The Filipino as Social Being

Outline I Metalinguistic Analysis II Filipino Behavior III Filipino Social Philosophy The Metalinguistic Analysis English pronouns distinguish the gender of the third person (he/ she/ it) In Philippine language, one generic word (vis. siya/ tag. siya/ iloc. isu) Also, we has two forms: One excluding the person or persons addressed (kami/ kam/ dakami) and the other Includes all (kita/ tayo/ tayo) Reduplication means egoism (ako-ako, siya-siya/ kanya-kanya/ sla-sila) Except we = cordial, informal and inter personal (kita-kita/ tayo-tayo, ato-ato/inatin-atin) Manifested also in the plural form of the noun marker for persons (si/ si/ ni) which is sila/ sina/ da. One stands as representative. In Kinship terms do not stress so much present among siblings and widely used in lustrate point . (Son/daughter = anak) have ranking or seniority. In Visayan, eldest bro. - Manong, sis - Manang In some Tagalog regions: (Chinese origins) In Ilocano, same usage, the stress on ranking is much more used, people use nicknames when addressing collateral and lateral relatives For Brothers For Sisters Kuya eldest Ate eldest nd Diko 2 Ditse 2nd Sangko 3rd Sanse/ Siyanse 3rd The metalinguistic analysis reveals: A heirarchic view of society wherein authority plays a role That sexual differences is not so much stressed as ranking by seniority That the we or the interpersonal collectivity prevails over the i.

Filipino Behavior Similar as in the metalinguistic analysis. Family behavior may reflect Phil. Society. Ranking and seniority with corresponding authority exist in the family Respect for authority is shown by titles or reference terms besides kinship terms, (lolo, tio, manong etc.), the young also gets titles (Iti, Dodong/ Totoy/ Ading for boys, Inday/ Neneng/ Ading for girls) Kinship titles are extended not only to neighbors and friends but also to influential people, eg/. Apo Pediong = Pres. Elpidio Quirino General term for respect po/ ho in tag and apo in iloc. In visayan, contracted title attorney = torney, seor = or, etc Emphasis in ranking is noticeable in speeches in rural areas. (Ex-Gov, Mayor, Ex- councilor, Attorney) Etiquette requires one be silent when scolded by a superior, though a child may be right. Companion (kuyog/ kasama/ kadua) seems to characterize Filipinos social orientation. From birth, a baby is never left alone Filipinos always have with them companions. Even in death, the corpse is never left alone during its wake

Since the Filipinos are concerned for others, to ask somebody where he is coming from or where he is going is considered good manners. But the westeners would say mind your own business When conflict arises in deciding between individuals interest and that of the group, the latter usually prevails. Happiness for the Filipino is being with his group. The companion phenomenon on a large scale is the Filipinos communitarian spirit. He tries to be in harmony with the community. The anti-social or the non-conformist is branded as pilosopo. American child=trained to be independent, Filipino child=trained to be dependent on his family and reference group (sakop) E.g. a successful businessman will not consider his office as individual for his sakop has a moral claim to it. He thinks it is naturalto hire his relatives whom he thinks he can trust. One anthropologist calls the sakop (tayo-tayo) behavior a personal alliance that is differentiated primarily from personal kindred because the former includes the non-kinsmen. The membership of an individuals personal alliance is integrated trhough kinship (real and ritual), reciprocal obligations, associational ties, and proven friendship. Such personal alliances from a crucial link between the average citizen and the countrys elite. The copadrazco system has been used for making alliances. Godparents are of potential or realized social position. (e.g. mayor) The father will take pride that the mayor is his compadre. The father will ask favor from the higher officials and the mayor will be the intercessor. Sakop can all be non-relatives like the case of some gangs in Manila. They raise funds to bail out from prison their companion. Great number of Philippine values are essentially interpersonal The value of amor-propio (self-esteem, sensitivity to discourtesy) is coonnected with hiya. The value of non-interference intend to avoid utang na loob (reciprocity) but still the latter prevails and the other contracted. Values related to persons: use of intermediaries or go-betweens, the values of loyalty, hospitality, pakikisama (camaraderie), interpersonal relations, emotional closeness, and respect for authorities. Pakikisama, scrificing ones interest for the sake of the group, manifests a sakop behavior. Interpersonalism, which needs much diplomacy, explains why frankness in general does not seem to be a Filipino virtue. Courteous insincerity (dili-dile/helehele) belong to Filipino etiquette. The diplomatic approach can also be through humor and teasing. Likewise concern for not hurting the feeling of others is approached by indirect ways and imprecise, vague words. Since Filipino kinship is bilateral, the woman has equal importance with man. The equality of sexes is reflected in determining the number of children. The concept of balance in sex ratio of children is associated with good fortune (buenas). The authoritarianism, respect for hierarchical authority, communitarianism, interpersonalism and other characteristics of the family are all reflected in the wider scope of Philippine society. In the Philippines, men, not laws, constitute much of the real content of authority. A bodyguard or subordinate may act domineeringly because he has a master to back him. (saligan/ pinagmamalaki/ pagtalkan) The Big Man is the head of the alliance system. The Big man maybe a leader of a political part, of a business enterprise or an institution. Followers look up to him and serve him. Loyalty is not issue-oriented but personality-oriented because the Big man embodies the group. Thus the Filipino is person-oriented. Though Filipinos are influenced by modernization, they still retain their traditional qualities showing that the Philippines can remain Filipino and yet part of the modern world.

Filipino Social Philosophy Among the consensus statements of the participants in the Tagaytay Seminar on Filipino Thought is one that reads: The Filipino is person-oriented. He thinks of himself as belonging to, and identifies himself with a group (sakop), and considers the success and welfare of his group as his own fulfillment. The Filipino is less individualistic because he wants to be in harmony with his fellowmen. This explains the Filipino communitarian spirit and the harmony sought between the sexes. His psychological and concrete way of thinking also explains why he is person-oriented and not ideaoriented. The Big man symbolizes sakop = a corporate personality. The political sakop uses metaphors from the human body. E.g. kinatawan, pangulo, kanang-kamay, mga galamay. Similar body terms in Visayan and in Ilocano, representative = panakabahagi>bagi=body. The body as social metaphor is classical and perhaps universal. Already used bt St. Paul the Mystical Body of Christ. Family as sakop has been leveled undesirably against the Chinese family system influenced by Confucian ethics. Chinese the importance of family is specifically for the sake of realizing the individual, i.e. for the fulfillment of the seed of jen possessed by every individual. Filial piety and brotherliness are moral principles These principles were based in humanity inborn in all men in loving their parents and preserved and developed by ethical education. Some observers pointed out that Philippine society is a collection of clans with selfish interest. But, it is to be strongly disagreed because the concept of Filipino is evolving and regional allegiances are being surmounted. The filipinos has the mechanism to establish sakops everywhere. What is the Filipino concept of Person? Boethius gave traditional Western definition of person as the individual substance of rational nature (persona est naturae rationalis individua substantia) stressing that individual subsistence is a mode of being. Behind the definition is a Greek view of reality as linear. Hence the structure of ones individual life is the development of self in chronological sequence. However,the definition is partially correct and does not give a complete picture of person. Moern philosophy, esp. existentialism, defines person in terms of his conscience, liberty, free disposition of self insofar as he decides for himself and freely diposes of himself. The modern definition has also included the social dimensions of man but from the individualistic viewpoint. We will not give definition but a sketch of various elements. Filipino looks at the person or men from the view point of harmony. He wants harmony with his fellow men just as he wants to be in harmony with himself. In this harmony, he notices the heirarchy and dichotomy of himself and of others, but the others or the sakops fullfillment is also part of himself