Exploring Filipino Values in the Modern Era
WHAT ARE FILIPINO VALUES?
Filipino values are the cultural beliefs we share, practice, and pass on, keeping our traditions alive through generations. It began in the early times, even before we were colonized by Spain, America, and Japan, and it was influenced by mixed Asian traditions that have continued up to the present. Even though many things happened to us in the past, we have managed to preserve Filipino values and carry them into today’s modern world. While we can learn these values in school, we truly begin to learn them at home as we grow up.
KEEPING TRADITION ALIVE IN TODAY’S MODERN WORLD
With globalization and rapid advances in technology, the world is changing faster than ever. Still, even in this modernized world, we manage to preserve and express the Filipino values that shape who we are. Exploring and preserving Filipino values in the modern world is important because these values define who we are. They have been with us since the early times and continue to shape our identity today. Our values show how they influence the way we grow as individuals, and most importantly, they serve as a foundation that we can pass on to future generations.
THE FILIPINO VALUES WE LIVE OUT EVERY DAY
- RESILIENCY
The Philippines is prone to typhoons, earthquakes, and frequent flooding, but even though we experience these disasters, our resilience never fades. The joy and smiles can still be seen on our faces, even when we are affected by such disasters. We show our resilience when people in a community help one another through bayanihan. We often see on social media or in the news that people are smiling, but despite this characteristic, what I can say is that it isn’t really wrong to remain happy even in times when we face problems—like when typhoons bring floods that sometimes rise as high as houses. But what I wonder is this: are we truly happy, or are we simply getting used to what happens in our lives, and that is why we just smile through it?
- HOSPITALITY
We always show this, especially during birthdays or fiestas, when we welcome even people we don’t personally know into our homes to share a meal, and we talk to them as if we have already known each other for a long time. This is what we call Filipino hospitality—welcoming strangers into our homes and making them feel like family. We also offer them food and tell them not to be shy, making sure they never feel like strangers in our house.
- RESPECT FOR ELDERS
This is where we show respect to our elders—through pagmamano, where we take their hand and press it to our forehead. We also show respect by saying po and opo when we talk to them. Even in this simple gesture, we are able to show our respect to the elders.
FILIPINO VALUES IN A MODERN, TECHNOLOGICAL, AND GLOBALIZED WORLD
Modernization, technology, and globalization have influenced how we express these values, but they continue to live on in new forms.
- RESILIENCY
Through technology, Filipinos can quickly organize relief efforts, raise awareness, and support one another during crises using social media and online platforms. At the same time, globalization introduces us to different ideas and ways of coping, which strengthens our ability to adapt, stay positive, and keep moving forward despite challenges.
- HOSPITALITY
Instead of only welcoming people into our homes during fiestas or gatherings, technology now allows us to extend our hospitality virtually—whether by hosting online celebrations or connecting with relatives through video calls.
- RESPECT FOR ELDERS
We can still show respect to the elders through technology—for example, when we talk to them through chat, we can still use po and opo, and we can regularly check on them through calls or messages.
Filipino values—resiliency, hospitality, and respect for elders—are the values we live out every day. While modernization, technology, and globalization may change the way we practice them, these values remain deeply rooted in our culture. They continue to shape how Filipinos connect with one another and with the world, reminding us that no matter how much life changes, our identity and values will always guide us forward.
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