Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Change

Series III. Asia, Volume 7

Values in Philippine Culture

and Education
Philippine Philosophical Studies, I

Edited by
Manuel B. Dy Jr.

The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy

Copyright © 1994 by
The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy

Gibbons Hall B-20

620 Michigan Avenue, NE
Washington, D.C. 20064

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication

Values in Philippine culture and education / edited by Manuel B. Dy, Jr.

p.cm. — (Cultural heritage and contemporary change . George F. McLean, Gen. ed.: Series
III. Asia, vol. 7) (Philippine philosophical studies; 1)
Includes bibliographies and index.
1. Moral education—Philippine. 2. Values—Philippine. 3. Philosophy—Philippine. 4.
Philippines—Civilization.
I. Dy, Manuel B. Jr. II. Series III. Series: Philippine philosophical studies; 1.

LC315.P5V35 1994 94-4724

370.11’4’09599—dc20 CIP

ISBN 1-56518-040-2 & 1-56518-041-2 (pbk.)

Table of Contents

Preface vii
Introduction 1

Part I. Values Inherent in Philippine Culture

1. The Philosophy of Value, the Value of Philosophy 9

Manuel B. Dy Jr.

2. Outline of a Project of Pilippino Ethics 19

Manuel B. Dy Jr.

3. Values Education and Philippine Society 27

Raul J. Bonoan, S.J.

4. A Moral Recovery Program: Building a People--Building a Nation 35

Patricia Licuanan

Part II. The Ambivalence of Values in the National Character

5. The Ambivalence of Filipino Traits and Values 57

Emerita S. Quito

6. Understanding the Filipino Value System 63

Vitaliano R. Gorospe, S.J.

7. Political-Economic Ideologies and Social Justice 71

Benjamin T. Tolosa Jr.

Part III. Principles for Positive Moral Growth

8. Values Education in the Social Sciences 85

Florentino H. Hornedo

9. Cultural Rights Are Human Rights 105

Doreen G. Fernandez

10. Filipino Culture, Religious Symbols and Liberation Politics 115

Cristina J. Montel

11. Christian Faith and Philippine Moral Transformation 121

Ma. Christina A. Astorga
Part IV. Values in Educational Method and Content

12. Values in Theology and Religious Education 134

Joseph L. Roche, S.J.

13. Teaching Values in the Natural and Physical Sciences in the Philippine Context 153
Serafin. D. Talisayon

14. Science and Technology Education and the Promotion of Social Justice 169
Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng and Fabian M. Dayrit

15. The Literary Work Two and Values Education: Texts and Contexts 187
Bienvenido Lumbera

16. Education Through the Arts: The Gift of Tongues 195

Nicanor G. Tiongson

17. Values Education and Teaching Language 203

Andrew Gonzalez, FSC

Acknowledgements
Preface

"Damaged culture" and "the sick man of Asia" are just two of the many phrases used to
describe the Philippine situation today. Questions such as "what's wrong, what's right with the
Filipino?" have set many Filipino minds upon some deep and not-so-deep soul-searching and
brainstorming. Is American democracy fit for the Philippines? Is Catholicism brought by Spain
partly responsible for the failure of the country to become another economic "tiger" of Asia? The
questions have not been answered with finality, although short-term and medium-term responses
have been proposed and realized.
Many seem to agree, however, that the root of the crisis facing the Filipinos in the past two or
three decades is moral in nature. This calls for a long process of social transformation, of value
recovery, formation, or transformation as the case may be. Education plays a crucial part in this
process, and indeed teachers in both the private and public sectors , since the People Power
Revolution of 1986, have responded to this call by introducing reforms in curriculum, content,
style, and even mission statements. Such groups and institutions as The Association of Philippine
Colleges of Arts and Sciences (APCAS), The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines
(CEAP), not to mention The Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), have produced
various programs for value education. The Senate passed a resolution, calling for a task force that
would inquire into the "strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino with a view to solving the social
ills and strengthening the nation's moral fiber". The task force was composed of academics and its
results are included here. Teachers with low salaries and academic institutions of meager budget
responded magnanimously.
Sometime in 1988, a need was felt by Filipino philosophers belonging to the Philippine
Association for Philosophical Research (PAPR) to lay down the theoretical philosophical
foundations of value education. Many teachers at the elementary and high school levels were then
practitioners of various programs and projects on value education without being aware of the
philosophical underpinnings of the practice. In January of 1989, DECS and the Ateneo de Manila
University, with the encouragement of George F. McLean, O.M.I., of the Council for Research in
Values and Philosophy, held a roundtable discussion on "The Philippine Context of Values
Education". The forum gathered experts from various disciplines and focused on the value
resources of the Filipino people, the contemporary transformation of values and their implications
for education.
This volume contains most of the papers of that roundtable discussion. It also contains the
contributions of professors belonging to The Philippine Association for Philosophical Research
and to the Ateneo de Manila University whose work has been published in Pantas, a journal for
higher education.
It is our hope that this volume will contribute to the moral transformation of Philippine society.

Manuel B. Dy, Jr.

Ateneo de Manila University
Introduction

In the life of every person and every people there are points of high hopes and grim
disillusionment. It is good that we tend to define ourselves in terms of the former, for this gives
stimulus for achievement and progress, whereas the latter would kill initiative and expose us to
despair. A certain disillusionment can be helpful, however, if it enables us to appreciate better the
challenges we confront and the seriousness of the effort we must make in order to advance--or
even to avoid falling further behind. The papers of this volume reveal the strength of hope vs
despair in the hearts of the Filipino people and the need for a wise understanding of values and
education if hope is to prevail.
A. Bonoan points to three defining moments: the Philippine revolution of 1896, the First
Quarter Storm in the 1970s, and the February Revolution of 1986. This volume reflects the hopes
which the latter generated for national renewal. Yet, in concert with the nations of Eastern Europe
and throughout the world, the preface acknowledges how very difficult such renewal is proving to
be. In order to take effective part in the great campaign that is the life of a culture, it is necessary,
first, to analyze carefully the hopes of that culture and especially the values upon which they are
built--commitment to these values is essential for any program for the progress of that people.
Second, it is important to appreciate the possible ambivalence of such values, for tragedy is less
something that befalls us from without, then inadequacy from within by which our strengths turn
into weaknesses and we are rendered incapable of the achievements we most desire. Hence, love
of family can degenerate progressively into a debilitating nepotism, a lack of public spiritedness,
and even destructive rivalry. Thirdly, ways must be found to overcome such ambivalence in order
for both the individual and the national characters to be strengthened for the difficult tasks ahead.
Finally, through education and social reformation and restructuring, we must undertake the great
work of building a new generation internally motivated and externally coordinated for a life worthy
of the legacy received from the generations which have gone before.
The chapters of this volume face this challenge--not definitively for they acknowledge how
much there is to be done--but so well that their work constitutes a volume of lasting importance to
their people, and to others throughout the world who are concerned with the quality of life in our
times. Though individually the chapters often are too rich to be reduced to only one of the above
four steps, together they trace out the overall dynamic of the effort of the people of the Philippines
to perfect its culture and to make its contribution to future generations. Hence, this volume is
organized accordingly into four corresponding parts.

Part I concerns the values inherent in the culture. The first chapter by M. Dy looks into the
nature of values. In doing this he confronts the tendency of much modern thought to reduce the
real to the ambit of rational intellect and the objective, forgetting human subjectivity where reason
opens onto human freedom, with its allied affectivity and creative action. He soon makes manifest
that the challenge of this volume is nothing less than to open a new dimension of human life and
to consider it critically. Toward this goal chapter II proposes a project of, and for, a Philippine
axiological ethics founded in the Holy and marked by non-violence, human rights, justice and
solidarity.
Chapter III by R. Bonoan provides additional structure for this effort by pointing out its key
historical moments in the life of the Philippine people and underlining further values of particular
importance for our day: peace, social justice, economic self-sufficiency and patriotism.
In chapter IV P. Licuanan brings to this effort rich content from the patrimony of values in
the Filipino tradition. Her moral recovery program catalogs the strengths of the Philippine
character with its family orientation, adaptability and faith. At the same time she does not hesitate
to recognize the weaknesses which impede progress. In this combined light she is able to detail a
set of realistic goals for moral education in the Philippines today.

Part II takes up the ambivalence of character patterns where strengths also entail weaknesses.
Chapter V by E. Quito does this in detail, enumerating the Filipino character traits and showing
how each has positive, but also negative, aspects.
Chapter VI by V. Gorospe shows how this translates into values and disvalues, and how,
together, they form a typical constellation. For example, the bahala na mentality provides the self-
reliance and risk-taking required for creativity in public life, but it can also open the way to
resignation and apathy.
In chapter VII B. Tolosa indicates where to look for the key to such ambivalence and hence
the true battle ground for any effort toward progress. He shows how even such seemingly physical
and material forces as those of the economic order are not necessitated, but depend upon human
choices and social preferences, for the economy is set in an ideology, behind which lie value
preferences. This suggests that the above ambivalence is not something fated by history, but is
subject to human choices. By these persons and peoples shape their competencies for good acts,
and hence the ability to carry out the good that they will. This is a matter of developing the virtues
which correspond to a person's or peoples' values. Virtues are so essential here that it is surprising
that in this volume there seems to be relatively little explicit reference to them, to their
development and promotion, or to education as training in virtue, though this may be implicit in
much else that is said regarding moral education.

Part III takes up the challenge inherent in the acknowledgement of value ambivalence. It looks
for the elements which open the way to the negative or to disvalues, and thereby for the foundations
of the positive choices required for personal and national resurgence.
The masterful chapter VIII by F. Hornedo initiates this task by identifying the interweaving
pattern of cultures and values, clarifying the processes of enculturation and exculturation, and
relating these to the hermeneutic dynamisms of the search for power. In this light he analyses the
three dimensions of language, fact and synoptic interpretation required for the social sciences, the
pattern of values they presuppose, and the history of its emergence.
In Chapter IX D. Fernandez carries further the consideration of culture by showing its deeper
relation to human identity which is precisely beyond power relations which make of people mere
instruments of self-interest. In this light cultural rights become basic, perhaps even the basic,
human rights. This is an important corollary to the work done in the previous chapters. It means
that the wealth of the human potential of a people lies in their culture, that to destroy this is to
destroy a people; conversely it means that for a people to build its future it must find the way to
draw upon the wealth of its cultural tradition, overcome its ambiguities, and point it into the
challenges to be faced.
C. Montiel in chapter X also shows the inadequacies of the notion of power considered in the
restricted terms of self-interest by focusing upon the importance of symbols for coordinating and
directing human life. Through the example of the decisive role of the conjunction of religion and
symbol in the revolution of 1986 she shows love and its correlative, freedom, to be stronger than
what is generally meant by power.
This is more than a matter of mobilizing people, for if the challenge is to overcome the
ambiguity of a national character then it is necessary to look more deeply into the roots of its
negative potentialities. As Chapter XI by Ma. D. Astorga reveals, religion can play a crucial role
in this, for it deals not only with human perfection, but with its weaknesses. Merely identifying
weaknesses and exhorting to strength will not suffice, however. The extreme difficulty and pain
of the process of overcoming sinful weakness is manifest dramatically in the cross of Christ. Thus
the religious context of a culture is foundational for national renewal in identifying, not only the
nature and dynamics of sin and death, but the transcendent source and direction of resurrection to
new life.
This chapter is important in reading deeply into the dynamism of the human drama. But much
remains to be done. All our humane and scientific competencies will be needed in order to identify
the concrete details of this process in the varied and increasingly complex sectors of modern life;
all our creativity and generosity will be needed in order to prescribe effective responses and to
promote their realization in the free choices of persons. This is an ongoing challenge which must
be addressed in all dimensions and all moments of our life.
Chapter XII by J. Roche begins to identify ways of approaching the pedagogy involved in this
work by pointing out the new awareness of human development and the related programs of values
education proposed in recent times. He notes their frequent failure adequately to integrate the
philosophical and religious dimensions which regard the basis and meaning of life. This suggests
the positive potentialities which could be unlocked by a combination of philosophical,
psychological, sociological and pedagogical efforts which are open to the transcendent dimension
of human life and directed to the development of a sense of values and of moral commitment.
Indeed, the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy has carried out just such a coordinated
effort. The work of its four teams constitutes the volumes: Philosophical Foundations for Moral
Education and Character Development: Act and Agent edited by George F. McLean and Frederick
E. Ellrod; Psychological Foundations of Moral Education and Character Development: An
Integrated Theory of Moral Development, edited by Richard T. Knowles; The Social Context of
Values, edited by Olinto Pegoraro; and Character Development in Schools and Beyond, edited by
Kevin Ryan and Thomas Lickona. This work was part of the context for the roundtable discussion
referred to in the Preface, which, in turn, evoked much of the work of this present volume.

Part IV constitutes a survey of the different disciplines or fields of education, noting the way
in which values can emerge in, and from, the teaching of each discipline. To the degree that this is
so values education is not an external addition to the curriculum, but rather a deepening and
humanizing of the entire educational process. Indeed, unless one is ideologically and
unquestioningly committed to the Western mindset, one should not exclude entirely the possibility
that the present educational process, as it reflects the pattern of modern rationalism, is itself the
basic dehumanizing force of our times--such is the ambiguity that pervades even our efforts to
educate and form the children whom we most love. If a truly humane life consists essentially--not
accidentally--in making the difference between good and evil, moral and immoral, value and
disvalue then the chapters of this concluding section are important in reviewing the sciences and
arts from the point of view of their potential for values and value education and for the view they
imply regarding the nature and goals of the educational project as a whole.
Chapter XIII by Talisayon looks into education in the physical sciences to find bases for value
formation, creativity and critique. Chapter XIV by Professors Cuyegkeng and Dayret shows the
potentialities of education in the sciences and technology for developing sensitivity to such issues
as social justice and land reform.
Chapter XV by B. Lumbrera shifts the focus to literature, illustrating through an analysis of
two prominent texts its powerful potentialities for values education through an analysis of two
prominent texts. In Chapter XVI S. N. Tiongson identifies the way in which the arts can contribute
to the development of a creative imagination. This is required not so much for general ethical
decisions of right and wrong, but for the more important basic issue of how life can be lived
concretely in such ways that high human and religious values are realized in daily life. This is the
real challenge. In chapter XVII A. Gonzalez suggests that there is some truth to the position that
the structure of a language shapes our understanding and sensibilities. From this it follows that we
need to understand the character of a language in order to be in responsible control of its formative
influence in our lives. Rhetoric and debate can provide also a context for teaching and learning
many issues of ethics and values.
When this content of Part IV is added to the rich materials in the earlier chapters regarding
teaching in the social sciences and religions studies, there emerges a sense of how education can
overcome the danger of being used as an instrument for reducing persons to the state of servants
to the machine at its various levels: mechanical, economic or political. Instead, to the degree that
education is consciously, even basically, concerned with value formation, it can enable the Filipino
people to undertake the arduous task of realizing the hopes of its Revolution of `86 for national
resurgence in dignity and love.

George F. McLean
Part I
Values Inherent in Philippine Culture
1.
The Philosophy of Value, The Value of Philosophy
Manuel B. Dy Jr.

The intention of this paper is twofold: to present a philosophy of values. with the help of the
noted phenomenologist of value, Max Scheler, and to show the indispensable role of philosophy
in value education, especially in the context of national reconstruction.
It has been said often that at the root of our economic and political instability as a nation is a
moral crisis of such paramount degree that our culture has been termed a "damaged culture."
Recently, we have been ranked third among the most corruption-ridden countries of Asia. Graft
and corruption have become an accepted way of life for most of our countrymen, not only for
government officials and their relatives. Undoubtedly, moral recovery must go hand in hand with
economic and political recovery. But such a moral recovery requires an understanding of values,
notably in the field of education; otherwise our value-education thrust will be haphazard and
lacking in direction.
This paper hopes to contribute to such an understanding of values. But more than that, it
proposes that such an understanding of values entails an emphasis upon teaching philosophy in
our curriculum, perhaps more than, but not at the expense of, the other disciplines.

What Are Values?

The first thing to be said about values is that they are objects of our intentional feeling.
Intentional feeling is different from the sensory feelings of the five senses (e.g., pain, tickling),
from bodily vital feeling-states (e.g., tiredness, illness, health), and from psychic feeling (e.g.
sorrow, joy). By their very nature intentional feelings are feelings of something; they are oriented
towards values. Spiritual feelings such as bliss and despair are essentially intentional being
directed towards the value of the holy, but other feelings acts like preferring, love and hatred are
likewise oriented towards values.
Values are given to us in intentional feeling. We "know" values by feeling them, they do not
wait for our rational justification in order to appear in our lives. Our intellect is blind to values just
as the eyes are blind to sounds. This does not mean that we cannot reflect on values, but when we
do (as we are doing now) we are no longer reflecting on value as value, but on value as a concept.
An illustration of this point is the value of service, of being a person-for-others. The Ateneo de
Manila constantly drills this message into college students for four years through their courses and
reading materials. The Ateneans are intelligent enough to understand this, but how many of them
venture to spend a year or two in a service-oriented job after graduation? For the few who do, the
decision usually comes after an immersion program, which enables them to feel the experience of
poverty.
As objects of our intentional feeling, values are essentially qualities and are not to be mistaken
for goods, though goods are carriers or bearers of values. The misconception of value for goods
may be due to our language. The Pilipino word for value is"halaga"; but another common
expression used by young people, "bale", of Spanish origin, which may also mean
"worth". "Bale" refers also to that small piece of paper Filipino brings to the sari-sari store, with
the words "good for" a can of milk or a bag of sugar. But values should not be mistaken for goods.
As qualities, values qualify our life and do not easily give in to quantification; as qualities, values
are objective and immutable, whereas goods as carriers of values vary and depend on the subject,
time, circumstance, and situation. A metaphor may be of help here. The color green is a quality
seen by the eyes and different from the color black. If I paint the green board black, it is now a
carrier of the color black whereas before it was a carrier of the color green. The quality green or
black does not change; only the board has changed.
It is important to stress here the immutability, the objectivity of values; for values, especially
higher values, call upon the person and when the person fails to respond to a value, it is not the
value that is destroyed but the person himself. Justice as a value calls on the person to be just, and
if he does not respond to this call by being just, it is not the value of justice that is destroyed but
the person himself. We are here reminded of the words of Socrates: "To do injustice is worse than
to suffer injustice." As qualities, values transcend man.
The ambiguity of values lies here in their immateriality. Our life attains a quality because
values constantly present themselves to us, and intervene in our life as instigators of action, as a
prospect for commitment, as a reason and standard for behavior and expression, norms and
principles of conduct, and as criteria for aesthetic appreciation and economic utility. But values
elude all their embodiments or carriers. A value gives itself in an object to be desired, but once the
goal is attained it affirms itself in the form of another demand. It is in this sense that we can speak
of the universality of values--they exercise an influence on the totality and unity of our life. Values
form a kind of horizon to our life.
More especially, values generate an ought-to-be and an ought-to-do. For instance, because
justice is a value, justice ought to exist and I ought to be just. Values, in other words, ground our
obligations, beliefs, ideals, and attitudes, without being identical with them.
How then do we experience values? The key to this question is to be found in the notion of
the human being as a person, for in a real sense only man and woman can experience values. A
person, for Max Scheler, is the seat of the spirit, which spirit transcends nature. As spirit, the person
is not part of nature, but apart from it; he (she) can determine himself (herself), direct his (her)
own life. Self-determination is another word for freedom.
A manifestation of this is the human being's capacity to go against the drive of evolution, the
instinct for survival--the person can willingly take his own life. In his freedom the person is the
unity of diverse acts, past, present and future, and as such is openness to reality. In a similar vein,
Martin Buber talks of the person as a being in dialogue with the world. The being of the person is
a being of response-ability, and freedom is the precondition for the person's response to the other,
whether another human, nature, thing, event, or God. For Buber the opposite of constraint is
communion: to be free, and thus to be a person, means to be able to respond to the call of
communion. It is here that values are experienced--in the dialogic relationship of the human being
as a person. Unlike the animal which a biological need compels with the force of a natural physical
law to satisfy necessities, values call for a free response from the person. There is no experience
of value if value is not recognized as such, consented to and willed by the human being. Values
appear in the human being's engagement with the world, in his (her) openness to reality. The
experience of value is at once the experience of person. Values then are not created, but discovered
by the person in involvement with the world.
The person is the unity of diverse acts, but among these diverse acts, there are three that
characterize the person uniquely: (1) the act of reflection or the act of making oneself the object
of one's thinking, (2) the act of ideation or abstraction, of deriving an essence from existence, and
(3) the act of loving. Of the three, the last is the most important trait of the human being as person:
a person is a being capable of loving. Loving and hating are the fundamental primordial acts of the
person to which all our other acts are reducible to them. In this sense, a person is what he (she) is
by what he (she) loves and hates.
Both love and hatred are movements of the heart oriented towards values. Love and hatred are
similar in that as movements, they open up a hierarchy of values. The opposite of love is not hatred
but apathy. Love directs us to higher values whereas hatred directs us to lower ones. It is interesting
to note here that the Pilipino word "mahal" (love) also means "esteem" or "of high value".
|At the lowest rank are sensory values (the values of pleasant and unpleasant, technical values,
and luxury values). Next in rank are the vital values of noble and vulgar, the values of civilization.
Higher than vital and sensory values, both of which are related to the ego, are the spiritual values
of justice/injustice, truth/falsehood, and the aesthetic values of beauty and ugliness. The highest
values are the holy and unholy. Both spiritual and holy values refer to our being a person or spirit.
This ordered rank of values is also objective and immutable. What is subjective and mutable
is our perception of this hierarchy, our "value-ception," and our concrete realization of values.
Hatred is a disorder of the heart because it wrongly reverses the order or the rank of values. What
about the moral values of good and evil? For Scheler, the moral values of good (positive) and evil
(negative) are not to be found in this hierarchy of values but in their realization; they, so to say,
"ride on the back of the deed." A deed is good if it prefers a higher or positive value in place of a
lower or negative one. On the other hand, a deed is evil if it prefers a lower or negative value in
place of a higher or positive one. Without the deed and the person who performs it, no moral good
or evil occurs. In this sense, moral values are personal values--they originate from persons. But to
the extent that good is the realization of higher values, the spiritual and the holy which refer to our
being persons, and to the extent that evil is the realization of lower values, the sensory and the vital
which refer to our likeness to the animals, then good enhances our personhood while evil degrades
our humanity.
The moral acts of good and evil are based then on the person and not on any moral authority.
Obligation, as we said earlier, is based on value, not the other way around. Values generate an
"ought" through being modeled in a person; without a person to model them there would be no
norms or obligations. In the case of moral values, nothing can make a person good but the intuition
of the example of a good person, whose love, in turn, invites one to follow. Scheler cites the
example of Christ loving the sinner Mary Magdalene and thereby effecting her moral conversion.
Model persons are the primary vehicle of value transformation in our moral world.

The Value of Philosophy

There are as many definitions of philosophy as there are philosophies and philosophers. Our
task here is not to define it and thus limit the value of philosophy to its definition, but to seek its
meaning in what it does in the context of the other disciplines, in the human and natural sciences,
and in the ordinary endeavors of the human being. This leads to seeing the value of philosophy as
corresponding to the points we mentioned regarding the nature of values.
The Western tradition has always associated philosophy with wisdom, forgetting the "love"
that precedes wisdom in its original meaning. Our culture has not been spared of this Western
influence for pamimilosopo means also to be pedantic, to be theorizing and to juggle concepts in
a dull and narrow manner. But "to philosophize" was originally to search passionately for wisdom,
to love it because one was not in full possession of it. Far from being purely speculative,
philosophy is first of all felt, a passion, a desire, a value.
What is this wisdom that the philosopher loves? The Eastern tradition can offer us interesting
answers, and we turn to the East for wisdom. The Hindu word for philosophy is "darsana" which
means "to see", not just with the eyes or the mind, but with one's whole being. What is to be seen
with one's whole being is none other than the truth or the real, namely, what is unchanging, eternal
and universal. The Chinese tradition terms philosophy as "cheh-hsueh" ( ). Hsueh means learning,
but cheh ( ) is a compound character made up of a hand ( ), a measurement ( ), and a mouth ( );
that is to say, philosophy is learning to measure one's words with one's deeds. To philosophize is
to know in a very different way from a learning a skill; it is first of all to learn to be moral where
one's speech, feelings, knowledge and action are integrated in one whole. The wise man is one
who always knows the good to be realized in any concrete situation. The clever, on the other hand,
is one who knows how to utilize persons or things for whatever end, good or otherwise.
Where does love for wisdom emerge; when does a person begin to philosophize? It should be
said at this point that just as it is only the person who experiences value, only human beings
philosophize. Different philosophers have varied accounts of the beginning of philosophizing:
Plato traces it to wonder, Descartes to doubt, Jaspers to the limit situation. Whether it is in wonder,
or doubt, or helplessness that one begins to philosophize, something of the very nature and reality
of the human situation does impel the person to do so. Robert Johann calls it the tension of human
experience. This tension springs from the very nature of the person as openness to reality, as
response-ability to the other (nature, fellowman, society, or the Absolute), as not being identical
with oneself or as self-becoming. Springing from the tensions of human life, to philosophize is to
bear witness to this situatedness of our humanity.
But what does a philosopher do with this tension that a non-philosopher or one who has ceased
philosophizing does not? The philosopher brings it to consciousness, awareness and reflection,
making explicit what is implicit in human experience. Reflection in this sense is bending back on
oneself, becoming aware of one's own life, which includes the world of the other. "The unexamined
life is not worth living," says Socrates, but if it is to be authentic philosophizing this examination
of one's life can never be a sort of navel-contemplating.
There is, however, another sense to reflection beyond the mere clarificatory bringing one's
experience to consciousness. This is the critical sense: to reflect is also to gain distance from
oneself and one's situation. A "disengagement" is a necessary moment in philosophizing; this is
not an escape or alienation from reality but is meant to provide a "second look," holding back
instinctive reactions, and examining one's presuppositions and prejudices.
At this point, the "retreat" of the philosopher is not different from the scientist's objectivity.
Likewise, the scientist in his concern to solve the problem at hand distances himself from the
problem in order to examine its parts, test his hypothesis, and verify his conclusions. To
philosophize, however, is to be concerned with the whole or totality, and if the scientific process
and data are relevant to this, then these too must be taken into consideration and questioning. Thus,
the objectivity of the philosopher includes subjectivity, or to be precise, to be objective is to be
intersubjective. In the sense of Gabriel Marcel, to philosophize is secondary reflection, to be
concerned with the mystery of being, not in the theological sense of being unknowable but in the
sense of a "problem" which encroaches upon one's own being and that of others.
The tension in human life calls for a resolution or reconciliation of a sort different from the
solution of the scientist, for here the philosopher's own self is involved--his very being is at stake
in his reflection. In the metaphor of Marcel, the philosopher is like a person trying all sorts of
positions in bed to get some sleep. Philosophical reflection attempts to see the "sens" of everything
which for Claudel is the meaning of a word, the direction of a river, the opening of a door, the
smell of a perfume, the texture of a cloth. To philosophize is to be concerned with meaning or in
Pilipino, kahulugan whose root is "hulug" meaning "fall" as one would say in English, "fall into
place". To philosophize then is to integrate, both past and future in the act of presenting the
meaning of one's life, both personal and social. Ultimately, of course, the raison d'etre of
philosophy is the person's inner longing to achieve harmony or unity with one's self, with nature,
with others, with God--it is the very meaning of sagehood in the Oriental tradition.
It is not surprising then that the authentic philosopher must also be a lover of justice of which
Socrates, Confucius, Mencius, Gandhi and Sartre are examples. After all, justice implies a vision
of the totality of the situation and a respect for the dignity of the human person. The philosopher
must also be a peacemaker or a lover of peace, for peace reconciles the conflicting forces within
and without one's self.
Just as value is the object of our intentional feeling, philosophy makes us sensitive to the
quality of our lives. The greatest danger that faces our nation today, and any nation for that matter,
is apathy or sort of spiritual anesthesia. Philosophy awakens us from our spiritual slumber, our
take-for-granted attitude in the same way as does literature or the arts.
But more than literature or the arts, philosophy not only sensitizes us but also brings us to the
level of holistic, critical and evaluative reflection. This is the second value of philosophy, a step
beyond sensitivity which makes it sensibility--reflection.
Just as values differ from and transcend goods, philosophical reflection enables us to see
beyond the facade of superficiality the perennial, lasting and deepest quality of our lives. Because
philosophy attempts to see the totality of any human experience, it can provide us with a vision.
This is important in the task of national reconstruction, for the development of a society cannot be
haphazard and aimless. Short-term goals and long-term objectives have to be blended
harmoniously, which requires a vision of what the country intends to be. This vision, of course,
must be rooted in the historical realities of the present. Although philosophy may lack the
discipline of the sciences and technology, it is nevertheless trained to inquire into the basics.
Philosophical reflection seeks to go back to the roots of any human endeavor; it sets the foundation.
Both vision and foundation demand of philosophical reflection a critical sense. Properly
philosophical thinking is reflective and critical: reflective because it is critical, and critical because
it is reflective. Traditionally, thinking was considered reflective when its object was inside the
mind. But much thinking about oneself--daydreaming for instance--can be anything but reflection.
Thinking is reflective when it is done disinterestedly without preconceptions and when it opens to
a broader horizon, that of values. Just as values form a horizon in our lives, so philosophy, in its
search for truth, opens a range or hierarchy of values against which we must evaluate the quality
of our lives, the sensibleness of an issue or of a project. This is the outstanding value of truth--it
lights up other values, including that of justice. In the light of truth, the world is not just a world
of facts and figures, but one imbued with priorities, a sense of importance and purposes.
One cannot overestimate this critical role of philosophy especially for a people undergoing a
transition from a long period of dictatorship to a new era of self-determination. For national
reconstruction and total human development this critique must necessarily include a re-evaluation
of traditional Pilipino values and traits.
Finally, just as values generate an ought-to-be and an ought-to-do and call forth moral persons,
so philosophy invites us to be integrative. This integrative function of philosophy is more an ideal
to be achieved rather than a guaranteed role, for philosophy does not impose but springs from the
responsible freedom of the philosopher as a human being. Philosophy urges us to be moral persons,
persons of integrity who are in self-possessed because their speech, feelings, thinking and action
are one. This unity derives from commitment to the value of persons. Philosophy invites us to be
true to ourselves and our humanity, by committing ourselves to the value of other humans. Just as
love is the movement towards the realization of higher values, so philosophy moves us to be
responsive to the value of persons--to love.
The above-mentioned values of philosophy make it indispensable in value-oriented education.
Needless to say, these insights concerning value and philosophy have grave implications for our
curriculum, pedagogy, and especially the person of the teacher. But this is the topic of another
discussion.

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila, Philippines
2.
Outline of a Project of Pilippino Ethics
Manuel B. Dy Jr.

The 1986 February Revolution marks a turning point in the history of the Philippines' as a
nation. It liberated the Pilipino people from the pangs of dictatorship and oppression of the
previous regime. A turning point, however, is only a beginning, the start of a new pathway. The
February Revolution may be considered a "founding event" that sets the pace for national
reconstruction: economic, political, and social. What must not be left out, though, is the moral
reconstruction of the Pilipino character, for a nation is only as good as the people who compose it.
The moral recovery program is as urgent as any economic or political reform, for indeed, as
Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani says, "At the bottom of our economic problems and political
instability is the weakness and corruption of the moral foundations of our society."
What is called for then is the project of a Pilipino ethics. But what would this ethics be? What
characteristics would it have? Upon what should it be built?
I suggest that we pick up precisely from the February Revolution as a "founding event." After
all, the February Revolution was uniquely Pilipino: during those momentous four days in February,
Filipinos showed their strengths and overcame their weaknesses as a people, giving birth to people
power.
What follows is an outline of a project of a Pilipino ethics.

Axiological Ethics

A Pilipino ethics must first and foremost be an axiological ethics, an ethics of values.
The February Revolution was a highly emotional event that highlighted many positive Pilipino
values that may well serve and enhance people power or lakas ng bayan. The four days of February
were not planned rationally and systematically. Perhaps they were the culmination of a long series
of struggle for liberation, but the happenings during those four days were the spontaneous response
of the people to the call of the moment, an outpouring of hearts, pleas, and prayers. If reason played
any part at all during those days, it was reason guided by the heart.
Values, as Max Scheler says, are objects of our intentional feelings. They are not thought, but
felt. Far from being a chaotic unstable realm of our human existence, the heart has an order of its
own, an ordre du coeur. The heart has its own reason which reason itself does not know, says
Pascal. Our feelings are our spontaneous response to the world, more immediate than our thinking.
The heart has a certain kind of feelings (different from sensory feeling, feeling state, and psychic
feeling) that are intentional in nature, that is, oriented towards value. As correlatives of our
intentional feeling, values are not things, situations or persons, though these may act as carriers of
value. Rather, values that are preferred or placed before in our feeling-acts of loving and hating.
As such they are objective in the sense that they do not change; they are simply there or given for
our valuing. Values, however, attract us, and in this sense are subjective or related to us; they
address us, call us, generate in us an ought-to-be and an ought-to-do. We are obligated to do
something because something ought to be, but that something presupposes a value.
A Pilipino ethics must be an ethics of value. A Pilipino hardly acts on the basis of his
rationality. Not that he is irrational or does not use his head, but he tends to act more from the
promptings of his heart, from an intuitive and immediate grasp of reality. More accurately, he acts
from his kalooban, which in reality is inseparably heart-mind. Rather than an ethics of form and
matter, of ends and means, or a deontological ethics, both of which emphasize reason and may be
alien to the Pilipino personality, an ethics of value is precisely attuned to this personality.
But what values need to be emphasized in such an ethics?

Solidarity

A Pilipino ethics must value solidarity.

The February Revolution gave birth to people power, in contrast to the power of one man or
one family. People power was symbolized in people forming a single elbow-chain, kapit-bisig,
pleading with the soldiers of Marcos, "Sumama ka, makiisa ka na sa amin" (come with us, be one
with us). Rich and poor joined hands, shared food, water, makeshift shelter, and bed. The disabled
did not have to worry about falling in line for the food; food was brought to them. Such was also
experienced by the soldiers on the campus. The people protected Ramos and Enrile and their
forces; each was responsible for the other. One of the two songs that became popular after the
event was "Magkaisa". Reconciliation became the byword in the ensuing days.
An ethics of solidarity, of kapit-bisig, is an imperative for the Pilipino today. For a nation
made up of 7,100 or more islands, divided into so many regions each at home in its own language,
and with factions of different if not conflicting ideologies, the value of solidarity may be our
primary road to survival as a nation.
An ethics of solidarity is an ethics of responsibility. Responsibility is the ability to give a
response to the objective demands of the situation, which in this situation is the need of my
neighbor. Responsibility is response to and for my neighbor. The neighbor is kapuwa, dalawa
ngunit pareho. My neighbor is other than me, yet like me a human being and a Pilipino.
Walang sinuman and nabubuhay para sa sarili lamang Walang sinuman and namamatay para
sa sarili lamang Tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isa't isa . . .
(No one lives for himself alone, No one dies for himself alone, Each one is responsible for
everyone else.)
An ethics of solidarity (kapit-bisig) highlights the Pilipino value of pakikipagkapwa (sharing
in one's advanity), which is not quite the same as pakikisama (group loyalty). Pakikipagkapwa
springs from an inner conviction that the other, though belonging to a different region or faction,
is a fellowman; like me, he or she is a human being who deserves to be respected, attended to and
loved. "Magkakapit-bisig tayo" means that you and I are responsible for one another; we are all in
this together.
But for what are we in solidarity? The answer is found in the values of truth and justice.

Truth, Justice and Human Rights

A Pilipino ethics must value truth, justice and, in consequence, human rights.
The February Revolution started with the defection of Ramos and Enrile and the latter's
revelation that there had been rampant cheating in the snap election of which the true winner was
Cory Aquino. The gathering at the well-named Epiphanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) was a
witnessing to the truth, a standing for the truth of the mandate of the people. It was also a genuine
protest against countless abuses of power, the trampling of human rights under the Marcos regime,
the most significant of which was the assassination of Ninoy Aquino. The February Revolution,
in short, was a revolt against social injustice.
One of the most unforgettable moments during the February Revolution was the false alarm
that Marcos had left the country. When the people learned the truth that he was still around and
that a curfew had been declared, more people left their homes and gathered at EDSA. One of the
striking features at EDSA was the food brigade at Gate 4 of Camp Aguinaldo--it never ran out of
food because the rich shared what they had with the poor.
A Pilipino ethics must emphasize the values of truth, justice and human rights. The pressing
problems and issues facing the country today can be boiled down to the disvaluing of truth and
justice, and the lack of respect for human rights: graft and corruption, insurgency, poverty and
unemployment, agrarian reform, labor unrest, even the depletion of our natural resources.
Solidarity is cemented in the common commitment to truth and justice. To value truth is to live
and die for the truth, to bear witness to a light that is given to me but not to me alone. Katotohanan
is katoto-hanan or katotoo-hanan: where you and I abide, that which you and I can share and
partake of and of which no single person has a monopoly. Katarungan (justice) is katarungan, the
straight path that you and I must tread and not circumvent.
The common thread that unites both truth and justice is the dignity of the human person, at
once both a singular and social value. Truth is a value because, as person, one is gifted with the
openness to know it. Justice as the rendering of what is due to the person is a value because in his
uniqueness and irreducibility one person is inviolable. The dignity of the person grounds both truth
and justice.
To speak of justice and the dignity of the human person is, of course, to speak unaviodably of
his rights. The inviolability of the person is his right to live decently, to work humanly and earn
the fruits of his labor, to be educated and to express freely and responsively his thoughts and
feelings, to share equitably the riches of the earth. The emphasis on rights, however, must be
complimented by an emphasis on obligation. I cannot demand my rights unless I fulfill my
obligation. Both are simply two sides of the same reality, the inviolability of the human person.
The inviolability of the human person points to another value that must characterize a Pilipino
ethics--non-violence.

Non-Violence

The February Revolution was a non-violent revolution. The people did not meet arms with
arms; rather they used persuasion, pakikiusap. All throughout those tense four days of February,
Ramos was on the air, nakikiusap, persuading the military commanders to join him. Indeed it was
a peaceful revolution.
Pilipinos are a peace-loving people. We hate violence, conflicts, and direct confrontation with
others. We prefer to harmonize with others, to be at peace with them. Peace, however, is not just
the absence of disorder, but is positively grounded on justice. The incidents of assassination that
we hear, read about, or even witness nowadays may be due to conflicting demands of justice.
Nevertheless, the February Revolution proved that we can fight for justice without the use of
violence.
The opposite of violence is usapan, dialogue. To engage in dialogue with the other on equal
footing, with a disinterested openness to the other and a willingness to be carried by the force of
what is true and good, is to value non-violence.
Non-violence is at once the recognition that all persons are brothers and sisters under the
Fatherhood of one God--the value of the Holy.
The Value of the Holy

That the February Revolution was indeed a miracle may be contested. What cannot be
doubted, however, is the religiosity of the people who participated in it, directly and indirectly.
The images of the Blessed Virgin, the rosaries and the Masses, the recitation of the Our Father
before any food distribution, were among the many symbols of faith at EDSA. Outside Metro
Manila and in the provinces, people prayed and sent donations of food and money: church bells
tolled in sympathy and in thanksgiving with those at EDSA for a freedom won. The February
Revolution was a manifestation of the belief that God had liberated the Pilipino people.
A Pilipino ethics cannot deny the value of God or the Holy. Pilipinos in general have never
doubted the existence of God; indeed to prove His existence is rather alien to the Pilipino mind.
The question perhaps ought to be "how real is God to us?" God is not so sacred that He is cut off
from the secular. "Nasa Diyos and awa, nasa tao ang gawa" (Man proposes, God disposes) ought
to be re-interpreted in the light of the February Revolution to mean that God is the God of history,
that He is one with us in the making of our history as one people."Isang bansa, isang lahi, isang
pananampalataya" (One nation, one race, one belief).

Critique of Values

Finally, a Pilipino ethics is critical of traditional Pilipino values and traits that need to be re-
evaluated in the prospect of reconstruction and total human development.
The February Revolution saw the overcoming of some of these traditional Pilipino values and
traits. The timidity, complacency, and lack of drive of the Pilipino was proven wrong during those
challenging days of the revolution. Pilipinos sacrificed the comfort and safety of home to go to
EDSA. Where was the supposed lack of discipline of the Pilipino at EDSA when people lined up
for the distribution of food?
The value of the family here was evident at EDSA--parents bringing their children to share in
the making of history. But it was the family with other families rather than my family versus the
others.
Where was the utang-na-loob (indebtedness) of Enrile when he decided to go against his
benefactor Marcos even at the latter's request to share power? Where is the truth to the popular
"crab story" (referring to the tendency of crabs in a basket to pull each other down) that is supposed
to characterize the Pilipino when Enrile and Ramos acknowledged the presidency of Cory Aquino?
What of the colonial mentality of the Pilipino? The foreign media were there, but only as observers;
Radio Veritas and the Pilipino people did the fighting on their own. And for once the value
of pakikisama was used positively for freedom, truth, and justice and not simply for regional
faction.
A Pilipino ethics must now re-evaluate and be critical of the traditional Pilipino values and
traits of bahala-na (resignation), kanya-kanya (self-centeredness), utang-na-loob (indebtedness),
pakikisama (family), pamilya and colonial mentality. These cultural values are ambivalent, they
can be used positively or negatively, for the common good or for self-aggrandizement at the
expense of others. If culture is not just the passive acceptance of things and values handed down
by the previous generation, but the creative work shaping what is presently at hand in view of what
a people intends to be in the future, then a Pilipino ethics needs to emphasize the positive elements
of traditional values to foster the Pilipino identity.
The project of a Pilipino ethics is education for a lifetime, but the task begins now, for as says
Lao Tze, "The journey of a thousand miles begins from where one stands."

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila, Philippines
3.
Values Education and Philippine Society
Raul J. Bonoan, S.J.

Often one hears the suggestion that the values thrust of DECS and Presidential Executive
Order No. 27 mandating the teaching of Human Rights be implemented by establishing new
courses in the secondary or even the tertiary curriculum. This view shows a gross
misunderstanding of what teaching is all about. In the early history of education in both West and
East, the training of the young was always values-oriented; character formation, far from being
just a segment of the curriculum or a subject to be learned, was always a dimension running
through all of the educational enterprise, like a theme in a musical piece.
The Greeks, the pioneers of liberal education in the West, taught the values of courage and
respect for authority not by a course in good manners and right conduct, but through poetry,
principally the epics of Homer. In the East, the great master, Kung Fu Tze or Confucius, trained
his students, who were the prospective rulers, to cultivate not only a "right mind" but also a "right
heart," for as he said: "The character of the ruler is like the wind and that of the people like grass.
In whatever direction the wind blows, the grass will always bend." In our own archipelago, our
tribal forbears educated the young through epics, poetry, proverbs, riddles (bugtong) and the like.
Consider too the early Christians. They communicated the values of love for the oppressed and the
need of repentance not through dry question-and-answer catechetical lessons, but by retelling the
parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, which are literary pieces in themselves.
It is not a question, therefore, of searching for new courses and new methodologies, but of re-
examining the meaning of education itself and the nature of our curricular offerings. We should
realize that our various courses must seek not only knowledge but also character formation and,
therefore, the cultivation of that overarching, central core value--respect for human dignity.
This paper has three main parts. The first, explains two social theories, the second examines
three historical moments at which we as a people re-defined our values or underwent some sort of
"group conversion", the third comments on our current search for common values.

Two Social Theories

Ever since the coup attempt of August 28, 1987 there has been much uncertainty in the air.
More than ever, we have become aware of the broad political and ideological spectrum in our
society and the numerous fractious elements in conflict with one another. On the left, the CPP-
NPA with the support of political groups engage in an armed struggle to wrest power from
government. They have recently attempted to cut off the Bicol peninsula from the rest of the
country. On the right, there are constant threats of coups d'etat from factions identified with Zumel,
Cabauatan, Honasan, and Marcos loyalists. Even the political center, earlier identified with
President Aquino, is breaking up. Labor and farmer federations and coalitions take to the streets.
Cause-oriented groups and civic and religious organizations are meeting, studying the situation,
and re-evaluating their positions. Add to this the MNLF and the MILF in Mindanao and armed
groups in the Cordillera.
In the midst of all this, there is a constant appeal to ideals, concepts, and experiences
commanding the widest acceptance possible. The uncertainty raises some very crucial questions:
What holds society together? What brings about change?
In the history of social thought two theories have attempted to answer these questions. l
Some would immediately answer the questions with force, power or coercion. This is
the coercion theory, which makes power the predominant factor. Power is placed in the hands of
an individual or a group of individuals who wield it to shape society in conformity to their wishes
and self-interests. Values are in the service of power which may be gained by money or patronage.
Values are important and needed; hence they are imposed or propagated through an intricate
propaganda machinery. An obvious example is a prison camp: the high walls, the barbed wire
fence, the guards and the strictly regimented schedule are the structures of coercion. But force
must also be re-inforced by values; hence, the occasional lectures and indoctrination classes.
Others would say: we will get together and stay together because we want to do so. This is
the consensus theory, which places the preliminary emphasis on common values, attitudes, views
and perceptions --in a word, on a shared culture. People cooperate, work together, and observe
laws and customs because they have agreed to do so. Power has a role in society, but a subordinate
one; for instance, the police and the military protect members of society against those who violate
their rights and wish to destroy the values shared by all. Power is in the service of the values that
bind the community together. A concrete example would be a professional organization, a religious
order or association, or a faculty union. The members have agreed to work together for certain
goals; the president and the officers wield power, i.e., impose fines or even threaten expulsion, but
all in the service of the group's chosen purposes.
The previous (Marcos) regime veered increasingly toward coercion theory. Force is not
enough, however; it must be re-inforced by values imposed through control of the media and the
compulsory study of an ideology. Armed groups of the right and left, along with their political
allies, are practitioners of this theory. Change, they believe, must come about by force of arms or
the threat thereof. Consensus comes not through plebiscite or election, but as compliance with
a fait accompli; it is subordinate to power. The problem with coercion is that it feeds on itself:
force needs more force; violence breeds violence. Consider the situation in Manila and some parts
of the country; "Sparrow" units and rightist elements outdo each other in killings. One coup d'etat
is always the justification for another; coups generate coups. Witness the history of Latin American
countries.
Apart from recent attempts to topple the government by force of arms, even in the new air of
freedom after the February Revolution, the inequalities and imbalances of Philippine society are
better explained by the coercion theory. Force translates itself into structures of power which
impede the powerless from enjoying the benefits of health, education, and public services that are
theirs by right as citizens. Why do out-of-school youths roam the streets, peddle cigarettes, candies,
flowers and newspapers, wipe windshields, watch cars or beg? Because the power structure has
not allowed even this present Government to allocate enough money to the Department of Social
Welfare and the Department of Education, Culture and Sports to send them to school or give them
short-term skills-training. We may have noticed how a lot more jeepney and taxicab drivers are
stopped by policemen for violations of traffic rules, than car drivers. Why? Because it is easier to
extort money from a poor jeepney or cab driver than from a "big shot" who may be driving his
own car or sitting in the backseat.
Certainly there has been a new atmosphere in the country since February, 1986, and we want
to move in the direction of consensus, a common understanding of what we are and what we want
to be. Consensus means common values. Power implies social, political and economic structures.
Most societies are mixed: consensus and power both are needed. The assumption behind the 1987
plebiscite was that society must be based mainly on consensus. Still we can not do away
completely with power.

Re-Defining Values: Three Historical Moments

There are those, among them the physicist-turned-social-scientist Serafin Talisayon, who
insist that underneath our enormous and complex social, political, and economic problems, lies a
crisis of values. In other words, the problem before us is fundamentally a moral one. 2 If therefore
we are to re-build the future out of the debris of the past, the first task is to re-define values and
goals, which are effective predictors of the future since "national temper or character, correctly
read, is a mirror of the long-term future of the nation."3
The concerted effort to build a new future, Talisayon states, requires a "shared group decision
to re-define values" or a "group conversion."4 Such group decision or communal attempt to re-
define values has taken place three times in our national life.
The first was triggered by the execution of Gomez, Burgos and Zamora in 1872 which led to
the outbreak of the 1896 Philippine Revolution. The prime movers of this re-definition were the
early political thinkers, principally Rizal, Jacinto, Bonifacio and Mabini. The values they were
reawakening--courage, good example, freedom, kalamigan ng loob, katiisan, chastity, fidelity, the
golden rule--were in fact traditional, cultural and Christian values, which now assumed a new
meaning in the light of their political goals. Their distinctive contribution was that they expanded
the moral consciousness of the Filipino beyond the borders of the nuclear and extended family and
the wider limits of linguistic groups (e.g. Katagalugan, Kapampangan) to become aware of the
new emerging national community: the patria adorada (Rizal), lupang tinubuan (Bonifacio),
baying tinubuan (Jacinto), querido pueblo (Mabini), and viewed moral education as essential to
social and political transformation.5
The second attempt at conversion was in the l970s at the outbreak of what is known as the
First Quarter Storm, which led to the declaration of Martial Law.This attempt ended in dismal
failure because the national leadership was corrupt, coercive and manipulative; the economic
imbalances became more pronounced, and divisions within society widened.
The third was occasioned by the Aquino assassination in l983, which in time erupted into the
emergence of people power that toppled the dictatorship. The February Revolution is a
phenomenon that still has to be studied in depth from the perspectives of the various sciences and
from an interdisciplinary viewpoint. What the experience showed us, much to our surprise, was
that the values we sought were there all along, latent but suddenly reawakened. Namfrel getting
500,000 volunteers to defend the truth of simple arithmetic! Thirty computer technicians walking
out in defiance of fraud! Prayers and flowers stopping tanks! It was a classic example of faith
moving mountains.

In Search of Common Values

Since February of 1986, a collective self-examination has been taking place among Filipinos.
Educators, more than any other sector, are expected to, and in fact do, participate in this crucial
process. Ours indeed it is to identify, clarify, articulate and promote through our educational
system those values we need to bind us together and build our future as a nation.
The new Philippine Constitution was an important phase in this search. Its overwhelming
approval in the plesbicite by 76 percent of the electorate should be a comfort to us in this time of
uncertainty; it was a sure sign that we are achieving consensus. In fact, the DECS Values
Conceptual Framework, which was intended for the guidance of teachers on all levels, was
grounded on a philosophy of the human person, more specifically, on the rational understanding
of the Filipinos in their historical and cultural context, which undergirds the Philippine
Constitution of l986. The Task Force for Values Education, which drafted the framework, argued
this way: underlying the new Constitution is an understanding of what the Filipino is and should
be; it enshrines numerous Filipino values; let us organize them into a comprehensive framework;
and from among our numerous national and historical documents we choose the new Philippine
Constitution because it represents the fact of consensus.
This is not the place for an exhaustive presentation of the DECS Values Framework, but one
can point to some important values in the framework that are of special relevance for tertiary level
educators.
First, the value of peace and active non-violence. We have become aware that peace is the
common aspiration of all--citizens, soldiers, rebels, farmers, students . . . everyone. All too often,
military might, armed struggle and violence are resorted to in the defense of rights, the redress of
wrongs, the attempt to establish democracy and the perennial pursuit of peace. But one means
which has proven most effective and most in conformity with the dignity of man is active non-
violence. The February Revolution of l986 was an eloquent testimony to this value, as arms and
tanks were vanquished by presence, persuasion, and the power of prayer. Related to this are the
constitutional principle of civilian supremacy and the respect for human rights. CMT training, for
example, must inculcate these values.
Second, social justice. What the Constitution is actually saying is that we must build just social
structures, in which all, especially the poor and the oppressed, will have an equitable share of
political power, material resources, essential services such as health and education, ownership
especially of land, and the benefits of economic growth and development. Hence, the mandated
course on Agrarian Reform must be taught not as a law course, but as a value-oriented social
science course.
Third, economic self-sufficiency., The sad state of our economy, our huge external debt, our
scarce capital resources, the omnipresence of multi-national corporations in our country, and our
dependence on foreign technology all teach us the need for self-reliance, the daring spirit of
entrepreneurship, appropriate technology, and the drive to produce. 40% of our college students
are in commerce- and business-oriented courses. We must teach them not to be traders alone, but
producers of goods, and even producers of machines that will produce goods. For instance, it is
not enough for us to teach students how to use computers; we must teach them how computers
work, and then how to make them.
Fourth, nationalism and bayanihan (cooperation). To solve the problem of fragmentation, our
schools must promote the true spirit of nationhood and mature nationalism. Filipinos, whether
Ilocanos or Tausugs, Muslims or Christians, whether of Malay, European or Chinese ancestry,
share a common identity. As the DECS Framework puts it:

The spirit that must bind us together as one nation cannot be that of class conflict, as Marxism
would have it, or Adam Smith's capitalist principle of laissez faire (each one for himself), but the
power which has transported, even in pre-hispanic times, one whole house on the shoulders of
people committed to help a friend in need: the spirit of bayanihan, the word expressive of
our solidarity--working together as one nation.7
These are just some values about which educators must be concerned about and must try to
inculcate in the teaching of humanities and social science courses: peace and non-violence, social
justice, self-reliance, entrepreneurship, the sense of nationhood and the bayanihan spirit.
In conclusion, let me make two remarks on values and tertiary education. First, we must set
up structures in our schools to support the growth of values. I was really amazed the first and only
time a friend took me to a cockpit. The place was in apparent mayhem, with people shouting and
betting against each other. Credits, debits and balances were accurately remembered without aid
of ledgers, tape-recorders or computers. Paper bills were transported in small baskets by use of
ropes and strings. And, miracle of miracles, nobody cheated. Can one say that people in the cockpit
are any more honest than people elsewhere? The difference is that in the cockpit there are structures
supporting honest conduct that perhaps one would not find in some government offices where a
lot of cheating goes on.
Thus, in our schools we must review our structures, including our system of promotion,
rewards, and grades, to impress on all that it pays to live up to the values and ideals supported by
the school. We may have to take innovative measures. For instance, if our students are to be imbued
with a passion for social justice, there should be programs by which they are placed in direct
contact with the poor and their heart-rendingly by complex problems, and at least some of these
should be part of the curriculum.
Second and more important, the teaching of values is not like teaching mathematics,
economics or any other subject. Learning values is not objective or proto-learning, but subjective
or deutero-learning.8 One learns values the way children learn many things including language
from their parents. Why is it that most of the time, sons belong to the same political parties as their
fathers? Because the son identifies with his father and this relationship serves as the unique vehicle
for the transmission of values, in this case, political values. One learns by "identification" with the
teacher. Hence it is imperative that teachers of the humanities, the social sciences, or whatever
discipline, reflect in their own personal lives those values they seek to impart, be it truth, honesty,
or social justice. Modern writers call it "modelling"; but it is as old as the art of teaching itself.
This is how the great teachers of mankind taught: Gandhi, Confucius, Siddharta, Christ and the
gurus and prophets of old. We are challenged to do no less.

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila, Philippines

Notes

l. John J. Carroll, S.J., "Social Theory and Social Change," Pulso I (l, l984), 34-37.
2. Serafin Talisayon, "Development Goals and Values for the Philippine Future," The
Philippines at the Crossroads: Some Visions for the Nation (Manila: Center for Research and
Communication, l986), pp. 1016-17.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Raul J. Bonoan, S.J., "Moral Education Revisited: Moral Integrity and Spiritual Vigor as
Educational Goals," Values Formation in Higher Education (Manila: National Book Store, l985),
p.5.
6. Raul J. Bonoan, S.J., "Paideia, Humanitas, Magpakatao: Values for National
Reconstruction," Higher Education for National Reconstruction (Manila: National Book Store,
l987), p. 146.
7. DECS Values Conceptual Framework.
8. Jaime C. Bulatao, S.J., "The Psychological Process of Values Formation, "Values
Formation in Higher Education, pp. 21-28.
4.
A Moral Recovery Program: Building a People--Building a Nation
Patricia Licuanan

The events at EDSA in February 1986 not only ousted a dictator, but also demonstrated to the
world and to ourselves our great strengths as a people. At EDSA we saw courage, determination
and strength of purpose; we saw unity and concern for one another; we saw deep faith in God; and
even in the grimmest moments, there was some laughter and humor.
We were proud of ourselves at EDSA and we expected great changes after our moment of
glory. Today, sometime after, we realize that most of our problems as a nation still remain. We
may have ousted a dictator, but that was the easy part. The task of building a nation is so much
more difficult. Now, with EDSA only an inspiring memory, we are faced with our weaknesses.
Self-interest and disregard for the common good rears its ugly head. We are confronted with our
lack of discipline and rigor, our colonial mentality, and our emphasis on porma (form). Despite
our great display of people's power, now we are passive once more, expecting our leaders to take
all responsibility for solving our many problems.
The task of building our nation is an awesome one. There is need for economic recovery.
There is need to re-establish democratic institutions and to achieve the goals of peace and genuine
social justice. Along with these goals, there is a need as well to build ourselves as a people. There
is need to change structures and to change people.
Building a people means eliminating our weaknesses and developing our strengths; this starts
with the analysis, understanding, and appreciation of these strengths and weaknesses. We must
take a good look at ourselves--objectively with scientific detachment, but also emotionally (i.e.,
lovingly) and, when appropriate, with disgust. We must view ourselves as might a lover viewing
a loved one but also as might a judge capable of a harsh verdict. We must not be self-flagellating,
but neither can we afford to be defensive.
We must change, and for this understanding ourselves is the first step.

Strengths of the Filipino Character

Pakikipagkapwa-Tao (regard for others). Filipinos are open to others and feel one with others.
We regard others with dignity and respect, and deal with them as fellow human beings.
Pakikipagkapwa-tao is manifested in a basic sense of justice and fairness, and in concern for
others. It is demonstrated in the Filipino's ability to empathize with others, in helpfulness and
generosity in times of need (pakikiramay), in the practice of bayanihan or mutual assistance, and
in the famous Filipino hospitality.
Filipinos possess a sensitivity to people's feelings or pakikiramdam, pagtitiwala or trust, and
a sense of gratitude or utang-na-loob. Because of pakikipagkapwa-tao, Filipinos are very sensitive
to the quality of interpersonal relationships and are very dependent on them: if our relationships
are satisfactory, we are happy and secure.
Pakikipagkapwa-tao results in camaraderie and a feeling of closeness one to another. It helps
promote unity as well a sense of social justice.
Family Orientation. Filipinos possess a genuine and deep love for the family, which includes
not simply the spouses and children, parents, and siblings, but also grandparents, aunts, uncles,
cousins, godparents, and other ceremonial relatives. To the Filipino, one's family is the source of
personal identity, the source of emotional and material support, and the person's main commitment
and responsibility.
Concern for family is manifested in the honor and respect given to parents and elders, in the
care given to children, the generosity towards kin in need, and in the great sacrifices one endures
for the welfare of the family. This sense of family results in a feeling of belonging or rootedness
and in a basic sense of security.

Joy and Humor. Filipinos have a cheerful and fun-loving approach to life and its ups and
downs. There is a pleasant disposition, a sense of humor, and a propensity for happiness that
contribute not only to the Filipino charm, but to the indomitability of the filipino spirit. Laughing
at ourselves and our trouble is an important coping mechanism. Often playful, sometimes cynical,
sometimes disrespectful, we laugh at those we love and at those we hate, and make jokes about
our fortune, good and bad.
This sense of joy and humor is manifested in the Filipino love for socials and celebrations, in
our capacity to laugh even in the most trying of times, and in the appeal of political satire.
The result is a certain emotional balance and optimism, a healthy disrespect for power and
office, and a capacity to survive.

Flexibility, Adaptability and Creativity. Filipinos have a great capacity to adjust, and to adapt
to circumstances and to the surrounding environment, both physical and social. Unplanned or
unanticipated events are never overly disturbing or disorienting as the flexible Filipino adjusts to
whatever happens. We possess a tolerance for ambiguity that enables us to remain unfazed by
uncertainty or lack of information. We are creative, resourceful, adept at learning, and able to
improvise and make use of whatever is at hand in order to create and produce.
This quality of the Filipino is manifested in the ability to adapt to life in any part of the world;
in the ability to make new things out of scrap and to keep old machines running; and, of course, in
the creative talent manifested in the cultural sphere. It is seen likewise in the ability to accept
change.
The result is productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship, equanimity, and survival.

Hard work and Industry. Filipinos have the capacity for hard work, given proper conditions.
The desire to raise one's standard of living and to possess the essentials of a decent life for one's
family, combined with the right opportunities and incentives, stimulate the Filipino to work very
hard. This is manifested most noticeably in a willingness to take risks with jobs abroad, and to
work there at two or three jobs. The result is productivity and entrepreneurship for some, and
survival despite poverty for others.

Faith and Religiosity. Filipinos have a deep faith in God. Innate religiosity enables us to
comprehend and genuinely accept reality in the context of God's will and plan. Thus, tragedy and
bad fortune are accepted and some optimism characterizes even the poorest lives.
Filipinos live very intimately with religion; this is tangible--a part of everyday life. We ascribe
human traits to a supernatural God whom we alternately threaten and thank, call upon for mercy
or forgiveness, and appease by pledges. Prayer is an important part of our lives.
The faith of the Filipino is related to bahala na, which, instead of being viewed as defeatist
resignation, may be considered positively as a reservoir of psychic energy, an important
psychological support on which we can lean during difficult times. Thispampalakas ng loob allows
us to act despite uncertainty.
Our faith and daring was manifest at EDSA and at other times in our history when it was
difficult to be brave. It is seen also in the capacity to accept failure and defeat without our self-
concept being devastated since we recognize forces external to ourselves as contributing to the
unfolding of events in our lives.
The results of the Filipino's faith are courage, daring, optimism, inner peace, as well as the
capacity to genuinely accept tragedy and death.

Ability to Survive. Filipinos have an ability to survive which is manifested in our capacity for
endurance despite difficult times, and in our ability to get by on so little. Filipinos make do with
what is available in the environment, even, e.g., by eking out a living from a garbage dump. This
survival instinct is related to the Filipinos who bravely carry on through the harshest economic and
social circumstances. Regretfully, one wonders what we might be able to do under better
circumstances.

Weaknesses of the Filipino Character

Extreme Personalism. Filipinos view the world in terms of personal relationships and the
extent to which one is able personally to relate to things and people determines our recognition of
their existence and the value. There is no separation between an objective task and emotional
involvement. This personalism is manifested in the tendency to give personal interpretations to
actions, i.e., to "take things personally." Thus, a sincere question may be viewed as a challenge to
one's competence or positive feedback may be interpreted as a sign of special affection. There is,
in fact, some basis for such interpretations as Filipinos become personal in their criticism and
praise. Personalism is also manifested in the need to establish personal relationships before any
business or work relationship can be successful.
Because of this personalistic world view, Filipinos have difficulty dealing with all forms of
impersonal stimuli. For this reason one is uncomfortable with bureaucracy, with rules and
regulations, and with standard procedures--all of which tend to be impersonal. We ignore them or
we ask for exceptions.
Personal contacts are involved in any transaction and are difficult to turn down. Preference is
usually given to family and friends in hiring, delivery of services, and even in voting. Extreme
personalism thus leads to the graft and corruption evident in Philippine society.

Extreme Family-Centeredness. While concern for the family is one of the Filipino's greatest
strengths, in the extreme it becomes a serious flaw. Excessive concern for the family creates an in-
group to which the Filipino is fiercely loyal, to the detriment of concern for the larger community
or the common good.
Excessive concern for family manifests itself in the use of one's office and power as a means
of promoting the interests of the family, in factionalism, patronage, and political dynasties, and in
the protection of erring family members. It results in lack of concern for the common good and
acts as a block to national consciousness.

Lack of Discipline. The Filipino's lack of discipline encompasses several related

characteristics. We have a casual and relaxed attitude towards time and space which manifests
itself in lack of precision and compulsiveness, in poor time management and in procrastination.
We have an aversion to following strictly a set of procedures, which results in lack of
standardization and quality control. We are impatient and unable to delay gratification or reward,
resulting in the use of short cuts, skirting the rules (thepalusot syndrome) and in foolhardiness. We
are guilty of ningas cogon, starting out projects with full vigor and interest which abruptly die
down, leaving things unfinished.
Our lack of discipline often results in inefficient and wasteful work systems, the violation of
rules leading to more serious transgressions, and a casual work ethic leading to carelessness and
lack of follow-through.

Passivity and Lack of Initiative. Filipinos are generally passive and lacking in initiative. One
waits to be told what has to be done. There is a strong reliance on others, e.g., leaders and
government, to do things for us. This is related to the attitude towards authority. Filipinos have a
need for a strong authority figure and feel safer and more secure in the presence of such an
authority. One is generally submissive to those in authority, and is not likely to raise issues or to
question decisions.
Filipinos tend to be complacent and there rarely is a sense of urgency about any problem.
There is a high tolerance for inefficiency, poor service, and even violations of one's basic rights.
In many ways, it can be said that the Filipino is too patient and long-suffering (matiisin), too easily
resigned to one's fate. Filipinos are thus easily oppressed and exploited.

Colonial Mentality. Filipinos have a colonial mentality which is made up of two dimensions:
the first is a lack of patriotism or an active awareness, appreciation, and love of the Philippines;
the second is an actual preference for things foreign.
Filipino culture is characterized by an openness to the outside--adapting and incorporating the
foreign elements into our image of ourselves. Yet this image is not built around a deep core of
Philippine history and language. The result is a cultural vagueness or weakness that makes
Filipinos extraordinarily susceptible to the wholesome acceptance of modern mass culture which
is often Western. Thus, there is preference for foreign fashion, entertainment, lifestyles,
technology, consumer items, etc.
The Filipino colonial mentality is manifested in the alienation of the elite from their roots and
from the masses, as well as in the basic feeling of national inferiority that makes it difficult for
Filipinos to relate as equals to Westerners.

Kanya-Kanya Syndrome. Filipinos have a selfish, self-serving attitude that generates a feeling
of envy and competitiveness towards others, particularly one's peers, who seem to have gained
some status or prestige. Towards them, the Filipino demonstrated the so-called "crab mentality",
using the levelling instruments of tsismis, intriga and unconstructive criticism to bring others
down. There seems to be a basic assumption that another's gain is our loss.
The kanya-kanya syndrome is also evident in personal ambition and drive for power and status
that is completely insensitive to the common good. Personal and in-group interests reign supreme.
This characteristic is also evident in the lack of a sense of service among people in the government
bureaucracy. The public is made to feel that service from these offices and from these civil servants
is an extra perk that has to be paid for.
The kanya-kanya syndrome results in the dampening of cooperative and community spirit and
in the denial of the rights of others.
Lack of Self-Analysis and Self-Reflection. There is a tendency in the Filipino to be superficial
and even somewhat flighty. In the face of serious problems both personal and social, there is lack
of analysis or reflection. Joking about the most serious matters prevents us from looking deeply
into the problem. There is no felt need to validate our hypotheses or explanations of things. Thus
we are satisfied with superficial explanations for, and superficial solutions to, problems.
Related to this is the Filipino emphasis on form (maporma) rather than upon substance. There
is a tendency to be satisfied with rhetoric and to substitute this for reality. Empty rhetoric and
endless words are very much part of public life. As long as the right things are said, as long as the
proper documents and reports exist, and as long as the proper committees, task forces, or offices
are formed, Filipinos are deluded into believing that what ought to be actually exists.
The Filipino lack of self-analysis and our emphasis upon form is reinforced by an educational
system that is often more form than substance and a legal system that tends to substitute law for
reality.

The Many Faces of the Filipino

From this discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino, it is clear that there is
much that is good here, but there is also much that needs to be changed. Many of our strong points
are also the sources of our weakness.
As a people, we are person-oriented, and relationships with others are a very important part
of our lives. Thus, we are capable of much caring and concern for others. On the other hand, in the
extreme our person orientation leads to lack of objectivity and a disregard for universal rules and
procedures so that everyone, regardless of our relationship with them, is treated equally. Our
person orientation leads us to be concerned for people, and yet unfair to some.
Our family orientation is both a strength and a weakness, giving us a sense of rootedness and
security, both very essential to any form of reaching out to others. At the same time, it develops in
us an in-group orientation that prevents us from reaching out beyond the family to the larger
community and the nation.
Our flexibility, adaptability and creativity is a strength that allows us to adjust to any set of
circumstances and to make the best of the situation. But this ability to "play things by ear" leads
us to compromise on the precision and discipline necessary to accomplish many work-oriented
goals.
Our sense of joy and humor serves us well in difficult times. it makes life more pleasant, but
serious problems do need serious analysis, and humor can also be destructive.
Our faith in God and our religiosity are sources of strength and courage, but they also lead to
an external orientation that keeps us passive and dependent on forces outside ourselves.
There are other contradictions in the many faces of the Filipino. We find pakikipagkapwa-
tao and the kanya-kanya mentality living comfortably together in us. We are other-oriented and
capable of great empathy; and yet we are self-serving, envious of others, and unconstructively
critical of one another.
We also find the Filipino described alternately as hardworking and lazy. Indeed we see that
we are capable of working long and hard at any job. However, our casual work ethic as well as our
basic passivity in the work setting also is apparent as we wait for orders and instructions rather
than taking the initiative.
Roots of the Filipino Character

The strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino have their roots in many factors such as: (1) the
home environment, (2) the social environment, (3) culture and language, (4) history, (5) the
educational system, (6) religion, (7) the economic environment, (8) the political environment, (9)
mass media, and (10) leadership and role models.

The Family and Home Environment. Childbearing practices, family relations, and family
attitudes and orientation are the main components of the home environment. Childbearing in the
Filipino family is characterized by high nurturance, low independence training, and low discipline.
The Filipino child grows up in an atmosphere of affection and over protection, where one learns
security and trust, on the one hand, and dependence, on the other. In the indulgent atmosphere of
the Filipino home, rigid standards of behavior or performance are not imposed, leading to a lack
of discipline. Attempts to maintain discipline come in the form of many "no's" and "don'ts" and a
system of criticism to keep children in line. Subtle comparisons among siblings also are used by
mothers to control their children. These may contribute to the "crab mentality."
In a large family where we are encouraged to get along with our siblings and other relatives,
we learn pakikipagkapwa-tao. In an authoritarian setting we learn respect for age and authority; at
the same time we become passive and dependent on authority.
In the family, children are taught to value family and to give it primary importance.

The Social Environment. The main components of the social environment are social structures
and social systems such as interpersonal religious and community interaction. The social
environment of the Filipino is characterized by a feudal structure with great gaps between the rich
minority and the poor majority. These gaps are not merely economic but cultural as well, with the
elite being highly westernized and alienated from the masses. This feudal structure develops
dependence and passivity.
The Filipino is raised in an environment where one must depend on relationships with others
in order to survive. In a poor country where resources are scarce and where the systems meant to
respond to people's needs can be insensitive, inefficient, or non-existent, the Filipino becomes very
dependent on kinship and interpersonal relationships.
Sensitivity about hurting established relationships controls our behavior. We are restrained
from making criticisms no matter how constructive, so standards of quality are not imposed. We
have difficulty saying no to requests and are pressured to favor our family and friends. That trying
to get ahead of others is not considered acceptable exerts a strong brake upon efforts to improve
our individual performance. The struggle for survival and our dependence on relationships make
us in-group oriented.

Culture and Language. Much has been written about Filipino cultural values. Such
characteristics such as warmth and person orientation, devotion to family, and sense of joy and
humor are part of our culture and are reinforced by all socializing forces such as the family, school,
and peer group.
Filipino culture rewards such traits and corresponding behavioral patterns develop because
they make one more likable and enable life to proceed more easily.
Aside from emphasizing interpersonal values, Filipino culture is also characterized by an
openness to the outside which easily incorporates foreign elements without a basic consciousness
of our cultural core. This is related to our colonial mentality and to the use of English as the
medium of instruction in schools.
The introduction of English as the medium of education de-Filipinized the youth and taught
them to regard American culture as superior. The use of English contributes also to a lack of self-
confidence on the part of the Filipino. The fact that doing well means using a foreign language,
which foreigners inevitably can handle better, leads to an inferiority complex. At a very early age,
we find that our self-esteem depends on the mastery of something foreign.
The use of a foreign language may also explain the Filipino's unreflectiveness and mental
laziness. Thinking in our native language, but expressing ourselves in English, results not only in
a lack of confidence, but also in a lack in our power of expression, imprecision, and a stunted
development of one's intellectual powers.

History. We are the product of our colonial history, which is regarded by many as the culprit
behind our lack of nationalism and our colonial mentality. Colonialism developed a mind-set in
the Filipino which encouraged us to think of the colonial power as superior and more powerful.
As a second-class citizen beneath the Spanish and then the Americans, we developed a dependence
on foreign powers that makes us believe we are not responsible for our country's fate.
The American influence is more ingrained in the Philippines because the Americans set up a
public school system where we learned English and the American way of life. Present-day media
reinforce these colonial influences, and the Filipino elite sets the example by their western ways.
Another vestige of our colonial past is our basic attitude towards the government, which we
have learned to identify as foreign and apart from us. Thus, we do not identify with government
and are distrustful and uncooperative towards it. Much time and energy is spent trying to outsmart
the government, which we have learned from our colonial past to regard as an enemy.

The Educational System. Aside from the problems inherent in the use of a foreign language in
our educational system, the educational system leads to other problems for us as a people. The lack
of suitable local textbooks and dependence on foreign textbooks, particularly in the higher school
levels, force Filipino students as well as their teachers to use school materials that are irrelevant to
the Philippine setting. From this comes a mind-set that things learned in school are not related to
real life.
Aside from the influences of the formal curriculum, there are the influences of the "hidden
curriculum" i.e., the values taught informally by the Philippine school system. Schools are highly
authoritarian, with the teacher as the central focus. The Filipino student is taught to be dependent
on the teacher as we attempt to record verbatim what the teacher says and to give this back during
examinations in its original form and with little processing. Teachers reward well-behaved and
obedient students and are uncomfortable with those who ask questions and express a different
viewpoint. The Filipino student learns passivity and conformity. Critical thinking is not learned in
the school.

Religion. Religion is the root of Filipino optimism and its capacity to accept life's hardships.
However, religion also instills in the Filipino attitudes of resignation and a pre-occupation with
the afterlife. We become vulnerable also to being victimized by opportunism, oppression,
exploitation, and superstition.
The Economic Environment. Many Filipino traits are rooted in the poverty and hard life that
is the lot of most Filipinos. Our difficulties drive us to take risks, impel us to work very hard, and
develop in us the ability to survive. Poverty, however, has also become an excuse for graft and
corruption, particularly among the lower rungs of the bureaucracy. Unless things get too difficult,
passivity sets in.

The Political Environment. The Philippine political environment is characterized by a

centralization of power. Political power and authority is concentrated in the hands of the elite and
the participation of most Filipinos often is limited to voting in elections.
Similarly, basic services from the government are concentrated in Manila and its outlying
towns and provinces. A great majority of Filipinos are not reached by such basic services as water,
electricity, roads, and health services. Government structures and systems--e.g., justice and
education--are often ineffective or inefficient.
Since the government often is not there to offer basic services, we depend on our family, kin,
and neighbors for our everyday needs. The absence of government enhances our extreme family-
and even community-centeredness. We find it difficult to identify with a nation-family, since the
government is not there to symbolize or represent the state.
The fact that political power is still very much concentrated in the hands of a few may lead to
passivity. The inefficiency of government structures and systems also leads to a lack of integrity
and accountability in our public servants.

Mass Media. Mass media reinforces our colonial mentality. Advertisements using Caucasian
models and emphasizing a product's similarity with imported brands are part of our daily lives.
The tendency of media to produce escapist movies, soap operas, comics, etc., feed th Filipino's
passivity. Rather than confront our poverty and oppression, we fantasize instead. The propensity
to use flashy sets, designer clothes, superstars, and other bonggafeatures reinforce porma.

Leadership and Role Models. Filipinos look up to their leaders as role models. Political leaders
are the main models, but all other leaders serve as role models as well. Thus, when our leaders
violate the law or show themselves to be self-serving and driven by personal interest--when there
is lack of public accountability--there is a negative impact on the Filipino.

Goals and Strategies for Change

Goals. Based on the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino, the following goals for change
are proposed. The Filipino should develop:

1. a sense of patriotism and national pride--a genuine love, appreciation, and commitment to
the Philippines and things Filipino;
2. a sense of the common good--the ability to look beyond selfish interests, a sense of justice
and a sense of outrage at its violation;
3. a sense of integrity and accountability--an aversion toward graft and corruption in society
and an avoidance of the practice in one's daily life;
4. the value and habits of discipline and hard work; and
5. the value and habits of self-reflection and analysis, the internalization of spiritual values,
and an emphasis upon essence rather than on form.
General Stategic Principles. In identifying goals for change and developing our capabilities
for their achievement, it is necessary to consider certain general principles:

1. Strategies must be multi-layered and multi-sectoral;

2. Strategies must emphasize change in the power-holders as well as in the masa (people);
3. Strategies should be holistic, emphasizing individual as well as systemic or structural
change;
4. The change should involve a critical mass of people;
5. The goals should be divided into small pieces for implementation;
6. Strategies must be connected to the daily life of people; and
7. Strategies must be implemented by an act of the will and involve self-sacrifice.

Multi-Layered, Multi-Sectoral Strategies. A program of change must adopt strategies that are
multi-layered and multi-sectoral. These layers and sectors could consist of the following: (1) the
government; (2) non-governmental organizations; (3) people or the masa; (4) the family;
(5) educational institutions; (6) religious institutions; and (7) media. Some strategies should
target all sectors of society, while other strategies should focus on particular sectors.

Roles of Power-Holders and the Masa. To ensure that meaningful change will take place,
proposed strategies must emphasize change among power-holders or decision-makers as much as
among the masa. These power-holders and decision-makers hold the key to structures and systems
which in most cases need to be set up first before change can take place. Unless the people on top
change, it will be difficult to expect real change. On the other hand, as the masa constitute the
greater majority of Philippine society, any program for change will have to target this critical mass.
Their active participation and support are indispensable components of our strategies.

Holistic, Individual and Systemic/Structural Change. Our approach to change should be

holistic in that our strategies should facilitate individual as well as systemic or structural change.
Individual conversion or renewal, as manifested in changed values, attitudes, habits and behavior,
is a prerequisite to social change. However, individual conversion or renewal needs to be
complemented and reinforced by a corresponding systemic or structural transformation.
Otherwise, the effect of solely individual renewal would be shallow and limited, especially since
many systems and structures in Philippine society themselves are the stumbling blocks to
individual renewal.

Critical Mass or Network of Change Initiators. The initiators of change should not be a few
individuals, but a critical mass or network of people highly committed to the goals of change.
Aside from initiating change, the role of the critical mass or network of people is to follow through
with persistence on the implementation of these strategies. This prevents ningas cogon from
setting in.

Restricted or "Bite-Size" Goals. Strategies for change must be worked on one goal at a time,
with everyone's effort concentrated on the goal chosen for that designated time period. The goals
must be cut up into bite-size, realistic pieces, for easier management.
Goals Related to People's Lives. Change strategies must be connected to our daily lives,
particularly to our economic activities, businesses, professions, occupations and jobs. Value
change must likewise address matters close to our hearts, that is, activities and affairs of our
families and communities from which change must start.

Act of the Will and Self-Sacrifice. The implementation of these strategies must be an act of the
will. If we want change, kailangang kayanin natin. We must be ready for tremendous sacrifice--
starting with ourselves.

Specific Strategies

A. For Developing Patriotism, and National Pride:

1. Ideology. We need a national ideology that can summon all our resources for the task of
lifting national morale, pride and productivity.
2. History.
a. We have to write and teach our true history; history books must be rewritten from our
perspective.
b. We should include in our education those aspects of the past that are still preserved by
cultural communities. The culture and traditions of these minorities should be protected and given
importance.
c. We can start instilling national pride by nurturing community pride first. This can be done
by setting up community museums where materials reflecting of local history are displayed: old
folk re-telling our town or community history in public gatherings; reviving local cultural groups;
tracing family trees; having family reunions, etc.
3. Languages. We ought to use Filipino in our cultural and intellectual life. Some of our
universities and other institutions have started doing this; the practice should be continued and
expanded.
4. Education.
a. We must push for the Filipinization of the entire educational system.
b. We must have value formation in the school curriculum and teach pride in being a Filipino.
c. Literature should be used to instill national pride.
5. Trade and Industry. We should support the "Buy Filipino" movement by:
a. Identifying and making known the centers of product excellence in the Philippines; and
dispersing economic activities based on local product expertise and indigenous materials (i.e.,
industries should be developed in the respective regions where the required skills and resources
already abound).
b. Having a big brother-small brother relationship between companies, where big companies
could help related companies improve the quality of their products. The government could also act
as a big brother helping these small companies improve the quality of their output.
c. Having an "order-regalo" or "order-pasalubong" (gift) project which targets Filipinos
abroad. This could be initiated by both the government and businessmen.
d. Promoting a "Sariling Atin" day when everybody would wear and use Filipino clothes and
products only.
6. Media/Advertising.
a. We can coordinate with KBP, PANA and other media agencies in such projects as the
following:
- Giving awards or other incentives to advertisements that promote national pride and
patriotism. Conversely, giving "kalabasa" awards or denying incentives to advertisements that
promote colonial mentality.
- Prohibiting the use of foreign models in advertisements.
b. We can organize contests (i.e., oratorical, story, drama, essay, etc.) about love for country,
and about what Filipinos like about their country or their countrymen. These stories, dramas,
essays, and the like can then be made into teaching materials for our schools.
c. We need to use media programs (such as comics and programs in the various dialects) that
will reach with the masa or great majority of people. For instance, R. Constantino's, "How to
Decolonize the Filipino Mind", could be written in comics form in the various dialects.
7. Government.
a. The leadership in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the government should
be models of positive Filipino traits.
b. In order to promote national unity and national integration, the government must attempt a
long-range strategy for democratic transformation in Philippine politics.
c. The government must continue and even increase its present efforts to have a more
independent economic strategy: it must diversify its sources of assistance and not merely rely on
the U.S. or on any other foreign nation.

B. Developing a Sense of the Common Good:

1. Government.
a. The government needs to decentralize its power and give more voice and greater
participation to people at the grassroots.
b. Government must widen democratic space, establish political pluralism, and protect and
support the forces working for change (e.g., change agents from cause-oriented groups, non-
governmental organizations and people's organizations) instead of repressing them.
c. The government should bring basic services to the depressed areas in a participatory
manner, giving the local people a more active role in administering and enhancing such services.
2. Non-governmental organizations.
a. The role of our cause-oriented groups or non-governmental organizations should be both
crusading or consciousness-raising and problem solving. Our community groups or people's
organizations can conduct their own projects with the support of non-governmental organizations,
religious groups and the government, and empower themselves in the process.
b. Our social institutions need to be mobilized towards a common purpose and shared
priorities with the government and the Philippine society as a whole.
c. Our community groups, people's organizations and non-governmental organizations could
promote public forums and discussions wherein pressing national concerns like land reform, graft
and corruption, unemployment, etc., can be discussed. The government should participate in these
fora and religious should be encouraged to do the same.
d. We can form small study groups in our schools, work places or communities. Through these
groups, we can study the various ways by which we can initiate change in our spheres of influence
and encourage each other to become role models for our family, peers, and community.
3. Religious Organizations/Movements.
a. Religious family movements, like Marriage Encounter or the Christian Family Movement,
can be encouraged to reach out to the poor who are the least prepared for family life. Programs for
the poor should be coordinated with the government and religious institutions.
b. The charismatic, cursillo, and born-again movements should be encouraged to concretize
spiritual doctrines by reaching out to the poor and contributing to nation-building.
4. Education.
a. Communization of our schools should be developed to give a common experience to
students and to foster greater equality in society.
b. Social orientation courses in our schools should be not only for socialization activities, but
also for socially-oriented and socially-relevant activities.

C. For Developing Integrity and Accountability:

1. Government Leadership Structure/Systems

a. Our top government officials should serve as models for other workers in the lower echelons
of the bureaucracy.
b. Since our leaders are too insulated from what is actually happening at the bottom, they need
to be exposed to the realities of social life.
c. The government needs to implement comprehensive, concrete and operational measures to
minimize graft and corruption. These measures must be given teeth by establishing groups or
institutions vested with police power.
d. There is a need for a more efficient bureaucracy, with a minimum of red tape. The
government should systematize information dissemination. For instance, the public should be
informed how a government agency administers its services. This and other similar strategies could
minimize "fixers" and lessen graft and corruption.
e. A system of reinforcing desirable behavior must be formulated by the government
bureaucracy. For example, honest policemen and industrious Metro Aides can be given appropriate
recognition, awards, or other incentives.
2. Education/Training.
a. The career executive program given to government officials should be extended, that is, a
similar program should be drawn up for all government employees. The program can be a training
package called "Public Service".
b. Our government employees should be given value clarification seminars.

D. For Developing Discipline and Hard Work

1. In both government and private institutions, we need to:

a. provide positive controls; keep performance records; and maintain reward and recognition
systems; and
b. get rid of useless, meaningless rules.
2. We ought to reward excellence in whatever Filipinos do by:
a. identifying and making known centers of excellence in the Philippines;
b. looking for, documenting and publicizing success or excellence stories (e.g., local
entrepreneurs who have succeeded) using various media;
c. recognizing and encouraging advertisements that convey the value of excellence and depict
positive Filipino values; and
d. using media (such as comics, radio programs in the various dialects), that will communicate
to the masa in order to depict positive Filipino values, and giving awards to radio, TV programs,
and movies that convey these values.

E. For Developing Self-reflection and Analysis

1. Religion/Religious Movements. The teaching of religion or catechism should be concrete,

integrated to daily life, and socially relevant. Our religious movements should not only engage in
"spiritual" activities but should specifically reach out to the poor and needy.
2. Small Groups/NGO's.
a. We can start a movement of small groups (e.g., community groups, work groups, and parish
groups) where people can begin to reflect on their situation and that of the country.
b. Some big companies are already inculcating the habit of observation-action-reflection
through training programs that use experiential methods. These efforts should be expanded.
Specifically, the training programs could be re-designed for use in other contexts, such as in the
small groups mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
3. Government Leadership.
a. We should encourage "conversion" at the top level, as manifested in public "repentance" or
confession.
b. The Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) and private learning institutions
should inculcate the value and habit of self-reflection starting from childhood. Educational
methods should not focus on rote learning, but should emphasize reflection and analysis.
c. We can conduct a "national reflection weekend" for officials and employees in all levels
and branches of the government. During this weekend, government personnel can repeat the
process (see Appendix B) of the Moral Recovery project, that is, reflect on Filipino traits, then
contemplate goals for strengthening the positive traits and changing the negative traits; or a
commission or similar unit can go to regional and provincial levels to help the regional and
provincial government officials and employees in their reflection.
d. We can strengthen the research arms of government agencies by linking them with
universities and non-governmental organizations.

Conclusions and Recommendations

In conclusion, it is recommended that once this report is submitted to the Senate and becomes
a Senate Report, the project should be allowed to develop on its own, independent of, but in
collaboration with, the legislature. It is envisioned that training modules could be developed that
would enable a critical mass of people to reflect on our strengths and weaknesses as a people. It is
important that these modules not simply communicate the findings of the project, but, more
importantly, should attempt to replicate the process of communal reflection that was an essential
ingredient of the project methodology.
The project was a powerful experience for the members of the task force. Along with the
project findings we wish to share this experience as well, so that together we may understand
ourselves, and together we may make an act of the will to become a better people.

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila, Philippines
Note

This paper presents the main part of a report submitted on 8 May 1988 to the Senate Committees
on Education, Arts, and Culture and Social Justice, Welfare and Development by a task force
commissioned to study the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino. The Senate-commissioned
report was spearheaded by Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani who sponsored Senate Resolution No.
10 dated 7 September 1987 advocating the need for a national Moral Recovery Program. Dr.
Patricia B. Licuanan chaired the task force that produced the report. The article first appeared in
the Notes and Comments section of Pantas: A Journal for Higher Education, Volume 2, Number
1, November 198.
Part II
The Ambivalence of Values in the National Character
5.
The Ambivalence of Filipino Traits and Values
Emerita S. Quito

Much has been said about so-called negative Filipino traits. They have been blamed for the
weak character of the Filipino; they are the culprits, the scapegoat of our failures, or at least, the
explanation for lagging behind more successful Asian neighbors.
I propose to take a second look at these so-called negatives in the Filipino psyche to determine
whether there might be a positive aspect, a saving face, a silver lining behind the dark clouds. In
attempting to see an ambivalence in our traits, I will use oriental yardsticks to measure success or
failure for it would be unfair to use Western standards to evaluate our Filipino traits. For example,
is a materially comfortable life with physiological ailments more successful than a materially
deprived life without physical ailments? Is the image of Juan Tamad waiting for a guava to fall
such a reprehensible, if not scandalous, picture? Is the similar image of Sir Isaac Newton, also
resting under a tree, more refreshing?
It is very Filipino to stress our minus points, to find fault in our behavior, to compare us
unfavorably with Westerners by using Western standards. It is common to hear such names as
Bertong Bukol, or Ipeng Pilay or Huseng Ngongo. It seems that we take pleasure in underscoring
our weaknesses, faults, defects, etc. Our standards are smallness, averageness, mediocrity;
grandeur or grandness is not in the Filipino vocabulary. The West, in contrast, evokes: Alexander
the Great, Julius Caesar, Der Führer, Il Duce, El Caudillo, Elizabeth Regina. We seem to enjoy
being humble and meek, or what Friedrich Nietzsche called "the morality of slaves."
There is something strange in the very way we look upon success. A person is not supposed
to exert effort at the expense of sanity. We ridicule a person who teaches himself how to think and
label him Tasio, the philosopher. We warn persons not to learn too much lest they be like Jose
Rizal who was executed at the Luneta in 1896. Assertiveness is frowned upon because it smacks
of pride and ruthlessness. Success to the Filipino, must come naturally; it should not be induced
or artificially contrived. One should not be successful at an early age because that would mean
exertion and hard work. Success must come very late in life, if it is to come at all.
Filipino traits must be understood in the above context. Hence, they are considered negative
only according to other yardsticks.
The following Filipino traits show an ambivalence of positive and negative aspects.

Hiya (shame)
Negative, because it arrests or inhibits one's action. This trait reduces one to smallness or to
what Nietzsche calls the "morality of slaves", thus congealing the soul of the Filipino and
emasculating him, making him timid, meek and weak.
Positive, because, it contributes to peace of mind and lack of stress by not even trying to
achieve.

Ningas-cogon (procrastination)
Negative, by all standards, because it begins ardently and dies down as soon as it begins. This
trait renders one inactive and unable to initiate things or to persevere.
Positive, in a way, because it makes a person non-chalant, detached, indifferent, nonplussed
should anything go wrong, and hence conducive to peace and tranquillity.
Pakikisama (group loyalty)
Negative, because one closes one's eyes to evils like graft and corruption in order to conserve
peace and harmony in a group at the expense of one's comfort.
Positive, because one lives for others; peace or lack of dissension is a constant goal.

Patigasan (test of strength)

Negative, because it is stubborn and resists all efforts at reconciliation. The trait makes us
childish, vindictive, irresponsible, irrational. Actions resulting from this trait are leaving the phone
off the hook to get even with one's party line; stopping the engine of the car to prove that one has
the right of way; standing one's ground until the opposite party loses its patience.
Positive, because it is assign that we know our rights and are not easily cowed into submission.
It is occidental in spirit, hence in keeping with Nietzsche's "will to power."

Bahala na (resignation)
Negative, because one leaves everything to chance under the pretext of trusting in Divine
providence. This trait is really laziness disguised in religious garb.
Positive, because one relies on a superior power rather than on one's own. It is conducive to
humility, modesty, and lack of arrogance.

Kasi (because, i. e., scapegoat)

Negative, because one disowns responsibility and makes a scapegoat out of someone or
something. One is never to blame; one remains lily white and has a ready alibi for failure.
Positive, because one can see both sides of the picture and know exactly where a project failed.
One will never suffer from guilt or self-recrimination.

Saving Face
Negative, because, being closely related to hiya and kasi, it enables a person to shirk
responsibility. One is never accountable for anything.
Positive, because one's psyche is saved from undue embarrassment, sleepless nights, remorse
of conscience. It saves one from accountability or responsibility. This trait enables one to make a
graceful exit from guilt instead of facing the music and owning responsibility for an offense.

Sakop (inclusion)
Negative, because one never learns to be on one's own but relies on one's family and relatives.
This trait stunts growth and prevents a person from growing on one's own. Generating a life of
parasitism, this trait is very non-existential. Blaring music, loud tones are a result of this mentality.
We wrongly think that all people like the music we play or the stories we tell. This mentality also
makes us consider the world as one vast comfort room.
Positive, because one cares for the family and clan; one stands or falls with them. This trait
makes a person show concern for the family to which he belongs.

Mañana or "Bukas na" (procrastination)

Negative, because one constantly postpones action and accomplishes nothing. This aggravates
a situation, a problem grows beyond correction, a leak or a small break becomes a gaping hole.
This arises from an indolent mentality that a problem will go away by itself.
Positive, because one is without stress and tension; one learns to take what comes naturally.
Like the Chinese wu-wei, this trait makes one live naturally and without undue artificiality.

Utang na loob (indebtedness)

Negative, because one overlooks moral principles when one is indebted to a person. One who
is beholden to another person will do anything to please him, thinking that by doing so he is able
to repay a debt. One condones what the other person does and will never censure him for
wrongdoing.
Positive, because it is a recognition of one's indebtedness. This trait portrays the spirit behind
the Filipino saying, "He who does not know how to look to the past will never reach his
destination."

Kanya-kanya (self-centeredness)
Negative, because self-centered; one has no regard for others. So long as my family and I are
not in need, I do not care about he world. Positive, because one takes care of oneself and one's
family: "Blood is thicker than water."
At the end of our exposé of the positive and negative aspects of the Filipino psyche, one asks
the question: What after all, is its ideal of personality, activity and achievement?
Regarding personality, if the ideal is a personality without stress and tension, then Filipino
traits contribute to this. The contention is that success necessarily means hypertension, ulcers and
sleepless nights. Could there exist a state of success without these physical aberrations?
Regarding activity, if the idea is that one should engage in a whirlpool of activity or if the
work ethic is workaholism, then the Filipino indeed is in very poor estate. But is this not more of
the Occidental or Western concept of activity? In contrast, the Oriental emphasizes conformity
with nature; hence, one should never exaggerate or overact.
Regarding achievement, if the ideal is that one must achieve an earthly goal, then the Filipino,
as a race, will occupy a low rank. But again, is this ideal not more Occidental or Western, according
to which one must always set a goal and accomplish it? Setting a goal is not wrong in any culture,
but the manner of achieving it which can be questionable. Does one have to expend one's total
energy in the pursuit of an ideal which, after all, is a personal, earthly goal?
If for the Filipino smallness, meekness, and humility are ideals, could it not be that he is not
this-worldly? Could he not perhaps be aiming, consciously or otherwise, at the life in the hereafter
where the last will be the first, the weak will be strong, and the small will be great?

De La Salle University
Manila
6.
Understanding the Filipino Value System
Vitaliano R. Gorospe, S.J.

Since the February 1986 Revolution,1 values development has been one major concern of the
Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS). Undersecretary Minda Sutaria
has publicized the second draft of the DECS Overall Values Framework, designed to assist
teachers at all levels. This latest draft, basically similar to that proposed by Fr. Raul Bonoan, S.J. in
"Paideia, Humanism, and Magpakatao: Values for National Reconstruction,"2 bases its framework
on the provisions of the Philippine Constitution of 1986.
If we are to discover our traditional values and make sure that they contribute to the "just and
humane society" and "total human liberation and development" of which the Philippine
Constitution speaks, we must ask some basic questions.

1) What is the philosophical basis of Filipino values?

2) What is distinctive about the Filipino value system?

Value Philosophy

A brief introduction to the philosophy of human values is necessary for an understanding of

Filipino values and values education. A Filipino experiences family closeness and solidarity
(pagpapahalaga sa pamilya), politeness (use of po or ho), hospitality (tuloy po kayo), gratitude
(utang na loob) from "within", that is, subjectively and emotionally, unlike a non-Filipino
observer, social scientist, or psychologist who studies Filipino values objectively from "without"
or "from a distance". Such Filipino values as social acceptance, (pakikisama, amor propio,
economic security, pagmamay-ari), and trust in God (paniniwala sa Diyos, bathala or Maykapal)
find their philosophical basis in man's dynamic openness toward nature and the world (e.g., the
value ofhanap-buhay ng magsasaka), one's fellowmen (the values of paggalang, hiya,
katarungan, pag-ibig), and God (the values of pananampalataya, pananalangin, kabanalan).
This dynamic openness of man is an openness to the possibilities of the future. That is why
values are something to be realized. Take the value of peace. The Philippine situation is now
characterized by insurgency; conflict between the NPA, the MNLF and the AFP; vigilante groups;
hostility and division--in short, an absence of national peace and order. Human values are not
merely private. All values have a social aspect. The government official who demands porsiyento,
the fireman or policeman who extortstong or lagay for a service which is his duty, all contribute
to the worsening graft and corruption. We are all responsible for one another (tayong lahat ay may
pananagutan sa isa't-isa).
Values are both subjective and objective. They involve a subject or person who values (e.g.,
a young girl) and an object or value to be realized (e.g., pagkamahinhin). Justice is objective
because it is a value that should be realized by all. It also becomes subjective if justice becomes a
value for me. There is an objective difference between value and disvalue, pleasure and pain, life
and death, poverty and affluence, heroism and cowardice, truth and error, right and wrong, holiness
and sinfulness. The difference is not only in the mind or a matter of personal taste or preference.
Even if I close my eyes to the ugly poverty around me, the poor will not disappear.
Values are not objective in the sense that they are found in some static heaven: they are
relational and embodied in person-value-types (ideal moral persons). For example, to a tipong-
mukhang kuarta [an avaricious look] profit is more important than service; to a tipong-
politiko [political type], pera [money], propaganda, politika [politics] are more valuable than
honesty; tipong siyentipiko [scientist type] or tipong-artista [actor type] personify agham
[science] and sining [art]; tipong madasalin [pious type] may exemplify kabanalan (piety). Cory
Aquino embodied all that we wanted our President to be--credible, honest, just, with a strong faith
in God and in our people. The ideal type or Filipino model during the "parliament of the streets"
was thetipong-maka-Diyos (religions), makatao (people-oriented), makabayan (nationalistic).
The heroes of EDSA placed the good of the Filipino people before the safety and security of
their families. They were willing to risk their lives for God and people. Value-ranking or the
priority of values is not merely arbitrary or subjective. There is an objective ranking of values
based on existence or reality and other objective criteria. Using the criteria of permanence, ability
to be shared, and depth of satisfaction, Max Scheler ranked human values from the lowest to the
highest as follows:3 sense values like sensual pleasure are exemplified by the lakuatsero or
pabling; utilitarian values like profit and efficiency by the businessman and technocrat; life values,
by the doctor and the hero, e.g., Dr. Bobby de la Paz and Emilio Jacinto; cultural values, by the
genius and the artist, e.g., Jose Rizal and Francisco Balagtas; religious values, by the saint, e.g.,
Mother Teresa or Lorenzo Ruiz. Moral and religious values are pre-eminent and claim the highest
priority in the objective scale of values because they are absolutely necessary in order to become
fully human (magpakatao).

Filipino Values: Nature, Constellation and Context

What are Filipino values? What is distinctly Filipino in our value system? The Filipino value
system arises from our culture or way of life, our distinctive way of becoming human in this
particular place and time. We speak of Filipino values in a fourfold sense.
First, although mankind shares universal human values, it is obvious that certain values take
on for us a distinctively Filipino flavor. The Greek ideal of moderation or meden agan, the
Roman in medio stat virtus, the Confucian and Buddhist "doctrine of the Middle", find their
Filipino equivalent in hindi labis, hindi kulang, katamtaman lamang.
Secondly, when we speak of Filipino values, we do not mean that elements of these Filipino
values are absent in the value systems of other peoples and cultures. All people eat, talk and sing,
but they eat different foods, speak various languages and sing different songs. Thus, we easily
recognize Filipino, American, Chinese, Japanese or any other foreign food, language or music.
The difference lies in the way these elements are ranked, combined or emphasized so that they
take on a distinctively Filipino slant or cast. For instance, in China, honesty and hard work may
rank highest; Chinese and Japanese cultures give great value to politeness and beauty; American
culture to promptness and efficiency; and Filipino culture to trust in God and family centeredness.
In this sense of value-ranking and priority of values, we can speak of dominant Filipino values.
Thirdly, universal human values in a Filipino context (historical, cultural, socio-economic,
political, moral and religious) take on a distinctive set of Filipino meanings and motivations. This
is true not only of the aims and goals, beliefs, convictions, and social principles of the traditional
value system of the lowland rural family4 but also of what Fr. Horacio de la Costa, S.J. calls the
Filipino "nationalistic" tradition (pagsasarili, pagkakaisa, pakikisama, pakikipagkapwa-tao,
and pagkabayani.5
A Filipino value or disvalue does not exist alone, in isolation or in a vacuum. Filipino values
like bahala na, utang na loob, hiya, pakikisama, pakiusap are clustered around core values like
social acceptance, economic security, social mobility, and are always found in a definite context
or set of circumstances. Both positive values and negative disvalues together form a characteristic
constellation in school (aralan at dasalan [studying and praying], kuwentuhan at laruan [story
telling and game], inggitan at tsismisan [envying and gossiping]), which differs from the
configuration found in government offices (pagkakaisa [unity], pagkabayani [heroism], intriga
[intrigue], palakasan [show of power], sipsipan [bribery], palusot), in business firms (palabra de
honor [word of honor], delicadeza [finesse], "commission", "kickback", padulas [grease money],
lagay [bribe]), or in the barrio barangays (paggalang [honoring], pagdadamayan [comforting],
bayanihan [cooperation], bahala na [come what may], utang na loob [gratefulness], hiya [shame]/
pakiusap [appear], palakasan [show of power]. To change a framework of values, it may be
necessary to change the constellation and context of those negative values that hinder Filipino and
Christian development.
Fourthly, we can speak of Filipino values in the sense that the historical consciousness of
values has evolved among our people. The Filipino concept of justice has evolved from inequality
to equality, and to human dignity; from the tribe, to the family, and to the nation.6 Filipino
consciousness of these different values varies at different periods of our history. It is only in the
last two decades that the Filipino people have become more conscious of overpopulation and
family planning, environmental pollution (Kawasaki sintering plant) and wildlife conservation
(Calauit Island), and the violation of human rights (Martial Law), active non-violence and People
Power (1986 non-violent Revolution).

Filipino Values: Ambivalence and Split-Level Christianity

Are Filipino values good or bad? The truth is that Filipino values are ambivalent in the sense
that they are a potential for good or evil, a help or hindrance to personal and national development,
depending on how they are understood, practiced or lived. They can be used in a good or evil
context, e.g., pakikisama sa kabuktutan or sa kaunlaran. Filipino values have both positive and
negative aspects depending on the context in which they are found. In a social system or
atmosphere of extreme insecurity, the positive qualities of the Filipino take on negative and ugly
appearances. For example, utang na loob can lead to pakiusap, nepotism and “cronyism”.
Pagmamay-ari ng kapangyarihan (the possession of power) and their abuse could lead to class
distinction or the "malakas-mahina system". Hiya can become pakitang tao or gaya-gaya;
machismo (tunay na lalake) is partly responsible for the "querida system" and the doble
kara morality.
To show the ambivalence of Filipino values, one example will suffice. Take the well known
but ambivalent Filipino bahala na mentality. On the one hand, this Filipino attitude could be the
root of the positive value of risk taking, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility. Prof. Jose de
Mesa, in a pioneer book on the Filipino and Christian meaning of bahala na, stresses the positive
meaning of this virtue of risk- taking, enterprise and joint trust in both human effort (bahala tayong
lahat) and divine Providence (bahala ang Maykapal).7 A people's will to take chances and
risks, no matter what difficulties and problems the future entails, is necessary for a nation's growth
and destiny. Bahala na could be a genuine faith and trust in Divine Providence that also
presupposes a self-reliance (pagsasarili) that took the form of People Power in the EDSA
revolution. Bahala na was a positive and nationalistic virtue for Jose Rizal, who believed that
Filipinos could no longer rely on the Spaniards, but only on themselves and on God.
On the other hand, in the past the negative aspect of bahala na which dominated Filipino life
meant a false sense of resignation (ganyan lang ang buhay), a superstitious belief or blind faith
(malas/suwerte, tadhana, kapalaran), or escape from decision-making and social responsibility.
As such it may be the root cause of national apathy (walang pakialam) and collective paralysis of
action (bakit pa kikilos) to solve both local and national problems. Everything is already
predetermined or fated. Negatively, bahala na could engender a false sense of security with God
as insurance or a security blanket. For example, if God wants Filipino families to have plenty of
children (anak ay kayamanan), God will take care of everything. Bahala na could be the cause of
the absence of national initiative and of that discipline required for national growth. When
negative bahala na prevails, nothing ever gets done. Potholed roads, uncollected garbage,
countless unsolved murders, carnaping and smuggling remain year after year. How many have
ever been arrested, convicted or jailed for wanton murder or for notorious graft and corruption? A
sense of national frustration, helplessness, and despair grips the nation and the people no longer
care. Nothing is going to happen--Bahala na, come what may.
From a Filipino perspective, what social reforms are necessary to transform bahala
na positively? No society will long endure unless there is justice; that is, unless a system of reward
and punishment exists and is effective. If in Philippine society lying and stealing people's money
are rewarded and truthfulness and honesty are punished, what else can one expect but a badly
broken political will for national reform? The present government should therefore prioritize an
effective system of universal sanctions for those who hold power. From a Christian perspective,
the Christian doctrines of divine Providence, creation, stewardship of land and property, and the
conservation of our natural resources remain the challenge and task of parents, educators, and
Christian evangelizers.
Split-level Christianity or double-standard morality, the immorality and hypocrisy of many
so-called Filipino Christians, is a scandal to both Christians and non-Christians alike.8 It is
important to distinguish between pseudo Christianity in all its varied forms and authentic
Christianity; between bad and good Christians. We must also take into account the ambiguity of
any religious commitment, which is not something made once and for all, but a life-long process
which demands constant conversion and renewal. We must also distinguish between Filipino
actual and normative behaviour (between what is and what ought to be). Filipino values are not
static, i.e., they are not simply what they are, but dynamic, i.e., they become. From a historical
perspective, the question to ask about Filipino values is: Ganito kami noon: paano kayo ngayon?
How are we to know towards what goal or direction Filipino values ought to move or become?
Now that we have regained our democratic form of government once again and have arrived
at a privileged historical kairos, how do we transform Filipino values to build a more "just and
humane society" (Preamble, 1987 Constitution)? We need both external structural and internal
cultural change. It is here that the Christian faith should, in the last analysis, point the way to the
kind of values education needed for national reconstruction.

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila, Philippines

Notes
1. For a Christian perspective, see The “Miracle” of the Philippine Revolution:
Interdisciplinary Reflections. A Symposium organized by the Loyola School of Theology (Loyola
Papers 15, Quezon City: Cardinal Bea Institute, Ateneo de Manila University , 1986); Alfeo G.
Nudas, S.J., God with Us: The 1986 Philippine Revolution (Quezon City: Cardinal Bea Institute,
Ateneo de Manila University, 1986).
2. Raul J. Bonoan, S.J., “Paideia, Humanism, and Magpakatao: Values for National
Reconstruction,” Perspective VI (December 1986), 4:18-25.
3. Alfibs Deeken, S.J., Permanence and Process, Max Scheler’s Moral Philosophy (New
York: Paulist Press, 1974). The examples in the article are mine. Scheler explains the role of
person-value types (ideal moral persons) on pp. 199-220.
4. Frank Lynch, S.J., “Social Acceptance Reconsidered,” in Four Readings in Philippine
Values, Institute of Philippine Culture Papers, No. 2 (4 th ed.: Quezon City: Ateneo de Mania
University Press, 1973), pp. 1-68. See also the author’s Christian Renewal of Filipino Values
(Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1965), 19-59.
5. Horacio de la Costa, S.J., “The Filipino National Tradition,” in Challenges for the
Filipino, edited by Raul J. Bonoan, S.J. (Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1971).
6. See the author’s “Sources of Filipino Moral Consciousness,” Philippine Studies 25
(1977), 278-301.
7. Jose M. De Mesa, And God Said “Bahala Na!”: The Theme of Providence in the
Lowland Filipino Context (Quezon City: Maryhill School of Theology, 1979).”
8. Jaime Bulatao, S.J., Split-level Christianity (Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University
Press, 1969), 1-18.
7.
Political-Economic Ideologies and Social Justice
Benjamin T. Tolosa, Jr.

What is the relationship between social justice and economics? While the answer might seem
self-evident at first glance, in this critical period of Philippine history, this question needs more
careful consideration, particularly by students and teachers of economics. In fact, the question can
be posed in more direct and urgent terms: how can the study and teaching of economics be made
more responsive to the demands of social justice in this country today?
Reflecting on these questions from the standpoint of a teacher of the subject, and drawing on
experiences as a student of economics, I have divided this discussion into three main parts:
First: Why it is essential that we recognize from the outset that there are competing ideological
perspectives in economics and why there is a need for a comparative political-economic1 approach
in the study and teaching of the subject; second, a schematic presentation of major competing
political-economic perspectives and their implications for social justice; and third, some trends in
political-economic thinking on social justice in post-February, 1986, Philippines, as an illustration
of this comparative ideological framework. The focus will be on the social justice and national
economy provisions in the 1986 Constitution and on the general policies of the Aquino
government.

The Need for a Comparative Political-Economical Framework

Two economists, Leon Silk and Dudley Seers, have said:2

Economists have rarely been popular with the generality of people. This is strange, because
economists have long insisted that their subject matter is the improvement of human welfare.
Nevertheless, their critics have often called them a heartless crew, content with the calculus of
more and less within the existing order--while so much of humanity suffers and dies, and the gross
sins of society go unstudied and uncorrected. (Silk)

There is so much for economics graduates to unlearn, that unfortunately, the abler the student is in
absorbing the current doctrine, the more difficult the process of adaptation. (Seers)

There is a good deal of cynicism in these statements. Certainly these comments seem to belie
Paul Samuelson's claim that economics is the "queen of the social sciences". It is not my intention
to discourage would-be change agents in the social sciences. But if we are to be serious and
successful in inculcating the value of social justice and human rights among students of the social
sciences and, particularly, of economics, some amount of "taking stock" is in order. Both student
and teacher need to be jolted into a process of critical reflection.
Going back to the two quotations above, it is apparent that the criticisms are directed at a
particular dominant tradition of economic theorizing and policy-making. Silk mentions "the
calculus of more and less within the existing order". He is referring quite obviously to the
marginalist tradition in economics. For many, economics has become a framework for
understanding small changes, for making small adjustments within the prevailing socio-political
system. But if social justice demands structural changes, e.g., the transformation of property
relations, there is a clear inconsistency between the economic framework and the imperatives of
social justice. Then perhaps we might agree with Dudley Seers that economics in this sense is best
not learned at all. The starting point for making the study and teaching of economics responsive to
the demands of social justice is to unearth the underlying assumptions about human beings and
society that are rooted in various economic theories--often perceived to be value-free.
This first step will hopefully make us recognize that what we have is not a single "economic"
perspective on society (and on social justice) which readily can be adopted to understand and
respond to socio-economic issues. What we have are competing perspectives, paradigms,
philosophies, ideologies.
Students ought to be disabused of the notion that economics is above ideological and political
struggle. There is a common conception of economics as simply a "box of tools"--a "technical
discipline" that is pragmatic and problem-oriented. What needs to be stressed is that behind the
technical analyses are ideological presuppositions. Many of the solutions proposed for various
problems are shaped by the way the problems themselves are defined.3

Competing Political-Economic Ideologies and Their Social Justice Implications

This is not the place to discuss in detail and in depth the various ideological perspectives in
political economy, since that would be subject matter for a semester or even two semester course
in economics. I shall confine myself to a schematic presentation of these political-economic
perspectives and try to draw out their social justice implications. My aim is to show that each
perspective has a notion of what is "socially just" and thus of policy measures to achieve this
objective.4
The schema (see illustration) shows the broad spectrum of major political-economic
ideologies drawn in a traditional "left" to "right" axis. The schema also tries to illustrate that these
ideologies have emerged in history often in reaction to one another.
The classical liberal ideology emerged from a traditional conservatism, with its emphasis on
absolutist and paternalist rule by a sovereign who controlled both political and economic power.
In that sense, liberalism was a "freedom movement" calling for "individual liberty" in both the
political and socio-economic spheres. Liberal democracy emphasized political pluralism and
parliamentary competition, separation of powers and civil liberties. Liberal capitalism stressed the
right to private property and free enterprise, and the primacy of market forces over the state in
making economic decisions; it therefore advocated a minimal role for the state in the economy.
On the left side of the diagram are perspectives which give greater importance to the "social"
than to the "individual". It is argued that liberalism fails precisely in its central objective of
"freedom" as long as this "freedom" is confined to the political sphere. For socialists, there is no
genuine liberty apart from social equality. As democracy is not fully realized if its basic principles
and institutions are not extended to the socio-economic sphere, they see freedom and democracy
demanding the social ownership and control of the major means of production.
The schema shows also the historical division of the socialist movement into two main
tendencies. One, tendency identifies with the legacy of Lenin and the Russian revolution of 1917.
It sees the destruction or the "smashing" of the "bourgeois state" as a necessary step in the
establishment of socialism. It also views the formation of a "vanguard" party organized along
"democratic centralist" lines as a requirement. "Democratic Socialism", by contrast, rejects
Leninism as inconsistent with the principles of socialism. It underlines the primacy of democracy
in the construction and consolidation of socialism. It argues that the institutions and structures of
political democracy are permanent achievements of humankind and therefore must not be
destroyed. Socialism is to be characterized by democratic control of both the political and the
economic decision-making processes. Democratic socialists believe in political pluralism and
workers' socialism as pillars of the alternative society.
Towards the center of the diagram is a perspective which crystallized sometime in the 1930s-
40s, particularly in the immediate post-war period. This ideology often is associated with the ideas
of the British economist John Maynard Keynes but it can be seen also as the product of the
historical and intellectual convergence of some aspects of liberalism and socialism--thus the term
"social liberalism". It is "liberal" to the extent that it upholds the institutions of private property
and free enterprise, but at the same time, it questions as did Keynes, the efficacy of the free market
in promoting efficiency, stability and equity in the macro-economy. Such a combination of beliefs
has given rise to the so-called welfare ideology and the welfare state. But welfarism also emerged
out of the political practice of democratic socialist parties, particularly in Europe--as result of both
their achievements and their failures. Their commitment to both democracy and socialism found
expression in their participation in parliamentary politics--the so-called "parliamentary road to
socialism". But in the majority of cases, "socialist victories" were limited to reforms which
improved workers' welfare within the essentially unchanged system of capitalist social relations.5
Recently, there has been a trend towards strong insistence on free enterprise and the free
market. This revival has sometimes been termed "neo-liberalism". But the new liberalism is at the
same also a "neo-conservatism" because while extolling the virtues of liberal capitalism, it
increasingly rejects the values and institutions associated with liberal democracy. Political
liberalism is seen as a hindrance to economic efficiency and growth. This "New Right" therefore
combines economic liberalism and political authoritarianism. It argues that often the price of a
"free economy" is a "strong state". The free operation of the market requires order. Conversely,
the market itself has a way of ensuring order and thus is an institution of power and authority in
society--an idea attractive to traditional conservatives.6
Economic theory and policy therefore cannot be abstracted from these larger ideological
debates. For example, neo-classical economics with its conception of the economy as composed
of atomistic consumers and producers maximizing their utility or profit needs to be understood in
the light of the liberal ideology. Variants of Keynesian economics and Marxist political economy
can likewise be located within a certain range in the spectrum of ideologies. Thus, the question of
economics and social justice cannot be discussed independently of these ideologies. For example,
classical liberal ideology tends to equate individual good with the common good--"individual
utility" with "social utility". Social justice is advanced if there is equality of opportunity in the
market. What the liberal and neo-liberal models overlook is that there are, to begin with,
inequalities in the distribution of wealth and income which foreclose "equal opportunity" and "fair
competition".
Economic theories and policies in the "social liberal" tradition believe that markets are
basically flawed--that they often lead to inefficiency and inequity. Thus the state needs to intervene
in the name of "social justice", i.e., to redistribute the fruits of production towards the poorer
sectors of society.
The third general tradition in economics recognizes that economic inequalities are rooted in
unequal production relations. Thus both those who adhere to Democratic Socialism and Marxism-
Leninism believe that social justice can be achieved only if there is a fundamental transformation
in the social relations of production.
Since the Philippines is considered as belonging to the so-called "Third World", it may also
be worthwhile to try to locate the main perspectives on development in the political-economic
schema used in this essay.7
Under the liberal, neo-liberal, and, partly, social-liberal categories would fall the models
which define the process of development as that of "capitalization" and the building of the
necessary social and political infrastructure to facilitate modernization. Of course, under this
general perspective there is a strand which looks to the private sector as the main engine of growth.
Another strand, which typified early development economics and which reflects Keynesian
influence, recognizes the central role of the government in productive activity.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a perspective emerged in development studies which may
be classified under the "social liberal" or even "social democratic" heading. The so-called "growth
with equity" model pointed out that the historical record of development in the Third World
showed that high rates of growth due to "capitalization" were often associated with deepening
poverty and widening inequities. Therefore there was a need for an approach which stressed
"distribution" together with "growth" or "capitalization".
Finally, there are the development models which correspond to the left side of the schema.
These approaches underline the importance of popular or social control of socio-economic and
political decision-making processes in the country. They call for the radical "transformation" of
the prevailing socio-political system. Central to their analysis is the unequal relationship that
presently exists between the developed "center" and the underdeveloped "periphery". Social
justice, therefore, also demands national control of the development process.

Trends in Political-Economic Thinking on Social Justice in Post-February 1986 Philippines

After outlining the major competing perspectives in political economy and their social justice
implications, we can inquire into the current state of the ideological debate on the issue of social
justice that has taken place since February, 1986. It is logical to begin this inquiry with the 1986
Constitution, and to focus on the general state policies enumerated in that document and its key
articles on social justice and the national economy. What are the ideological underpinnings of the
Constitution? It has been repeatedly said that the 1986 Constitution is a product of the February
Revolution and thus can be understood only in the light of the socio-political forces and processes
which led to the rise of the new government. The "ideology" of the Constitution reflects the
"ideology/ies" of the groups behind the Aquino regime.
I would note three major ideological tendencies (with varying degrees of strength and
coherence) which were represented in the political forces behind the February 1986 events and
which permeate the present Constitution.
First, a clear anti-authoritarian sentiment was evident in the popular revolt against the Marcos
dictatorship. There was therefore something in the Aquino government's rise to power akin to a
liberal reaction to absolutism mentioned earlier. There is really no need to belabor the point that
many provisions of the Constitution enunciate what is at the core of political liberalism: separation
of powers, public accountability, respect for civil liberties and human rights.
Second, there are political groups who have continually called attention to the "unfinished
character" of the February revolution. They argue that democracy cannot be fully consolidated
unless basic social reforms are enacted to redress the problems of poverty and inequity in the
country. Such groups remained largely outside or peripheral to the regime, but nonetheless their
ideas have influenced the government and particularly the Constitution, in which at least a "social
liberal" tendency is evident. The Social Justice Article, for example, is a manifestation of this
redistributive ideology.
Third, there is a tendency which I consider to be quite problematic. An important component
of the anti-Marcos coalition was anti-authoritarian because the dictatorship was seen to be
"interventionist" and "crony capitalist". These groups therefore tended to equate political
liberalization with economic liberalization--reminiscent of classical liberalism. The Constitution
thus contains provisions which give primacy to the "private sector" in the area of the national
economy and which mandates that the government protect and enhance "free enterprise". This
tendency is quite problematic because as in the case of the neo-liberal model explained earlier, the
advocacy of economic liberalism today is often associated with ideas more consistent with political
authoritarianism than political liberalism. It is apparent therefore that the Constitution contains
tendencies which may run contrary to one another, especially in the long run. Inevitably, a
dominant ideological position will emerge.
A closer look at the Constitution will show the ideological trends which co-exist uneasily with
one another. The politically liberal character of the document is clear enough. The Bill of Rights
article is the strongest statement of this commitment. On the question of social liberalism, the
Constitution says that "the state shall promote social justice in all phases of national
development".8 But, of course, one has to ask what is the concept of "social justice" implied in
this statement. In this section, as will be repeated in the national economy article, the government
is called upon to intervene to foster distributive justice. The Constitution also "affirms labor as a
primary social economic force" and underlines the duty of the State to "protect the rights of
workers and promote the general welfare".9 In the same article, however, it says also that the "state
recognizes the indispensable role of the private sector, encourages private enterprise and provides
incentives to needed investments".10 This section illustrates the liberal economic tendencies of
the Constitution, which on closer examination may conflict with the section on workers' rights.
The Social Justice Article as a whole, as earlier pointed out, embodies the general "social
liberal" tendency of the Constitution, with its focus on labor rights, urban land reform, housing,
agrarian reform, etc. There are also some sections in the National Economy Article which tend to
reinforce this perspective. For example, a redistributive philosophy is behind such statements as
"the use of property bears a social function"11 and the right to free enterprise as "subject to the
duty of the State to promote distributive justice and to intervene when the common good
demands."12 Nowhere in the Constitution do we find a statement on the "social nature of all
property", but at least, the emphasis on individual rights is balanced by statements on social rights.
Nevertheless, the article says that while the promotion of a "more equitable distribution of
opportunities, income and wealth" is one of the goals of the economy, "expanding productivity"
remains "the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially the underprivileged".13
These contradictory ideological tendencies were manifested also in the Aquino government
and its policy thrusts. In its desire to preserve the ruling coalition of individuals and political forces,
the government tried to maintain an uneasy balance among conflicting perspectives and demands:
between a view which emphasizes greater political liberalism and pluralism, and another which
calls for political order and stability; between its desire to redress poverty and inequity and its
commitment to promote free enterprise. There was some truth to the government's description of
itself as "centrist" in the sense that it tried earnestly to balance off these contradictory political
strands and claims.
But clearly the dominant tendency has not been "social democratic" or even "social
liberal".14 The Aquino administration increasingly made political and ideological choices in the
direction of the business sector and military interests. While on the surface, such a trend may be
reconciled with a commitment to liberal democracy, such a situation, as noted earlier, is at best
problematic. In the interest of political consolidation the government gave in to military demands,
particularly with respect to the insurgency and the law and order issues. The government pledged
an all-out privatization policy as an incentive to would-be investors--local and foreign. Moreover,
the administration sought alliances with provincial political clans in an attempt to widen its power
bases on the local level. In the process, the government has distanced itself from earlier emphases
on human rights, popular consultation and empowerment, and basic social reform.
Thus, it would be ultimately misleading for the government to continue to describe itself as
"centrist" unless, of course, the range of ideological options is redefined to exclude some
perspectives. Indeed, a question that needs continually to be posed is: where is the ideological
"center of gravity"? A keen awareness of "ideological room for maneuver" is crucial in this
precarious period of democratic transition.

Conclusion

Going back to the question of how social justice can be integrated into the teaching and study
of economics, it is clear that a necessary first step is a certain of "ideological consciousness". We
witness not only technical debates in economics, but also debates which have serious political and
ideological ramifications for social justice. What is needed is a comparative approach to the
teaching of economics. Students have to be exposed to the range of available political-economic
perspectives and alternatives. The problem is that for years students have not been keenly aware
of these competing paradigms. Such an anomalous situation must be corrected if we are to produce
agents of change--students who are critical of the status quo and able to propose alternative
solutions to the many socio-political problems faced by the country.
Secondly, while we must be conscious of the range of perspectives on "social justice",
ultimately, we have to make individual and collective choices on which paradigm or ideology to
adopt. What is involved is not simply academic discussion and debate. In these critical times when
the character of Philippine "democracy" is being shaped, many crucial political battles are being
waged on the cultural and ideological plain--battles to mould popular consciousness. Various
political forces are seeking to analyze problems and define the terms of debate according to their
particular perspectives and interests.
We cannot therefore remain indecisive, especially with regard to questions like "social justice"
and "democracy". Indeed if we firmly believe in a particular conception of social justice, we must
seek to appropriate the term. My own view is that a genuine commitment to "social justice and
human rights" as enunciated in the Constitution implies a firm commitment to both political and
socio-economic democratization in the country.
Finally, since I have stressed the positive role that ideological thinking plays in providing a
general framework for understanding problems and proposing solutions, perhaps I should also
warn against the danger of ideological rigidity and dogmatism. Ideology has an important critical
function. But in the analysis of concrete socio-political events, there is a need to go beyond
ideology. History is convoluted and often ambiguous.15 It requires an openness to the unexpected.
It demands humility. Our experience of the February revolution should serve as a constant
reminder of the uniqueness of concrete situations and the infinite possibilities of the present
moment, both of which require flexibility in our perspectives and approaches.
Such an idea is not alien to Marxism. As Dr. Francisco Nemenzo often points out, dogmatism
is incompatible with the true practice of dialectical materialism.16
For Christians, such openness is inextricably linked with the belief that the world is constantly
being renewed and recreated--by human action, true, but only as a response of co-creators to the
continuing call of the God in history. Action informed by political-economic ideologies ultimately
demands an openness to grace.

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila

Notes

1. By "political-economic" approach, I mean the use of a general framework which takes as

starting point the integral link between wealth and power; between economic and political
relations.
2. Leon Silk, The Economists (New York: Basic Books, 1976), p. 243; Dudley Seers, "The
Limitations of the Special Case," Bulletin of the Oxford Institute of Economics and Statistics, 25
(no. 2; May, 1963), p. 80.
3. Cf. Joe Holland and Peter Henriot, Social Analysis (Washington, D.C.: Center of Concern,
1983).
4. Cf. Ken Cole, John Cameron and Chris Edwards, Why Economists Disagree (London:
Longman Group Ltd., 1983) for an example of a textbook which takes a comparative approach to
economic theory.
5. Adam Przeworski, "Social Democracy as a Historical Phenomenon," New Left Review, no.
122 (July-August, 1980).
6. Ruth Levitas, ed. The Ideology of the New Right (Cambridge: Polity Press, 1986).
7. Cf. Charles Wilber and Kenneth Jameson, "Paradigms of Economic Development and
Beyond" in Charles Wilber, ed., The Political Economy of Development and
Underdevelopment (New York: Random House, 1984) for a discussion of competing perspectives
in development studies.
8. The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, 1986, Article II, section 10.
9. Ibid., Article II, section 18.
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid., Article XII, section 6.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid., Article XII, section 1.
14. Cf. Benjamin T. Tolosa, Jr., "Constraints on Democratic Consolidation and the Economic
Ideology of the Aquino Government," Budhi Papers (no. 8; 1987).
15. Wilber and Jameson, pp. 20-23.
16. Cf. Francisco Nemenzo, "Commentary," Pulso, 1 (no. 2; 1985), 289-97.
Part III
Principles for Positive Moral Growth
8.
Values Education in the Social Sciences
Florentino H. Hornedo

Some Theoretical Considerations

Before discussing the topic assigned to me, I wish briefly to outline some background ideas
which for the subsequent discussion on "Values Education in the Social Sciences." These ideas
are: (1) on education and society, (2) on epistemology and communication, and (3) on the
pedagogical basics and the social sciences. The first are from cultural anthropology, the second
from the philosophy of history, and the third from the philosophy of education.

Education and Society

Pedagogy (Gr. pais, child + agein, to lead) by definition is concerned with bringing up the
young (implicitly) by elders who possess in greater measure knowledge and wisdom.
Society generally perceives itself as broadly divided along lines of age and knowledge: the
young and the old, the ignorant and the knowledgeable. In traditional societies the young were less
knowledgeable and the elders more knowledgeable, thuspedagogy or the "teaching of the young."
Although education may be regarded as an institution created by society, it is a function of
society, and as such arises from the nature and character of society itself. Society seeks to preserve
itself in some form of balance; to do so it maintains its functions and institutions in view of assuring
its survival and convenience. There are instances, however, when a society is in no position to
determine what is for its survival or convenience, as in the case of societies dominated by a power
with non-congruent interests. Thus, educational anthropology speaks of (a) enculturation and (b)
exculturation.

Enculturation. Enculturation, says Mischa Titiev, is the "conscious or unconscious

conditioning occurring within that learning process whereby man, as child and adult, achieves
competence in his culture.1 The term was introduced into social science by M.J. Herskovits in
1948. He saw people as born with biologically-inherited mechanisms whose manifestations they
must "transform or control in conformity with their society's way of life," or "convert . . . to socially
acceptable forms of cultural conduct."2
Enculturation, simplified for clarity's sake, means the process whereby a cultural community
transmits its values and mores to its young. Here at least implicit suppositions are that "culture is
learned anew by each generation," as John M. Whiting accurately observes, and that a level of
cultural homogeneity is desirable for order and creative coexistence in society.3 This process
makes a Japanese child grow into a Japanese, and a French child into become a Frenchman or
Frenchwoman.
In education, enculturation manifests itself in the content and procedures of pedagogy.
Through the content, the person becomes more and more knowledgeable in the values and customs
of his own people; through the procedures, he discovers that his progress is measured by his
achievement in the skills and perspectives which promote the well-being and aspirations of his
society. His communication skills, for example, are measured in terms of how effectively he is
able to communicate with his own people. Thus, the values of his society become the measure of
his achievement and recognition.

Exculturation. The term "acculturation" is the more usual correlative term of enculturation,
but I am using exculturation to suggest more strongly the contrast between the net effects of the
two upon the education. Exculturation (understood as acculturation), says Titiev, refers to the
process of "acquiring culture other than that of one's own society, and in general to the acquiring
by one society of culture traits from another society."4
In the case of immigrants, where the term rightly applies, acculturation is a necessary means
of acquiring social efficiency and competence in one's adopted society. In the case of colonized
societies acculturation (understood as exculturation) becomes a problem, for here the minority
culture of a powerful few becomes the culture of power, and the culture of the majority becomes
the culture of powerlessness or marginalization. The result is usually an expensive, but generally
futile, attempt on the part of the ruled class to acquire power or a share of power by going through
the motions of acculturation with the power elite.
The futility of the attempt derives from the fact that the educational system provided by the
ruling class for the majority really is calculated to prepare the ruled class for efficient service under
them. The measures of educational achievement under this condition are necessarily those of
serviceability to the demands of the power-holders regardless of the locus of the power within or
outside the nation.
Education under a stratified society, such as one that is colonial, is also stratified. The
education to which the children of the powerless majority are subjected is radically different from
that of the children of the ruling class, who tend to acquire their education in centers of learning
close to the power-centers if not in the power-centers themselves. In the home nation, schools are
classified according to standards set in the power-centers, and accreditation marks out those which
have the approval of the power-holders. To these schools go those who can afford their usually
high cost, whether in the form of the direct costs of education such as tuition fees, or in the quality
of the preparation for admission.
Exculturation simply means education which systematically makes the individual less
adaptable and suited to live in his traditional society as he acquires efficiency in living for the other
society. It means that a Filipino is educated to become less efficient in his own Filipino society
and more competent in the service and arts of the alien culture, of the powerholders. These may
reward him enough to keep his loyalty, but never enough for him to acquire equality or domination.
The ruling class sees to it that the acquisition of such equality or attempts at domination are
immoral if not criminal. That is part of the culture game.

Epistemology and Communication

Human knowing comes either from perspective or from experience. Knowledge from
perspective is objective, always incomplete, but easy to communicate by simple demonstration.
Knowledge from experience is subjective, complete, but impossible to fully communicate because
it works only by signs and analogy.
When I see physical objects, for example under the conditions of the physical or natural
sciences, I see only from a point of view, from a point in space regarding the object of my gaze.
Therefore, I always see only a part of the objective being; I see the object only in perspective. I
cannot see the other side, or the inside; I cannot see all around it at once. Always, part of what I
think I know of it as a whole is mediated by a mental process rather than by vision. In other words,
objective knowledge, by definition, is always incomplete.
On the other hand, if I have a toothache, or if I am angry, the fact is circumscribed by me. It
is contained in me and is totally present to me, as it were. I "see" it from all perspectives
simultaneously and no aspects of it or nuances of its reality can escape me. If anything did escape
me, it is not part of the experience and cannot be spoken about. Wilhelm Dilthey said that this was
best capable of communication through art, and not through demonstration.5 And when finally
communicated, it is but the toothache or the anger of the onlooker himself that ultimately makes
sense to the onlooker and through which he grasps that of others. Very much of the content and
meaning of the social sciences is experience and can be appreciated only through the replay within
the individual consciousness of what may have happened in the experience of others as signified
in so many signs by language or art.
Thus, if objective knowledge is incomplete because of the limiting influence of the
inescapable perspectivity of objective knowledge, and if subjective knowledge is never fully
communicable because what the onlooker comes to understand ultimately is not the other's
experience but his own, then all knowledge and communication is inescapably biased. That bias
is not a defect of consciousness and communication, but their condition. This means that there is
no value-free communication at all, that "value-free-communication" is absurd. It means also that
all knowledge is interpretation or hermeneutical, and that all argument about communication and
what is communicated (e.g., in education) is but a competition of interpretations and is reducible
to a struggle for power rather than for clarity, or what some may call truth. The better this is
considered, the sooner we might have peace in dialogue.

The Pedagogical Basics

While we are accustomed to hear from the Department of Education, Culture and Sports
(DECS) that the "basics" are "reading," "writing," and "arithmetic," there is another level of
regarding the basic human skills the possession of which distinguishes those who can meet the
demands and challenges of life more effectively. I shall refer to the listing by Theodore Meyer
Greene of four types of human capabilities: (1) linguistic proficiency, (2) factual discovery, (3)
synoptic interpretation, and (4) normative evaluation.6

Linguistic Proficiency. Linguistic proficiency means (1) ability to use effectively a first
language, and at least a second language on various levels of communication, and (2) familiarity
with, and proficient use of, the specialized technical language of at least one of the arts, and the
natural and physical sciences and technology, for which the language of mathematics is basic. The
issue here is communication.

Factual Discovery. Factual discovery is the basic skill of being proficient in various methods
and techniques of discovering and/or acquiring data and the processes which transform such data
into information. It also means the ability to devise tools of discovery such as maps for the location
of geographic places, directories and catalogues, research designs for guiding the task of discovery,
formulae for arriving at answers, heuristic devices for discovering patterns and conclusions, and
such. It also means knowing whom to ask or what to consult about the facts one wishes to know:
authorities, catalogues, intelligence and information bureaus, and even simple tools like indexes,
dictionaries, and concordances. The issue here is to know how, and to be able, to get the facts,
which means getting the truth.

Synoptic Interpretation. Synoptic interpretation is reading the meaning of patterns which

become apparent only when several facts are put alongside each other so that they can be seen
together (Gr. syn-, together + opsis, a sight). Isolated facts may make no sense by themselves, but
assume significance when seen in relation to other facts. Synoptic interpretation is rooted in the
assumption of the relativity of meaning, and on the further assumption that the greater the number
of facts seen together, the more reliable the interpretation.
Synoptic interpretation is what a chief executive officer does when he takes a hard look at
sales graphs, or what a physicist does when he looks at the final assembled data of an experiment,
or a physician when he diagnoses an ailment by looking at the assembled laboratory findings, or a
teacher when he decides whether a student passes or fails as he sees the line of the ratings acquired
over a term. It is also what the boss does when he sees the biodata and records of a job applicant,
or what the judge does when he tries to work out a verdict as he pores through the mass of evidence
before him.
When the historian looks at the mass of historical facts and makes a statement of his opinion,
when the sociologist makes a statement about a society on the basis of his collected statistics, when
the economist judges the health or ailment of economic conditions on the basis of so many figures
and events, he is doing synoptic interpretation. Inability to do this leaves people unable to make
intelligent decisions. All literacy may prove futile when one is illiterate in this aspect, that is when
one is unable to read an assemblage of related facts.

Normative Evaluation. Normative evaluation is applying a set of criteria (norms) to a subject

in order to arrive at a judgment. Two things are essential: (1) the subject of evaluation, and (2) the
criteria or norms of evaluation. Of the two, the subjects for evaluation, as a rule, come gratuitously
in the course of any human life; but the criteria of evaluation are mostly to be acquired. The criteria
or norms to be acquired come in the form of moral (ethical), legal, cultural, rational, aesthetical,
political, religious, scientific, procedural, professional and technical norms. Ordinarily, these are
rooted in some form of theoretical system or philosophy more or less explicit.
Normative evaluation is what a judge does when he decides whether an act is prohibited or
not by a law; what a panel does when it decides which among a set of beauty contestants measures
up best to a set of contest rules and requirements; and what a literary critic does when he applies a
set of desiderata to a literary work with a view to making a statement concerning its literary quality.
It is what a man or woman does when he or she decides to accept or reject a marriage proposal on
the basis of his or her personal standards of acceptability. It is also what a theologian or religious
teacher does when he takes up an idea and measures it against the established doctrine of his faith
and decides whether the idea is orthodox or heterodox. It is also what a panel of professors does
when they examine a thesis or dissertation, applying to it the norms of their academic discipline
and of scientific method, with a view to arriving at a judgment of passed or failed, or to have it
revised in order to bring it up to academic standards. It is also what the human conscience does
when it is called upon to judge the goodness or evilness of an act yet to be done or already
accomplished. It is the essence of critical thinking.
Normative evaluation saves man from the instability and unpredictabilities of arbitrariness. It
is the basis of ethical behavior and therefore of the order in life.
These four have been called basics because they are skills every man needs for effective
human life. An educational system that does not consciously, systematically and rigorously pursue
the achievement of these skills can only be mediocre, and may be the preparation of a people for
lifelong servitude either to other people or to their own ineffectuality as individuals.

Values Education in the Social Sciences

I see two sets of values in connection with the social sciences: (1) disciplinal values inherent
in their scientific character and hence in the professionalism of the scholar, and (2) values extrinsic
to the disciplines which may be incidentally learned.
The scientific disciplines and professional scientists, when speaking of values, cannot be
separated as if the sciences had values in themselves independent of man whom they serve, or of
the scholars who investigate and report about them. This intimate interconnection between the
scientist and his science is to be kept in mind in the discussion which follows.
The following, possibly among others, easily come to mind when one thinks of the disciplinal
and professional values which should guide the conduct of social sciences teaching: (1) scientific
honesty, (2) circumspection and diligence in inquiry, (3) choice of philosophy and method, (4)
fairness of critical judgment, (5) intellectual honesty, and (6) proper pursuit of the role of the
discipline in the curriculum.

Scientific Honesty. Scientific honesty is both a quality of mind of the scientist, and a quality
of the scientific report made after a study or investigation. As a quality of mind, it is openness,
sincerity of purpose, and dedication to truth; as a quality of the scientific report, it means that what
is written and proposed for the information of others is to the best possible degree free of
inaccuracy in presentation, method and finding. There is to be no bending of material to suit
personal purposes. The worst offense against this principle is a hoax, or a fabrication passed off as
a scientific fact or artifact. The case among others, of the pseudo-historical documents in the study
of Philippine history exposed by Henry Scott in 1968 is one example.

Circumspection and Diligence in Inquiry. Philippine history textbooks, especially after World
War II, carried such material as the "Code of Kalantiaw," and when a Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court retired during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos he was honored with the "Order of
Kalantiaw."
Circumspect and diligent inquiry by historian William Henry Scott (Unitas, 41 [Sept. 1968],
409-420) led him to conclude, "There is . . . no present evidence that any Filipino ruler by the name
of Kalantiaw ever existed or that the Kalantiaw penal code is any older than 1914" (p. 420). One
has to read the account of his painstaking detective work on alleged "pre-Hispanic source materials
for the study of Philippine History" to appreciate what circumspection and diligence is about. But
because of insufficiency in both, other historians, including the famous librarian Alexander
Robertson, have circulated fabricated "historical" information which misguided numerous students
who studied history in our schools.
Circumspection and diligence are qualities of mind and scholarly habit. They concern the
research scholar as well as the teacher. These are virtues which serve as a moral assurance that
what the scholar or teacher says is worthy of confidence. They are not absolute guarantees against
the possibility of error, but they assure audiences and students that the possibility of error is greatly
reduced, and that if any error has occurred, it was in good faith.
Choice of Philosophy and Method. We have noted earlier under the section on "Theoretical
Considerations" that no human is ever able to rid himself of his subjectivity and therefore also of
the ways of looking and understanding which are unique to each individual. We said there that
there is no value-free communication; we can extend that by saying that there is no value-free
perspective.
Philosophy, being rooted in an individual's way of looking and perspective, cannot be
prescribed heteronomously, although an appeal can be addressed to each individual. For this
reason, the academic freedom of teachers, especially on the tertiary level, is guaranteed by positive
law. Under that freedom, persuasion is probably the only non-coercive way to get them to pursue
a philosophic track.
Nevertheless, no matter how one may look at the freedom of the academic, there is the micro-
society of his students, and the macro-society to which he and his students belong. To these they
owe their rights; without these they have no rights at all. In other words, the larger reason for
education should sober up those who wish to absolutize academic freedom and make it an idol.
The point is that the teacher/professor in the classroom vis a vis his freedom is not there simply as
an individual, but as a person standing in lieu of the larger purposes of society; like society, he is
responsible for the recognition of the dialectic of mutual respect. He stands in the classroom and
before students in loco societatis and it is in view of this that I adverted earlier to enculturation.
Thus, in the choice of philosophy--call it philosophy of science if you will--the values of the
society for which the education is being undertaken should be considered with sincere respect. To
cite extreme possibilities, humans may not be used as disposable objects of experimentation, or
manipulated like laboratory mice. It is good to keep in mind always the maxim that humans are
always ends in themselves.
Philosophy and method are so interlinked in science that one without the other is absurd. In
this light, in cultures such as the Philippines where philosophy is often not explicit in the
classroom, there is special importance to conscious pedagogical articulation of philosophy with
regard to the sciences, in this case the social sciences. So much of the implicit philosophy in our
classrooms is rooted in the Pragmatism of John Dewey, brought here by America in the
establishment of the public school system in 1901. Although there is actual pluralism in our
system, the role of the government educational agency we know as the Department of Education,
Culture and Sports (DECS) has been such that less vigilant schools have simply been carried by
the tide. While they profess Gospel values, their educational philosophy in practice in a large
number of courses is no less pragmatistic or negative as regards the values they profess.
Scholars returning from the United States brought "exchange theory" for the analysis of
interhuman behavior; its underlying supposition is that humans are incapable of altruism. "Conflict
theory" (another name for Dialecticism or, more plainly, Marxism) denounced the capitalistic
exchange theory and, especially in its simplistic form, operated on the assumption that differences
in socio-economic class constitute a state of war. Behaviorism came with no less materialistic
postulates. One can go on listing the philosophical perspectives which have been dumped into our
educational system. Thanks to our uncritical openness, we have managed to produce a supermarket
style of educational philosophies to our children's supreme confusion. To this they react with equal
confusion manifested in a behavior we read as lack of values, but which probably should be read
as confusion of values. The integration of truth cannot be possible when the integrative factor--
philosophy--is itself confounded. We have excused this confusion by invoking freedom as if man
were for freedom rather than freedom for man. It may take some salt to understand the nuance
between the two; but failure to appreciate the nuance has been causing this nation to smart, and its
educational system to recognize the confusion. It is now asking for values education--which, given
its background, is already smarting.
The choice of philosophy and method also means choosing a philosophy of education and
method of teaching. The usual methods in Philippine schools--largely due to the lack of
imagination on the part of many educators and due principally to the lifeless bureaucratization and
minimalism of the system--are lectures and discussions in class, and some laboratory work. The
result is a great amount of cognitive learning and a minimum of affective learning. (Values
education is profoundly affective!) The social science classroom can benefit greatly from the
methods of exposure and immersion and the reflective element that procedurally follows such
exercises.

Exposure is a method of teaching whereby the student is deliberately brought face to face with
the concrete social realities which he can only imagine (if at all) when reading books. Exposure is
brief, but may be an intermittent presence at the site of the subject of study or analysis. He should
have the opportunity to interact with the people in situ and to listen to their side of the situation.
He is expected to get the facts from living society rather than from his books alone. He may be
allowed to enter into real human relations with the people from whom he is learning, but it is
necessary to avoid relating to them as if they were laboratory mice being manipulated in order to
get a class grade.
This method must be preceded by planning, and followed by individual and group reflection.
Explaining what he sees is good, but it is even better if he can undertake exercises in devising
strategies of solution. Exposure may develop into something more extended, called immersion.

Immersion is an extended living-with the people who are participating in the student's
educational exercise. The people may be families or communities, with whom the student goes to
live (the summer season is a good time) as a participant observer: he learns the ropes by holding
them, so to speak. It is a kind of practicum in living the way other people live, see and value things.
The purpose is not only understanding a situation, but forming human ties which become anchors
for appreciation. Immersion among the poor, for example, should build ties of identification with
their humanity and a recognition of the dehumanizing effect of oppressive conditions, whether
these be the result of the human limitations of the poor themselves, or of overwhelming oppressive
forces from other humans and institutions. This must be planned, and students need some
preparation to make the experience truly educational and an occasion for growth in valuing.
As in the exposure method, immersion should be followed by deep and wide-ranging
reflection on the matter observed and learned. But unlike exposure which is too brief, immersion
should be interspersed systematically with reflections in situ. Such reflection may bring up
questions which the student can clarify during his stay in his adopted community.
Other variants and modifications of these methods can be created. But whatever the mode of
exposure or immersion, it is important that the program be an official part of the learning and
curricular program and duly graded and credited. The crediting is a signal of institutional valuing.
Calling these "extra-curricular" or "co-curricular" with less or incidental credit is hopelessly
obsolete, even mindless.
Exposure and immersion may be conducted individually or by group; but if by group,
preferably the number should be small.
Fairness of Critical Judgment. Inherent in the procedures of academic investigation and
inquiry is the review of the works of other scholars. Reviewing involves evaluation and judgment.
Fairness is needed in both the evaluation and the judgment. This means a truthful and sober
presentation of why someone made the conclusions he did make. Perhaps it was his theoretical
approach that blinded him to things he should have seen. Perhaps it was the insurmountable
limitation of resources in his time, but in fairness to his sincerity, that was all that was then
possible. Or if harshness is the only way to restore outraged truth, let it be--as Scott did to Jose E.
Marco--but in the procedure he observed, with circumspection and diligence. Or if another
example be needed, consider what Fr. John N. Schumacher,S.J., did with the La Loba Negra which
has been shown to be another fabrication, falsely attributed to Fr. Jose Burgos.
Unfair critical judgment often stirs up storms and divides scholars into warring camps. It is a
seduction to mudslinging and a waste of intellectual energy, more productive of heat than light.
But on the other hand, official power should never be used to decide scientific issues. For this
reason I abhor the sight of the legislative and the executive branches of government deciding what
ethnic group is still Neolithic--we sometimes go that low.

Intellectual Honesty. Do not claim as your brainchild what in fact came from somebody else:
do not plagiarize. These are the pedantic but correct rules of the intellectual game. It is for this that
academic practice has prescribed, in innumerable handbooks of form and style on scholarly
writing, minute prescriptions concerning acknowledgement of sources and exact references.
Intellectual honesty is an elemental scientific act of justice, and supplements what we have earlier
called "scientific honesty."

Proper Pursuit of the Role of the Discipline in the Curriculum. Missing the forest for the trees
is not unusual even among the most dedicated teachers. Specialization has made it possible to
know so much sometimes about a narrow field; if one gets enamored of the facts of a specialization,
one can miss the role of the discipline or subject in the educational system and process. This loss
of perspective has often transformed social science classes in the Philippine classroom into
information-conveying sessions at the expense of skill-in-methods learning. The result has often
been that the social sciences are regarded simply as bodies-of-facts rather than disciplines
concerned, not only with facts, but with the scientific methods of discovering facts.
I have suggested earlier that the social sciences (through not exclusively) should pay close
attention, in the Philippine situation, to developing and honing students' abilities for factual
discovery, synoptic interpretation, and normative evaluation. In this way, the social sciences can
promote and enhance greater fidelity to disciplinal values, while laying the foundation for more
intellectually stable citizens who, by that stability, may be predisposed to become more fertile
grounds for the nurturing of other values. There should be no gainsaying that education is a value
in itself which makes possible the learning of the other values in the classroom or elsewhere. To
miss this is to miss very much indeed.
Maybe one more point should be made for the sake of emphasis in connection with normative
evaluation. The social sciences ought to provide critical norms by which social phenomena are
evaluated. It is not enough merely to describe phenomena; it is important to provide evaluative
apparatus by which students can process information and make sense of social phenomena. Hence,
the need for a theoretical (philosophical) framework of teaching and learning. While the teacher is
not expected to impose, he must make clear his value position so that students know his biases,
should such a knowledge be necessary for their own evaluation of his teaching as required by
critical thinking.

Extra-Disciplinal Values and Social Science Teaching. Since the values-communication may
not arise spontaneously from the disciplines concerned, there is also the issue of values integration,
whose main question is probably not what values, but how values--whether intradisciplinal or
extradisciplinal--can be integrated into the learning process. The integration of values in the
classroom process can take any or all of three modes: (1) role model, (2) precept, and (3) process.

Historical National Value Concern and Values Education

What we have discussed thus far can be said for any other country similarly situated as the
Philippines. We have yet to confront the basic question of the distinctive track which should be
taken by Philippine values education, especially in relation to the social sciences.
A nation's history is its own identity, for regardless of the similarities which may exist in the
histories of nations, or the parallelisms which may occasionally occur, no nations have identical
histories even among those who at some time in their national existence shared common
governments or cultural roots. This is why the search for a uniquely appropriate way of dealing
with any nation inevitably must consider the historic events through which the nation had passed.
In the case of the study of values, or even in the critique of national values and valuing processes,
it is important to identify the central value-concerns which are seen to have been centrally
positioned in the consciousness of those nationals who were in a position to contribute the most
visible and effective input into national events. I shall, therefore, attempt to identify those central
value-concerns which preoccupied the protagonists of Philippine history since the late 18th
century.

Recognition and Respect of Filipino Dignity (1774-1892)

On or around the year 1774, there developed among the best educated Filipinos--the secular
clergy (the Filipinos, who were called Indios at the time, as a rule were not admitted to the orders
of friars--a feeling of being racially discriminated against. This dragged on into most of the 19th
century and culminated in the execution of Frs. Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez, and Jacinto Zamora
in February, 1872. The central issue was the demand by the Filipino clergy for full recognition of
and respect for Filipino dignity. The claim was against what in practice was Spanish racism
justified by a plethora of accusations such as immorality, incompetence, and so forth, some of
which the Iberians claimed to be congenital to the Indio and therefore beyond remedy.
As the conflict dragged on, a new breed of educated Filipinos, products of the educational
reform which took place in 1865, came into the scene. These were the ilustrados who picked up
the struggle for the recognition of Filipino dignity, this time not only from local Spaniards but also
from the Peninsular government of Spain. They called their campaign a "Reform Movement," but
in essence, it was a recognition of their dignity to the point of giving them real participation in
governing their country and in the amelioration of the Spanish colonial government in the
archipelago.
Everything that suggested the capability of Filipinos to stand on equal ground with the white
men and show their equal worth was greatly valued. Thus the victories in the painting competitions
in Spain by Luna and Hidalgo were immense victories of Filipino dignity, as Rizal himself felt.
Even Rizal's own triumph over Spaniards in writing Spanish poetry writing was in perfect tune
with the central national value of the time. For this he scorned in his novels anything or anyone
that seemed, or was, undignified or unworthy. And he caricatured them mercilessly.
By 1892, after Rizal's last attempts to bring about some reform failed because of his arrest and
exile in Dapitan, Andres Bonifacio felt that Spanish reform was not forthcoming, and Filipinos
were never going to live in dignity under Spanish dominion. Eventually, he expressed his
sentiments categorically in such writings as "Katapusang Hibik ng Pilipinas." To build an
institutional expression of his despair over Spanish reformability, he founded the Katipunan in
1892. The execution of Rizal in 1896 confirmed his worst fears and his revolutionary resolve.

Independence (1892-1946)

The founding of the Katipunan was the signal for the birth of a new national value:
independence. Dignity, it was perceived, could never be fully recognized and respected given the
incorrigible attitude of the Spanish colonial powerholders. The only way to attain dignity was to
become politically independent; the Revolution was launched to achieve just that.
By June 12, 1898, Bonifacio had been killed, but his dream of declaring independence from
Spain was accomplished in Kawit, Cavite, by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo and his fellow
revolutionaries. By the close of that year, a republican Constitution had been completed in
Malolos, Bulacan, and then ratified in January, 1899. But by February, the occupying Americans
had made the future of that Constitution very uncertain. Eventually Aguinaldo was captured and
the country fell completely into the hands of Americans whose intent was clearly recolonization.
The struggle for independence was not over, and the best and most authentic acts of patriotism
remained that of fighting for independence despite the military laws of the American occupation.
Patriots went in and out of jail, but independence, they professed, was worth all the pain. The
palliative of that face-saving Commonwealth period was never enough. Full independence, alone,
was deemed to give the Filipino his full sense of dignity and self-respect.
When the Japanese occupied the Philippines in World War II, Filipinos fought and died, some
out of blind fidelity to the United States, but many for patriotic motives. The message was the
same: this nation had not worked for independence only to fall again into another colonial pit under
the Japanese, regardless of their promise of prosperity.
By July, 1946, the United States of America finally recognized Philippine independence. But
alas, at this time recognition was ironic, and practically a joke. The country had just been
devastated by a war the Philippines had no hand in creating. America knew that if independence
were recognized at that time, in pure despair the Philippines would ask the USA to come back in
one form or other to help rebuild the nation's ruins, and in the process make some profit. True
enough, it was not long before the Laurel-Langley Agreement.

Economic Development (1946-1966)

After the recognition of Philippine independence, it became very clear, especially because of
post-war conditions, that independence had no real substance unless the nation had enough
material sustenance to feed, clothe, house, educate, medicate, and in any way cultivate and promote
the life of Filipinos. Economic sufficiency and more was the desideratum of the period.
But troubles there were in abundance: warlords in the countryside; dissident Huks in the
mountains; underfed and undereducated everywhere; and growing slums in the cities, especially
Manila.
The Legislature spent its energies, which appear from hindsight not to have been very vast,
on debates about what to do with the economy. One President is derisively reported as having
asked the legislature to abolish (some say "amend") the "law of supply and demand." The Central
Bank and some well-meaning Cabinet men were in disagreement concerning the peso-dollar
exchange rate because of the fear of fast exit of capital in the country as American profits locally
earned were being sent out of the country. Agriculturization or industrialization was the question
for some. But the sum total of all these was a question of the central national value at the time--
economic development without which dignity and independence would be illusory. Slogans like
"Filipino first" (Garcia) or "simple living" (Macapagal) and various ways of toying with economic
protectionism (e.g., NEPA) were but ways of expressing that central concern for economic
progress, and borrowing foreign capital was not the least among the possibilities.
By 1965, it was clear that some progress had indeed taken place. A few rich had become very
rich, and Marcos later spoke loud and clear against those "oligarchs." Some of them had been his
own political patrons. But in Macapagal's time, even the basic staple of rice was in short supply.
When Macapagal imported rice from Thailand the Legislature accused him of illegal importation,
to which he retorted that he preferred to go to jail than see his people go hungry. That was noble,
but the people were hungry nevertheless, and he lost the next election to Ferdinand E. Marcos who
campaigned on the assurance that "This nation will be great again!" He assumed the presidency in
1966.

Social Justice (1966-present)

Marcos came to be convinced that it was not only development that the nation needed, but
some form of social justice. He tried to move in that direction if only, at the least, to appear to
fulfill his grand promises. He may have been sincere, and many indeed agreed with him concerning
the need for social justice on a national scale. At first, he tried what he legally could.
He faced what other presidents ahead of him had encountered: an uncooperative, often hostile,
garrulous but essentially unproductive legislature. Its leading presidential aspirants were trying to
ensure their election prospects by seeing to it that the incumbent Chief Executive failed miserably
during his term of office. The logic was simple, a successful president was clearly undefeatable
for another term, but why make that possible; hence he was not to succeed at all costs even if the
nation drowned! So Marcos plodded through his term hardly able to even begin to make this nation
great again. The rice shortages continued, election spending caused inflation, and the nation was
sinking because the government itself among other factors was beginning to believe its own
alarmist propaganda. Marcos decided to take the authoritarian road and imposed martial law in
1972.
With control of government fully in his hands, he thought he could achieve at least a modicum
of social justice. But his means themselves were unjust, and although he did register some
economic gains in the mid-1970s, these were soon eroded by growing discontent and loss of
government credibility due to widespread graft and corruption and immense inefficiency.
Social justice was bandied about and given much lip service, but still there was no clear
evidence of success in that direction, economically or morally. Those who disliked martial law
most were among the most desirous to see every Marcos move fail utterly, and so it came to pass.
But the national theme of social justice did not pass and as Marcos fell more deeply into failure,
the need for social justice become more acute.
A "people power" upheaval threw Marcos out of the presidency in February 1986. Mrs.
Corazon C. Aquino became President. Immediately she was confronted with the same national
need--social justice. First, she had to decide how to handle her new government and chose to be a
liberal and to handle government democratically. She made commitments to free enterprise and to
respecting human rights. An early gesture was to free political detainees, many of whom she later
sought to reincarcerate. She asked for and got an agrarian land reform law as a signal of her
personal commitment to social justice.
The central value which appears to concern the nation principally is social justice. If this be
so then the centerpiece of Philippine values education today must be social justice. It should be
seen as the central and organizing value in reference to which the other values become nationally
meaningful. Philippine values education without a vital center can only be a hat full of watch parts,
disorganized and likely to go as the spirit blows.

Organizing Values around Justice

Justice is meaningful in terms of the relationships man has and creates (1) between himself
and other humans and human institutions, ((2) between himself and nature, (3) between himself
and himself, and (4) between himself and the Transcendent.7

Man, Fellowmen, and Institutions

To do justice is to recognize value and act according to that recognition. The value of
individuals must be recognized to give them their due: nutrition if they are hungry, clothing if they
are naked, medicine if they are sick, education if they are ignorant, deliverance from bondage if
they are oppressed, and so forth. The recognition of the rights of others means the proper rendering
to them of that to which they have a right, be it efficient service, fairly priced and quality goods
and services, fidelity, care, or just wages. It means also recognition of their natural right to govern
themselves by means of broadening their true and effective participation in their own governance
and determination of their destiny, earthly and otherwise. But most importantly, the rights of others
is to be read as one's obligation towards them: they have rights precisely because I have
obligations, for rights spring from man's social nature.
Man also relates to institutions. Many Filipinos today are ready to lionize the villains of
society in order to make money. Rebels against the government frequently have been elevated to
the status of folk heroes while the law enforcers are shown as bungling, terroristic, and corrupt.
This is an indication of an anarchistic attitude, a failure to relate to the largest natural institution--
the government and its agencies. Is this lack of concern for government perhaps the reason why
so many sometimes sell their votes?
Many a history teacher has singled out what is called polo service and taxes in the colonial
era as acts of government injustice without explaining why these were needed and how these
services and taxes produced such public services as roads and bridges. The result has been a failure
of the citizenry to appreciate that tax payments are investments in public conveniences and
services, or in the case of public servants, to appreciate the moral implications of their trusteeship
of the people's money.
Man and Nature

Justice in human relations with nature primarily involves promoting the serviceability and
beneficence of nature for mankind. Any improvident aggression upon nature that in the long or
short term returns to plague man in the form of shortages of natural resources or cataclysms is
unjust not only to the perpetrator, but to the society or community which eventually is affected.
This holds true for pollution and the ravaging of nature as through deforestation, dynamite fishing,
the degradation of agricultural soil, and damage to the ozone layer.
Justice in dealing with nature also involves the provident use and employment of natural
resources for the sustenance of society's necessities.

Man and Himself

Man also needs to deal with himself fairly and justly. It is justice to self and to society to care
for one's development personally and professionally. Untold injustice takes place in society
because of countless people who fail to value their potentials and grow up to become burdens to
themselves and to society. Every school child ought to know this as motivation for his or her
growth and for educational perseverance.
Problems like drug abuse destroy human potential and place a burden on others, apart from
its potential inducement to crime. Drug abuse is an injustice to self, as are such other self-corrosive
behaviors as alcoholism.
Good health and physical fitness is good for a productive and socially beneficial life. It is the
effect of doing justice to one's body and faculties sustainedly.

Man and Transcendence

The relationship of man with Transcendence is recognized legally under the provision of law
assuring freedom of belief and religious expression. Although the sense in which justice is meant
under this is chiefly theological, it is no less true that it is a realm of valuing which profoundly
affects human behavior and social relationships. There are ways of relating to Transcendence
which create social dysfunction or lead to outright menace. If carelessly developed, religious
values and behavior can cause social upheavals, as history has so often demonstrated. For this
reason value education needs to confront squarely the developing religious consciousness of
learners, especially their growth towards tolerance and the positive appreciation of the religious
culture of other people.
In a particular way proper to the Philippine setting, these themes of justice--whether the
liberative type such as the protection of human rights, the distributive type such as land reform and
just wages, or the developmental type such as education and economic production--can be adapted
for classroom learning and for programs of out-of-class education contextualized in the Philippine
setting.

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila
Notes

1. Mischa Titiev, "Enculturation," in A Dictionary of the Social Sciences, Julius Gould &
William L. Kolb, eds. (New York: The Free Press, 1965), p. 239.
2. M.J. Herskovits cited by Titiev, ibid.
3. See John W.M. Whiting, "Anthropological Aspect" of "Socialization," International
Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, David Sills, ed. (U.S.A.: The Macmillan Co. & The Free
Press, 1968), XIV, 545-549.
4. Titiev, op. cit., p. 239.
5. Wilhelm Dilthey, "Understanding of Other Persons and Their Life Expressions," in Patrick
Gardiner, ed., Theories of History (Glencoe, Ill.: The Free Press, 1960), pp. 213-225.
6. See Theodore Meyer Greene, Liberal Education Reconsidered (Cambridge: Harvard Univ.
Press, 1953), pp. 37-40.
7. These categories were suggested to me by W. Wielemans (Kath. Univ. Leuven, Belgium),
"The Impact of Industrialization on Cultural Identity and Education in Asian Countries" (Proposal
for a research project, typescript, 1985).
9.
Cultural Rights Are Human Rights
Doreen G. Fernandez

Human rights are more than legal concepts: they are the essence of man. They are what makes
man human. That is why they are called human rights: deny them and you deny man's humanity.
Tote W. Diokno

Cultural Rights as Human Rights

Human rights have been defined and enumerated in five international documents and three
national documents. The international documents are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
which the United Nations adopted on December 10, 1948; its two implementing covenants: The
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which took effect in 1976; the Declaration
and Action Programme on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order; and the
Economic Rights and Duties of States, both of which the United Nations adopted in 1974.
The three national documents are the Malolos Constitution of 1898, the Philippine
Constitution of 1935, and the Philippine Constitution of 1986. The late Senator Jose W. Diokno,
the greatest defender and spokesman of human rights in the Philippines, has pointed out that the
1973 Constitution "has no place on the list," not only because of its doubtful parentage, but also
because of its provisions inimical to human rights.1
The above seven documents enumerate more than twenty human rights. Senator Diokno
explains "the basics" thus:

First. None of us asked to be born. And regardless of who our parents are and what they own,
all of us are born equally naked and helpless, yet each with his own mind, his own will and his
own talents. Because of these facts, all of us have an equal right to life, and share the same inherent
human dignity. The right to life is more than the right to live: it is the right to live in a manner that
befits our common human dignity and enables us to bring our particular talents to full flower. So
each of us individually has three basic rights: the right to life, the right to dignity, and the right to
develop ourselves. These are traditionally known as the rights of man.
Second: Even if we may not know who our parents are, we are never born without parents,
and never live outside society, a society with its own peculiar culture, history and resources. So
besides our rights as persons, we have rights as society, rights which belong to each of us
individually but which we can exercise only collectively as a people. These rights are known as
the rights of the people They are analogous to the rights of man, and like the latter, comprise three
basic rights: to survive, to self-determination, and to develop as a people.
Third: Once a society reaches a certain degree of complexity, as almost all societies have,
society can act through government. But government always remains only an agent of society; it
never becomes society itself; it never becomes the people themselves. It is always and only an
instrument of the people. . . .

All the rights of man and all the rights of the people come from those three basic principles.2
Cultural rights are inalienably part of human rights, but have not been high in the
consciousness of our people, because of the more visible and dramatic transgressions of human
rights that have scarred our recent history, like salvaging, unemployment, low wages, exploitation,
and the suppression of dissent.
What then are cultural rights? Beneath the basic rights of man--the right to life the right to
dignity, and the right to develop ourselves--lie our rights to our own culture.
The right to life is not only the right to be alive, but to live as one wishes, as one sees fit in
order to bring his talents to full flower, as one was shaped by his culture. It is the right to live as
an Ifugao, a Maranao, a Pampango, in the way these cultures consider it good to live.
The right to dignity is the right to the regard of one's fellow man, and therefore of one's cultural
community. It is the right to live and work, to survive and produce, as a Bilaan farmer, as a Badjao
fisherman, as an Ilongo weaver--rewarded with just wages and with the support and regard of his
peers.
The right to develop ourselves assumes a development of what we are, of what our culture
made us, within the context of our families, towns, and nation. It is the right to learn and grow as
an Ilocano student, a Tausug doctor, a Bontoc social worker, each developing the particular
cultural traits and gifts that make him Ilocano or Tausug or Bontoc and Filipino.
Cultural rights are thus inalienably part of the rights of man. They are also, therefore, part of
the rights of a people to survival, to self-determination, and to development, because a people
consists of humans brought together as members of a society, formed by a particular culture and
history.
Before this nation came to be called the Philippines, it was composed of ethnic groups or
tribes scattered throughout the islands--each a community or small society, each with a particular
culture and cultural expressions. Thus when Pigafetta recounted how he and Magellan's cohort
were greeted by a King with food, gifts, and ceremonies, he was speaking of a particular
indigenous people with those customs and cultural traditions. And later, when the Spanish friars
and civil authorities reported back to Spain on their dealings with Zambals, or Joloans, or
Sugbuanons, they acknowledged that they were dealing with peoples whose customs showed them
to differ from each other.
When, after 400 years, Spanish culture--and later, after 40 years of a new colonization,
American culture--had been adapted into the native culture and thus indigenized, a certain
uniformity or similarity could be discerned among the cultures of the conquered peoples--
specifically the lowlanders, like the Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Pampangos, Ilongos, Cebuanos, Warays,
etc. The peoples who remained unconquered, however--and the Spanish annals are filled with
accounts of battles with the Moros, and encounters with headhunters--did not absorb this culture.
Thus, when we speak of a Philippine folk culture as visible in such cultural expressions as the
theater form called komedya, the dance called cariñosa, the house called bahay na bato, we are
speaking only of the culture of Christianized Filipinos, and not of the culture of the Cordillera, or
of most of Mindanao.
Eventually, history forged from this collection of ethnic groupings a political entity called the
Philippines. As a result of the ways of the Spanish colonial government, later the American insular
government, and still later the Philippine national government, the culture of the majority was
taken as the basis for national policy and legislation, and the culture of the others--the so called
cultural minorities, or tribal Filipinos-- was neglected. These cultures were not considered in the
making of laws; these peoples were not usually given a voice in government; their needs were not
often taken as part of the national concern.
Minority Cultural Rights

Yet these peoples belong to the nation that we call the Philippines. Calling them "cultural
minorities" shows that they are considered as not belonging to the predominant culture, and
explains why their cultural rights have been often forgotten and trampled upon.
Let us examine some examples of violations of cultural rights. In the 70s, a government study
determined that, in order to irrigate the entire Cagayan Valley area, and to develop 70,000 kilowatts
of electric power, four dams should be built in the Chico and Pasiw Rivers in Kalinga and in
Bontoc Province. One dam was to be built at Bontoc, to be called Chico I. Chico II was to be built
at Sadanga, Bontoc; Chico III at Basao, Kalinga; and the largest, Chico IV, at Lubuangan,
Kalinga.3 From the economic point of view of human rights, they would enhance the capability of
the residents of the Cagayan Valley to "develop as a people."
To build the four dams, however, would mean displacing 5000 Bontoc and Kalinga families:
uprooting them from their homes, evicting them from what had been their homes for generations,
and banishing them to the lowlands where they had never lived, where their work ways would not
be effective, and where their mountain cultures would have no place. It would also mean
destroying 1500 rice terraces that these people had built with much wisdom, community labor and,
yes, pain.
The destruction of homes and rice fields, the transfer of workers and their families to
unfamiliar workplaces would have been cruel physical displacement. But even more cruel would
have been the cultural displacement. Building the Chico dams would have been, in effect, violating
the rights of a people to self-determination within their culture. The act would have indicated that
the government was acting for the economic rights of the people of the Cagayan River Valley and
against the cultural (and economic) rights of the Bontoc and Kalinga people. It would have
indicated that no importance was given to their burial grounds, or their reverence for their
ancestors, or the trees and forests they believed were inhabited by their deities and spirits, or the
history of therace written in the rice terraces, the houses, the communities.
The Chico dams would not have killed the affected Bontocs and Kalingas--they were left the
right to stay alive somewhere else--but it would have killed their cultural context, and thus denied
them their right to live as they wished, in dignity and development of their own determination and
design.
These people, to whom no one needed to explain the articles of human rights, or the subtleties
of cultural rights, were determined to fight to the death rather than give up their land. They gathered
together, they organized and made peace pacts (bodong).Even their women fought back, and drove
out the National Power Corporation team that had come to survey and drill. How?
The women removed their tapis (a kind of skirt) knowing that the lowland men would not
touch them in public nor even look at them if they were naked. It is a cultural taboo. They advanced
on as the engineers fled in sheer embarrassment. A helicopter had to be flown to pick up their
abandoned equipment.4
It was a cultural weapon, which of course would not have prevailed upon the modern weapons
of the army or the power of the government. Deaths resulted, like that of Macli-ing Dulag, but
eventually the people, aided by friends of tribal Filipinos, prevailed, and the dams were not built.
The story of the Chico River dams may be called a success story, albeit one paid for with
blood and pain. It is a rare one in the annals of tribal Filipinos, which is filled with violations of
cultural rights, and thus of human rights--violations that have not usually found their way to the
newspapers, or official government lists, or even to Amnesty International, because of a lack of
recognition that cultural rights are human rights.
The building of the Kawasaki Sintering Plant in Cagayan de Oro sent workers of the area to
mountain regions where the skills of their fishing culture were unusable. In the days when sugar
was at a premium on the world market, ranches in Bukidnon were converted overnight into cane
fields. Some of the ranches were formerly occupied by Manobo tribesman, who claimed them as
ancestral domain, encouraged by Presidential Decree 410. They were told, however, that the decree
was in abeyance. Did that mean that their rights to the land of their forefathers, and their rights to
use the land as their culture determined, were in abeyance? The Manobos could not understand
this, says Bishop Francisco Claver:
The Manobo do not understand in the same way that the Bontoc and the Kalinga do not
understand, and some have already been killed because they cannot understand. But they are the
Little People, the Manobo, the Bontoc, the Kalinga. They are expendable, their lack of
understanding does not matter because the President [Marcus] knows best. Something is wrong
somewhere, very wrong, and the rest of the country is silent.5

Violations of Minority Cultural Rights

The minorities have, through our history, been deprived of ancestral lands by other Filipinos,
by multinational corporations, and by the government itself. Obviously, this is a gross violation of
cultural, property, and economic rights. Other violations, perhaps less well known or less obvious
would include: exhibiting tribal Filipinos at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904, as "primitive,"
"savage" people, not only degrading their human dignity, but treating them as subhuman and
causing them to become ill.
Another instance was "turning the `discovery' of the Tasaday into an international media event'
to boost the chances of Manuel Elizalde, Jr. for the 1971 senatorial elections."6 More recently, the
Tasaday have been involved in an investigation of their authenticity, which is obviously relative
to accusations against Elizalde, and has resulted in killings among them. Although the
investigation has obvious but unspoken political ends, the victims are the Tasaday, their dignity,
their personhood--and quite probably the lands set aside for them in increasingly crowded South
Cotabato.
Even the many komedyas or moro-moros written in the Philippines from the lath century to
the 20th, although seemingly dealing only with love and war, are unfair to the Filipino Muslims,
and transgress their right to a fair reading of their culture. Generally, they are portrayed as boastful
and ferocious, worthy of victory in battle or of marrying Christian princes or princesses only if
converted to Christianity. The pejorative use of the word "Moron" to signify someone
irreligious, juramentado, etc., is part of this cultural violation.
Cultural discrimination too is the imposition of political, educational, health, and other social
systems or regulations on the Agta, the Mangyan, the Higaonon, the T'boli, the Muslim without
consulting them or their culture.
Cultural violations as well are: discrimination against tribal Filipinos in legislation,
government appointments, educational and health benefits; their displacement due to infrastructure
projects; the degradation of their resource base (e.g., the cutting down, for logging, of the forests
in which they live and find livelihood); the commercialization of their cultural artifacts (e.g., the
ridiculous and obscene carvings that entrepreneurs make native carvers produce for the Baguio
tourist trade); and the desecration of their rites and belief systems (the Grand Canao Festival in
Baguio, the proliferation of mock Ati-Atihan for tourist festivals and political campaigns, the
corruption of the Moriones of Marinduque), etc.
Do we, along with government agencies and commercial enterprises, realize that these victims
too are Filipinos?
There are 107 ethnic groups in the Philippines, the biggest of which are the Cebuano, Tagalog,
Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Bicol, Waray, Pampango and Pangasinan peoples. They represent some 85
percent of the total population. The remaining 15 percent constitute the ethnic minorities, who,
however, represent about 80 percent of the total number of ethnic groups in the country. The
number of Muslims was estimated in 1981 to be between 3 and 5 million.7
The tribal Filipinos include groups most Filipinos have never heard or thought of, or
considered as being fellow Filipinos: Mandaya, Mansaka, Dibabawon, Manguangan, Higaunon,
Tagakaolo, Kalagan, Manobo, Remontado, Dumagat, Agta, Baluga, etc. Their problems are
Filipino problems. Like the rest of us, they need social services, opportunities to develop, jobs and
wages in order to survive, venues in which to express their arts, integration into the nation and its
aspirations. The cultural majority and minority equally have a right to the protection of their
cultures, but the minority have an underlying problem: how to preserve their own cultures while
becoming one with the other, more dominant cultures; how, in effect, to make their contribution
to the national culture.
The Philippine national culture has been defined by critic and literary historian Bienvenido
Lumbera as "the dynamic aggregate of ideas, traditions and institutions embodying the values and
aspirations of the people as these have been concretized by their struggle against colonial rule and
neocolonial control."8 Anthropologist and Constitutional Commissioner Ponciano Bennagen calls
it "that which has been emerging from the crucible of the Filipino peoples' collective interaction
and struggles against other national cultures." It is still emerging, since the Filipino people are still
engaged in the struggle to free themselves from current foreign and new forces of national
domination. It is still emerging as well from the different ethnic identities and cultures, because,
as Bennagen explains:

An aspect of this struggle is the wreaking down of ethnolinguistic boundaries as the diverse groups
find common cause in defending their sovereignty. The emergence of a national culture then
constitutes a redefinition of cultural identities beyond, but still including, the ethnic identities. Put
another way, in the collective struggles against other national forces of domination, we are
becoming . . . both Bontoc and Filipino, both Higaunon and Filipino, both Maranao and Filipino,
both Ilocano and Filipino, both Tausug and Filipino . . .9

A national culture, therefore, does not mean cultural conformity. The Philippine national
culture is built of all cultures that are Filipino. All these cultures have a right to survive and prevail,
and thus make their individual contributions to the national identity and dream. The rights of these
cultures, minority and majority, to survival, to self-determination, and to development, are rights
that the Constitution assumes, guarantees, and protects when it declares that Congress "shall give
the highest priority to the enactment of measures that protect and enhance the right of all the people
to human dignity, reduce social, economic, and political inequalities, and remove cultural
inequities by equitably diffusing wealth and political power for the common good" (Article XIII,
I section 1).
Notes

1. The epigraph and the above data on human rights are from Jose W. Diokno, “Human Rights
Make Man Human,” lecture delievered at Silliman University, 1981, in A Nation for Our Children,
edited by Priscila S. Manalang (Quezon City: The Jose W. Diokno Foundation, Inc., 1987), p. 1.
2. Ibid., pp. 3-4.
3. Diokno, “Our Cultural Minorities and Development Projects,” speech before the Thursday
Club, 1975, in A Nation for Our Children, p. 47.
4. The Signs of the Times, 1974, quoted in Diokno, “Culture Minorities,” p. 49.
5. Bishop Francisco F. Claver, S.J., “The Little People,” quoted in Diokno, “Cultural
Minorities,” p. 51.
6. J. Rocamora, cited in Ponciano Bennagen, “The Continuing Struggle for Survival and Self-
determination among Philippine Ethnic Minorities,” paper read at the PSSC Forum on Social
Science and Government, March 16, 1985, p. 5.
7. Ibid., p. 1.
8. Beinvenido Lumbera, “Popular Culture as Politics,” Revaluation: Essays on Philippine
Literature, Cinema and Popular Culture (Index Press, 1984), pp. 182-183.
9. Ponciano Bennagen, “Diverse but One: Building a Filipino Nation Collectively,” excerpted
with revision from paper delivered at the Third Convention of the Episcopal of Commission on
Tribal Filipinos (ECTF), November 19-24, 1980, p. 3.
10.
Filipino Culture, Religious Symbols and Liberation Politics
Cristina J. Montiel*

In the sixteenth century, Spaniards arrived on Philippine shores. One of their expressed aims
for colonizing our islands was to Christianize the pagan natives. Many university students of today,
however, no longer accept this. They believe that Spanish missionaries were instruments of a
merchant empire with designs on cheap raw materials and the strategic ports of a Pacific
archipelago.
Various consequences stem from the manner in which Christianity entered Filipino life. First,
priests, nuns and church workers occupied social positions of power, as they were simultaneously
loved, feared and revered by the local population. Second, the Spanish Catholic Church attempted
to expand very rapidly throughout the archipelago. This resulted in the physical presence of church
buildings and church networks even in farflung rural areas.
When the Marcos regime became extremely abusive, the only other social counterbalance to
the power and physical presence of the dictatorship was the Catholic Church. This occupied
positions of influence not only in urban centers, but also in the countryside as well. More so, its
physical presence throughout the country became convenient ad hoc centers of dissemination for
information regarding political activities.
The politico-cultural impact of Christianity on Filipino liberation movements runs through
history. What has come to life in our society is an integration of Western Christianity with the
more deeply set spiritual orientations of an Asian people. As one psychologist writes, "During
Spanish times, he (the Filipino) accepted Roman Catholicism whose saints fused beautifully with
his belief in a spirit world . . ." (Bulatao, 1986).
During four centuries of Spanish rule, pockets of peasant uprisings challenged the colonial
authorities. Cultural themes in the popular religious book called the Pasyon inspired Filipino
revolutionary activity (Ileto, 1979). Peasant leaders strongly identified with the image of the
suffering Christ, whose death on the Cross was the ultimate sacrifice for the common good.
When Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972, the ideas if the theology of liberation had begun
to take root in the Philippines. Throughout the dictatorship, various liberation movements weaved
in and out of a political worldview that combined transcendental ideas of man with more pragmatic
Marxist-style outlooks. (Human Development Research and Documentation, 1982).
Catholic bishops took longer than Church grassroots movements to respond to Marcos' regime
(Quevedo, 1986). In the first ten years of Martial Rule, pastoral letters by the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) remained relatively non-committal. Later, a significant
change took place. For example, its 1983 statements touch the most sensitive social issues of that
year (Hardy, 1984).
The February Revolution of 1986 highlighted the marriage of religion with politics.
Thousands of Filipinos faced the regime's tanks unarmed. The street revolutionaries had nothing
but prayers and whispered calls to their Mother Mary to protect them from harm. Eventual victory
was not only a historical moment of political change, but also "a profoundly religious experience"
(Nebres, 1986).
In those momentous February days, faith-expression was a mixture of Western Catholicism
and folk culture. The Filipino's highly personalistic culture demanded that leadership emanate
from persons physically present during the crisis. Throughout the four days at EDSA, there was
the "personal participation of the Sto. Niño or the Blessed Mother leading the procession. It was
all very Filipino" (Bulatao, 1986)
The Filipino concept of power blended well with Christian orientations to produce the EDSA
victory. In our culture, there are two sources of social strength: lakas and awa. The first is
possessed by the powerful; it is their capacity to get what they want because of politico-economic-
military resources. The second, awa, belongs to the apparently powerless; it stems from their
vulnerable position which stimulates intense compassion in others. At EDSA, the two forms of
power fused with the Christian notion of altruism: "power not for personal advantage alone, but
for the common good; compassion not for action out of charity alone, but more fundamentally out
of justice" (Claver, 1986).
But how is power increased? Any type of social struggle entails the production of power.
When one wishes to generate might, one has to choose symbols that capture the cultural
imaginations of the target. Hence it is important to know the audience and what symbols they
recognize as designating power (Lasswell, et al., 1965). The most influential symbols are those
that permeate the social life of a people and are not limited to isolated relationships (Lasswell, et
al., 1950).
In the Philippines, can these psychologically potent symbols come from religion? Perhaps so,
since religion pervades the cultural existence of our people. In fact, religious imagery may act as
a common "language" in a nation so wrecked with divisiveness across economic classes and
regional groupings.
Nebres (1986) posits that "There is an ethos and worldview in the majority of Christian
Filipinos, shaped by the symbols and practices of popular Christianity, which can be a basis for
social change". This concept characterized the political crisis of 1986.
One week after the presidential elections of February 7, 1986, political tensions ran high
throughout the country. A nation watched President Ferdinand Marcos proclaim himself winner
over Corazon Aquino, widow of Marcos' assassinated archival. Many Filipinos believed the
electoral exercise was fraudulent. Meanwhile, the armed underground movement rapidly gained
strength, feeding on the despair of the middle forces who staked their hopes on social
transformation through elections. It was amidst this politically volatile context that the Philippine
bishops met.
On February 13, 1987, the CBCP held a national assembly. One of their reference documents
drafted by a priest sociologist urged them to "Integrate the powerful religious symbolism of which
the Church is the custodian with the struggle for peace and justice" (Carroll, 1986).
By the end of their day's meeting, the bishops signed the historic pastoral letter entitled
"CBCP's Post Election Statement". Briefly, the document announced that a "government that
assumes or retains power through fraudulent means has no moral basis"; the Catholic leaders also
called for "active resistance of evil by peaceful means" (CBCP, 1986). In less than two weeks, the
Marcos dictatorship fell to the amassing nonviolent force of people's power.
The bishops' letters apparently yielded sufficient power to influence attitudes of Filpinos. Why
so? Pastoral letters are a form of mass communication and the encoding and decoding messages is
crucial in communication; it also is where misunderstandings can occur (Kunczik, 1984). In
pastoral letters, messages are encoded in religious symbols. The large extent to which these
religious symbols were successfully decoded by the Catholic populace augmented the political
effectiveness of the documents. Parish priests read the pastoral letters during Sunday mass
homilies. The channel of communication was especially significant for the priest stood in the
pulpit, a place of cultural authority for over four centuries.
With the use of religious themes in politics, will the Philippines produce Khomeini-type
fundamentalist power wielders? Will religion be employed as an instrument of violent
authoritarian rule? Most probably not. In Philippine history, the indigenous religious themes have
been nonviolent and peace-oriented. For example, peasant uprisings were inspired by the image of
a suffering, self-absorbent Lord (Ileto, 1979). Bishops' pastoral letters during the critical years of
the Marcos-Aquino transition period successfully "connected with" the religious imageries salient
in our national culture. The letters spoke of powerful but serene spiritual personalities who
empathized with the sufferings of an oppressed nation.
Pastoral messages called on a lovingly strong God, Father. Christ was the innocent incarnated
Lamb who, as in the Pasyon stanzas, sacrificed himself for the sake of peace among his brothers.
The Holy Spirit breathed and lighted the path of justice. Finally, Mother Mary protected her
children from harm, affectionately helping them through the dangerous path to peace and freedom.
In the 1986 revolution, the statues at EDSA were those of a little child (Sto. Niño) and a gentle
woman (Blessed Virgin Mary). The presence of these religious personalities and other faith-related
beliefs helped topple the dictatorship in an active nonviolent manner (Claver, 1986; Nebres, 1986).
In summary, religion and politics interweave in the fabric of Philippine social life. The
Spaniards introduced a Catholic network that served as the foundation for orchestrated pro-justice
moves under the repressive Marcos regime. Catholic stories, personages and value systems are
very much a part of Philippine liberation history. There is the Pasyon of the anti-Spanish peasant
revolutionaries, the Liberated Christ of grassroots movements during Martial Law, and the
strongly religious spirit of the February 1986 Revolution.
Historical experiences suggest that religious symbolism incarnates liberation ideas in the
context of widely-accepted cultural imageries. Such symbolism tempers the ruthlessness of
liberation movements to produce effective, militant but nonviolent political styles.
Is religion still the opium of a suffering people? Not any more. At least, not in the Philippines.

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila

References

*This article is part of a larger study on Politico-religious Imagery in Liberation Politics

sponsored by the Center for Social Policy of the Ateneo de Manila.
Bulatao, Jaime C. "Another Look at Philippine Values," Punctuations, Vol. 1, 2, April-May,
1987.
Carroll, John J. "Some Reflections on our Philippine Situation Following the
Elections," Pulso, Vol. 1, 4, 1986.
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. "CBCP's Post Electoral Statement"
(mimeographed). Manila. February, 1987.
Claver, Francisco F. "People Power and Value Transformation: A Faith Perspective"
(mimeographed). Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University, Institute on Church and Social
Issues. January 31, 1987.
Hardy, Richard. The Philippine Bishops Speak (1968-1983). Quezon City: Maryhill School
of Theology, 1984.
Human Development Research and Documentation: Marxism and Christianity, the
Philippine Context. Manila: La Ignaciana Apostolic Center, November 1982.
Ileto, Reynaldo. Pasyon and Revolution. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila Press, 1979.
Kunzczik, Michael. Communication and Social Change. Bonn: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung,
1984.
Lasswell, Harold D. and Abraham Kaplan. Power and Society: A Framework for Political
Inquiry. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1950.
Lasswell, Harold D., Nathan Leites and Associates. Language of Politics. Cambridge:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, 1965.
Nebres, Bienvenido F. "Science, Technology and Spiritual Values: Searching for a Filipino
Path to Modernization" (mimeographed). 1987.
Quevedo, Orlando B. "The Path of People Power," Pulso, Vol. 1, 4, 1986.
11.
Christian Faith and Philippine Moral Transformation
Ma. Christina A. Astorga

Before the continuing threat of ideologies and world views contradictory to the gospel, an
urgent and important task is to strengthen the faith vision of our people. Especially in a country
such as the Philippines, where faith is built into the culture, faith holds a real power to change
persons and transform structures. "Ang pananaw ng Pilipino ay nakaugat sa kanyang
pananampalataya, kaya nasa larangan ng pananampalataya ang puwersa para sa pagbabago."

The Filipino Faith Experience: Edsa Revolution

The EDSA revolution was a witness to the power of faith. It is said that prior to those glorious
days of February, a group of Catholic sociologists and other experts planned with utmost care five
scenarios, none of which materialized. Fr. Achutegui offers an explanation:

The dimension of a vibrant Christian faith, an essential element, an intrinsic constitutive

component of the Filipino soul, has escaped the authors of the scenarios. . . . It has been revealed
that the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has also prepared a series of scenarios
anticipating post-election situations. And again, none of the proposed scenarios became a reality.
. . . The communists found out, and some of them have declared so openly, that they had not taken
into account what in the past they had labeled the opium of the people, the faith of the Filipino.1

The faith of the Filipino is not an opium blurring his vision with illusions and reducing him
to a coward fleeing from reality. At EDSA, the power of faith shone for all to marvel at. It was the
inner dynamism that emboldened us to pit ourselves against arms and tanks, fearlessly to risk our
lives believing that being for God and country it was worth all. From a shamed and humiliated
people, we rose to be the light of God to all nations.
We saw the EDSA revolution as our resurrection. To our dismay and disappointment, we
realized months and years later that it was not. Rather, it was our transfiguration, one shining
moment which manifested to us what, at our best and with the outpouring of God's grace, we could
be. Like the apostles on Mt. Tabor, we caught a glimpse of the glory and lordship of God in our
lives in a palpable, intensely visible way. It provided a basis of consolation and hope for the long
struggle ahead, a vision that strengthens us to bear our crosses, and die our deaths to self, until the
merciful and saving God shall finally raise us up, a resurrected people and nation.

Faith: A Theological Reflection

It is good to remember once again our experience of faith as a people, even for a moment to
stay with that experience and allow it to speak to us in the depths of heart and spirit. This is what
theology calls the first moment of faith, the experiential primordial moment. Without this, one
cannot speak of religion, much less of theology, for all of religion and theology begins and is
founded on this moment of faith.
However essential be this moment of faith, there is need also for a second, conceptual moment
when we reflect systematically on the experience and bring its meaning and significance to fuller
expression. This is the task of theology.
To understand the nature and meaning of faith we must see its relation to, and distinction from
revelation, religion, and theology. All Christian life begins with revelation: God's disclosure of
himself and the mystery of his love. Our relationship with God begins not so much with the
knowledge that God exists, but rather with the insight that he loves us. Faith is grateful response
to God, who reveals himself as love stronger than our selfishness. Faith is a grateful response
which takes place, is born, nurtured, and sustained in a community. It is basically ecclesial.
Faith and religion are intimately related; religion is the public celebration of faith, the lived
experience of faith in the context of a community. When we believe, live, and pray together as a
community, we are a religious people. Faith and religion are the lived, communal experience upon
which theology reflects. Men and women live and practice their faith and religion, and theologians
study and reflect on the phenomenon: theology is critical reflection on faith and religion. Without
faith and religion, theology is without content and substance; without theology, faith and religion
degenerate into unexamined behavior, resulting in superstition and fanaticism. Theology is the
liberating critique of faith and religion.2
Faith is a total act of man involving his intellect, will, and heart. It is believing, doing, and
trusting and involves three essential dimensions: Doctrine, Moral, and Worship.
Doctrines are the basic truths of our faith: the doctrines of Creation, Jesus Christ, The Blessed
Trinity, the Church, Mary, and Death and Judgement. Doctrines are not abstract propositional
truths, but real convictions which determine our whole way of interpreting life; they provide
perspectives and horizons of meaning for our moral life. They are salvific truths which "save,
uplift, guide, illuminate, inspire."3
The Moral dimension of faith refers to values that inspire and govern our lives; these laws and
commandments ground our moral obligation to be truly and integrally human. The moral
dimension is drawn from and based on the truths of our faith, and is sustained and nurtured by our
prayer and worship.
The Worship dimension refers to prayer and liturgy, which open our hearts to God. This is the
personal and communal celebration of the basic truths of the faith; it is the depth dimension of the
moral living-out of these truths.

Doctrine and Moral Transformation. The basic meaning of man is founded on the
fundamental truths of the Christian Faith: man is created in the image and likeness of God,
redeemed by Jesus Christ, and inspired and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. The doctrines of the
Faith are sources of understanding our human meaning, dignity, and destiny. That man and woman
are created in the image and likeness of God, means that by their gift of intellect and freedom they
reflect in their nature the nature of God Himself as the supreme, free, and intelligent principle of
all beings. Their being in God's image and likeness constitutes their most fundamental identity.
Though small in the immensity of God's creation, they alone, as God's image, have the capacity to
know and love Him. They possess a fundamental dynamism towards God: they experience deeply
a longing for God which they themselves did not create, but which directs them and unceasingly
seeks fulfillment. The primal cry in every person is a cry for God.4
Despite the goodness of God, however, and their own grandeur as fashioned by God in his
infinite love, they rebelled and separated themselves from the sphere of His love. This fundamental
act of rejection is then not only an evil act, but a rejection of the sublime vocation to human
fulfillment which God himself offers.
Because of this sinful rejection created human nature is wounded. Man and woman experience
within themselves a disorder and brokenness beyond their own capacity to heal. There is need
them for a new and greater experience of God's saving love and mercy. In Jesus Christ, Incarnate
Son of God, God's love reached its definite and irreversible disclosure. In his living and dying, a
radically new liberating power stronger than hatred and deeper than sin invaded the world. The
power of love and forgiveness of Jesus on the cross was bound to a concrete historical situation.
But when Jesus rose from the dead, the power of his love and forgiveness broke through the
confines of his historical situation to permeate all spheres of human existence.
God continues to give himself to us in and through the Indwelling Spirit, the bond of love of
Father and Son. "Anyone who loves me will be true to my word and my Father will love him and
will come to him and make our dwelling place with him" (Jn 14:22). This presence of God in and
among us we call grace, our interior source of moral strength and transformation. The life of
communion with God through Jesus Christ, in the indwelling and interdwelling of the Holy Spirit,
moves towards greater, complete, and perfect fulfillment in the eternal for men and women are
destined for everlasting life with God. This is experienced inchoately in present human joys and
fulfillment, until all is fulfilled in the fullness of time in the plenitude of God's love.5
The basic truths which ground our Christian moral life are that we are created in God's image
and likeness, redeemed by Jesus Christ, temples of the Holy Spirit, and destined for eternal life
with God. Our image of who we are and what we can become draws its truest meaning from the
fact that we are loved and redeemed by Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.

Worship and Moral Transformation. Without prayer, man loses his sense of finitude, and
displaces God, the Absolute. Without the experience of the Holy, Christian moral life loses its
spirit and substance. When the sense of God diminishes, the very heart of moral life is lost.6
There is a connection between prayer and being. In prayer, we share and celebrate a life in
which our affections and dispositions are directed towards God. We discover in prayer, the depths
of our fears, loves, and hopes and touch the sources of our weeping and rejoicing. Prayer qualifies
and shapes the beliefs, emotions, attitudes and intentions which enter deeply into our moral
consciousness. It provides the perspective and depth of meaning to our moral choices and
decisions. In prayer, we encounter God, the ground of our being in whom we find our truest and
deepest selves. A person of conscience must be a person of prayer, of God.

Christian Faith and Moral Transformation in the Philippines Today

Nations and empires have risen and fallen; history tells us that moral decadence led to their
ruin. When moral values are distorted, cultures are damaged and peoples destroyed. The growth
and progress of the economic and political life of a people is essential, but when their moral spirit
is twisted and broken destruction strikes at the root of all social systems and structures.
One cannot emphasize sufficiently the need for moral formation in the Philippines today; it is
a most crucial and urgent task if we are to build from the ruins of a decadent past. Christian faith
plays a central role in the moral transformation of our individual and communal lives, first by
constituting a radical critique of contemporary world views and value systems and, second, by
providing the strongest bond of national identity and unity.
As a force of moral transformation the Christian faith must confront and challenge the world
views and value systems which undermine what is truly human and Christian. This is the real battle
for the hearts and minds of our people.

Secularism. "I did it my way" if taken absolutely could express the secularistic norm of life:
an arrogant claim to self-sufficiency and a denial of the religious dimension to human existence.
It would absolutize falsely secular and human means in the search for human fulfillment. This is
not so much a denial God's existence as edging Him out of any meaningful human discourse and
engagement. God language is disparagingly regarded as the language of a pious, naive, and
unscientific view of reality. "I did it my way" tends to assert man's autonomy as he recognizes his
growing ability to control the world and to engineer his own potential. When man becomes the
measure of all things, the language of religious mystery becomes meaningless.

Individualism. Man bowed in upon himself becomes a norm unto himself, interpreting what
is good only in terms of what is useful, convenient and profitable for himself. The "I, me, myself"
syndrome extends to the "tayo-tayo lang" mentality and to family centeredness pushed to the
extreme so that one's heart cannot expand beyond one's inner circle of family and relatives. The
poor farmer, the exploited laborer, and the thousands of Filipino families mired in misery are
reduced to the cold statistics of socio-economic surveys. This individualism and selfishness which
makes others suffer does not know how to share, has no concern for others, and fattens on the rank
injustice which has plunged our country into economic and political ruin.

Consumerism. A "Bilmoko" syndrome tyrannizes the human spirit with a consuming need for
the sensual and material, a constant need for the immediate gratification of the senses, and a
grasping for more and more, to the point of satiation. It turns values upside down, as gives primacy
to things of the flesh, rather than to those of the spirit. Material well-being is a value, but cannot
be our prime value as a people for there are such more fundamental and important values to be
lived as justice, truth, and dignity. Consumerism, relativizing and subordinating everything to its
own ends, arrogates to itself a form of divinity and becomes a false God worshipped by
contemporary men and women.
A vision of life counter to secularism, individualism, and consumerism is a life of intimacy
and communion with the person of Jesus Christ, of participation in the mystery of his life, death
and resurrection--the very mystery which grounds all human existence and gives it its ultimate
meaning and destiny.

Radical Dependence vs. Secularism. The radical dependence of Jesus on the Father is at the
heart of his person and mission. In the agony of the garden, Jesus was willing to offer everything
for the sake of his Father's will. Even with sorrow in his heart, the depth of which was such that
death would have been preferred, Jesus calls out to God in the loving intimacy of a name which
he alone can utter: Abba. Doing the will of his Father is the central passion of his life; his life is
rooted in his fundamental relationship to the Father as Son. Siya ay nakaugat sa kanyang Ama.
Jesus proclaims: "Whoever looks on me sees Him who sent me" (Jn 12:45). "I have not spoken on
my own; no, the Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to speak" (Jn 12:49).
The radical dependence of Jesus on the Father confronts man's arrogant self-sufficiency for his
creative power and ability.
The Cross vs. Individualism. The doctrine of the Cross is the law of authentic and meaningful
human living: "whoever would preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake
and the Gospel's will preserve it" (Mk 8:35). This is the paradox of paradoxes at the heart of the
meaning of what it is to be both human and Christian. In one's self-giving for the sake of others,
one discovers the ultimate meaning of being. Kenosis is Genesis: in one's self-emptying and dying
to self one discovers new life and is able to generate new life for others. We have witnessed this
in the death of Ninoy Aquino from which a whole nation rose in freedom and dignity. Ninoy's
spilled blood colored the sunburst of our new tomorrow.
The doctrine of the cross challenges the terrible force of individualism and selfishness which
sows death for so many. When we expand our hearts to those outside our inner circle of love and
reach out to them with solidarity and compassion, we break the force of individualism that has
long plagued our nation and damaged our culture. We are called to live a life marked with
simplicity, solidarity and, in some ways, to opposition. The call to greater simplicity of lifestyle is
a call to solidarity with our Filipino brothers and sisters, who, practically feeding on the garbage
of the few living in wanton extravagance and luxury, are reduced to debilitating subsistence. This
implies a call to the courage to speak the truth and to speak it loudest against any system, structure,
or institution which exploits and takes advantage of the powerless.

The Ultimate vs. Consumerism. In his parables Jesus taught men and women to see the
transcendent reality shining through the ordinary events of everyday living. He taught them to
grasp the realities of the world in depth and opened them to the experience of the ultimate manifest
through finite reality and the heart's search for the ultimate and transcendent. Rather than the
superficial and immediate, the cry of the human heart is for that which is deep and lasting. We are
called to lift our eyes to heaven, even as the grind of daily living weighs down on us. Attuned to
the movement of the Spirit, we are always to be in earnest search for the signals of transcendence
in the ordinary, regular rhythm of living, loving, and dying.

Faith, National Identity and Unity. We are a broken people, separated by economic interests,
ideological biases, and social prejudices. Violence in the streets and the cities has become ordinary,
reaching such frightening proportions that we seem to be moving to a future of deterioration and
decadence.
As a people, we need to look back again and again to the EDSA revolution. In those stunning
moments, EDSA disclosed to us that we are deeply one. For many years, we have been searching
for something to galvanize us into oneness of purpose, resolve, and action. In the EDSA revolution,
we discovered it in the experience of sharing communion in one faith.
Fr. Lambino has said that he dared not stand in front of a Korean tank, only in front of a
Filipino tank. The heart and spirit on both sides of the tank, although separated by human causes
and ideological commitments, are at rock bottom bound by one faith, one God, one people.7 Fr.
Arevalo writes:
It is not ideologies which will cause our unity, but the Faith. That is really our common bond,
it is the strongest of our common bonds. And if we are to build together some fine thing for the
future, the experience of EDSA tells us it must be built on our common faith. It is the strongest
foundation of all, on which to build.8
Faith is a dynamic power that transforms persons and liberates their action and work into
generative world forces. It is the potent source of a people's strength in their struggle against
enslavement and towards a freer and more full level of human existence. Faith is the invigorating
spirit that inspires men and women to stand in communion and solidarity as they rebuild a nation.
In this same spirit that they are able to rise above suffering and look fearlessly to the future with
hope, rooted in Him in whose heart all things are made good.

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila, Philippines

Notes

1. Discussion of the agricultural industry-led strategy is beyond the scope of this paper.
However, two points should be mentioned in this regard: a) This should not be an either-or choice;
the strategy should involve a mix between the two; the debate should center only upon the issue
of emphasis. b) This should be seen as an evolving situation. Hence, the adoption of one approach
does not completely eliminate the other.
2. Antonio Lambino, S.J., “Theology and Liberation,” in Church and Society: Challenges for
Tomorrow (Loyola Papers 5; Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University, 1985), p. 3.
3. The National Catechetical Directory of the Philippine (NCDP), No. 179.
4. Cf. Michael J. Buckley, “Within the Holy Mystery” in A World of Grace, Leo J. Donovan,
ed. (New York: Aenburg Press, 1985), pp. 31-49; Kenneth Ebehand, “Karl Rahner and the
Supernatural Existential,” Thought, 46 (No. 183; Winter, 1971), 537-61.
5. Cf. Tony Kelly, “A Hope for Heaven,” The Australian Country Record 61/4 (October
1984), 348-351; John Wright, “The Hermeneutics of Eschatology,” Chicago Studies 24 (August
1985), 217-218.
6. James Gustafson, “Spiritual Life and Moral Life,” Theology Digest, 19 (1971), 296.
7. Antonio Lambino, S.J., “Theological Reflections on the Filipino Exodus: August 21, 1983-
February 15, 1986,” in The Miracle of the Philippine Revolution, pp. 16-17.
8. C.G. Arevalo, “Lagi Nating Tatandaan: Story and Remembering…The story that is
Tradition,” in The Miracle of the Philippine Revolution, p. 39.
Part IV
Values in Educational Method and Content
12.
Values in Theology and Religious Education
Joseph L. Roche, S.J.

Values have to do with human persons, with men and women. As such, values are concerned
with the "only creature on earth which God willed for its own sake, and for whom God has his
plan, that is, a share in eternal salvation."1 This "does not mean dealing with man in the abstract,
but with real, `concrete,' `historical' man". They are the concern of each and every man and woman
as persons, and of the human societies which they create and constitute. 2 Vatican II popularized
the traditional Christian principle that "only in the mystery of the Incarnate Word does the mystery
of man take on light. Christ, the new Adam, in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and
of his love, fully reveals man to himself and brings light to his most high calling."3
The Christian view of man/woman, therefore, is a major chapter in theology and religious
education. In fact before the advent of the social and behavioral sciences, human values and virtues
generally were considered to be more or less the exclusive domain of literature, philosophy, and
theology. With the great expansion of the "human sciences," this monopoly has been decisively
broken. But the new problematic has made it imperative to re-assert the necessary and legitimate
role of theology in understanding, evaluating, and developing authentic human values. In terms of
Filipino culture and values, it is all the more imperative to consider values and values education in
direct relation to Christian Faith and faith education.
This brief essay will offer first a short survey of pertinent recent work on values and values
education, in order to introduce, secondly, certain basic dimensions of the place of values in
contemporary theology and religious education. Finally, it will conclude with a theological critique
of this new value approach.

Values and Value Education

Social scientists like to situate "values" in relation to a number of allied concepts. Behavior is
taken to refer to specific, observable actions; attitudes refer to favorable or unfavorable
dispositions toward certain objects or situations; belief systems are overall frames of reference or
world views composed of certain assumptions made about ourselves, others, the world, and the
like. In this context, values are enduring preferences for certain modes of conduct (e.g., honesty)
or life-situations (e.g., inner peace). They usually cluster to form a values system in which
particular values are ordered according to a certain priority of importance. 4 The important thing
for the social scientist is that values are learned--they do not come "pre-packaged" in the new-
born babe.
The simplest description of value is "a reality insofar as it is prized by a person." 5 Three
components are implied: 1) the nature of the reality prized; 2) the aspect of the reality that makes
it to be the "prized"; and 3) the extent to which the prized aspect is internalized and affects the
person. The first component is the objective base of the value; the second is the subjective
appreciation of that base, and the third is the variable effect in the prizing/valuing subject. From a
theological perspective, what a value approach does, then, is to bring together the traditional idea
of objective good with the modern stress on the personal subject who values that good and is being
formed and changed in the valuing process.
The new stress upon the subject implied by the developing attention to values is characteristic
of contemporary trends in theology and religious education. This is spelled out in greater detail in
the seven-point description of value used by Sidney Simon and collaborators. The seven points
can be conveniently grouped under three headings:

Choosing: 1) freely; 2) from among alternatives; 3) after considering the consequences of each
alternative;
Prizing: 4) cherished and pleased with; 5) publicly affirmed; and
Acting on: 6) carrying it into action; 7) repeatedly, with some consistency. 6
The direct relevance of this threefold sketch of value to theology can be seen by comparing it
to Vatican II's similar three-fold description of the "sense of faith" of the people of God, the
Church. After describing how "this appreciation of the faith is aroused and sustained by the Spirit
of truth," the Council asserts that the believer:
adheres (clings) to this faith;
penetrates it more deeply with right judgment; and
applies it more fully in daily life."7

Thus there is solid ground for relating--without in any way identifying--values education to
faith education.

Values Education and Development

The serious pursuit of values education has contributed significantly to the detailed study of
personal development. Taken theologically, this corresponds to the complex process of conversion
and personal salvation. The social sciences have done much to delineate basic dimensions of the
human drive for self-transcendence: the affective dimension explored by Erikson's eight psycho-
social stages; the cognitive dimension developed in Piaget's genetic epistemology, and the moral
dimension exemplified in Kohlberg's six stages of moral reasoning. 8 Fowler has had some success
in working out a comparable process of a generalized faith development. 9 However, the self-
transcendence indicative of Christian Faith goes far beyond that conceived and studied in the social
and behavioral sciences. The difference can be pictured in terms of three "dreams": 1) our
individual ideal; 2) our community's dreams; and 3) the Christian image of the kingdom of God. 10
Nevertheless, certain insights regarding personality typology have proved helpful in creating
a more holistic catechesis and education in the faith. Carl Jung's work presents four major
functions--two distinct ways of perceiving: sensing and intuiting; and two distinct ways of judging:
feeling and thinking. These form the basis of a four-fold view of the person and personal functions:
the analyzer and the personalizer in judging, and the pragmatist and the visionary in perceiving.
(Figure 1) This is further developed in terms of historical growth by using Brian Hall's sketch of
four phases of consciousness. Each phase is described in terms of three factors: 1) how the world
is perceived; 2) how the individual perceives himself; and 3) what human needs the self seeks to
satisfy. (Figure 2) When related to stages of value development, these phases of consciousness are
significant for understanding and communicating God's Word and the Gospel values.
Values in Contemporary Theology and Religious Education

Theology conceived as "faith seeking understanding" has always been concerned with the
human person's ultimate values. As stressing "thinking faith," theology seeks that truth which
transforms--a type of "loving knowledge" that brings authentic liberating salvation. As such, there
is great value in theologizing for the individual believer as well as for the community of believers,
the Church. But rather than treat the value of theologizing itself, this essay concentrates on the
theology of values, that is, what theology and religious education have to say about values.
For the Christian, God's revelation provides the inexhaustible truths of the origin, ultimate
meaning and final destiny of each and every person, and of human society itself. Through the study
of Christian revelation, then, Theology focuses on Christ Jesus, God's self-revelation, as: 1) the
ultimate ground of all authentic human values, 2) the basis for formulating a correct hierarchy of
human values; and 3) the final criterion for judging the truth and authenticity of all values.
This over-all perspective can be developed in greater detail by structuring Christian faith's
response to God's self-revelation in Christ in terms of the traditional triple catechetical division of
doctrine (Creed), morals (Commandments) and worship (Sacraments). Within this division, values
pertain more directly to moral theology. General morals treat the dignity of the human person, his
freedom, conscience, law and authority, and sin. Special morals take up sexual and family
morality, and especially the social doctrine of the Church. But this does not in any way belittle the
values intrinsic to both the truths of systematic, doctrinal theology, and authentic sacramental
theology. Both of these areas are related intrinsically to the primary theological focus on values in
moral theology.
Regarding doctrine, the general truths are: creation, redemption in Christ, grace, and final
values. But current theology and religious education put special stress first on Christ as the "master
symbol for Christians," the primordial (Ur-) sacrament and value who reveals both God and
man.11 A second favorite theme is the Church as the community wherein values are internalized,
lived, and passed on to others (cf. #435). A third doctrinal topic which relates directly to values
education research is the whole process of moving from the experiential to the dogmatic or rule--
a kind of phenomenology of how Creeds came to be formed.12 This can offer significant help for
understanding the proper methodology for religious education and catechesis.
Sacramental worship, in keeping with values education, stresses the central place of symbol
and ritual in human life, both individual and communal. Sacraments are viewed as the faith
community's ritualized expression of "peak experiences" which touch life's common mysteries at
a depth that goes beneath particular social and cultural milieux. The values educator's distinction
between foundational and second order symbols helps in developing a contemporary
understanding of the sacraments (cf. #110, 338, 422, 425), and in avoiding the trap of empty
ritualism (cf. #103, 167, 327, 430) by integrating worship with the thrust for justice.13

Contemporary Moral Theology and Values

A decade or more ago, "values clarification" was popular, particularly in moral

education.14 But its popularity was relatively short-lived, due mainly to its relativism and
nonjudgmental stance which rendered it incapable of handling questions about the truth,
authenticity, and relative priority of the "clarified values." Nevertheless, the movement did raise
the consciousness of moral educators to the essential place of the moral agent's subjectivity in
"prizing" objective moral good, i.e., values.
Partly perhaps in reaction, favor in moral education next swung to Kohlberg's cognitive
development approach, stressing that the levels of moral reasoning constitute an irreversible linear
sequence in terms of justice as the key virtue for moral life and growth. 15 This approach has also
been shown to suffer from the fundamental inadequacies of neglecting the affective, non-cognitive
factors in moral life as well as the presence within and without the person of evil tendencies,
summarized in theology under the term "original sin."
A third contemporary approach to moral education centers on moral character and vision
precisely as formed by the Christian narrative. 16 Serious inadequacies have likewise surfaced in
this approach, but there have also been permanent positive gains in focusing on the character of
the moral agent within a formative historical process, created in great part by the Gospel story.
What is obvious from this brief selection of recent trends in contemporary moral
theology/education is the common felt-need: 1) to break out of the so-called "rationalistic,
analytical, legalistic, and authoritarian" characteristics of traditional moral theology; and 2) to
incorporate human affections and the "heart" within moral reasoning and living. It is true that much
of the negative criticisms constitutes little less than a caricature of the tradition--confirmed by the
consistent failures of the newly proposed moral approaches. Nevertheless the positive thrust for a
more holistic "value" approach to Christian moral living is certainly sound, and will undoubtedly
continue to be an intensely pursued goal.17

Structuring Moral Theology/Education

This current attempt to create a more holistic, personal moral theology is sometimes described
as a conscious shifting of emphasis from rules to values, from prescriptions to vision, and from
individual choices to fundamental option.18 More attention is now directed to the basic
configuration of Christian moral living, that is, the following of Christ. The call-response image
has been used very successfully to picture Christian moral living in terms of some essential
characteristics: vocation, responsibility, covenant, discipleship, and conversion. 19 Rather than
starting with the Ten Commandments, this whole approach to moral education centers on the
positive evangelical values which include the individual person and all his basic relationships in
society.
This call-response image can be developed further into a general moral educational theory
that structures moral life into three levels: 1) a vision of the fundamental underlying values that
respond to the meta-ethical question of "why?"; 2) the moral norms which answer the normative
question "what?"; and 3) the moral choices which conscience makes in applying the norms to
individual cases, responding to the strategy question "how?"20 In such a structure, the values
constituting the vision become the single most controlling factor in moral education and living.
There still remains the challenge of transmitting these Christian values in a manner that elicits
true personal, moral and religious transformation or conversion, as well as the practical need for
developing the skills necessary for discerning, choosing and acting in an authentic Christian
manner. But the three-fold pattern brings a new clarity to, and offers a holistic structure for,
understanding and interpreting everyday moral life.

Values Education in Religious Education

The close relationship between values and values education with current catechesis and
religious education is quite apparent from even a cursory study of the National Catechetical
Directory for the Philippines. This official handbook for Philippine catechesis clearly manifests
the role of values in catechesis/religious education in terms of: 1) its general goal, 2) the basic
process involved, developed in terms of its tripartite structure, 3) its general methodology, and
finally 4) the key points of its doctrinal, moral, and worship content.

General Goal. The basic aim of catechesis or Christian religious education is to "put people
not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ."21 This sharp Christocentricity,
the outstanding characteristic of current catechesis, is developed today in relation to the basic
human values which Christians share with Christ, their Lord and the perfect human person.
Following Christ, or authentically living the Christian way of life, is now viewed as the believers'
progressive interiorization of Christ's own values. Religious education, then, becomes the process
of drawing believers more deeply and consciously into the value system of Christ, made present
and passed on by the Christian community through "handing on the symbols of Faith."22
Actually, this internalization of Christ's values is described in the NCDP in terms of an
enculturating process by which Filipino values are evangelized "in depth and right to their roots"
(EN 20), purified, permeated and strengthened by Gospel values; Gospel values in turn are
concretized and actualized in Filipino values and patterns of action. 23
A chief means for carrying on this mutual interaction between Filipino and Gospel values is
by "maintaining and transmitting the Catholic sacramental life and basic symbol structure," as well
as updating, transforming, and creating new symbols of faith. (#42, 44f). For it is precisely in such
communal faith celebrations and rituals that the imagination, the affectivity, and the "heart" of the
faithful are most involved.

Basic Process. Value education stresses a number of the key aspects which typify current
religious educational approaches: 1) the experiential, 2) grasped as progressive; 3) involving
affectivity and imagination, and 4) constituting a socialization process. A brief description of each
will suffice to indicate the communality of these emphases.
A major shift toward human experience, particularly in the area of morality, occurred in
catechetical methodology, especially after Vatican II (cf. #401, 422). What is at stake here is the
fundamental catechetical principle espoused by the NCDP of communicating to people "where
they're at," that is, in terms of their "level of age and experience" (#166f), "adapted to the different
conditions of infants, children, youth, adults--to the handicapped, the aged, to quasi-catechumens
and to professionals [CT 34-35]" (#107). This principle, which is also fundamental to all value
education, is carried through the NCDP's treatment of doctrine (#171), morals (#259-63), and
worship (334).
The progressive nature of maturing in the Faith is stressed in the traditional themes of
conceiving "following Christ" as "the Way," and Christians as a "pilgrim people."24 This emphasis
on process in religious education (#101) mirrors the current theological stress on God's progressive
Self-Revelation and His plan of salvation (#90, 204, 328).
The special role of affectivity and imagination in catechesis develops the "feeling" dimension,
especially in worship (cf. #352), but also in terms of improving catechetical materials and texts
(cf. #504). What needs to be affirmed strongly is the compatibility of this "feeling" dimension with
the authentic truth and objectivity of Faith. Properly understood, imagination and affectivity are
not obstacles, but human means for attaining authentic, objective truth.25
Finally, this affective and imaginative "instructing in the Faith" actually constitutes a
"socialization process" which incorporates those being catechized more fully into the complex
culture of attitudes, symbols and values of the Christian community (#436-37). Besides the
primary enculturating consequences of such a socialization process, there are the specific
"transformative" and "purifying" aspects exercised by Gospel values and the Scriptural Word of
God in direct contact with any local indigenous culture.

Structure and General Methodology. The basic objective structure of catechesis manifests a
tripartite division into: "knowledge of the Word of God, the profession of faith in daily life, and
celebration of faith in the sacraments" (#78, 414). The believer's subjective faith response
manifests a parallel tripartite division: faith's act of believing (#146), doing the truth (#149), and
trustful worship (#152). This delineation of faith's basic structure takes on new meaning when
viewed as the ways in which the Christian community expresses and practices the enduring values
of the Christian tradition in their own unique, indigenized manner. Moreover, it is through the
doctrine, morals and prayer-worship of the community that the individual Christian--and the
Christian community as a whole--create and gradually forge their own self-identity, and are able
to communicate their values to others.26
To internalize values means to actualize them with understanding and free decisions, with
personal feelings and attitudes, as the typology of Figure 1 depicts. But in catechesis this goes
beyond merely actualization of the individual human person, doctrine, morals and prayer-worship
relate the believer directly to God. They are the practical means of "glorifying God" (#78, 252).
St. Irenaeus' popular adage--"the glory of God is the human person fully alive"--makes this point
very forcefully, especially when the second half of the adage is added: "while the full life of man
consists in the vision of God." The personal experience of faith, embracing the believer's head,
hands, and heart, takes on new colors and clarity when viewed as a process of internalizing values.

General Methodology. Values play a significant role in implementing each of the three major
methodological principles proposed by the NCDP. The first is the principle of integration, or
fidelity to God: integrating the Christian Message with daily life; integrating doctrine, morals and
worship with one another; integrating the use of the primary sources of Scripture, Church teaching,
and human experience; helping the hearers' subjective faith integration of head, hands, and heart;
and finally, integrating the Christian message with the local culture and environment (#75, 87, 97,
425). This is accomplished through a triple fidelity: to God, to man, and to the Church (#68, 107,
414). When interpreted in terms of internalizing Christian values and truths as opposed to any
process of manipulative indoctrination, this principle of integration forms an effective corrective
to the danger of secularization, encountered whenever religious education is conceived primarily
as a "socialization process."27
Here value educators can be of great assistance to the catechist by offering insights into how
ordinary persons actually integrate their manifold experiences. Value communication attempts to
make another aware of a person's perspective on life, with its consequences for concrete behavior
which is then proposed as "valuable" and "good" for the other. The normal process for this religious
search for personal meaning and value by a particular race or community flows: 1) from the
experience of faith and love, 2) to a responsive, intuitive level of poems, songs, and myth, and then
3) to an active level of knowledge expressed in creeds, moral norms and religious rites. 28
Integrating the Christian message with daily life, therefore, does not consist in amassing trite,
trivial applications, but rather in drawing the hearers back to an appreciation of the deep values
already present in their significant experience. This can be done only by calling on their responsive,
imaginative consciousness. This, in turn, means that catechists/religious educators have already
reflected in this way on their own personal experience. Briefly, "catechists must see and understand
the doctrines they tech in terms of their own lives" (#167).
The NCDP's second major methodological principle is "enculturation," or fidelity to man
(#426-33). Here the central focus is precisely on concrete Filipino values, attitudes, and customs.
The key to enculturation in religious education is the creative use of symbols. Symbols have been
described as capable of translating "vague feelings into meaningful experience, confused impulses
into purposeful activity, and puzzlement into understanding."29 In this light, the NCDP's directives
regarding "creative use of local customs, symbols, traditions, and popular religiosity" (#462) can
be interpreted as underlying the need to fix on values as the key to effective catechesis.
Finally, NCDP's third methodological principle is "interpersonal and community-forming," or
fidelity to the Church (#434-42). Drawing on much research which has focused on the essential
communitarian dimension of human values, two outstanding religion educators have developed
this dimension in different ways. First, James Fowler presents mature Christian Faith in terms of
the Christian community's core story (Biblical narrative of God and His Christ), central passion
(Jesus' Paschal Mystery), the Christian pattern of affections (fruit of the Spirit), and generation of
Christian virtues (Beatitudes)--all contributing to the practical, particular shape of the Christian's
life.30 In a different manner, Gabriel Moran analyzed four different communitarian forms of
education: family-community, schooling-knowledge, job-work, and leisure-wisdom. These are
then interrelated to one another within each of the different temporal stages of educational
development.31

Theological Critique of Values Education

This brief critique will treat, first, the relation of religion to values, including the Christian
faith's response to basic human needs, its illumination of the human situation, and its general
functions. Secondly, the positive content contributions from theology and religious education to
values education will be sketched, followed by a concluding section dealing with the goal of values
education in relation to the Christian vocation and destiny.

Christian Faith and Values

Both current theology and religious education make a great deal of beginning with the human
situation in the concrete: the local Church and the environmental and cultural conditions. For
example, the most quoted of the sixteen documents of Vatican II is "The Church in the Modern
World." The NCDP's introductory chapter is an extended treatment of Filipino value and belief
systems. This practice is grounded on the firm conviction that Christian faith deals with human
values, and that authentic human values are grounded on religious faith. In fact one
phenomenological description of religion is as "value definer" since it provides believers with
dignity, direction and a destiny.32

Basic human needs. For most Christians, in an often unconscious but profound manner, their
Christian faith is at the center of discerning and prioritizing their own basic needs. Christian faith
thus interprets and criticizes the social science account--for example, Maslow's popular
presentation (see Figure 3). As a constitutive part of consciousness, Christian faith responds to the
cognitive search for meaning and order, the affective need for celebration and ritual, the social
need for community with others, the existential need for facing pain, evil, and death, and the
transcendent need for an absolute ground for personal fulfillment.33

The human context. Besides responding to human needs, Christian faith through its prophetic
function tests and challenges the social situation (cf. #257, 436). Most significant here is exposing
the human condition as a grace-sin tension by making people today conscious of the "sin of the
world" which is both about them and within. 34 This is an area in which the Christian view of the
world and to man has much indeed to offer to the behavioral and social scientists (cf. #259, 266,
373).

General Functions. Within the human context, Christian faith, and the Catholic Church in
particular, exercise a number of basic functions: 1) a "shaping and significance" function in
presenting Christ as the meaning and ultimate Truth on which rest the human person's purpose and
identity; 2) an ethical/prophetic function indicating Christ as the Way of moral direction; 3) a
worship/sacramental function that celebrates Life in Christ, offering hope and resources for
creating community and overcoming pain and loneliness. 35 The Church supplies these functions
in large measure through its doctrine, morals, and worship, to which we now turn.

Content Contributions from Theology/Religious Education

Most treatments of values today focus on such very practical concrete realities as honesty,
courtesy, patriotism, physical health, self-reliance, and so on. Christ, the Church, the sacraments-
-all seem very far removed from such practical matters. Perhaps that explains in part the almost
scandalous lack of any explicitly religious or Christian dimensions to values education as
commonly proposed (by practicing Catholics) in our country today.
This essay takes the opposite position. It affirms: 1) that there are explicitly Christian "prized
realities" such as the living Risen Christ; and 2) that more importantly, these specifically Christian
"prized realities" (values) ultimately affect and influence the prizing of all other authentic human
values.36
One does not first become psychologically, socially, and culturally mature and responsible in
order to then become a mature Christian; rather Christian catechesis can exert a most powerful
influence in the "natural" development of the Filipino's personal and familial maturity (NCDP
#50).
The following rests on the underlying principle that there is an intrinsic relationship between
values education and Christian convictions, moral norms, attitudes, virtues, and prayer/worship.

Doctrine and Value Content. Five basic truths sustain the Christian view of human persons,
their situation, their good, and their final destiny. Grounded on the fundamental truth that God is
creating everything now, all is seen as endowed with an innate goodness, especially the human
person created in the divine image and likeness. While experiencing their fallenness in sin,
Christians nevertheless believe in God's incarnation in Jesus Christ, by which they are adopted as
sons and daughters of the Father, redeemed from sin and graced by the Holy Spirit in the Church,
the people of God, and called to eternal life with God. Thus, the basic truths of the Christian Faith-
-Creation, Sin, Incarnation, Redemption, Grace and Glory--delineate the individual human
person's "good," as well as the basic values for all.
Morals: "Doing the truth." Moral theology views God's perfectly gratuitous love for us as the
basis for all moral action (cf. #258, 281). The christian commandments, then, are "concrete signs
of love," grounded in the great commandments of love (cf. #81, 101, 256, 258). Human freedom
is ordered toward love, and experienced not only in individual free acts, but also in terms of the
self's fundamental commitment which is gradually formed around the faith, hope and love inspired
in us by the gift of God's grace, the indwelling Holy Spirit.37
But it is in the formation of Christian conscience, and through the factors operative in
Christian moral decision-making, that Faith has its greatest moral influence. (See Figure 4) As
with forming personal convictions, so the central factor in the formation of a Christian conscience
ultimately is Christ's role in one's life. This is experienced in prayer and active participation in the
Church's sacramental life; it is expressed in the moral guidance given by Christ and the Holy Spirit
through the magisterium. (NCDP #275)

Prayer/Worship and Values. The unique power of liturgical worship to communicate, through
symbol and ritual, both values and Christian affective attitudes and responses, has already been
pointed out. Here we wish to stress the role of worship in the human sense of mystery, and in the
inevitable wrestling with suffering and death. Through Christ, the primordial sacrament, and in the
Church, the fundamental sacrament of Christ's presence among us, the seven sacraments become
real and efficacious means for authentic human development (cf. #356). In the Church's eucharistic
worship Christians are brought to the grateful memory [of Christ's sacrifice] in the past, are
empowered to take, bless, break, and share in the present, and are called to view all in terms of the
world to come.38

Christian Destiny and the Goal of Values

What is unique about the Christian view of the human person's destiny is its presence in daily
life: the "eschatological" is operative even now, in everyday life, through God's grace. In brief,
what we do day by day makes a difference for our eternal destiny. Thus the Christian's view of
"the goal" turns life into a "vocation," and transforms the "self-made" agent into a person open to
communion. When human life is viewed as a personal vocation--being called by God--anxiety
drops, competition wavers, communion with others thrives, jealousy and envy wither. 39 The heresy
of the self-made man is seen for what it really is: an illusion.
The central inspirational force that brings the endtime into our daily lives is the Holy Spirit.
Thus the final, ultimate basis for all authentic religious education as well as values education is
God's Spirit within us, and within each and every person of every time, clime and race (cf. #206,
257, 412, 433, 445, 449).

Conclusion

In any act of communicating, four things are involved: 1) the communicator; 2) his message;
3) his idea of the hearers. Values education has had the happy effect of alerting theologians and
religious educators to these dimensions in their task of communicating the Gospel message.
The message itself is valuable--something to be prized by the hearers, because it reveals the
Self and Love of God, the Communicator. Moreover, it is God's idea of the hearers, and god's view
of His covenantal relationship with them, that must be projected in communicating the "Good
News."
Finally, the creedal truths, moral commandments and virtues, and sacramental worship of the
Christian message, are simply the breakdown and the means of God's infinite Love, creating and
calling us to love through his loving Presence.40 This is the essence of values and values education.

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila, Philippines

Notes

1. "Church in the Modern World," no. 24, in The Documents of Vatican II, ed. Walter M.
Abbott, S.J. (New York: America Press, 1966), 223; and John Paul II, "Centesimus Annus"
(Vatican, 1991), no. 53, 102.
2. John Paul II, Redemptor Hominis (Pasay: Daughters of St. Paul, 1979), no. 13, 52.
3. "Church in the Modern World," no. 22, 220.
4. Janet Kalven, "Personal Value Clarification," in Readings in Value Development, ed. Brian
Hall, et al. (New York: Paulist, 1982), p. 7.
5. Peter Chirico, S.S., "The Relationship of Values to Ecclesiology," Chicago Studies, 19/3
(1980), 321.
6. Kalven, p. 15.
7. "Dogmatic Constitution on the Church," no. 12. See Evelyn and James Whitehead, Seasons
of Strength (New York: Doubleday, 1984), p. 70.
8. Walter Conn, "Moral Development as Self-Transcendence," Horizons, 4 (1977), 189-205.
See also Andrew Thompson, "Towards a Social-Psychology of Religious Valuing," Chicago
Studies, 19 (1980), 271-89.
9. James Fowler, Stages of Faith: the Psychology of Human Development and Quest for
Meaning (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1981). For a sharp critique by a professional sociologist
of this use of development psychology to describe faith development, see Robert Wuthnow, "A
Sociological Perspective on Faith Development," in Faith Development in the Adult Life Cycle,
ed. Kenneth Stokes (New York: Sadlier, 1982), pp. 209-23.
10. Whitehead, pp. 23-27. These dreams exemplify the triadic pattern of all communication:
the self, others, and some shared center of values and power. See Fowler, Becoming Adult,
Becoming Christian (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1984), p. 110. What is different in Faith is
that the "shared center of values and power" is God!
11. See Berard L. Marthaler, OFM Conv., "Handing on the Symbols of Faith," Chicago
Studies, 19/1 (1980), 27. For our Philippine context, see Maturing in Christian Faith, the National
Catechetical Directory for the Philippines (Pasay: St. Paul Publications, 1985), nos. 420, 438-39,
505. All numbers cited in the text refer to this work, known as the NCDP.
12. See John J. Shea, "Experience and Symbol: An Approach to Theologizing," Chicago
Studies, 19 (1980), 7-18; also Chirico,"Values and Ecclesiology," 296-300.
13. Don E. Saliers, Worship and Spirituality (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1984), pp. 22-
24; also John J. Egan, "Liturgy and Justice: An Unfinished Agenda" (Liturgical Press Pamphlet,
1983), 24pp.
14. See Sidney Simon, Leland W. Howe, and Howard Kirschenbaum, Values
Clarification (New York: Hart Publ. Co., 1972); and Kevin Ryan and Frederick E. Ellrod, "Moral
Education in the United States: An Overview," Communio, 10 (1983), 80-91.
15. See Lawrence Kohlberg, "Stages of Moral Development as a Basis for Moral Education,"
in Moral Development, Moral Education and Kohlberg, ed. Brenda Munsey (Birmingham:
Religious Education Press, 1980).
16. See Stanley Hauerwas, Character and Christian Life: A Study in Theological Ethics (San
Antonio: Trinity Univ. Press, 1975); Vision and Virtue (Notre Dame: Fides Publ.,
1974) Truthfulness and Tragedy: Further Investigations in Character Ethics(Notre Dame: Univ.
of Notre Dame Press, 1977).
17. See Charles Shelton, S.J., Morality of the Heart: A Psychology for the Christian Moral
Life (New York: Crossroad, 1990); and Joseph Grassi, Healing the Heart: The Transformational
Power of the Biblical Heart Imagery (New York: Paulist, 1987).
18. See the NCDP, no. 271. See also Lucie W. Barber, Teaching Christian
Values (Birmingham: Religious Education Press, 1984).
19. See Sr. Aida Bautista, SPC, Values Education in Religious Education (Manila: Rex Book
Store, 1989).
20. J. O'Donohue, "The Challenge of Teaching Morality Today," Living Light, 21 (1985), 253-
59.
21. John Paul II, Catechesi Tradendae, no. 5, quoted in NCDP, no. 77.
22. See Marthaler, pp. 21, 25-26.
23. NCDP, no. 428.
24. The NCDP refers to the human development process in general in no. 443, in its socio-
cultural aspects in no. 45, and its stages in nos. 107, 166, and 422.
25. See Kathleen R. Fischer, The Inner Rainbow: The Imagination in Christian Life (New
York: Paulist, 1983); Philip S. Keanne, S.S., Christian Ethics and Imagination (New York:
Paulist, 1984); Mathias Neuman, OSB, "Towards an Integrated Theory of Imagination,”
International Philosophical Quarterly 18 (1978), 254-57; and my previous study, "Imagination
and Integration in the NCDP," Docete, 9 (no. 45; April/June 1986), 2-7.
26. Chirico, p. 296.
27. Marthaler, p. 30.
28. Michael D. Place, "Philosophical Foundations for Value Transmission," Chicago Studies,
19 (1980), 318, 324, 330-32.
29. Marthaler, p. 26.
30. Fowler, Becoming Adult, Becoming Christian, 114-27; also Place's 4th stage of
interaction, "Philosophical foundations," 324.
31. See Gabriel Moran, Religious Education Development (San Francisco, Winston Press,
1983), pp. 165-82.
32. Clyde F. Crews, Ultimate Questions: A Theological Primer (New York: Paulist, 1986),
pp. 80-81.
33. Daniel Bell, The Cultural Contradictions of Capitalism (New York: Basic Books, 1978),
169; also Saliers, p. 32.
34. Crews, Ultimate Questions, 143-45. Craig Dykstra offered a brief but sharp critique of this
lack of sin-awareness in recent authors in "Sin, Repentance and Moral Transformation: Critical
Reflections on Kohlberg," Living Light, 16 (1979), 4551-60.
35. Crews, pp. 140-43. See also Craig Dykstra's book, Vision and Character: A Christian
Educator's Alternative to Kohlberg (New York: Paulist, 1981), and his article "Transformation in
Faith and Morals," Theology Today, 39 (1982), 56-64.
36. Chirico, "Values and Ecclesiology," 294; see also Jean Bouvy's report on "Education in
Values for the Societies of the Year 2000," Lumen Vitae, 37 (1982), 249-75, which stresses four
values: 1) respect for others, 2) responsible solidarity, 3) creativity, and 4) interiority, all inspired
by Gospel love.
37. See Bernard Haring, CSSR, Timely and Untimely Virtues (Middlegreen: St. Paul Publ.,
1986), pp. 27-43.
38. Haring, 44-52; also Saliers, pp. 15-26.
39. See Fowler, Becoming Adult, Becoming Christian, pp. 103-105.
40. For example, see John Navone, S.J., Gospel of Love Wilmington: Glazier, 1984); and John
Crossin, OSFS, What Are They Saying About Virtue? (New York: Paulist, 1985).
13.
Teaching Values in the Natural and Physical Sciences
in the Philippine
Serafin D. Talisayon

This paper is based on three assumptions: First, the values that must be taught in schools are
(1) those specified in the Constitution and (2) those indigenous Filipino values in harmony with
the first. We shall call or define them as socially-desirable values. Second, science and technology
are not value free. Third, in case of conflict, the values inherent in science and technology must be
subordinated to those values we deem socially desirable. "We" refers to us Filipinos. However in
case of conflict in facts or empirically testable statements, the methods of science must prevail.

Socially-Desirable Values

The 1987 Constitution is a formal document embodying social values deemed desirable for
the nation. It has been claimed that the Philippine Constitution is the only constitution in the world
which mentions the two words `God' and `love'. The Preamble states:
We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just
and humane society and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations,
promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our
posterity the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and the regime of
truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.
This is consistent with the "maka-Diyos" and "maka-tao" elements of some indigenous
Filipino millenarian movements which were adopted into the Filipino ideology during the previous
regime. Article XIV, Section 3 echoes the importance of ethical and spiritual values, good moral
character and personal discipline. Other values in the 1987 Constitution are:

(1) national self-reliance and an independent foreign policy (Article II, Sections 7 and 19;
Article XII, Section 12);
(2) recognition of the role of women (Article II, Section 14; Article XIII, Section 14) and the
rights of the indigenous cultural communities (Article II, Section 22; Article X, Section 15);
(3) free enterprise (Article II, Section 20);
(4) ecological balance (Article II, Section 16);
(5) negative values are placed on war, nuclear weapons, military supremacy, degrading and
inhuman punishment, political dynasties, graft and corruption, monopolies and social inequities
(Article II, Sections 2, 3, 8, 26 and 27; Article III, Section 19; Article XI; Article XII, Section 19;
Article XIII);
(6) democratic values, and human values in the Bill of Rights, social justice (Article XIII);
(7) patriotism and nationalism, love and humanity, respect for human rights, appreciation of
the role of national heroes (Article XIV, Section 3.2); and
(8) critical and creative thinking, invention and innovation, scientific and technological self-
reliance, and vocational efficiency (Article XIV, Section 3.2 and Section 10).
From the way the 1987 Constitution underscores science and technology, it may be gathered
that the implicit aim is not science and technology itself, but its role in serving such national goals
as self-reliance and development.

Filipino Values

There have been numerous studies on Filipino values, ranging from scientific surveys and
tests to essays of personal opinions and anecdotes (Church 1986).
The most accurate indicator of social values is spontaneous mass behavior. In this regard,
perhaps the best example of mass spontaneous behavior is the People Power Revolution of
February, 1986. This action on a rare scale of magnitude could only reflect the common
denominators in the traits of its millions of participants. It spawned a number of descriptions of
the Filipino character. One writer (Hornedo 1988) summarized his observations of this social
phenomenon as follows:
The authentic and truly classic EDSA people power was therefore: (1) popular and cutting
across socio-economic lines; spontaneous and therefore unstructured, (2) joyful and humanitarian,
(3) religious in temperament and persuasion, (4) pacifist and conciliatory, (5) non-confrontational
as the third party go-between or namamagitan of traditional Filipino society and culture, and by
this fact (6) rooted in the Filipino national consciousness and soul . . . (it was also) (7) pro-freedom.
Nationwide surveys conducted by the Bishops-Businessmen Conference and the Ateneo
Social Weather Station suggest the following elements of the Filipino character and value system:
pessimism concerning the present but optimism concerning the future, care and concern for others,
hospitality and friendship, respect, religiosity and fear of God, respect for women, a pro-American
attitude, and a dislike for cheats and thieves.
After reviewing the literature on Filipino values, I have proposed a schema (Diagram 1) for
visualizing the clustering, linkages, and internal coherence among these values (Talisayon, S.
1988). The core values found are also those studied by the leading researchers in this field: family
solidarity and economic security (Bulatao 1973), personalism and small-group orientation
(Jocano), smooth interpersonal relations (S.I.R. of Lynch 1973), "loob" (Mercado 1974),
“pakikiramdam” and "pakikipagkapwatao"(Enriquez 1977). Five macroclusters were identified in
their order of strength: the relationship cluster, social cluster, livelihood cluster, inwardness
cluster, and optimism cluster.

Teaching Values through Science

The importance of science and technology, and the teaching of both, are recognized by the
Constitution. The operative question before us is this: how do we teach the natural and physical
sciences so as to develop in students socially-desirable values? Note that the issue we are
addressing here is not "how to teach science" but "how to teach values through science". The
teaching of science can be viewed as an end in itself, but for the purposes of this Seminar, we are
viewing it as a means to social ends.
Values enter into the teaching of science in three ways: (1) values inherent in the subject
matter or content of science and technology, (2) values developed in learning the processes and
methods of science, and (3) values related to the benefit or harm generated by the application of
science and technology.
Values Inherent in Science

Values in this category are few. The reason is that science and technology provide man with
excellent answers to questions of means, but often they cannot provide him with satisfactory
answers to questions of ends. Science can tell man how to make fire or start a nuclear reaction.
But it is not science that can tell him whether to use the fire to cook his food or burn his neighbor's
house, and whether to use atomic energy to power industry or to destroy millions of people.
Scientists limit themselves to what they, using present means, can observe with their known
senses. As a result science and technology conduces to values that tend to be focused on the
material, sensate world.
The scientific method, as now understood and taught, is conducive to logical positivist,
quantitative, and basically impersonal ways of thinking. In this sense science itself as we know it
today is not value free. If not disciplined to serve man and his nobler purposes, science and
technology have the capacity to insinuate these materialist values despite the avowed objectivity
of science and its methods.
This can be dangerous because, if we examine the Filipino value system, its merits and
strengths appear to be almost polar opposites to the values inherent in science and its present
methods, to wit:

Values Inherent Filipino in Science Values

Sensate (attention to ------> <------ loob complex or

external environment) interiority; `pakiramdam'
matter orientation ------> <------ spiritual orientation
impersonal ------> <------ personalism
attention to ------> <------ attention to
physical phenomena social phenomena

If Filipino teachers of science and technology are not aware and careful, their very success
may be equivalent to the elimination of core values in our culture and their replacement with those
Western values tending to materialism, sensate orientation, and impersonality. This is particularly
true in the teaching of the physical sciences such as physics, chemistry and geology. The success
of eliminating superstitions and erroneous beliefs may, unless guarded against, be sadly
accompanied by the loss of socially desirable values. Awareness on the part of the teacher is a
necessary antidote because admittedly science teaching is a form of enculturation.
Fortunately, there are branches of study in the natural sciences which, if properly handled, can
avoid this outcome and even achieve desirable reinforcement of socially desirable values. Ecology
is one of them. I say "properly handled" because teaching values always involves intelligent
selection by the teacher of the value to be taught.
In terms of inherent value content, ecology is perhaps the richest among the natural sciences.
Ecology is the exception to the rule that science and technology provide man with answers largely
to questions of means and not of ends. Although the teacher will exercise some judgement in
selecting which social values to emphasize on the basis of ecological facts and principles, the job
of teaching socially-desirable values is easy while teaching ecology. Some examples are the
following:
1. Interrelatedness of nature, that what happens in a part of the web of nature ultimately affects
every other part, thereby leading to
2. Systemic and holistic thinking;
3. Man is part of nature, that hurting the natural ecosystem will eventually hurt man, and that
man is a part of the cycles of nature; thereby leading to
4. Respect for, or responsibility towards, nature; and the reality that this responsibility, to be
effective, must be socially shared rather than pursued by only a few individuals in a society; that
the more valid attitude towards nature is harmony and balance, rather than conquest;
5. Diversity of species leads to stability; monocultures lead to vulnerability;
6. Global and internationalist values from the biophysical ecological web that ties every man
to every other man; and from the common threat to mankind posed by harming the biosphere
(greenhouse effect from carbon dioxide and deforestation, thinning of ozone from use of
flourohydrocarbons, nuclear winter from global nuclear war, irretrievable loss of species, etc.);
7. Conservation, from the physical limits placed by non-renewable and slowly-renewable
natural resources.

Consequently, there is a school of thought that a moral system can be derived from ecology,
or biology in general. In other words, science by itself can be used to derive a bioethics. However,
science alone cannot be the basis even for a bioethics because certain biological principles and
applications have either an ambiguous, controversial, or perhaps even socially undesirable
implications. Examples are competition and survival of the fittest, population control, surrogate
motherhood, vegetarianism, artificial insemination, and eugenics.
Certain topics of science must be treated with care when taught to certain cultural
communities. For example, using pigs and dogs as textbook examples or laboratory subjects is
abhorrent to Muslim students. Scientific study of the moon may also present some problems.
Certain forms of birth control are unacceptable to conservative Catholics. According to our
definition, as long as there is no clear consensus among most Filipinos on a particular value, we
cannot claim that value to be socially-desirable.
Geography is a branch of science where the linkages between natural and social phenomena
are delineated. When applied to the study of Philippine geography, values can be taught thereby,
such as appreciation of other ethnic and cultural groups, understanding of certain regional
idiosyncrasies, and pride in the natural endowments and unique assets of the nation. Unfortunately
geography is no longer taught as a separate course in the primary and secondary levels.
In the physical sciences, certain principles may be construed to have value implications,
although their conformity with our Filipino definition of socially-desirable values is either an open
issue or subject to question. Some physicists have waxed philosophical and written metaphysical
discourses after contemplating these principles:

1. Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle: the process of observation inevitably disturbs that which
is being observed;
2. Quantum mechanics: nature behaves in a probabilistic fashion;
3. Theory of Relativity: matter and energy are equivalent; time intervals and distances depend
on the velocity of the observer; the universe is curved and thus it is boundless but limited; and
4. Mathematics underlies the physical behavior of the universe.
Values from Learning Scientific Processes

The scientific method demands personal discipline; science itself is a form of personal
discipline. It may not be explicitly taught as such, but nevertheless effects the student.
Certain values and personality traits can be taught through the practice of the scientific
method. Values derivable from learning scientific methods and processes offer a wider field of
action to the science teacher.
The pursuit of the scientific method carries certain rather difficult attitudinal and behavioral
demands on the researcher, among them:

1. Honesty and accuracy in recording and reporting observations; avoiding shortcuts that
compromise honesty and accuracy;
2. Ability to suspend judgement whenever warranted; the ability to prevent one's personal
preferences from affecting observations and results;
3. Willingness to admit error and to change views when confronted with data to the contrary;
4. Giving credit to another author for using his idea; or never claiming somebody else's idea
as his own;
5. Resourcefulness and creativity in formulating a problem, developing a new method or
theory, or finding new applications;
6. Persistence and patience while preparing and waiting to produce results;
7. Sensitivity to social needs in selecting a research topic and in testing applications of a
principle;
8. A sense of appropriateness and proportion in matching research technique to research
problem, deciding the level of precision, or seeking a trade-off between scope and cost; and
9. Skepticism unless sufficient and relevant data supports a hypothesis.

In ancient Japan, an iemoto is a traditional school where students place themselves under the
tutelage of a Master in a skill specific to the school. The skill may be flower arrangement, the tea
ceremony, kendo (a form of swordsmanship), koto (a guitar-like instrument) playing, calligraphy,
or some handicraft. In an iemoto, the values pursued are practice and learning, obedience to the
Master, loyalty to the school, and of course, perfection in the skill according to the specific
tradition of the iemoto. In this setting, learning embraces more than content and process. It includes
a third and most important consideration: internal discipline.
In the West, sportsmen and athletes are beginning to discover--while aiming to run the fastest,
jump the highest, or play ball best--the extent to which perfection is greatly influenced by the state
of mind. It is quite conceivable for an athlete to train and perform, not only to win, but to achieve
internal discipline and to develop one's character.
A similar viewpoint could be held as far as learning the scientific method is concerned. Using
and teaching science and its methods as a personal discipline, over and above the usual
considerations of content and process, is a rather Asian way of viewing science. After all, the
separation between the scientific method and the scientist is only an artifice and it may serve both
better if the scientist admits and manages the intimate linkage between the two. This proposal
could be more feasible among more mature graduate students, especially in the social and
behavioral sciences. In graduate school, there is a close relationship between the graduate adviser
and the graduate student which can be handled from the triple criteria of content, process, and
internal discipline.
A value mentioned in several places in the 1987 Constitution is creativity, and the related
values of innovation, invention, and technological self-reliance. From a review of the Constitution,
the members of the Constitutional Commission appear to have decided to emphasize scientific
creativity and technological innovation and invention, knowing that they contribute to national
self-reliance.
Unfortunately, creativity as an educational objective and process is among the least
understood and attended to elements in our school system. The great majority of the subjects taught
in our school system train children to understand, remember, and apply rules in order to obtain the
single correct answer--in short, they are trained largely in convergent thinking. Learning in school
is a continuous process of eroding and narrowing a child's conception of what things are possible.
As a result, creativity and open-mindedness appear to vary inversely with age. According to John
Nuveen, "You can judge your age by the amount of pain you feel when you come in contact with
a new idea."
Divergent thinking is a component of creativity, and is called into action when the mind is
confronted with a problem which can have many possible solutions. It comes into the picture at
two points in the scientific research process: at the beginning and at the end. Divergent thinking is
required in defining a research problem, including formulating the hypotheses. Divergent thinking
is again required in seeking useful applications of the findings or conclusions. In between,
convergent thinking is, of course, required if the classical scientific method is to be correctly
followed.
If we are to encourage more children to be creative, and if we are to aim to develop more
Filipino innovators and inventors, programmatic efforts must be made to develop scientific
creativity and inventiveness.
Related closely to creativity and inventiveness is entrepreneurship. Science and mathematics
can be taught to secondary students in such a manner as to teach also creativity and
entrepreneurship. (Talisayon, S. 1986).

Values Related to Consequences of Technology

This third avenue for teaching values offers rich possibilities.

Values that motivate the use of technology. The beneficial and harmful consequences of
producing and using technology can be dramatic, such as putting men on the moon, destroying
two Japanese cities, transplanting a human heart, storing an encyclopedia inside a desktop
computer, mercury pollution, and commercial travel at speeds exceeding that of sound. The credit
or blame, of course, cannot be placed on technology, but on the motives and values behind the
producers and users of technology. Technology merely amplifies the power of man for good or for
evil. Hence, teaching the consequences of technology can be an indirect, but effective way of
highlighting the consequences of those motives and values behind the user of technology. This
avenue is indirect because it does not teach values, but teaches about values and their
consequences.
A powerful social value which can be taught is the proper use of technology to alleviate
poverty and pain. The process of teaching certain technologies can be so planned as to convey and
reinforce this socially, desirable value, in addition to the primary aim of teaching the technology
itself. This approach can be employed in teaching the following technology courses: appropriate
technologies for rural applications, medical technologies, livelihood skills and technologies,
medicinal plants, and food processing.
A related value implicit in the Constitution and very relevant to Philippine conditions is that
technology must be made maximally relevant to the improvement of livelihood. The concern to
link the teaching of science, technology and vocational skills to gaining a livelihood is old and
well-recognized. What remains is the issue of how best to make this linkage more direct and
efficient. The following are some suggestions, some of which have been tried:

1. To the extent feasible, select and design lessons and school projects so that outputs are
marketable and use income from sales as the basis for grading;
2. Make use of successful skilled workers, craftsmen, and entrepreneurs in the locality as
resource persons;
3. If accessible to the school, arrange to visit and talk with a successful Filipino inventor and
make a tour of his workshop;
4. Conduct a practicum on vocational subjects taught through short-term secondment of a
student to a local factory, cottage industry, store, shop or farm;
5. Develop or adapt curriculum materials from agencies dealing with livelihood-oriented
technology transfer such as the Technology Resource Center, Nonconventional Technology
Resources, Department of the Bureau of Energy Development, UP Los Baños for agricultural
technologies and UP Visayas for fisheries and marine technologies, Department of Science and
Technology and its regional offices, Livelihood Corporation, Bureau of Animal Industry, Bureau
of Plant Industry, NACIDA, etc.

Values resulting from the use of technology. By itself, technology can shape values. It can
affect our value system by making certain choices easier. For example, the invention of
contraceptives makes sexual promiscuity safer. Toothpaste and mouthwash make bad breath a
social offense. Ladies make-up, orthodontal braces, and nose lifting influence our conceptions of
beauty. The pocket watch and wristwatch can impose personal discipline, but also can kill
spontaneity. The automobile can make people lazy. It can also spawn entire lifestyles in the same
way that the automobile shaped the American way of life: drive-in movies and drive-in churches,
interstate highways, parking meters and parking tickets, mobile homes, trailers, hitch-hiking, and
so on--all in the name of "service to mankind". This phenomenon, where technology results in
unanticipated or unplanned cultural changes and in rearrangements of social relations, is very
common.
Hence, how technology itself can shape values should also be taught. However, this requires
cross-disciplinary expertise on the part of the teacher, which is rare, or else a multi-disciplinary
team of teachers, which is expensive. The solution is often an inter-departmental program at the
tertiary level. Academic programs relating science and technology to society thus have become
popular in university campuses since it started in the United States and Europe. The utility of such
programs can be extended to the secondary level by developing enrichment materials or by their
incorporation into integrated science courses or social science courses.
Again, this avenue does not teach values directly, but teaches about values resulting from
technology. Teaching about values is inferior to teaching values because the former can get
bogged down in the conceptual level without reaching the affective and behavioral levels. It is
appropriate to university-level students and to more mature students at the secondary level. It can
be recommended above all for college and graduate students majoring in education.
Community-based teaching of science. A third avenue for teaching values is through the
"community-based" teaching of science. The U.P. Institute for Science and Mathematics
Education has been experimenting for some time now with the "community-based" teaching of
biology, chemistry, and physics (Talisayon, S. 1986).
In this approach, the starting point is not a science principle or lesson, but the community and
its needs. The essence of the approach is two-fold: (1) the selection, design and implementation of
lessons most relevant to the needs and conditions of the community where the student lives, and
(2) the use of community resources and expertise in the teaching-learning process.
Technology is heavily culture-bound. The effectiveness of technology generally changes
when it is transferred from a source culture to a recipient culture. Thus a modern digital wristwatch
is very useful or even essential in an urban setting like Metro Manila for keeping track of time
appointments in that fast-paced, highly organized and formalized working environment. But when
the user visits remote rural areas the same device becomes useless for there are no precise
schedules to keep, any appointment is treated flexibly, and there is no pressing need to know the
exact time. Transported into a rural environment, the utility of this technology is drastically
reduced.
A microcomputer in the hands of upland forest dwellers is not technology at all, but becomes
a piece of junk. Transported into a frontier environment, the utility of this technology becomes
zero. We can see clearly that technology is such because it is useful to the user.
This should be true also of educational technology, including transfers from urban to rural and
frontier cultures in the same country, especially a multi-ethnic country like the Philippines. What
is useful to a Japanese pupil in a Tokyo school may not be useful to a Bilaan pupil in a mountain
school in Cotabato. Not all experiments and laboratory equipment prescribed in textbooks
developed in Metro Manila have equal relevance and meaning in the context of a rural or frontier
community. This approach places societal needs before technology, and consciously reverses the
usual process in which technology modifies society--which is precisely the philosophy behind the
"appropriate technology" movement. It places technology where it should be all along--as servant
to man.
Local resources and expertise are usually available in a rural community for science teaching.
For example, physics concepts can be usefully and meaningfully learned by visiting a local baker,
an auto mechanic, or a radio-TV repair shop. The practical experiences and techniques employed
by these people are largely unrecognized resources for teaching science and technology. Even self-
made technicians in small vulcanizing shops can be assets to a creative and well-prepared teacher.
There is nothing `high brow' about technology.

Concluding Summary

The science teacher must recognize that science teaching is an enculturation process. Values
are learned in the process. Values can therefore be taught through science teaching. Some
guidelines that may be adopted in planning this process follow:

(1) Scientific principles in geography, physics, and especially ecology provide bases for
teaching many desirable social values.
(2) The scientific method can also be viewed as a basis for teaching many desirable personal
disciplines.
(3) A trait recognized as desirable in the 1987 Constitution is creativity and inventiveness.
The teaching of creativity in connection with teaching science and technology may have to be
given more emphasis than it is receiving at present.
(4) Teaching the consequences of the use or misuse of science and technology is a fertile
avenue for teaching values. Seeking beneficial applications in alleviating poverty and pain, in
improving livelihoods, and in developing communities are processes which can be used to develop
positive values about the use of technology. So-called "community-based" teaching of science and
technology is a useful method for teaching socially-desirable values.
(5) Educational technology, like technology in general, is culture-bound. Therefore, the
teacher needs to exercise care in adopting educational technologies from cultural contexts alien to
that of the students.

University of the Philippines

Manila, Philippines

References

Church, A.T. Filipino Personality: A Review of Research and Writings. (Monograph Series
No. 6.) De La Salle University Press, 1986.
Bulatao, Jaime. "The Manileños' Mainsprings", in Frank Lynch, and Alfonso de Guzman II,
eds., Four Readings on Philippine Values. Fourth edition revised. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila
University Press, 1973.
Enriquez, Virgilio G. Filipino Philosophy in the Third World. Quezon City: Philippine
Psychology Research House, 1977.
Hornedo, Florentino. "People Power As The Traditional Filipino Go Between," in Pantas: A
Journal for Higher Education. Vol. 1, No. 1, November 1987, Ateneo de Manila University.
Lynch, Frank and Alfonso de Guzman II, eds. Four Reading on Philippine Values. Fourth
edition, revised. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1973.
Mercado, Leonardo N. Elements of Filipino Philosophy. Tacloban City: Divine Word
University Publications, 1974.
Talisayon, Serafin. "Decomposition of `Entrepreneurial Skills' into Unit Skills". U.P. Institute
for Science and Mathematics Education Development, January 1986.
"Filipino Values: A Determinant of Philippine Future". Paper submitted to the Economic
Development Foundation, December, 1988.
Talisayon, Vivien, Joel Koren, and Bal Krishna. Teacher-Training Material on Using
Community Resources in Teaching Physics. UNESCO Regional Workshop on the Training of
Physics Teachers. Quezon City, Philippines, 18-28 November, 1986.
14.
Science and Technology Education and the Promotion of
Social Justice
Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng and Fabian M. Dayrit

Science and technology embody the paradigms, knowledge, skills and techniques by which
we understand, relate with, control or exploit nature and--directly and indirectly--both ourselves
and our neighbors. In many instances, the course of human history is, in part, the history of science
and technology.
Economic development and social justice are not synonymous objectives. While economic
development concerns itself with raising the indicators and statistics of the material wealth of the
country, social justice stresses the equitable distribution of the benefits and opportunities of
society.
But while these may not necessarily be the same, they are, nevertheless, intimately related:
stable economic progress is reinforced by a society in which social justice prevails; social justice
is enhanced by a healthy economy. In other words, while a healthy economy aims to provide a
bigger pie, social justice ensures equitable slices. Ideally then, as we strive for economic
development, we should also actively pursue the ideals of social justice.
Science and technology have become key components of modern economic development. No
modern state can achieve or maintain prosperity without science and technology. However, the
science and technology that promote economic development do not necessarily also favor social
justice. The challenge for us is how to use science and technology to promote economic
development with social justice.
The role of science and technology in economic development is very complex and their nature
must be properly understood if they are to contribute to economic development. We tend to
compartmentalize science and technology by considering them apart from the prevailing social,
cultural and political milieu, as if they were completely independent of these. This view, of course,
grossly distorts their role vis-a-vis society and culture because in reality all four interact strongly
one with an another.
This brief essay aims firstly, to show the importance of the role of science and technology in
the attainment of economic development with social justice, especially within the framework set
by the 1986 Constitution. Secondly, we will discuss the role of science and technology education
in this overall effort. Thirdly, we will attempt to locate science and technology within the wider
national situation.

The Role of Science and Technology in Economic Development and Social Justice

The decade of the 1980s marked significant shifts in development strategies. Previously,
development was tied almost singularly to the country's natural resources. It was assumed that a
country's wealth was assured by the natural resources that could be found within its borders.
The Philippine experience proved this not necessarily to be so. Despite the richness of our
soil, forests, minerals and seas, we have remained poor and underdeveloped. Belatedly, we have
begun to realize that the possession of rich natural resources is not sufficient to ensure progress.
Unfortunately, we have been slow to learn from our mistakes. We shifted our attention from
reliance on our natural resources, to reliance on our "skilled but cheap" labor force. In so doing,
we have merely postponed (or shifted?) our crisis. Neither approach will lead to economic
development.
Today, there are two contending positions on development strategies, an agriculture versus an
industry-led strategy.1 We must note here that such a bifurcation is somewhat myopic; the
discussion should instead revolve around what the proper mix should be. But whichever approach
we emphasize, we should couple this to a strong science and technology base. Today, we can see
that the newly industrializing countries (NICs), many of which are our own Southeast Asian
neighbors, have taken this one step further: they have been emphasizing to their science and
technology capabilities.
In order to maintain economic progress, the advanced and newly-advancing nations have been
investing heavily in science and technology, and doing so pays off. Economic data show that the
science and technology contribution to economic growth among the industrialized countries is 70
percent; among the NIC's, it is 45-55 percent and among the underdeveloped countries, 30 percent.
In the Philippines, science and technology contribution to economic growth is estimated at 40
percent.
Since science and technology are demanded for economic advancement in the modern world,
is this not sufficient reasons for us likewise to invest our resources in them? To develop a country's
science and technology means putting aside the 2-3 percent of GNP (as recommended by
UNESCO) for research and development, supporting more science scholarships and science and
technology research institutes, and nurturing and protecting local industry against unequal
competition from big multinational companies2.
While attainment of each of these goals would be a major achievement in itself (because none
of these is being given enough attention by our government), these do not suffice to ensure national
development. Science and technology have to be given proper direction and priorities; they cannot
be isolated from the society in which it is placed. "external conditions" (a term which itself imposes
an artificial classification of what is "in" and "out") affect the conduct of science and technology
profoundly. It is implicit in the thesis of this essay that it would be a serious mistake to take science
and technology out of the context of its surroundings. In other words, it is not self-contained; the
relationship works in both directions: science and technology affect and are affected by the state
of the economy and society, among other things.
Another important fact that arises from this is that science and technology are not cure-alls;
they can help to solve our problems, but only if the proper conditions are present. We will discuss
this point later.

Science and Technology: Similarities and Differences

Although we speak of science and technology almost as identical twins, they are not so. While
science deals with the knowledge and understanding of nature and its laws, technology concerns
itself with the application and uses of science. To the extent that science directly supports
technological advances, the characteristics of the two are similar.
The linkage between the pure sciences and advanced technologies, being once removed, is
less obvious and, in some cases, may border on the seemingly irrelevant. This should, however,
not mislead us into thinking that the pure sciences have no tangible contribution to make. Although
the emphasis of this essay is on technology, we should understand that the scientific aspects are
also important to the degree that these promote technological advancement.
For example, scientific research into a biosynthetic mechanism can lead directly to
biotechnology. In this case, it becomes very difficult to separate the applied sciences from the
advanced technologies. But the "pure sciences" (disparagingly referred to as "esoteric"), apart from
pursuing the frontiers of science, also interact with the applied sciences, providing these with fresh
ideas. For example, mathematical models of enzyme catalysis may provide clues to the
biosynthetic mechanism.
We have also incompletely understood technology to mean only the "hardware and techniques
of production": the products, machines, industrial processes and balance sheet and management of
production. We have overlooked the important aspect of how technology fits into the economic
and social matrix of a nation. Depending on how a nation handles technology, it can liberate that
nation from dependence or tighten the shackles of backwardness and poverty. Technology can be
an instrument of domination.
The 1986 Constitution focuses on the aspirations of our people. It articulates the social
conditions within which its laws and structures can have meaning. The constitution is therefore
both a body of laws as well as a declaration of intent, a statement of guiding principles.
The attainment of a socially just society is one of the main guiding principles of our
constitution. It stresses that the priority of our society and our government must be for the less
privileged. The question that remains here is, how do we attain a society based on social justice?
It is up to us to concretize this objective.
In another article in the Constitution (Article XIV, section 10), science and technology are
cited as "essential for national development." However, the intention to develop these as leading
to national development requires fleshing out.
Though the aspirations for social justice and strong science and technology are both present
in the Constitution, what has not been given adequate recognition is the fact that these two
objectives are related: the science and technology component is crucial to many of the social justice
programs that we wish to enact. All our good intentions would come to naught if we did not have
the ability to make them happen. We must realize that science and technology are not luxuries; we
must stop looking at them as appropriate only for the rich and powerful countries. We need science
and technology if we are to progress as a nation and if we are to attain our goal of social justice.

An Assessment of Science and Technology in the Philippines

To assess the state of science and technology in the Philippines, we can use several indicators
such as:

Human Resources. We can determine the number of scientists and technologists who are
involved in science and technology in the country; we can determine their educational attainment
and/or the level of their involvement.

Infrastructure. We can analyze the state of our laboratories, libraries, and equipment against
the work that must be done. Do our scientists have adequate facilities with which to do their work?

Science and Technology Output. There are many ways that science and technology output can
be assessed. Among researchers, there are scientific publications and research conferences. In
industry, the state of science and technology can be seen in the quality of our locally manufactured
or processed products. In agriculture, science and technology inputs give rise to increased, more
efficient and high quality production. The state of science and technology is also reflected in the
quality of the environment, public services, sanitation and health services, etc.
It is a sad fact that regardless of which indicator one chooses, the inescapable conclusion is
that the state of science and technology in the Philippines is low 3.

Building Science and Technology for the Philippines.

Technology has been aptly called a "social gene" that tends to reproduce around itself
conditions favorable to its own survival. Technologies are developed to meet specific conditions
such as material resources, energy, the socio-economic and educational level of the work force
and of the user or consumer, financial and management practices, infrastructure, cultural
preferences, national priorities, economic conditions and strategies, and many more. Technologies
impose their own requirements and dynamics which manifest themselves in several ways. For
example, the unnecessary obsession for the "state of the art" and "planned obsolescence" are
characteristics of the high-tech age. The so-called "economies of scale" are oftentimes really
determined by the "technologies of scale" where the demands of economies are really the demands
of technologies.
For example, if we are to use effectively "high-yield varieties" certain conditions must be
present: the technology itself for producing these high-yielding strains must be within our control;
the farmer must be in a position to use the prescribed fertilizer and pesticide; he must have access
to the proper equipment and irrigation; in certain cases, he must be able to alter his post-harvest
practices during storage or milling; he must be able to secure financing, adapt to the new marketing
situation and manage cash flows (activities he is not adequately trained to handle), etc. Thus, the
introduction of "improved" varieties can have significant consequences for the farmer which will
put him at a severe disadvantage if he is unable to cope with the changes this new technology
entails.
Science and technology do not develop in a vacuum. Science and technology are often pushed
in certain directions by factors external to their own dynamics, among the most significant of which
are the economic and political factors.
The present rush to develop super-conductors has obvious economic and military motives (for
example, computer development and electrical power transmission are economic goals; laser and
SDI technology are military goals). It has stimulated so much research activity that US President
Reagan once threatened to declare such research restricted. Ironically, the science behind it is at
such an immature stage that it has been likened to alchemy. Thus, super-conductors will be swiftly
developed, not so much out of scientific interest, as out of economic or military gain.
The much publicized US vs. USSR space programs were really extensions of the political
rivalry between two competing powers. The immortalized "giant step for mankind" was really a
propaganda coup for the US. It is hard to imagine what mankind, faced with problems of disease
and starvation, stood to gain from having two people walk on the moon.
We should not pursue a direction in science and technology just because it happens to be the
state of the art. As already mentioned, technological breakthroughs often arise as a confluence of
technological advancement and economic or political conditions. When these ingredients are
present, development is rapid. Therefore, we should not mistake the technological "state of the art"
for what should be desirable for ourselves. We must take care that the technology we pursue is
relevant to our own economic and political conditions. We must discern the nature of our
technological choices and make modifications where necessary and possible.
Appropriate Technology

Because technologies invariably alter the prevailing conditions, any technology that we wish
to introduce, be it local or foreign, must be scrutinized carefully both with regard to its technical,
as well as its social, cultural and broad economic aspects. Such desirable technologies have been
called by the amorphous term: "appropriate technology". Adopting a laissez-faire or careless
attitude towards technology can be counter- productive.
However, the present parameters of appropriate technology are not enough; the technologies
that we use must maintain links with the sciences. We need both the relevance of appropriate
technology, as well as the creative potential of science. We must be able to blend both
characteristics in order to evolve the science and technology that can be of benefit to us. They
should adapt themselves to the economic and social conditions of the country. We should try to
use the best of what is available and attainable for our own ends. Decisions as to whether this
means taking a "high-tech" or "appropriate technology" approach will follow naturally from an
understanding of our conditions and presuppose that we adequately understand science and
technology. Moreover, this is not a static situation: as conditions change, what is appropriate also
changes.

Science and Technology, Land Reform and the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary
Fund (IMF)

Two major stumbling blocks stand in the way of meaningful change and by their interlocking
relationships directly and indirectly stunt the growth of science and technology in the country, and
consequently their ability to contribute to development. These two issues are land reform and the
control of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund over our economic development
plans.
Land reform seeks to correct our lopsided distribution of wealth in favor of the productive
agricultural population which comprises about 70 percent of our country. It hopes to raise the
incomes and the economic power of the majority of our people. But equally important, because
our people will have greater control over the productive process, the importance of the
technologies of production (and its related sciences) will be given more attention by a greater
number of our people. Science and technology will prove to be more relevant and will tend to shift
to meeting the demands of the small farmer. Even the government's Medium-term Philippine
Development Plan, 1987-92 recognizes that without a meaningful Agrarian Reform Program its
development strategies "will not generate a strong positive impact on the rural poor to sustain
broad-based rural development." Without rural development, there can be no real social and
economic development. Without real social and economic development, there can be no
meaningful science and technology.
Our present subservience to the unequal economic order being defended by the World Bank
and the International Monetary Fund makes it virtually impossible for us to evolve a truly
appropriate technology on a national scale. The WB-IMF prescription of short-sighted
agricultural development and export-oriented industrialization will keep our agriculture, industry
and science and technology vulnerable. The high-input Green Revolution approach, which
necessitates the use of certain fertilizers and pesticides along with the planting of certain hybrid
seeds, is a transplanted technology that has, on the balance, had detrimental effects upon the
agricultural sector and the environment. Our multinational-dominated industry is linked to the
world market to which it is perennially hostage. This situation forces us to adopt foreign
technologies in order to compete in a foreign market, which takes precedence over our domestic
needs. These technological imports are often inappropriate or irrelevant to our own needs and as a
result make insignificant contributions to our science and technology.
Given our fundamentally unsound social and economic situation, science and technology
cannot flourish. Their role within the prevailing conditions is severely circumscribed. For so long
as the majority of our people are poor and our industry remains weak and without links to the rest
of the country, local science and technology can provide only piecemeal solutions.

Challenges to Science and Technology as Specifically Mentioned in the Constitution

When we talk about the right to life in the new constitution, it means not only the right of
physical survival but also the right to an acceptable quality of life. It means not simply living above
the poverty line but developing a lifestyle that preserves human dignity and promotes the well-
being of the whole society. Several priority areas mentioned in the constitution require science and
technology components. Let us briefly enumerate these areas to see in what ways science and
technology will be needed.

Labor. Although laws can safeguard the rights of labor, they cannot guarantee its place in
industry. The role of labor is imbedded in the needs and capabilities of technology and industry.
Today, labor is continuously being redefined by technology: the level of training and competence
required changes with each technological innovation.
It is unfortunate that we generally equate "labor" with "physical labor" as if the only thing that
labor can offer is its sweat. In this increasingly technological age, when robots and computers can
produce more efficiently and swiftly than the best trained hands, what becomes of the future of
labor? We cannot be Luddites and think that we can prevent the use of technology in order to save
our jobs.
The challenge for science and technology is to try to develop technologies and tools that can
improve the capabilities of labor. Educational institutions should pay closer attention to the role of
labor in industry, whether in training the engineers who will design the factories and machines or
in training the technicians who will work in these factories and run the machines.
Furthermore, science and technology should also improve the physical environment of labor,
for example, in the safety design of an industrial plant or in developing anti-pollution devices.

Agrarian reform. One of the boldest commitments of the 1986 Constitution is to Agrarian
Reform. However, for agrarian reform to succeed, sound science and technology-based agriculture
should be developed. Unfortunately, we have been slow to understand the science and technology
challenges of agriculture in general, and of agrarian reform in particular. Specifically, technology
for the small farm must be developed. This must be affordable, practicable and efficient. We should
not assume that methods that work for large, capital-intensive farms will be best for small ones.
Article XIII, section 5, recognizes that the State "shall provide support to agriculture through
appropriate technology and research . . . ."

Natural resources. Our natural resources are both our patrimony and our continuing source of
livelihood. The environment must be understood and protected even while we continue to harness
our natural resources. This will be an ever more difficult task as the pressure on the use of our
natural resources increases. If we are to care for our environment, we must first understand it. In
this, science and technology are critical.

Urban land reform and housing. Urban land reform and housing go beyond the problems of
squatting and land ownership. They are about the intelligent design and use of limited space and
resources in ways which befit the dignity of the person; they concern urban pollution and efficient,
reliable and affordable mass transport. Science and technology must be tapped if we are to meet
these challenges.

Health. Most aspects of health care ultimately depend on our science and technology
capabilities. Unfortunately most people equate health care only with doctors and nurses, but it
covers a much wider area. Health care requires pharmaceuticals, nutrition, environmental
sanitation, control of disease vectors, and much more. Unless we have the science and technology
for these other aspects, we will never solve our health problems.

Energy. While the issue of energy is not mentioned in the Constitution, it is nevertheless a
very important matter because it affects all economic activity and impacts upon our environment.
Presently, we rely on imported fuels for most of our energy needs. Although we have been
successful in developing alternative sources, notably geothermal ones, we must pursue energy
research more vigorously.

We have outlined only some of the science and technology components involved in the pursuit
of social justice. As is apparent from this brief discussion, these concerns are real scientific and
technological challenges in themselves. We must realize that we ourselves must solve these
science and technology problems.

Challenges to the Educational Sector: Addressing Social Justice with Science and
Technology

What are the implications of these for the teaching of science and technology in universities;
what approach must be adopted? In order to apply these to our needs intelligently, we must be able
to understand as thoroughly as possible both our needs on the one hand and science and technology
on the other. This implies a mature understanding of both science and technology and the social
and economic conditions of our country.
The educational sector is urgently needed to effect the conditions for science and technology
to grow. Its response has three aspects: 1) the development of human resources; 2) the creation of
a climate conducive towards science; and 3) the emergence of a vision of science and technology
that is truly Filipino. We have to reevaluate our total approach towards science education, since
we need to develop not just basic skills, but also attitudes and awareness of our needs.

The Development of Human Resources

Science and technology are not only skills and techniques anyone can learn; they are not only
formulas and data which one can recite to prove how much one knows. Nor are they only books
and journals one can read, or only computers and other sophisticated instruments that impress the
uninitiated. More importantly, science and technology also means logical thinking, creativity, and
resourcefulness.
One of the mistakes of our present method of science education is that we tend to teach the
sciences as if these are merely facts to be memorized, as pre-determined knowledge whose "truth"
we can only accept and not question and probe. While some of this memory game is needed, more
importantly science education should also be an experience of discovery and understanding; it
should be able to translate science into things familiar to the student. Science education must be
able to demonstrate clearly the unity between theory and reality. Our science education also tends
to be strictly content-oriented. Although this is not undesirable in itself, it must not forget to
develop logical, scientific thinking.
Science education should also aim to produce broad-minded scientists and technologists. It
should turn out scientists and technologists who have good solid backgrounds in their respective
fields, and who can work independently and with confidence even in fields directly outside of their
own.
The demands of modern scientific and technological education are beyond the means of most
educational institutions. While we try to cover these advanced topics in a lecture course, most
school laboratories and equipment fail to meet the needs of such a system. Thus the over-reliance
on book knowledge.
Our science education suffers also from the lack of properly trained science teachers. How
many grade school, high school, or even college teachers are asked to teach chemistry, even if
their actual training involved only a minimum of units in the subject? Aside from insufficient
educational preparation, the work load of the teacher leans heavily on the book and not on
experiments, since the latter require experience and time.
Finally, there has been very little impetus to improve general science education. For the
moment, the status quo seems to be the easiest way out because improvements, in terms of teacher
training or upgrading facilities, require financial support.
The human resources to which we refer are, therefore, of two types. One involves the
education of scientists, engineers, technologists, etc.; the other involves properly-trained science
teachers.

Creation of a Climate Conducive to Science

Though our everyday lives are increasingly being influenced by science and technology, we
adopt a fatalistic attitude toward all these changes. It is not difficult to understand how one can
feel helpless against the power of science and technology that we can neither understand nor
control.
Modern technology has brought about a "black-box mentality". We are satisfied with treating
most things as black boxes since that saves us the effort of having to understand them. We drive
cars without really knowing how they run; we buy the elegantly packaged toilet cleaner although
it is nothing more than the lowly muriatic acid. Inquiry and analysis seem to be losing out in our
education and everyday lives.
We need to train not only the operators of technology, but the innovators and creators as well.
Computers are an example. While undeniably they are very powerful tools for the manipulation of
data, it still takes a real expert to know where these can be used most effectively. We must be able
to adapt the computer to our needs instead of forcing ourselves to adapt to the computer. This may
require writing new programs, or fabricating one's own hardware. What we need, therefore, are
more than just technicians; we need problem-solvers, designers and innovators.
Modern technology tends to estrange us from our environment. We have become unmindful
of the future, forgetting depletion of resources, destruction of the ecosystem, and pollution of the
environment. Many modern (so-called "efficient") societies are throw-away societies in which
nature no longer provides, technology does; the rallying cry is, "Technology has the answers!"
How can we break out of this prison of ignorance and helplessness? In the study of science
and technology we must be able to grasp the fundamental theories of science, understand their
power and their limitations. We must be able to sift the truly important from the merely intriguing.
This means developing a breadth of knowledge regarding science and technology that is not only
up-to-date, but comprehensive as well. Such an approach demands the best minds with the best
training.
Interdisciplinary interaction should be encouraged. Given the complexity of the problems
before us, multi-dimensional solutions are often required. The errors of many development
projects arise precisely because of this lack of dimensionality.
Even non-science majors should be aware of the implications of science and technology,
because many will become economic and political decision-makers. We should therefore,
emphasize the appreciation of science and technology also for non-scientists and non-technologists
as well. Ideally, the total education of any student should involve appreciation and some
understanding of the general field of science.
Science and technology also thrive in a society where scientific careers are available,
financially rewarding and socially respectable. Such careers can flourish only with both
government and private support. The proper climate for this can be achieved only when science
and technology are viewed as an integral part of society.

Emergence of a Truly Filipino Vision of Science and Technology

What is this "truly Filipino vision" of science and technology? While there is no fixed
definition, the search is very much alive. We need scientists and technologists who have the proper
training and vision for our country, whose abilities lie not only in being able to solve equations
and discuss theories, but also in being able to perceive the problems, and translate their knowledge
to working solutions in the Philippine context.
A number of specific steps have been undertaken in this direction. For example, industry-
academe interaction emphasizing problem-solving and curriculum development can serve as a
very effective and mutually profitable linkage. Outreach programs can also include exposure to
the technical problems of various communities. The writing of textbooks which emphasize local
problems and conditions can help focus our consciousness on our own situation.
We must be able to understand our needs and mold to meet them. This gives the imprint of
"being Filipino".

Science and Technology Education: The Financial Cost

Adequate and proper science and technology education is necessary if we are to lift ourselves
out of this state of under development. Unfortunately, science and technology education is
expensive and as a nation we have been unwilling to give science and technology education
adequate support. Their teaching in both state and private colleges and universities suffers from a
shortage of good teachers and adequate facilities. Since unarguably we need quality science and
technology education as a social enterprise, the question arises: who should pay for all this?
Science and technology in the Philippines cannot be left in their present uncertain condition.
They need substantial government financial support and considering the high cost of equipment,
laboratories, library and competent faculty and staff, clearly firm government commitment is
necessary. In fact, in all advanced countries (including the emerging ones) the government plays
an important role in supporting science and technology education. There is no other way.
In the Philippines this must be given direction because it is a social enterprise; it must be
planned and put in the context of the development needs of the country. Science and technology
education must be seen as necessary components of our development strategy.
One of the reasons for the brain-drain is that oftentimes our higher science and technology
education is inappropriate for our needs. Talented and trained students are frustrated when they
cannot find appropriate work commensurate with their training. Coupled with the low financial
rewards, this drives them abroad.
In the Philippines, due to historical circumstances, about 75 percent of higher education is in
the private sector. The issue of providing government funds to private education is a tricky
problem, especially because the government pie is too small to start with. Certainly, this issue
should be discussed further and placed within the context of the development scheme.
Proper science and technology education should address both the needs of survival in the
modern world, as well as the challenges of social justice. Upon closer scrutiny, these are really
two faces of the same coin.
The support of science and technology eduction is a matter of national will and priority
because the undertaking will demand significant investment of resources. But it is an investment
we cannot afford to ignore because the consequence will be costlier.

Conclusion

Today, despite the resolute intentions of the Constitution and the inspired projections of the
1986 NEDA 5-Year Plan, science and technology still rate very low in our development strategy,
and the commitment to economic development with social justice needs to be pushed further.
These challenges can be overcome only if we are able to develop the relevant science and
technology capabilities that will enable us to grow sufficient food with the least cost to the
environment, to manufacture goods with the appropriate technology, to provide our people with
shelter, to produce energy at low cost and with minimal harm to the environment, to optimize the
use of this energy, to maintain a high standard of health, and to protect and preserve the ecosystem.
The role of science and technology in promoting social justice is very important and, in this,
such education plays a major role. The education sector, by the ideas and values it promotes and
the students it molds and educates, must lead in the promotion of science and technology for social
justice.
Finally, we should keep in mind that science and technology play only supportive roles in
attaining the twin goals of economic development and social justice. They can do only as much as
society and the political system allow. Science and technology alone will not stop forest
denudation, nor will it solve our excessive dependence on multinational industry.
In the final analysis, the challenge to build a socially just and prosperous society is primarily
not within the power of science and technology, which are merely supportive; ultimately the
challenge is political. But, if we can muster the will to decide our own national development, so
we also can master the science and technology to move our country forward.

Ateneo de Manila University

Manila, Philippines

Notes

1. Discussion of the agriculture-vs-industry strategy is beyond the scope of this paper.

However, two points should be mentioned in this regard: a) This should not be an either-or choice.
Rather, the strategy should involve a mix of the two. The debate should center only on the issue
of emphasis. b) This should be seen as an evolving situation. Adoption of one approach does not
completely eliminate the other.
2. Government support for local industry is suggested as an initial measure, not necessarily as
a permanent feature. This can take various forms such as tariff protection, funding for the necessary
science and technology requirements, education scholarships, etc.
3. Let us apply these indicators using the field of Chemistry as an example.
a) Human resources. There are very few active Filipino PhD chemists in the country. (By
"active" is meant one who engages in a scientific or technological activity such as research or
industry-related projects.) About 35 of these are distributed among some 8 schools in the country.
Chemistry PhD's make up less than 5 percent of the total college level chemistry faculty. While
the necessity for PhD training should not be over-rated, it must nevertheless be recognized that the
sophistication of modern chemical science requires considerable advanced training.
b) Infrastructure. In general, our chemistry laboratories are under-equipped and ill-
maintained. Chemicals, glassware and instrumentation are prohibitively expensive for most
laboratories, whether academic or industrial. Needless to say, one can't do chemistry without a lab.
Books and journals, both of which are costly items, are not available for the most part.
c) Science and technology output. The amount of scientific accomplishment put out by our
researchers is small, and these usually come from only a few laboratories. Local scientific
publications are hard to come by and those available often come out late for lack of articles to
publish. The contribution of local chemical Science and technology to industry is small. Industry
usually relies instead on foreign patents and licensing agreements.

Selected References

Bienvenido F. Nebres. "Science and Technology Directions and NSTA Reorganization,"

paper presented on April 21, 1986, at a symposium organized by SIKAT and UPAC Science and
Technology Task Force; "Science and Technology Manpower Outlook and Strategies in the Basic
Sciences," talk given on September 26, 1985 at an NSTA seminar on Scientific and Technological
Manpower Development
David Dickson. Alternative Technology and the Politics of Technical Change. U.K.: Fontana
Books, 1974.
Fabian M. Dayrit, "Contemporary Challenges to Science and Technology," paper presented
at the Ateneo de Manila University on the occasion of the Academic Symposium to commemorate
the 125th year of the Ateneo, Sept 6, 1984.
Steven Rose and Hilary Rose. Science and Society. London: Penguin Books, 1969.
Susantha Goonatilake. Aborted Discovery: Science and Creativity in the Third World.
London: Zed Books, Ltd., 1984.
Technology as an Instrument of Domination. Foundation for Nationalist Studies, 1984.
Technology from the Underside, Report of the Consultation on New Technology and the
Environment sponsored by the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches
of the Philippines, January 10-15, 1986, Manila, Philippines.
Willem Riedijk. Technology for Liberation. Delft University Press (Netherlands), 1986.
15.
The Literary Work and Values Education: Two Texts and Contexts
Bienvenido Lumbera

Every literary work bears the mark of the society that produced it, carrying within it cultural
themes that owe their presence to:

(1) the historical realities in society,

(2) the literary tradition incarnate in the language employed,
(3) the sensibility and history of the man who authored it, and
(4) the audience for which the work was originally intended. Depending on which of the four
categories predominates, the literary work yields evidence of the valuation of particular problems
or issues of the times. These are viewed from the writer's angle of vision, who bears within himself
the values contracted of a participant in the history and institutions of his society. This suggests
that literature as material for values education has the ability to shed light through situations which
illustrate ideas, concepts and insights we then perceive as values. To be able to benefit from such
illustration, however, it is necessary to see how history, language, authorship and audience interact
among themselves in molding the context against which values may be interpreted.

This paper is an attempt to demonstrate, through the employment of two literary texts, how
each of the categories named above functions in bringing to the fore values embodied in the literary
work. For our purposes here, "value" is to be understood as anything perceived as worthwhile and
desirable in relation to a social or individual need. Both literary works have appeared in separate
textbooks for high school students. One is in English, written during the period of American
colonialism, and has been accorded honors as a superior literary piece by critics here and abroad.
This is "Midsummer" by Manuel E. Arguilla, published in 1933 in the most reputable outlet for
English fiction by Filipinos before the Pacific War, and subsequently reprinted in The Best
American Short Stories of 1936.
The other story is "Impeng Negro" by Rogelio R. Sicat, written in Tagalog in 1962 and
published by Liwayway, a most durable popular magazine for fiction in Tagalog since 1922, which
singled it out as the best story of the year. In the same year, it won for Sikat second prize in the
1962 Palanca Memorial Awards contest, a distinction which was to lace the young author among
the outstanding new writers of the decade.

Midsummer

"Midsummer" is about an encounter between a peasant boy and a peasant girl at an isolated
village well. At noontime on a burning day in summer, a young man carrying his cart towards the
well sees a young woman whose looks and bearing strike his fancy. At first the girl makes it seem
that she has not noticed him, and he is hesitant to speak to her. Finally, they strike up a
conversation. Before they part, the girl asks him to stop by her house. The story closes with the
young man following the girl in the direction of her house where there is shade and relief from the
oppressive heat of the day.
As a story produced in 1933, "Midsummer" is fashionably "modern" in the spareness of its
plot, creating a problem for one who would extract values from the text. The story might be read
as an illustration of the simplicity and candor of the lifeways of rural folk. On second thought,
when we reflect on the deliberately artful contrast between the youth and vibrancy of the couple
and the arid and deathly barrenness of the landscape, we understand that the author is dramatizing
the stirring of the life-urge as this is communicated in the frankly sexual tenor of the couple's
regard for each other.
Anyone who has studied some paintings of Fernando Amorsolo, who was gaining attention
and prestige as a local colorist at the time "Midsummer" appeared, cannot fail to observe a parallel
between Arguilla's literary rendition of an amorous encounter in a rural setting and Amorsolo's
favorite image of dalagas and binatas against the sun-splashed country landscapes. Both are
evocative of a countryside one has visited but never lived in--the literary situation and the painted
scene are both exquisitely evoked, but when one dwells on the images one begins to detect a certain
amount of counterfeiting. Of course, Arguilla had not intended any profundity by his story, and
we are charmed enough by its simple and uncomplicated presentation of a casual meeting that will
possibly lead to a wedding and, eventually, to children who will make the barren earth yield life.
Nevertheless, when the story is read in the light of the social and political eruptions in the
1930s, one cannot help but feel cheated that Arguilla's peasants are here made to respond only to
sexual titillation instead of to the life-and-death issues the Colorums of Tayug confronted when
they revolted in 1931. Also, when we find out that the author came from a poor peasant family in
the barrio of Nagrebcan, Bauang, La Union, we are vaguely disappointed that the writer seemed
to have glossed over the dire poverty that drove farmers in many places in Luzon into the folds of
a variety of messianic cults which against oppressors could only provide promises of a heavenly
kingdom on earth and amulets powerless against bullets. The idyllic world of "Midsummer"
blotted out the struggles of peasants who lived such desperate lives that they were willing to entrust
their future to the poet Benigno Ramos, who recruited them into the Sakdal movement, which
promised deliverance for peasants not in the next life but in this world.
Arguilla's version of life among peasants situated love and courtship in a timeless setting of
drying streams and oppressive heat until the Filipino-ness of the characters became
inconsequential and only their universality as lover-figures mattered. In this regard, Arguilla had
been insulated from the disturbing realities outside Manila by the conveniences made available to
city residents by the booming colonial economy. All around were signs of growing progress and
prosperity--elegant new residential areas were being developed, the number of motor vehicles
clogging Manila streets was rapidly increasing, more schools were being opened, and young and
old alike seemed to have agreed that "modernizing" Filipinos ought to dress more and more like
Americans.
But it was not the trappings of progress alone that sealed Arguilla's fiction off from the realities
of the countryside. People were constantly being treated to the spectacle of politicians contending
with one another for publicity and power. That year, it was the Hare-Hawes-Cutting Law which
provided the bone of contention. It had come from Washington and promised independence after
a ten-year transition period. But some politicians found it unacceptable for reasons of their own,
which started a bitter debate between the "antis" and the "pros".
More immediately significant in the production of literature, however, was the language
Arguilla was using to write his stories.
When he entered the University of the Philippines and became part of the U.P. Writer's Club,
Arguilla joined a company that had been cut off from the literary tradition that had taken shape
when the filipinos fought Spain in the closing years of the nineteenth century. That tradition, of
which Rizal, Balagtas, del Pilar and Bonifacio had been the exemplars, was shut out of the
university classroom by the medium of instruction. In its place a link with Western writing had
been installed through the agency of literature courses that fed literary minds with ideas and
sentiments of writers from England and the U.S. By the time Arguilla had successfully installed
himself as a leading figure in campus writing, he had imbibed the essentials of literary theory that
extolled indirection and ambiguity as desirable virtues in any literary work claiming to be artistic.
"Midsummer" was to be prime display piece for the same theory that had earned for Jose Garcia
Villa's stories and poems their reputation as fine works of art, literary works that, in abstaining
from direct references to the passing issues of contemporary society, aspired to universality and
timelessness.
The magazine which published "Midsummer" was the most prestigious outlet that any
aspiring writer would want to break into. Edited by A.V. Hartendorp, a discriminating American
patron of Philippine writing in English, Philippine Magazine was originally a publication for
public schoolteachers started in 1904. In 1929, Hartendorp assumed editorship and by 1930 the
magazine had dedicated itself to "full recording of all phases of the present cultural development
of the Philippines--to the Philippine Renaissance." Hartendorp was catering to an urban-based
audience of educated elites consisting of schoolteachers, government employees, professionals
and, of course, university intellectuals.
This highly literate and articulate minority had only the slightest awareness of a literary
tradition outside of that which they had absorbed in college, and therefore had no regrets about
their severance from the tradition operating in the vernacular literatures of the period, convinced
as they were that English had put them in touch with a greater and far richer artistic heritage
embodied by such fashionable contemporary masters as Sherwood Anderson, John Steinbeck,
Erskine Caldwell, John Dos Passos and Ernest Hemingway. It was this audience that every young
writer hoped to satisfy when he wrote an English piece. For such readers only the most
sophisticated treatment could redeem so commonplace a subject as love in the countryside. The
silence in the text of "Midsummer" on particulars of love, customs, tradition and history had made
the story capable, according to the standards of the day, of universality and richness of implication.
The foregoing discussion has sought to demonstrate the forces at work on Arguilla's story and
why it can yield at best only the most generalized cultural themes about life in the Philippine
countryside. By the author's temper and design, "Midsummer" moved away from the historical
realities of the early 1930s. In our own time, we may read the dead and barren landscape of the
story as the author's unconscious substitute reality for the Filipino peasant's entrapment in a harsh
and deprived milieu, in the midst of which the promise of sex offers itself as a pleasurable safety
valve.
Significantly enough, a few years later, with the ascendance of an alternative literary theory
that challenged the dominant theory of "art for art's sake", Manuel E. Arguilla was to produce short
stories revealing the Philippine countryside as a battleground where the oppressor and the
oppressed are locked in struggle. The local colorist of "Midsummer" was to vindicate himself in
the socially-conscious pieces "The Socialists," "Epilogue to Revolt," and "Rice."

Impeng Negro

"Impeng Negro" held a topical interest in the early 1960s, the period when the black struggle
in the U.S. was an international media event.
Impen is not quite sixteen, the son of an impoverished washerwoman by a black serviceman
who deserted his mother before the boy was born. He has three younger brothers and a younger
sister, each one fair-skinned. In the urban poor neighborhood where the family lived, he earns a
small income from fetching and delivering water to various households. Because of his color,
Impen has been at the receiving end of derisive jokes about his color. One day, at the public faucet,
Impen refuses to be drawn into a fight even as Ogor and his friends taunt him about his blackness.
When Ogor orders him to yield his place in the line, Impen shows feeble signs of resistance. Ogor
trips him; he falls on his watercan and suffers a cut on his cheek. Impen does not fight back, but,
subjected to repeated kicks, he grabs Ogor's leg and grapples with him on the ground. All the
humiliation and indignities he had endured well up. He rains blow after blow on his tormentor
until Ogor admits defeat. Impen gets up, savoring the taste of victory and glorying in the awe of
those who witnessed his triumph.
The destructive release of pent-up rage in Sikat's story makes it truly reflective of the temper
of the seething 1960s. Sikat, like Arguilla, chooses to situate the climax of his story at noontime,
under a burning sun, the fight between Impen and Ogor dramatizing a conflict that brings out a
number of themes centering on resistance and struggle. On one level, the story is an indictment of
the consequences of colonial oppression, which used color as a weapon of oppression against
the indio. Even among victims, color separates man from man, keeping them from uniting against
those who victimize them. The story also says something about brutalization by conditions that
deprive the urban poor of dignity and deny them release of their unfocused resentments. "Impeng
Negro" may also be read as an account of a victim's initial taste of power, which is presumed to
lead eventually to a transformation of his consciousness from submission to assertion.
The closing years of the 1950s in the Philippines witnessed the stirrings of nationalist
awareness accompanied by a consciousness of power that can be wielded to change the
establishment. The campaign to elect Ramon Magsaysay to the presidency had harnessed the
enthusiasm of students through the Magsaysay for President Movement, organizing them as
volunteers who would safeguard the elections from the manipulations of the established political
elite. While the recognition of the students' potential as a power base imbued with political
idealism was not followed up with actual empowerment, the gesture gave the youth a sense of
power that needed only to be activated by a worthy cause. That sense of power was further
encouraged by the example of youths in other countries who had revolted against their elders for
rights and freedom.
Locally, the controversy over the Noli-Fili Bill had revived interest in the intellectual legacy
of the Propaganda Movement and the Revolution of 1896. The bill was finally approved in 1956.
Since 1953, the question of sovereignty over territory occupied by U.S. bases had been raised in
the halls of Congress and in the media, with the eloquent Senator Recto in the forefront of the
struggle for national dignity. Finally in 1956, the U.S. government acknowledged Philippine
sovereignty over the questioned territory, and in 1959, Olongapo City where the Subic Station was
based was turned over to the Philippine government.
After serving as Magsaysay's successor to the presidency, Carlos P. Garcia had gotten himself
elected to a four-year term in 1958. Upon coming to power, he declared a "Filipino First" policy
as the keystone of economic development. "Filipino First" turned out to be no more than an empty
slogan, but nationalist ideals were beginning to catch on in the universities and colleges. Diosdado
Macapagal, who billed himself as "the poor boy from Lubao," followed Garcia in the presidency.
"Simple living" was the shibboleth on which he coasted along on the wave of nationalism that was
gaining momentum in the campuses. The year Liwayway published "Impeng Negro," Macapagal
moved the date of Philippine Independence Day from July 4 to June 12, the day Aguinaldo
proclaimed independence at Kawit, Cavite in 1896.
Rogelio R. Sikat at this time had come to Manila from his native barrio of Alua in San Isidro,
Nueva Ecija, and was enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas for a degree in journalism. As a
campus writer, Sikat edited the literary page of The Varsitarian, and in this capacity associated
with members of the organization of Tagalog campus writers that went by the name of KADIPAN.
Sikat could have chosen to write in English when he came to U.S.T. By electing to write in
Filipino, he aligned himself with the more outspoken young writers who spoke out against the
"commercialism" of the earlier generation of writers who had entrenched themselves in weeklies
like Liwayway as staff members and regular contributors. "Commercial" writers, in the eyes of the
campus poets and fictionists, had betrayed their art by yielding to the monetary temptation of
producing what the weeklies decreed as writing responsive to the taste of the masses.
Away from U.S.T., Sikat found kindred spirits in other young campus writers who were later
to be identified with the 1965 anthology Mga Agos sa Disyerto. This group had read widely and
deeply not only the authors that Arguilla and his contemporaries had read, but also various
European modernist fictionists. Above all, as artists using Filipino, they were familiar with the
socially-conscious works of the giants of popular writing of the day, such as Lazaro Francisco
(Maganda Pa ang Daigdig, 1956;Daluyong, 1962) and Amado V. Hernandez (Bayang Malaya,
1959; Isang Dipang Langit, 1961; Luha ng Buwaya, 1962). Together, Sikat and his friends had
resolved that, unlike their elders who had "sold out" to the commercial weeklies, they would "write
only about what is real and true" ("susulat kami ng totoo"). In 1965, Mga Agos sa Disyerto was
published. It was to become a landmark in the history of Philippine fiction because of its links with
the tradition of social consciousness of the Rizal novels and its departures in method and temper
from the writing of earlier generations.
It was in the much-maligned commercial weekly popular magazine Liwayway that "Impeng
Negro" saw print. It was also this publication which honored the story at year's end as the best that
had appeared throughout 1962. Liwayway was originallyPhotonews, but in 1922 it was converted
into a weekly magazine specializing in popular fiction. At the time of Manuel E.
Arguilla, Liwayway was to reach a popularity level that destined it as a major factor in the
development of 20th century Tagalog literature, particularly fiction. Time and time again, young
writers would excoriate the conservatism of the editorial policies of Liwayway, but in the 1960s it
was beginning to show signs of opening itself to new writing from the young. Nevertheless, Sikat,
looking back in the 1970s, found reason to deplore what he says were unwritten rules about content
at the time he was actively contributing to the publication. Sikat listed five forbidden topics: (1)
radical politics, (2) striking unions and organized labor, (3) attacks on religious belief, (4) sex, and
(5) grim or violent subject matter.
Given the language he was using and the outlet open to him, Sikat addressed his stories to an
audience radically different from the audience of contemporaries writing in English. The audience
consisted mainly of readers from the lower middle and the lower classes, from both Manila and
Tagalog-speaking provinces. The educational level of the bulk of Liwayway readers was
elementary at the lowest, and high school at the highest. This meant that writers schooled in fiction
coming from the West had to discard technical and stylistic borrowings with
which Liwayway readers could not be expected to be familiar. The simplicity, even starkness, of
Sikat's writing in "Impeng Negro" derived from such recognition of the limitations of
the Liwayway audience. But more important, it was Sikat's intimacy with and affection for
the Liwayway audience which gave his writing its peculiar ability to articulate and project the hurts
and hopes of the poor and the abandoned. "Impeng Negro," in a time of nationalist unrest and
activist fury, was a text encoding a fragmented society's anger and desperation and the isolated
individual's vision of anarchy and violence as a way out of oppression.

Conclusion

Two stories, one in English published in 1933, the other in Tagalog published in 1962, have
been situated within their cultural matrix. Discussion of "Midsummer" has shown that when the
literary tradition of the author's language and the writer's sensibilities shaped by colonial education
have assumed dominance, the story is likely to yield mainly aesthetic values, rather than insights
into society or its culture. However, some texts succeed in articulating for ourselves values that
might otherwise be overlooked due to the inchoate character of individual experience. "Impeng
Negro" is one of these. Historical realities, the active interrogation of the literary tradition, the
author's sensibility and immersion in the times, and the dynamic presence of a mass audience--all
this resulted in a text that captures the concerns and judgment of the times and confronts us with
realities that we might otherwise decide to escape.

University of the Philippines

Manila, Philippines
16.
Education Through the Arts: The Gift of Tongues
Nicanor G. Tiongson

In most living rooms in the Philippines, a visitor is bound to find an altar on which are
enthroned, not only the plaster images of Christ and the Virgin Mary, but very significantly the
photographs, usually framed in gold, of the family's children, proudly showing off graduation caps,
hoods, and togas. Education undoubtedly continues to be held in high regard among Filipinos
today, despite the fact that only a few select can afford education beyond the primary and
secondary levels.
As it is in every household, so is it in the larger society. Many Filipinos is still hope in an
educational system that disgorges graduates by the hundreds of thousands every October and
March. All this because there is a prevalent notion that the diploma alone is the key to economic
uplift and social mobility.
But if the present state of the nation is viewed as partly the product of the country's educational
system, Filipinos have no recourse but to reevaluate the present educational thrust. For while our
numerous schools, colleges and universities have produced innumerable graduates, massive
unemployment persists and worsens. The national economy still must recuperate, while the
national psyche remains confused and debilitated, continuously drugged by colonial and escapist
values and attitudes perpetuated by the mass media.

Education and Democracy

Clearly, this is not the education we want for our society. But what indeed should education
be? What should our schools produce? What is a truly educated person?
The definition of education given by philosophers of education is as idealistic as it is
unequivocal: the ultimate goal of education is the common good, and in democratic societies this
is reflected in a society in which justice, equality and democratic practices prevail. In this view,
education is expected to develop a citizenry of free men who are able to express their will, fight
for their rights and be responsible for their actions. Moreover, it should nurture a citizenry of
creative men able to respond to the needs of their society and to offer creative solutions to problems
their society may face.
In other words, more than a citizenry of doers, the educational system must be able to produce
thinkers and creative persons in order to preserve society and ensure progress. In this the
importance of creativity cannot be underestimated, for men who are bound by conventional world-
views and timeworn procedures are doomed to lead their society to a state of stagnation. It may be
well to remind ourselves that the stunning discoveries in the history of civilization that brought
progress and comfort to mankind--from the simple wheel to the complex flying machine--were
made by men who explored and pushed their imagination beyond the limits of what was known,
or even allowed, during their time.

Problems in Education

Can we say that our educational system encourages the development of such a citizenry? In a
study published by the Center for Research and Communication,1 a panel of Philippine scholars2
presented an appraisal of the educational system in the Philippines today. It pinpoints several
inadequacies in the areas of educational planning, structure, teaching and learning methodology,
socio-economic aspects, educational financing and non-formal and informal education. This paper
focuses on what I consider to be the most basic inadequacies of our educational system. The first
is seeming misdirection of goal; the second, inadequate teaching and learning methodology; and
third, undue bias for formal or schoolroom education.
First, to many Filipinos who want only more food on the table or clothes on their back, the
primary goal of education has come to be training that will ensure employment after graduation.
Hence, the proliferation of students in courses such as those in commerce, teaching, secretarial and
vocational subjects that not only have the lowest tuition fees, but also are expected to enable one
to land a job easily. In non-formal education dressmaking, hair science or beauty culture seem to
be the favorites. In this concept of education, education itself becomes optional if a person already
has a job. "Tutal kumikita na naman, bakit kailangan pang mag-aral."
Ironically, society can only absorb a limited number of these graduates, so that in the end
many find themselves among the increasing number of the "educated unemployed." More
importantly, this pragmatic and short-sighted view misses the broader point of education--the
development of the person, the maximization of his or her potential and capacity as a thinking and
creative individual able to harness and shape his environment, and not the other way around.
The second point concerns the teaching and learning methodology prevalent in our school
systems, which is best illustrated by the physical layout of a typical Filipino classroom: rows upon
rows of students looking up at a teacher who stands on a platform, framed by blackboards crammed
with information which students must copy word for word. This teaching and learning method is
what Paolo Freire in his book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, refers to as the "banking" method.
Here, the teacher is the supreme authority who dishes out "facts" and data, which the students
accept as gospel truth, and return to their teacher undigested, in exams and classroom recitations.
Needless to say, this system can only develop data-oriented automatons predisposed to rote-
memorization rather than to critical thinking, parrots who are as docile as they are passive and
complacent. Small wonder that many Filipinos continue to accept the stereotypes of man as
provider and woman as homemaker, and never question the rule of the traditional elite. Small
wonder, too, that we fall easy prey to advertising messages that facilitate continued domination of
our economy by foreign powers.
Thirdly and finally, there is an undue bias for formal or classroom education, a system tending
to favor only those who can afford it. Because the poor cannot afford the tuition fees demanded by
a sustained program requiring more and more cash outlay as one rises to higher levels, the gap
between the educated and the non- or less educated continues to widen with serious socio-
economic repercussions, such as the monopoly of vital information by those who are articulate in
English; the cornering of economic opportunities by those armed with diplomas; and the
manipulation of the illiterate by the "enlightened" who hold the reins of political power. The end
result of all this is not only the turtle-pace of national progress and development, but a democracy
without substance, a virtual aristocracy of the educated few.
But how can education respond to the needs of our society? How can it serve the imperatives
of national progress and development? Clearly, these questions cannot be answered satisfactorily
in one paper. But I would like to concentrate on the following options:

1) the development of the creative mind and imagination among the citizens, and
2) the use of the arts in this task.
The Creative Mind and Imagination

The first important component of the creative mind is a critical attitude that is perpetually
inquisitive and questioning. It is not satisfied with what is, but examines the whys and wherefores
of concepts and phenomena. It does not accept anything as absolute, but rather brings all "truths"
to the table of discussion and debate. It defies authority; it destroys idols. It is an iconoclast, but
not an anarchist or a nihilist, for even as it destroys maxims of the past and shibboleths of the
present, the critical mind conjures up the dreams and ideals of a life better than that which exists.
It slashes through limits and conventions in its pursuit of the grail that is the greater good.
But the creative mind is not only critical. It is also imaginative, building paths in unchartered
territories that burst through the frontiers of the here and now. It is a mind that discovers, invents
and creates the tools, equipment, and vessels which seek to transport mankind to the reality of a
better life. In short, it is the creative imagination which dynamizes mankind towards progress.
To this day, men with creative minds and imaginations remain a rare breed in our country,
and not without reason. More than 400 years of colonization under Spain and America, and 20
years of devastating dictatorship have created a tremendous negative impact on our national
psyche. Our relationships--whether political, economic, social or personal--are still largely
authoritarian, our tastes disappointingly colonial, our attitudes are at best accommodating, at worst
subservient. Indeed, ours is a culture of silence, a culture of a people without tongues.
Clearly, if we are to survive as a nation, economic and political rehabilitation have to go hand
in hand with social and personal remolding. For blind acceptance of what is, as well as passivity
and apathy, are the best allies of the foreign and local forces that subvert the interest of the greater
majority of our people. For national survival, therefore, it is imperative that we break the culture
of silence, and begin to develop a people who will not be afraid to express those ideas. For this we
have to make our people--whether they are in the cities or hinterlands--aware of themselves as
individuals, and as persons with much potential within themselves. Hopefully, once our people
have become aware of their selves, they will seek naturally to express these newly-discovered
selves. Self-awareness then is the sputum that will loosen tongues that have been tied and hardened
by the traumas of our history.

The Role of the Arts

But how is this to be done? In this endeavor, the arts and their disciplines and principles, play
a pivotal role. For it is the arts that can present our people with alternative and myriad ways of
self-expression, nothing less than the gift of tongues.
To illustrate, let us cite the experience of one theater group which has evolved an effective
way of releasing personal creativity. The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) has
been conducting Basic Integrated Theater Arts Workshops (BITAW) since 1973. The workshop
starts with improvisational games meant to release a person's spontaneity and eliminate his
inhibitions. These release games and exercises are meant to prepare the individual to "experience".
In this context, "experiencing", as Viola Spolin, an exponent of improvisational theater, explains,
is penetration of the environment and total organic involvement with it. This means involvement
on three levels: intellectual, physical and intuitive. Of the three, the intuitive, which is most vital
to the learning situation, now is often neglected. When response to experience takes place at this
intuitive level, i.e., when a person functions beyond a constricted intellectual plane, he is totally
open for learning, for the intuitive can only respond in immediacy--to the here and now. It comes
bearing gifts in the moment of spontaneity when we are freed to involve ourselves in the moving-
changing world around us.
In the integrated arts workshops, confrontation with the environment is further encouraged
because the principles and elements of design are taught through games and examples of objects
found in the environment, such as the lines and rhythm found in sea waves, the shape and color of
leaves and fruits, the texture of sand and rocks. With stones, tin cans and wooden sticks, sounds
and rhythms are created to express emotions and sentiments. Simple poems are composed
describing the impact of an element in one's environment--like that of the scorching heat of the
sun as one performs his daily chores, or of the cool water as one bathes in the river, or of the
landlord who evokes awe as well as fear in his tenant farmer.
In creative dramatics, involvement with other persons is through "exposure" and research. A
participant observes an interesting character in his community, learns something about the person,
penetrates his/her mind and heart, examines the person's relationship with the other members of
the community, and finally dramatizes the person's conflict or agreement with them. In this
process, the participants come to investigate and discuss issues and problems in their community
and, through the guidance of the workshop facilitator, perhaps to suggest solutions to some of these
problems and issues. The process in effect draws out one's awareness of the self, his environment
and his community.
The same techniques of employing the arts to foster better learning may be employed in the
classroom. History, for example, does not have to be a boring recitation of who killed Magellan,
when Rizal was born, whose was the first uprising against Spain, who was the president of the
Philippine Commonwealth, how did Magsaysay die? Instead, the teachers can encourage their
students to put up exhibits of objects and pictures of the Spanish Period, or to dramatize the Trial
of Rizal or of Bonifacio. In the case of a play, discussion of the issues raised may be encouraged
with the use of Boal's technique of Forum Theater, so that students may comment on the play and
even restructure it according to what they believe should have happened. Similarly, arithmetic
does not have to be abstract and traumatic. A recent play for children explains addition, subtraction
and multiplication through children brightly costumed as animals singing and dancing the
principles of arithmetic. Given the fact that students today are bombarded with visual excitement
in television and film, a pedagogy that employs the arts, especially for its audio-visual impact and
kinetic-participative aspect, is not only desirable but imperative.
But what is the point in employing games, creative exercises, and the integrated disciplines
of the arts in education? Clearly, these processes all provide opportunities for experiencing, and
hence for learning. From personal or group or community experiences, insights and concepts are
drawn out and clarified. In such learning processes, general principles or truths are never
intoned ex cathedra or handed down by the teacher to the students. Rather they are deduced from
what the learners experience, doing justice to the original meaning of education, i.e., ex ducere, to
draw out. In this process, the "teacher" is more appropriately a "facilitator" who helps the learner
draw concepts out of his experiences. The facilitator's only advantage over his students, perhaps,
is the fact that he/she is more experienced and therefore richer in insights. Even then he/she does
not assume the stance of an authority figure, but is one of the learners, for each new game, each
new process is a new experience, and each new experience a source of new or additional
knowledge for a true teacher.
Such workshops are always conducted in an informal, relaxed atmosphere, the better to
encourage spontaneity. The participants, at the time when experiences and insights are synthesized,
are seated on the floor in a circle. Each one is on equal footing with the rest, including their
facilitator, in sharing and assessing insights.

A Nation of Creators

In conclusion, the objective of education through the arts is to develop not a country of
professional artists, but rather a nation of creators--citizens who maximize the use of their creative
imagination. Such a nation of persons will reject any form of fascistic control or authoritarian
repression. A people with creative imagination will refuse to be herded like sheep: they will always
speak their minds and stand up for the truth as they perceive it. They will never impose their own
minds and wills on their fellowmen, for their inherent attitude of openness makes them respect the
right of others to express their own truths.
Furthermore, a nation whose people are creators is a nation that could never stagnate or remain
complacent with things as they are. It is a nation that will continue to question systems that have
begun to harden and institutions that have begun to fossilize. It is a nation that will dare to question
the validity of "modern medicine" and experiment with "unscientific" herbal healing. It will not
be afraid to debunk such established concepts as the superiority of American-type democracy and
free enterprise economy in favor of political and economic systems that protect the interests of
Third World countries. It will produce Galileos, da Vincis and Einsteins who always will be
unhappy with the way things are because they are obsessed by the dream of a better world for all
men.
I close with a favorite anecdote which clearly shows how a people's creativity--in this case the
Nicaraguans'--proved to be a successful antidote to foreign repression. When the U.S.A. suspended
Nicaragua's credit to buy wheat, to pressure them into acceding to American demands which the
Nicaraguans considered inimical to their interest, cultural workers promptly organized a corn
festival on a national scale with an overwhelming response from their people. The Nicaraguans
showed the strength and vast richness of their culture by inventing a bewildering variety of dishes,
bread, pastries and drinks all made from corn. In this way they not only showed their culinary
abilities, but ensured the legacy of their culture--a culture of resistance. It is said that the
Nicaraguan Revolution was a revolution of poets. There can be no doubt about it, just as there can
be no doubt that creativity is indeed the cornerstone of democracy and progress.

Cultural Center of the Philippines

Manila, Philippines

Notes

1. "The Educational System" in The Philippines at the Crossroads: Some Visions for the
Nation (Manila: Center for Research and Communication, 1986), pp. 218-385.
2. Florangel Rosario Braid, Dieter Appelt, Jaime Valera, Ramon R. Tuazon and Evangeline
Albert.
17.
Values Education and Teaching Language
Andrew Gonzalez, F.S.C.

This chapter concerns how values may be incorporated and imparted through language
education in the Philippine context.
Under our Bilingual Education Policy formulated in 1974 and substantially repeated in 987,
education in the Philippines is conducted in two languages, Filipino (our national language) and
English.
The domains of each language are delineated, with English reserved as the `non-exclusive'
language for mathematics and science in the curriculum, for home technology and work experience
(temporarily), and with Filipino for all other subjects.
Since content subjects in the humanities have been treated by Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera,
focusing upon literature, I shall confine myself to what is called Communication Arts in Filipino
and in English, under the Secondary Education Development Program.

Filipino, English and Values Education

Before World War II, an American chemical engineer turned linguist and anthropologist in
the Boston area, Benjamin Lee Whorf, proposed the intriguing idea that the grammar of a language,
its structure, affects the way we perceive reality. Earlier, in the 1920s, one of the great linguists of
the United States, perhaps the greatest so far, Edward Sapir, propounded something similar based
on his study of the way American Indian languages affected the community's thinking and
perceptions of reality. Whorf took up the idea more explicitly by saying that the categories of a
language, arranged in its grammatical system, influenced the thinking of the speaker using that
language. The hypothesis, known in scholarly circles as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, has never
been proven.
Experimental studies have, however, been conducted on children of different linguistic
backgrounds to see if the students' performance in certain cognitive tasks was reinforced or
weakened by the explicit grammatical categories of their mother tongues. While it was found that
certain Navajo Indian children proved superior in spatial thinking in non-verbal tests (the Navajo
language has special figure-based counters), in the Boston area, among students of high socio-
economic status families the same superior performance in testing for spatial thinking was found.
If nothing else, the studies showed that even if there were an initial superiority due to one language,
there are enough compensating factors to make up for any disadvantages on the part of those who
speak another language.
Actually, at present, hardly anyone subscribes to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis in its strong
form. In its weak form, however, many would accept the fact that language sensitizes its speakers
to certain realities that are important to the speakers of that language: for example, we have
multiple words for rice because it is so important to our culture; in the same way Eskimos have
multiple words for snow because of the importance of this object for their way of life.
A form of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis was in operation among the early American educators
during our colonial history, since if one reads the reports of the period, many Americans felt that
only through English could Filipinos learn the democratic values of government and adopt the
practices of democracy. Similarly, some businessmen among the Americans felt that it was only
through English could Filipinos be activated in the commercial fields and become productive
beyond their traditional agricultural modes.
During the controversy on the teaching of Spanish in the 1950s, one of the arguments used by
the pro-Spanish elements, especially among the Spanish religious orders and some of the bishops,
was that the faith was somehow tied to Spanish, and that if Filipinos ceased to be knowledgeable
in Spanish, the faith would somehow suffer since in the minds of these people, Catholicism was
identified with Spanish and our Hispanic past.
Among modern theologians in our country, there is now an accepted assumption that the only
way really to integrate Christianity into the warp and woof of the fabric of Filipino life is to stop
using English for catechetical and religious instruction and instead to use Filipino or the local
language. In this way, what the Jesuit psychologist Jaime Bulatao calls `split-level Christianity'
can somehow be obviated and one's Christian values integrated with one's life so that one need not
become merely a Sunday Catholic.
This explains also why the Spanish missionaries, defying the wishes of the Spanish Crown,
insisted on learning the local languages and using these for preaching and teaching rather than
Spanish. At present, this explains why sermons are more and more given in the local languages
rather than in English or even Tagalog, or why even in sophisticated Manila homilies are preached
in a code-switching variety of Filipino and English.
I have cited all these developments not to revive the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, but merely to
call attention to a common-sense idea. If one wishes to touch the hearts of people, one does better
in the language of the home more than in a foreign language that one associates only with official
impersonal functions removed from daily life. Hence, if we wish really to impart values in a class,
we would do better using the local, or at least an indigenous, language such as Filipino rather than
English. This applies particularly to the daily Values Education period under the new secondary
school curriculum and to the religion classes taught in private schools both Catholic and Protestant.
I would make the same plea for our madrasah schools--not to use Arabic (since hardly anyone
speaks Arabic) but to use the mother tongue of our Islamic cultural communities: Maranao,
Maguindanao, Sama, Yakan and Tausug.

Communication and Cultural Enrichment

To focus on the actual language arts subjects, the purpose of the Filipino language arts classes
is to teach the structure of Filipino among non-Tagalogs and among native Tagalogs the
standardized variety of Filipino. The letter is still in the process of standardization and cultivation,
of which one facet is intellectualization. Moreover, after this initial phase of teaching structure, all
instruction in one's local language actually consists of learning to use this language effectively--in
other words, for rhetorical purposes. Traditionally in the field of instruction this is called the
language arts: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. At the same time, both for language use
and ultimately for the knowledge and appreciation of culture, language lessons are interspersed
with literary study especially at the secondary level. Literary study is both cultural and aesthetic
in purpose: one learns more about the language's cultural matrix as well as the artistic merits of its
literary craftsmanship and merit (what we call appreciation) through the study of language.
Ultimately, the purposes and activities for English as a second language in the Philippines are
similar to the purposes and activities for Filipino. While the initial work in English language study
is the learning of English as a code, English language study ultimately will involve the creative
use of English for thinking and higher cognitive activities. This goes beyond its use for studying
science and mathematics and for wider communication. At the advanced stage of ESL, one learns
about the cultural underpinning of the language, especially when studying the literature of English
outside of the Philippines as well as Philippine literature in English.
The initial purpose is then communication, but ultimately it should be cultural enrichment and
aesthetic appreciation for both Filipino and English.
In all phases of instruction in language--from communication to rhetorical use, to cultural and
scientific enrichment, and to aesthetic appreciation--there are values considerations which can be
occasions for the human formation of our students.
In communication activities, one can teach the value of proper communication in human life
and the virtues of openness and honesty; in group work the virtue of cooperation becomes
necessary. In rhetorical activities, especially debate, one can teach respect for facts, the
presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the avoidance of distorting truth, the rules of
evidence on which to convict a person, the ill-effects of rumor-mongering and distortion through
transmission, and critical thinking in general. These elements are prescribed in the DECS Values
Education Program as spelled out in its 2988 policy document, Values Education for the Filipino.
In using language, one must use it well. St. James counsels us in his epistle: "Even so the
tongue is indeed a little member and boasteth great things" (James 3:5). It can be an instrument for
good or for ill--it can heal divisions but likewise can provoke war. In the processes of formative
growth among our students, especially at the primary and secondary levels, James's caution for the
use of words can become a standard for language use.
Finally, the study of literature, without becoming preachy and forcing students to find "moral
lessons" everywhere, is an excellent vehicle for the build-up of a "taste" for literary craftsmanship
and artistic creativity, as well as an excellent laboratory for the vicarious experience in life. So
much of what we know about human nature is not given to us by psychology or sociology, but by
literature through prose and poetry and the different literary genres one learns more about human
behavior and human relations, especially relations between man and woman, from reading novels
from all periods than from any courses on marriage and on psychology.
It is necessary to select the literary pieces well and to form a proper canon of literature,
something that the SLATE (Secondary Language Program for Teachers) program under PNC has
been attempting. Then let the literary selections speak for themselves without having to be
explicitly moralistic. The human and aesthetic values will come through if the teacher knows how
to handle a literary piece well in class.
Specific values may be taught by language use (through communication skills) and special
varieties of language in specific areas (what the British linguists call registers, Business English,
Technical English, Medical English, Computer English, and the emerging registers of Filipino in
different fields). But beyond this language programming and its implementation become formative
elements in the development of what DECS calls the "core values" of nationalism and pride in the
Filipino, on the one hand, and in global understanding and cooperation, on the other hand.
The importance which the curriculum places on our national language and the creativity of
the classes in Filipino have witness value in themselves. To the Filipino students they send a
message, loud and clear, that our national language is important, that it is part of our identity and
self-worth, a symbol of our national unity, a source of pride. To me this is one antidote to our
"damaged culture" and a way of building up self-esteem for our nation and of carrying the process
of internalizing nationalism one step further.
On the other hand, while we place a premium on a sense of self-worth and self-esteem and
pride in things Filipino, especially our common language, we cannot afford to be parochial in our
approach to global realities.
English thus becomes a means of gaining access to world knowledge, available temporarily
only in the world's intellectualized languages, so that the Filipino becomes universal in his outlook
while secure in his own identity. He needs a language of wider communication for cooperative
work in this ASEAN part of the globe, and beyond as well. Not only should many Filipino learn
English but other world languages such as Japanese, Chinese, French, German and, of course,
Spanish.
There is no real conflict between Filipino and English, given the perspective I am describing,
since most of humanity is bilingual if not trilingual. We should have what sociolinguists call
additive, rather than substractive, bilingualism, just as English needed French, Latin and Greek to
develop similarly.
Hence, without explicit focuse upon them, core values are served by the very nature of a
bilingual program, with priority of course placed on the development of Filipino through
standardization, cultivation, and intellectualization.
Ultimately, values are communicated in almost all fields of study and in almost all human
activities. The focus should be on authenticity, to let these values emerge from these human
endeavors and activities, rather than "forcing" them by explicit moralizing.
To best train our teachers for values education, then, is not to encourage them to become
homilists and sermonizers (whose utterances are often vacuous and repetitious), but to teach them
to appreciate the gift of language and its expressions and to let these speak to the student. A good
reader, an assiduous literary student, will be exposed to these values almost by osmosis, and in the
process, through both cognitive and attitudinal skills, build-up and internalize the vales desired for
the future or our country.

De La Salle University
Manila, Philippines
Acknowledgements

The realization of this volume has been the work of an excellent team of Philippine Scholars
deeply devoted to their respective disciplines, to their people and to their nation. This is manifest
throughout by the care with which they approach the values in the Philippine tradition and the
expertise with which they shape this into a vision for moral education. To them the deepest
gratitude is due.
In the preparation of this manuscript many have cooperated, both in the Philippines and in
Washington, of whom special note should be made of Ms. Linda Perez whose devotion to her
people was evident in the care devoted to this work and of Hu Yeping whose stalwart and most
generous efforts brought this manuscript into form.
Acknowledgement is made also to Pantas for permission to draw upon some of its work.