Values That Make Us Pinoy

June 9, 2017

We, as Filipino people, have been savoring our freedom from being colonized by different countries. After 119 years of getting the freedom our heroes have unselfishly fought for, do we really know what it means to our country and to us as Filipinos? Are we showing enough value and appreciation to our freedom? Are we even proud of being a Filipino?

June 12, 2017, marks the 119th anniversary of Philippine independence and we have listed down some of the values which we Filipinos were known for but seems like we have forgotten through the years.

Courtesy or Pag-galang

Nowadays, more and more Filipinos (especially children), do not use “po” and “opo” when talking to the elderly--even the “pagmamano” or kissing of an elderly’s hand have been forgotten. These are two of the most popular traits of the Filipinos signifying respect that we seldom see anymore. These traits are not very difficult to review as these can easily be taught to young children. You can even start doing it yourself to influence and show them the value of respect and being courteous to someone older than them.

Bayanihan

“Bayanihan is a Filipino custom derived from a Filipino word “bayan”, which means nation, town or community. The term bayanihan itself literally means “being in a bayan”, which refers to the spirit of communal unity, work, and cooperation to achieve a particular goal.”--The Mixed Culture

If you search for the word Bayanihan on the internet, it is often shown as people carrying a bahay kubo which literally means a community helping their neighbor. Although some people still honor the true spirit of bayanihan, we have to admit that more and more act as if it has been forgotten, too. Always remember that as Filipinos, we are all bonded by our blood and nationality and we share the same culture in the same beloved country, Philippines--so it’s important to always help each other hand in hand towards a happy and prosperous land.

Patriotism or Pagiging Makabayan

We understand that Filipinos love to travel especially during the summer. With all the discounted fares being offered by different airlines, traveling now has been very accessible. Unfortunately, Filipinos prefer exploring our neighboring countries instead of visiting and experiencing the beautiful islands our country is famous for. A lot of foreigners have been going back to some of our tourist destinations which ironically, some of our countrymen hasn’t even gone to. Let’s patronize our own country including our very own products. These help in the livelihood of the Filipinos put food in their homes and bring their children to school. Besides, this is the land that our brave heroes have fought for--show some love!

We, as Filipinos are proud of our cultural heritage which was handed down from generation to generation. Not only us, but foreigners who visit our country appreciates our culture and tradition, enough reason be proud of being a Filipino because no matter how many countries have colonized ours, our own culture is still treasured and taken care of.

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