The Philippines is famous for so many things such as its beautiful scenery, distinctly tasty foods, beautiful people, white-sand beaches, and many others. Though one may find it hard to distinguish Filipinos from other nationalities particularly with some fellow Asians because of their physical resemblance.
But when it comes to values, it would be easier to distinguish the Filipinos as they possess remarkable virtues that set them apart from other people. These virtues have become word of mouth not only among Filipinos but also among different nationalities.
Listed below are just some of their values:
Resilient
In its simplest term, resilience is defined as one’s ability to recover from hardships and other misfortunes in life. Unfortunately, not all people have this particular value. Some people could not handle challenges in life.
But when it comes to facing challenges in life the Filipinos would never back down. They have this resilience that enables them to overcome challenges and trials that come their way. Filipinos are resilient people. They have gone through the best and worst in life. And they overcome these trials.
Losing loved ones or livelihood, experiencing destructive disasters, sickness are just some of the challenges faced by the Filipinos, yet they remain standing. They still manage to exude positivity amidst challenges and hardships in life.
Hardworking
Another value that ascribes to the Filipinos is their being hardworking. Wherever they may be Filipinos perform their tasks satisfactorily. Foreign or local employers can vouch for this particular work ethic of the Filipinos. It’s no wonder that employers, whether, foreign or local, prefer Filipinos to work for their companies.
Dedication to their work, dependable, easy to get along with, hard-working, non-confrontational, always follow company rules and policies, loyal to companies, respectful to authority, peace-loving employees, skilled and trainable, creative, industriousness, fast-learner, and of course, Filipinos are good English speakers. The aforesaid are just some of the qualities of the Filipinos toward their work that make them attracted to employers.
Religious
Long before their conversion into Christianity, Filipinos then were already practicing their faith toward their perceived gods. During the precolonial period, they used to worship the sun, stones, water, trees, and other inanimate objects they perceived to have possessed divine power.
Today, the Christianized Filipinos have become even more religious. Every day, particularly Sunday, millions of Filipino families flock to Catholic churches in the Philippines to worship. Their strong faith in God has been the center of everything in their lives. Filipino Catholics manifest their devotion to God in any occasion and situation: they pray before going to sleep, after waking up, before eating, after winning a game, boarding a car, and angelus (6:00,8:00, 18:00), and even just by passing by a church some of them would make a sign of a cross, a typical manifestation of a devoted Catholic.
Generous
Generosity and hospitality are the two inseparable values of the Filipinos. There is this long-established value of the Filipinos to help others in need even if there's nothing left for them. Financial hardship has not been a hindrance to help others in need.
Filipinos' generosity is manifested in different occasions and situations such as:
● Paying fare in public transportation
This is another instance in which Filipinos show their generosity. When a group of Filipino friends aboard in public transportation, expect them to race to pay their friends’ fare.
● Food treats
Whether there is a celebration or on ordinary days, Filipinos would treat their friends, workmates, or loved ones to food treats for free.
● Giving alms
The Philippines, being a third-world country, struggles economically. Millions of Filipinos hunger in their lives. Filipino beggars asking for coins on the streets from pedestrians is a common sight. Fortunately, there are kind-hearted, compassionate fellow Filipinos who never hesitate to shell out a few coins. This is another situation that manifests Filipinos’ generosity.
● During disasters
Disasters are unifying factors among Filipinos. Regardless of socioeconomic status, Filipinos would always help one another. Disasters bring out the best in the Filipinos. During and after a disaster, expect Filipinos to help one another. Help may not necessarily be giving money, but it can also be in the form of giving used clothing, providing shelter to the displaced families, canned goods, foods, and any other help a Filipino can extend to the needy.
● Celebrations
The generosity of the Filipinos is also exemplified during celebrations such as school graduation, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries. Usually, the host is the one who would shoulder the expenses of the celebrations. Friends, workmates, neighbors, and classmates would be invited to celebrations without spending a single peso.
● Community pantries
Recently, Filipinos' generosity is again manifested like in the community pantries that sprouted and snowballed to different cities and provinces in the country. Community pantries are initiated and organized by philanthropist-Filipinos whose aim is to spread love and generosity among fellow Filipinos amidst the pandemic where millions of Filipinos have lost their jobs.
Hospitable
Hospitality and generosity are the two inseparable virtues of Filipinos. Hospitality is exemplified on so many occasions. In the Philippines, when one is eating, he would invite every person around him regardless if the persons are his friends, relatives, or even total strangers.
In Philippine fiesta celebrations, Filipinos’ hospitality is magnified. In the Philippines particularly in the province of Bohol, during fiesta celebrations, hosts would invite you whether you are friends, relatives, or even total strangers.
Compassionate
Another virtue of the Filipinos is their being compassionate. Compassion is synonymous with hospitality and generosity. Being compassionate enables them to help fellow Filipinos in times of difficulty and hardship as exemplified during this health crisis where Filipinos are helping one another.
Respectful
Being respectful is one of the values of the Filipinos that they’ve known for. Kissing the hands or forehead of their parents, grandparents, and elder siblings are just some of the forms of respect that Filipinos practiced for a very long time. Unfortunately, this particular virtue has slowly lost its importance and significance particularly among the new generation of Filipinos.
The kissing of hands and forehead of the elders, saying " opo " to the parents and elders, obedience to elder siblings and parents are long gone. The Filipino term “opo” connotes respect to the elders, parents, grandparents, and even to persons in authority.
Happy
This is one of the distinct virtues of the Filipinos that despite facing challenges and difficulties in life they still manage to exude positivity. Filipinos are always on top of surveys of happy people in the world.
The aforesaid virtues have been handed down from generation to generation and they have helped shape the identity of the Filipinos. Despite the modernity and sophistication of today's life, the Filipinos have preserved and treasured these values. Sadly, and for still unknown reasons, a few of these long-embraced values have lost their significance among Filipinos.
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