Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 231 views

    ARTICLE REVIEW: Sustaining Filipino Unity: Harnessing Indigenous Values For Moral Recovery (Proserpina Domingo Tapales & Ma. Concepcion P. Alfiler)

    Uploaded by

    ShebaSarsosaAdlawan
    The article discusses the history of unity and disunity among Filipinos. During periods of colonial rule, Filipinos were united in their struggle for independence. However, unity did not last long after independence was achieved. The authors argue that indigenous values like "kapwa" could help sustain unity, but the elite and masses interpret these values differently. For unity to last, there needs to be a shared understanding of values like kapwa that emphasizes equitable distribution of wealth and empowerment of the masses. However, the article does not consider the diversity within Philippine society, such as between Christian and Muslim populations in Mindanao, which also impacts unity.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    ARTICLE REVIEW: Sustaining Filipino Unity: Harnessing Indigenous Values For Moral Recovery (Proserpina Domingo Tapales & Ma. Concepcion P. Alfiler)

    Uploaded by

    ShebaSarsosaAdlawan
    231 views4 pages
    The article discusses the history of unity and disunity among Filipinos. During periods of colonial rule, Filipinos were united in their struggle for independence. However, unity did not last long after independence was achieved. The authors argue that indigenous values like "kapwa" could help sustain unity, but the elite and masses interpret these values differently. For unity to last, there needs to be a shared understanding of values like kapwa that emphasizes equitable distribution of wealth and empowerment of the masses. However, the article does not consider the diversity within Philippine society, such as between Christian and Muslim populations in Mindanao, which also impacts unity.

    Original Description:

    Original Title

    ARTICLE REVIEW: Sustaining Filipino Unity: Harnessing Indigenous Values for Moral Recovery (Proserpina Domingo Tapales & Ma. Concepcion P. Alfiler)

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The article discusses the history of unity and disunity among Filipinos. During periods of colonial rule, Filipinos were united in their struggle for independence. However, unity did not last long after independence was achieved. The authors argue that indigenous values like "kapwa" could help sustain unity, but the elite and masses interpret these values differently. For unity to last, there needs to be a shared understanding of values like kapwa that emphasizes equitable distribution of wealth and empowerment of the masses. However, the article does not consider the diversity within Philippine society, such as between Christian and Muslim populations in Mindanao, which also impacts unity.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    231 views4 pages

    ARTICLE REVIEW: Sustaining Filipino Unity: Harnessing Indigenous Values For Moral Recovery (Proserpina Domingo Tapales & Ma. Concepcion P. Alfiler)

    Uploaded by

    ShebaSarsosaAdlawan
    The article discusses the history of unity and disunity among Filipinos. During periods of colonial rule, Filipinos were united in their struggle for independence. However, unity did not last long after independence was achieved. The authors argue that indigenous values like "kapwa" could help sustain unity, but the elite and masses interpret these values differently. For unity to last, there needs to be a shared understanding of values like kapwa that emphasizes equitable distribution of wealth and empowerment of the masses. However, the article does not consider the diversity within Philippine society, such as between Christian and Muslim populations in Mindanao, which also impacts unity.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 4

    ARTICLE REVIEW

    Sustaining Filipino Unity: Harnessing


    Indigenous Values for Moral Recovery
    (Proserpina Domingo Tapales & Ma. Concepcion P. Alfiler)

    Prepared by:

    Sheba S. Adlawan
    MPA-PPPA, 1st Year

    Prepared for:

    Dr. Grace Meroflor A. Lantajo


    PA 200
    INTRODUCTION

    Philippine history had proven that Filipinos were capable of achieving unity in the past.
    When our ancestors were colonized by the Spaniards, Americans and Japanese, both
    the elite and masses had joined forces for a single cause: freedom. When freedom was
    once again put at risk with Ferdinand Marcos’ authoritarian rule and poor implementation
    of the Martial Law, Filipinos were once again united for his ouster. However, this state of
    solidarity did not last long. Once their common goal had been attained, the elite and
    masses gradually went about their normal lives.

    In this article, Tapales & Alfiler (1991) recounted the historical events that sparked unity
    and disunity among Filipinos. They discussed in detail our different indigenous values
    and how they were interpreted in different ways by the elite and masses. The authors
    also delved into approaches in combining both the elite and the masses’ understanding
    of various Filipino indigenous values to achieve sustained unity towards moral recovery.

    SUMMARY

    The Philippine history had been an endless cycle of unity in crisis and disunity after crisis.
    During the Spanish regime, our ancestors were introduced to a centralized government
    system with corrupt officials who are alienated from the masses whom they serve. This
    led to a revolution inspired by Dr. Jose Rizal, an elite, and headed by Andres Bonifacio,
    a commoner – one of the first manifestations of Filipino unity in our history.

    When the Americans took over, the elite and masses were initially united, but the elite
    gradually became Americanized through colonial education. It was only during the
    tyrannical Japanese rule and EDSA Revolution when unity resurfaced, but only in a
    fleeting moment. The authors pointed out how fast the elite and masses dispersed once
    elite elements started taking over.

    Several scholars have identified different Filipino values and the elements from which
    these values emanate. Among these is the concept of kapwa that serves as a uniting
    force. Salazar (1990), however pointed out that unity is transitory, as the elite and masses
    interpret kapwa in different ways. Kapwa for the elite is pakikitungo; kapwa for the masses
    is pakikibahagi. With this lack of one organized unifying or guiding value in politics, one
    cannot expect sustained unity (Corpuz, 1989). For the elites, kapwa is just a superficial
    relationship with other people, while for the masses, kapwa must be based on equitable
    distribution of property and wealth and self-empowerment.

    The authors also presented the ideologies guiding former Philippine Presidents Carlos
    Garcia, Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino. While all of them attempted to initiate
    programs that promote unity and nationalism, no one succeeded mainly due to poor
    implementation (i.e., Garcia), lack of leadership by example (i.e., Marcos) and failure to
    consider the pulse of the common people (i.e., Aquino).

    Despite these inconsistencies, little by little the gap between the elite and masses are
    bridged through initiatives from the non-government sector such as the promotion of
    locally based efforts (e.g., community-based health programs) and democratically
    evolved debt policy (e.g., continued support for the Freedom from Debt Coalition).

    CONTENT

    In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its
    weakest members.” This supports Tapales and Alfiler’s claim that in order to uphold unity
    in the Philippines, the elite must understand kapwa in a deeper level, and the masses
    shall be empowered and be provided with equal economic resources and opportunities.

    However, there was no mention of Philippine demography in this article. For Filipinos
    residing in Mindanao, we are fully aware that the process of unity and peace isn’t as
    simple as understanding kapwa solely in terms of how the elite and masses perceive it to
    be. The Philippines is an archipelago divided into different islands, ethnicities and religion.
    We are diverse in culture, and thus we cannot simply be boxed up as either of the two
    categories.

    I have mentioned Mindanao in particular, since among the three island groups, we have
    the most diverse people. Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority Factsheet on Islam
    in Mindanao, Muslims make up about 23.39% of the island’s population, which means
    that the remaining 76.61% are Christians or from another religious group. The concept of
    kapwa in this case may go further than what was discussed in Tapales and Alfiler’s article.
    For several years, we have struggled with Moro-Christian coexistence and conflict in
    Mindanao, which has nothing to do at all with the masses-elite dynamics.

    CONCLUSION

    While I definitely agree that our indigenous values such as kapwa, pakikisama,
    pakikitungo and pakikipagkapwa-tao, among others, are vital components for sustaining
    unity, a lot of other factors (mostly cultural) should also be taken into consideration. A
    holistic approach to studying the dynamics between and among different income classes,
    ethnicities, religions and other significant groups is the best way to figure out how to
    rebuild our unity as a nation. When crafting policies and programs, the Philippine
    government should aim not only to connect with the masses but also to understand their
    roots and individuality and to make them feel that they are part of a whole.

    You might also like