the Murray TAT. The Lagmay PTAT (Philippine Thematic Apperception Test) (1965) and PCAT (Philippine Children’s Apperception Test) (1975a) have contributed to offset this handicap. To our knowledge, nothing much of significance using these instruments have been done in the Philippines save for a few studies that have administered the test (Ilan and Ventura, 1971; Lagmay, 1975b) to further study its possibilities. With the development of the Philippine projective tests, it is hope that more studies will be conducted using these instruments in relation to ethnographic information. Current Events and Cultural Changes in the Philippines We live in a world where technology is fast-pacing. The Digital Revolution may have been happening so fast that we cannot even easily latch onto how deep-seated and profound the effects it has on the different aspects of society. And the thing is, it’s just starting. On their Global Digital Report 2019, creative agency We Are Social and social media management platform Hootsuite reported that there are 4.39 billion internet users in 2019. That’s roughly 40 percent of the world’s population and an increase of 366 million (9 percent) versus January 2018. The same record shows that there are 3.48 billion social media users in 2019, with the worldwide total growing by 288 million (9 percent) since this time last year. Social Media Overview Oxford defines social media as ‘websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.’ This includes Facebook, WhatsApp, WeChat, Tumblr, Viber, Skype, Snapchat, Pinterest, Myspace, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram to name a few. Unless you are living under a rock, you’ve probably used, or at least, came across one of these. Social Media in the Philippines We Are Social also reported that 76 million Filipinos are social media users— that’s a whopping 71 percent of the entire population of the country. The data also says that Filipinos spend an average of four (4) hours a day on different social media platforms. While it is not furtive that the internet service in the country is far from excellent, Filipinos are still fond of taking things so social media. There’s no denying it, we Filipinos are social. Social interactions are a basic part of our daily lives and it is not at all surprising that it is extended into our social media handles. Filipinos also use the internet as a go-to place to get breaking news and to keep up with the current events. It also plays an important role in encouraging social involvement by the people as it has been used as a platform to present and promote advocacies. Worldwide, search engine site Google remains to be the most visited site for both SimilarWeb and Alexa, followed by video streaming site YouTube on the second spot. While landing on the third spot worldwide, Facebook continues to dominate the rankings in the Philippines with 75 million monthly active users. Blame it to the mobile operators who are providing a specific amount of free data to access the app via mobile. Pros and Cons of Social Media It is important to mention that Filipinos use social media not to go on a wild goose chase. Natch, there are advantages and disadvantages to yoked with it. To the Filipino Students In ‘The Effects Of Social Networking Sites On Students’ Academic Performance In Lyceum Of The Philippines – Laguna’ by Isaac M. Morallo, Master of Arts in Information Technology Education, it was found out that a negligible relationship between SNSs and academic performance. The perceived effects of SNSs on the students’ academic performance show that SNSs contribute to the attainment of higher grade by interacting online about school work. The results show that there is no significant relationship between SNSs usage and student academic performance because correlation coefficients show a negative relationship between SNSs use and academic performance.” In another study conducted by Remedios C. Kulidtod of the University of Southern Mindanao, it was found out that the exposure of the Institute of Middle East and Asian Studies (IMEAS) students to the social networking media positively affected their academic performance. In contrast, there is also this very disturbing finding of the study which disclosed that the students of IMEAS, University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, Cotabato used the social networking media almost daily since majority of them answered to have used said form of media 5-6 days a week at an average of about 1-2 hours every session. With this data, it is recommended that the USM must regulate the proper time usage by the students of social networking media on the campus in order not to destruct with their classroom activities.” To the Filipino’s Culture and Belief Roselyn Grace P. Santos on her study ‘The Effects of Social Media on Filipino Culture and Behavior’ wrote that social media has corresponding positive and negative effects on Filipino culture and behavior. For one on the positive side, it makes communication with friends and relatives easier. It also made initiating events and activities hassle-free. The negative effects, on the other hand, are as follows: (1) It has made it easier to spread bad and potentially damaging information; (2) It has become a new medium for violence and crime like scams and identity. Media & minorities A major failing of the mainstream media is its general neglect of cultural and other minorities. The major networks are based in Metro Manila and most of their reporting is Manila-based. References to Imperial Manila are common complaints aired in the Visayas and Mindanao. While national events often take place in the capital cities, the plight of cultural minorities is rarely discussed in the media except during disasters and other calamities. Local media can be expected to raise certain issues pertinent to minorities but their coverage is limited and seldom seen as nationally relevant. Moreover, according to Longboan (2009): Based on extrapolated data, there are roughly 18 million indigenous people in the Philippines, making up 20 percent of the country’s total population... (Networking Knowledge: Journal of the MeCCSA Postgraduate Network, Vol 1, No 2.) This isolation has not been addressed by the mainstream media. Only some of these indigenous peoples have access to local newspapers and radio, while the majority rely on sporadic and often misconceived reports in the national media. The oldest local newspaper was established by Ibaloys, a tribal minority in the Cordillera region. On 28 April 1947, the Baguio Midland Courier, the longest-running local newspaper in the Philippines and the first indigenous newspaper was published (Longboan, 2009). In this case, the possibilities offered by the new media may be more promising. Blogging has become an acceptable avenue for Igorots (generic term for Cordilleran peoples) to express views that rarely merit comment in the mainstream media. The case of the urinating Igorot statue illustrates the mobilizing capacity of the new media. The controversy started when an American posted on YouTube a picture of a statue of a man urinating against a wall. This statue supposedly depicted an Igorot and quickly attracted the attention of several local bloggers who objected to the ethnic stereotype. Online activity was complemented by letters written to the local authorities in Baguio City. The offending statue was removed and an apology offered by the owners of the establishment. The controversy was also featured in a major national daily. In this case the new media, provoked the attention of the mainstream media. Longboan sees this as evidence of the new media providing a more sympathetic voice for cultural minorities. She writes: Igorot ethnic identity construction on the Internet is, to a large extent, rooted in the Igorot’s struggle to provide a more accurate representation of who they are now, in these present times... Blogs appear to enable them to ‘actively design their own meaning systems instead of passively consuming the meaning system of the prevailing social order (Igorots in the Blogosphere: Claiming Spaces, Re-constructing Identities, Liezel C. Longboan, 2009:13) Philippine Culture: What Makes the Filipinos Different from the Rest of the World By Cielo Fernando (May 23, 2021) The Pearl of the Orient Seas is not just famous for its beautiful islands but also for its Filipino culture and values that deserve to be shared to the world. Here’s everything you need to know about the Philippines—from the Filipino norms to the cultural practices in the Philippines, and more! Language In the Philippines, there are about 76 to 78 major language groups, with more than 500 dialects. For more than 300 years, Spanish was the official language in the country under Spanish rule. 60% of the population spoke Spanish as either a first, second or third language in the early 20th century. But after the American occupation in the early 1900’s, the use of Spanish began to decline. In 1935, the Constitution of the Philippines named English and Spanish the official languages. In 1939, the Tagalog language was named the national language. It was renamed “Pilipino” in 1959 and finally “Filipino” in 1973. The present Constitution names Filipino and English as joint official languages. Food The food culture in the Philippines is very different from that of the Western’s culture. Filipinos are big eaters and love to eat rice. Rice is a food staple in every Filipino’s meal every day. It’s quite impossible to see a Filipino who doesn’t eat rice, unless that person is on a strict diet. In fact, there are many restaurants who even offer “unlimited rice”. That’s how huge Filipinos’ love for rice is. Filipinos also have a regular eating schedule: morning (breakfast), mid-morning (snacks), noon (lunch), afternoon (snacks), and evening (dinner). So if you’re a certified foodie, you will be delighted by the food culture in the Philippines as there are so many foods, both original and adapted from other countries, that you can enjoy. The best way to make the most of food Filipino culture is to be adventurous (with caution) when it comes to dishes. The foreign influences also played a huge role in the food culture in the Philippines. Some popular Filipino foods influenced by other nations are paella, morcon, burges, pies, noodles, samgyupsal, and more. While the proudly-Pinoy food you can try are adobo, sinigang na baboy, lechon, and halo-halo. Filipino Culture The Filipino culture has varied influences from previous colonizations, deriving mainly from the culture of Spain and America. You can easily notice it from the architecture to the cultural beliefs in the Philippines. Despite all of these foreign influences, the old Asian Filipino culture has been retained and are clearly seen in their way of life, cultural beliefs in the Philippines, Filipino customs and traditions. Wherever you go, the Filipino culture and values are very evident and have largely been appreciated and even applauded in many parts of the world. Filipino Values The Filipino culture and values are just among the good things that are appreciated by many people from across the world. In the Philippines, family is valued so much. Children live with their parents until they are married. The Filipino family culture is something that many people applaud because the locals value family time so much. Some other noteworthy and great Filipino values are as follow: 1. Bayanihan Filipino culture 2. Before, the Filipino men used to serenade (harana) a woman he was courting. 3. Filipinos call their older siblings “ate” for older sisters and “kuya” for older brothers to show respect. 4. Hospitable 5. So much respect for the elderlies 6. Pagmamano or kissing the elder’s head on the forehead 7. Religious 8. Palabra de Honor 9. Pamamanhikan 10. Pakikisama Additional Filipino Values Positive Traits · Hospitality · Respect · Strong Family Ties and Religion · Generosity and Helpfulness · Strong Work Ethic · Love and Caring · Close Family Ties · Self-sacrifice · Bayanihan Negative Traits · Fatalism · Crab Mentality · Bahala Na Attitude · Colonial Mentality · Maňana Habit · Ningas Kugon · Filipino Time Music, Arts, and Literature Music, arts, and literature play a big role in the Philippine culture and arts because Filipinos are very creative. When it comes to music, they use materials, usually raw, to create sound. This is just one of the many examples of indigenous practices in the Philippines. Filipinos are also fond of folklore, which was influenced by the early church and Spanish literature. Myths are very famous in the Philippines culture, especially in the provinces. And when it comes to literature, the Filipino culture never disappoints. Even Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines national hero, is famous for his literature and novels about Philippine independence. As for the Philippine Pop Culture, many artists are world-renowned such as Sarah Geronimo, Regine Velasquez, and Julie Anne San Jose among others. Philippine fold arts Here are some Filipino culture examples from Luzon folk dance to Filipino cultural practices. 1. Architecture (Bahay Kubo (Nipa Hut), Bale (Ifugao House), Ivatan House, Torogan (Marano House), Badjao’s Stilt Houses and Houseboats, Vinta (A traditional colorful boat in Mindanao) 2. Weaving and Clothing (Piña Fabric, T’Nalak Woven Cloth, Tapis, Yakan, Barong Tagalog, Baro at Saya) 3. Philippine and Luzon folk dance (Carinosa, Tinikling, Itik-Itik, Sayaw sa Bangko, Pandanggo sa Ilaw, Maglalatik) Religion We can’t deny the fact that religion plays a big role in shaping not just the Philippine culture but also other cultures. Some 80% of the population is Catholic, Spain’s lasting legacy. About 15% are Muslim and these people can be found in Mindanao. Christianity was introduced as early as the 16th century with the coming of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Protestantism was introduced by the first Presbyterian and Methodist missionaries who arrived with the American soldiers in 1899. The rest of the population is made up mostly of smaller Christian denominations and Buddhists. Clothing Before, the cultural practices in the Philippines when it comes to clothing is wearing baro’t saya for women and barong tagalog for men. Baro’t saya is composed of a blouse and a long skirt with a “panuelo”. Barong Tagalog was an almost see-through polo but throughout the centuries, the Barong Tagalog has evolved. Buttons and collars were added, as well as intricate designs on its pina fabric and laces. Underneath the transparent Barong Tagalog is the Camisa de Chino, a type of shirt, usually in white that is said to have originated from the Chinese. Culture and tradition of Philippines: Celebrations Another great thing to know about the Philippine culture is that Filipinos love celebrations! May it be a simple event like a grade school moving up, birthdays, job promotions, or celebration for a patron saint, no occasion is too small not to celebrate. For example in the culture and tradition of Philippines, the country is known to have the longest Christmas in the world because as early as September, the people are already preparing for the season. This Philippine culture and tradition has been known worldwide and is one of the main reasons foreigners love spending the holidays in the country. Cultural Concepts · Pamamnhikan · Harana · Mano/Mano Po · Padre de Pamilya