I decided to write about Filipino values because of my interaction with people from diverse cultural background. Working in a different country, and with its people is challenging because of the differences in work habits and practices, attitude, values and beliefs. These in a way affect the process of sharing skills and changing lives. On the other hand, dealing with fellow volunteers is another challenge. The way we handle development issues in developing countries is different from the way developed countries and its people handles them. Sometimes I find it amusing and other times exhausting when people approach certain simple things differently. To cite a few examples, ways of cooking and preparing food, eating habits, maintaining cleanliness, washing the dishes, etc. can cause stress to a volunteer’s life especially if you are sharing a house with another volunteer who is a non-Filipino, although I am not saying that both Filipinos in one house have greater chances of agreeing.
To get to the main reason why I am writing this article is to look back to Filipino values that affect the way I handle and manage situations, be it work or interpersonal relationships. According to Fr. Vitaliano R. Gorospe, S.J., “the Filipino value system arises from our culture or way of life, our distinctive way of becoming human in this particular place and time”. I also liked his philosophy that values are both subjective and objective. They involve a subject or person who values and an object or value to be realized. As a Filipino, I have imbibed some values which I find difficult to ignore despite the cultural exchanges and interaction I had from my travels and living in other countries, and dealing with different nationalities. I guess this greatly affects the way I see things from my perspective in the country where I am and the people I deal with.
Family. The family is the basic unit of society. Family ties are valued highly because Filipinos tend to be very close with family members. The extended family set-up is the standard with Filipinos, which is why divorce is illegal in the Philippines.
From Zambian context, family ties are more valued than Filipinos do. Extended family means cousins and even in-laws of in-laws. Confusing? Yes, sometimes I asked colleagues and friends when they say my sister or my brother, real one or cousin. In Zambia, first cousins are regarded as sister or brother. You are even obliged to help financially. Another situation is extended families on in-laws. In laws can stay in the house of a married couple for any desired period. It is not only staying in the house but also feeding and even attending to other needs of the individual. If your wife’s parents are dead, lucky is the man because you will be responsible in taking care of the siblings of your wife.
Pakikisama. This is the ability to get along in a group, and to enjoy camaraderie and togetherness. One who understands pakikisama will yield to group opinion and sacrifice individual welfare for group welfare.
Zambian way of pakikisama is different from our context; however, camaraderie and togetherness are common. But yielding to group opinion and sacrifice individual welfare for group welfare is not practiced the way we do.
Shame or hiya is the Filipino way of living up to accepted standards of behavior.
One Sunday, a Filipino priest sent me a message telling me that he will be passing by my house to drop my pancit which he bought from Lusaka. Intrinsic to a Filipino, I offered breakfast or snacks which he accepted and specifying how many they were. I told him it’s no problem because everything is available. When they reached home, there were two of them foreigner-priests and three local lay people. I cooked pancit and rice and they have bread and oranges. After the main course, the 3 locals grabbed fruits from our fruit basket without even asking if they can have them. I was just trying to see it from the point of view of Filipinos, we don’t just grab anything on the table unless offered or permission is sought. I have observed the same behavior not only in my house but on several occasions in other places.
Utang na loob or “debt of gratitude”, is owed by one to a person who has helped him through some difficulties he had undergone.
I have no concrete experience on this but I would say that Zambians value so much the favor accorded to them however, I have no idea if returning the gratitude is also done.
Common Values. Being respectful is one of the most common Filipino values that is being especially instilled in the minds of young Filipinos. The use of “Po” and “opo”, for instance, is an expression of respect to elders in the Tagalog culture (especially true among those living in Luzon). Grandparents and the elderly are also shown a special gesture of respect by the placing of the back of the elder’s hand (at the fingers) against one’s forehead, called “mano”.
The Bishop got used to my show of respect to him through placing the back of my hands against his forehead. The first time, he was surprised but I explained that it is the way we greet our Bishop as a show of respect. I struggle so much in Zambia because I am not used to people showing disrespect. Please is rarely heard when somebody asks you something. They would just tell you “come, I want to show you something”. For Filipinos, we would ask in a diplomatic tone with the magic word please. Until now, I still have a hard time understanding it because my ears is irritated when there is no please whenever something is asked from you to do.
Most of the time, you will hear children calling their neighbors and distant relatives “auntie” and “uncle” or “tiyo” and “tiya” in the Visayan area.
This one I guess is universal because I hear them call people as auntie or uncle, “amay” and “abambo”.
Bahala na; which means, literally, leaving things to God. It indicates the Filipino’s fatalistic view of life, and is a way of coping with conflicts that can result from tight kinship within groups. By adopting this attitude, one lets the circumstance take care of itself.
I wouldn’t say that they practice this value but we are common in our strong faith in God. They are more traditional with their beliefs like carrying bible so they can refer to it during the readings, kneeling on the altar while receiving holy communion, many songs during mass, no skirts and shorts during mass, and vernacular mass is called high mass because everything is sung. I could say that their strong faith also indicates the fatalistic view of life letting circumstance take care of itself. Can I say that this commonality have put us in the same situation when it comes to poverty levels or economic condition of both countries?
Death. Death in the Philippines is one of the most important occasions in family life. It is a tradition to hold a wake where families, relatives, neighbors, and friends gather to pay respect to the deceased remains.
This value is shared by both Filipinos and Zambians. All means and ways are exhausted to pay respect to the deceased remains and be with the bereaved family. In Zambia, even distant relatives and relatives of in-laws and friends of in-laws are accorded the same respect whereas Filipinos follow the blood line unless your family is close with in-laws even before the relationship is established by marriage. This situation is very evident because almost every week there is funeral and when you ask why they are attending, sometimes I find it difficult to establish the relationship. On the other hand, it is good because of the show of support to the family but on one hand, it is not a good practice because even if you don’t have the resources to travel or contribute money, you have to exhaust all means. Moreover, work is disrupted because no matter how urgent the need is, at the office, the supervisor or boss has to allow a staff when informed of such event.
Suki the building of personal bonds between businesses and customers and loyal patronage.
I would say that my integration in this aspect is limited because I only go to one grocery shop and vegetable market. Although, I would say that personally, I have established loyalty to one stall in the Saturday market where I buy my vegetables every week. Very Filipino?!
When Filipinos move into a new house, for example, they believe it is not proper to live there unless it is blessed in the presence of friends who will wish them prosperity. There is a religious ritual, sometimes a shower of coins tossed for good luck, and then there is a feast.
I wonder why this is not practiced despite the religiosity of Zambians. I am the first occupant of my house and I learned that it has never been blessed. I have been requesting but since it is not commonly practiced, I was advised to ask the Bishop or the Vicar-General to bless my house. It’s not difficult to request them but imagine the hassle for them when it can be done by a priest.
Despidida which is given in honor of someone who is leaving for a long period of time.
Very much practiced by Zambians. It is a tradition for volunteers leaving or completing their placement to be accorded with despidida party by colleagues. This one I guess is universal.
Pabaon the Filipino custom of giving guests a parcel of food as a send-off gesture.
In communities, like during field visits, the guests end up going home carrying a lot of stuff from the community as send-off gifts. Most common are farm products like vegetables, fruits, chicken and even goats. I remember the days when I was a community organizer in the Philippines; seldom would I leave the community without carrying something from the farmers and it's the same here. However, the practice is unusual during parties. Common observations to some volunteers are Zambian's way of packing the food they were given to eat so they can take it home. In some cases, the first serving is packed and they get the second serving is the one for eating. Filipinos don’t do this. We wait until the hosts give us something during parties.
Pasalubong travelers (even to nearby towns) are expected to return with “greeting gifts” called for family and friends.
During my first travel by bus, I have observed during bus stops that passengers are also busy buying food stuff like bananas, dried fish, native products which I assume are greeting gifts to the family or household they will be visiting. Personally, I have no first-hand experience about such gesture.
Amor propio, which means self respect
I don’t know if the pride of Zambians about their positions, status in life has something to do with amor propio because they respect so much themselves that even conceding I find it impossible for them to do.
Tampo. In order to save face, Filipinos are not allowed to express anger or resentment, so their hostility can take the form of withdrawal of cheerfulness from someone who has displeased them.
Zambians are generally sensitive. They are not straightforward that dealing with them as I share skills and change lives is difficult. I cannot just make any comment or reprimand them or else they will withdraw or they would be hostile to me. Change is difficult for them to embrace because they have some work habits ingrained in them that even changing mind set is difficult. However, this value is very difficult to handle because it affects the way work is progressing. For someone like me who is used to working at fast-paced, I struggle so much in my organization because people take things slowly.
These values helped me re-visit my approaches in work because I know unconsciously; the Filipino blood in me makes me look at things in a different perspective. I have to remind myself that I am in another country working with different people with their own background and culture. This way, I would be able to handle and manage my work properly.
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