Political Self

• Politics


  The actions or activities concerned with achieving and using power in a nation or society. The ways that power is shared in an organization and the ways it is affected by personal relationships between people who work together.
• Politics came from the Greek word Politiká
• Aristotle: '"man is, by nature, a political animal"'
• This is because man is a social being and that people are naturally drawn to various political involvements in order to satisfy their social needs
• A person does not just aspire to relate to others but wants to create a society in which he is part of
• Politics


  • It is concerned with power. Power inequalities can be observed within societies. The one who holds power holds influence.
  • It functions based on a particular social economic and cultural context. The nature of politics and political systems is dependent on the culture of the state. Political claims made by advocates are influenced by their geographical location and ideology.
  • The political is also personal. One's personal choices reflect his/her personal politics; both are indistinguishable.
  • It goes hand in hand with the society. Politics pervades the structure of society, and thus influences inhabitants in their beliefs, ethics, and behavior.
• The political self is not only shaped by one's political affiliation or beliefs. One's sense of accountability should be manifested in promoting certain advocacies through healthy political engagement. This is aligned with the concept of active citizenship.
• Active citizenship


  The structured forms of engagement with political processes and everyday forms of participation in society. The process of sharing decisions which affect one's life and the life of a community in which one lives. Participation is the fundamental right of citizenship.
• Active citizenship


  • It is anchored on one's cognitive and behavioral engagement to participate in formal and informal political activities. Different people manifest different levels of active citizenship; some they take a more active approach in making their voices heard.
  • It is associated with the "sense of community". People, including adolescents, participate in communal activities because it gives a sense of belonging in a particular group. It may facilitate ethnic pride and provide a voice to the woes of their social group.
  • For the younger generation, it can contribute to their social development. Engaging in such activities can also enhance efficacy and competence of the younger generation, as they are the "future leaders" of the society. The participation of the youth in nation-building activities enhances their value orientation and fosters integrity, compassion, and the sense of justice, which are crucial to the holistic development of a citizen of a nation.
  • It helps an individual embrace his/her individuality through the choices he/she makes and the behavior he/she manifests. The political self is a result of various personal and environmental factors that impact the individual. The participation of the youth in political discourse and social activities can result in cultural and political paradigm shifts that may be felt even by future generations.
• Origin of political self


  • Family: The family has a hierarchical structure with authority necessary in the development of political self and identity.
  • School: The school's responsibility is to teach moral, spiritual, and political values that will help the students to become patriotic and morally upright citizen. The school is like a family, where the teacher acts as the leader in classroom that sets the rules and regulation to maintain order in class.
  • Church: Helps shape ideals of citizenship and democracy through the religious teachings, values and tradition.
  • Peers: Interaction with the peers encompasses and emphasizes the equal distribution of power, rights, and privileges among members of the group.
  • Mass Media: Key to the source of information on politics.
• Being a Filipino is not reflected by citizenship alone. The values and traits must also be manifested.
• Values and Traits of a Filipino


  • Pakikipagkapwa Tao - Shared sense of identity and consciousness of the "other". Treating others with respect and dignity as an equal.
  • Family Orientation - The basic and most important unit of a Filipino's life.
  • Joy and Humor - The ability to find humor in everything, showing optimism and positivity.
  • Flexibility, Adaptability, Creativity - Aversion to standardized rules or procedures, following a natural clock or organic sense of time, present oriented.
  • Faith and Religiosity - Strong faith in God as seen in various practices.
  • Resiliency - Sense of resourcefulness or the ability to survive with whatever they have.
  • Utang na Loob - Showing gratitude for a favor or assistance extended, with the obligation lasting for generations.
  • Bahala Na - Belief that someone up there will take care of things that they have little or no control over.
  • Hard work and Industry - Determined and persevering in accomplishing tasks.
  • Hospitality - Amazingly friendly to strangers, treating visitors, foreigners, or guests as if they have known them already.
  • Bayanihan - Helping others without remuneration, a communal trait showing favorable deed towards one another in the community.
  • Hiya - Dependent on what other people will think or say about them, social approval and acceptance by a group play a vital role.
  • Passivity - Lack of initiative for change, lack of courage and confidence.
  • Gossiping - Fond of talking about others' business, bringing out secrets, emphasizing failures and flaws, and destroying relationships.
  • Compadre System - Friends over non-acquaintance are given priority for favours such as job placement, promotion.
  • Crab Mentality - Bitter view at competition, that if we cannot win, no one will.
  • Mañana Habit - Regular tendency or practice of putting off until tomorrow what can be done today.
• Who is a Filipino

  Article IV Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution (Official

  Gazette Republic of the Philippines) states that you

  are a Filipino citizen if:

  ▪ You were born in the Philippines;

  ▪ Your parents are citizens of the Philippines;

  ▪ You were born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority; and

  ▪ You are naturalized in accordance with law. Being a Filipino is not reflected by citizenship alone. The values and traits must also be manifested.