UNIT 10_POLITICAL SELF

• POLITICAL SELF

  1. Social-Political dimension
  2. Cultural Roots
  3. Consciousness
• Filipino - is a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines. By citizen it pertains to a member of a political community who has the right and privileges to participate in political activities and public affairs.
• Article IV, section 1 of the 1987 Constitution defines a Filipino as:

  1. Born in the Philippines
  2. Having parents who are citizens of the Philippines
  3. Born before January 17, 1973 of Filipina mothers
  4. Naturalized in accordance with law
• Culture - is defined as all socially learned behaviors, beliefs, feelings, and values the members of society experience. () in general affects almost every aspect of an individual socially, economically, and politically. () shapes the way we think, do things, how we feel, behave, and relate. Our values are, likewise, the products of (). As a social being, a filipino is influenced by his cultural milieu, which can be seen through the manifestation of values. Values when manifested in action can reveal the kind of person we are.
• Some of the Filipino values are:

  1. Hiya
  2. Utang na Loob (debt of gratitude)
  3. Pakikisama
  4. Pakikiramdam
• Hiya - It is timidity, shyness, or feeling of embarrassment. It results from the sensitivity of a Filipino in relation to others.
• Utang na Loob (debt of gratitude ) - It signifies the principle of reciprocity or a give-and-take relationship among Filipinos. It is a Filipino way of expressing gratitude.
• Pakikisama - attests to the fact that a Filipino is a relational being. As a social being, he must be able to get along with the others to maintain harmonious relationship.
• Pakikiramdam - refers to heightened awareness and sensitivity to the situation others are into.
• There are two types of political involvements:

  1. Political engagement as proactive engagement in the public arena.
  2. Political participation in any organization
• Consciousness - It is the psychological dimension or awareness of oneself as a Filipino, which leads to the pride of being a Filipino. Unfortunately, captive consciousness is still prevalent in the Filipinos primarily because of their long period of colonization.
• Kapwa (shared identity) - Shared inner self ( the other person is also yourself). The core of Filipino values, it is humaneness at the highest level. It implies unique moral obligation to treat one another as equal fellow human beings regardless of social status or position.
• Pakikiramdam (shared perception) - Filipinos use damdam or inner perception of others' emotions as a basic tool to guide his dealings with other people.
• Kagandahangloob - This refers to being able to help other people in dire need due to a perception of being together as a part of one Filipino humanity.
• Surface values - are Filipino values commonly identified by outsiders because these are the ones that are easily noticed.
• Hiya - this can be loosely translated as "shame", but Filipino psychologists analyzed it and eventually led to "sense of propriety". () enables us to choose to do the right thing. Also, () is an ingredient why Filipinos go to the extent of overspending during fiestas.
• Bahalana/fatalistic passiveness - humbly submitting everything to the Higher Being. "bahalana" is a mantra they say to pump courage into their system.Even before saying '(), they probably did their best to prepare for the forthcoming situation.
• Lakas ng loob - this attitude is characterized by being courageous in the midst of problems and uncertainties.
• Pakikibaka/concurrent clashes - it refers to the ability to undertake revolutions and uprisings against a common enemy.
• Filipino values are categorized into two:

  1. Core values - Kapwa or shared identity, Pakikiramdam or shared perception, Kagandahangloob.
  2. Surface values - Accomodative surface values and Confrontative surface values
• Accomodative surface values

  • Utang na loob (debt of gratitude)
  • Hiya
• Confrontative surface values

  • Bahalana/fatalistic passiveness
  • Lakas ng loob
  • Pakikibaka/concurrent clashes
• Pagka-Filipino - refers to the quality of being Filipino.
• Filipino-ness - is the identity's formative aspect that brings impetus to personhood. While Filipino represents the social category, pagka-Filipino denotes evaluative aspects of being members of a social group.
• As a Filipino, we cannot just become a Filipino by name or (Filipino sa pangalan) but by our whole being or (Filipino sapuso, diwa, salita, at gawa).
• Filipino sa pangalan - indicates a superficial integration of oneself as Filipino while, Filipino sa puso - reflects an active pursuit of being Filipino through a way of life, a deeper integration into being a Filipino.
• There are three areas of concerns in the building of Filipino identity:

  1. Instrumental
  2. Moral
  3. Transformative
• Instrumental - Both Filipino citizens and government officials act in accordance with rules and identities in consonant with and supportive of democratic practices.
• Moral - It involves the formation and integration of values and beliefs into the democratic process. Values and beliefs embody and reinforce democratic principles.
• Transformative - It pertains to the continuous effort to encourage the process of self-reflection, redefinition of individuals, institutions, and community.
• THE CHALLENGES IN FORGING A FILIPINO IDENTITY

  1. At the individual level.
  2. At the institutional level
• At the individual level - There are Filipinos who fail to live out their values and beliefs in their daily lives. Some are indifferent to their own rights and duties as Filipino citizens.
• At the institutional level - Filipinos do not usually acquire a sense of a national identity from the family. The nature of kingship affiliation and sense of regionalism in the Philippines hamper the process of creating and developing a sense of community. While families teach their children basic human values and instil discipline, they take to schools to teach their children nationhood and its associated values. The government is inconsistent in becoming a role model of positive values.
• Nationalism - refers to the spirit, aspirations, loyalty, and devotion of an individual to the nation.