The Asian-ness in the Filipino
Manila
February 29, 2020
In almost all of Asia, we meet Indonesians who are very Indonesian steeped in their behasa and Javanese or Celebes cultures; Japanese who are very Japanese with their Toyota cars and Japanese branded electronic goods; perhaps more frequently, we come across Koreans in their TV dramas, dance, music, and fashions all of which, though ‘modern,’ strike us as undeniably Korean.
But when Asian meet us, Filipinos, we are often treated as non-Asians. We tend to talk too much to everyone, whereas most Asians are unobtrusive and observant rather than loquacious. We tend to dominate meetings and are often asked to be moderator or reporter. We tend to express a non-Asian sub-culture, hardly bashful or shy, but rather ambitious and aggressive, forceful and confident.
Where did this come from, if all our biological ancestors came from India, China, Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the rest of the Asia mainland whose cultures normally produce more tempered behaviour?
We had two major external influences, Spain and US.
From Spain, we gained fluency in a European language. Even if Filipinos in the early part of colonisation could not speak fluent Kastila, they could understand it and adapt it into their own dialects. That is why we have a Chabacano in Zamboanga and in Cavite, perhaps similar forms in other provinces. We picked up a musical ear from Flamenco whose sad strains also repeat in our kundimans. We learned a new religion which did not worship nature or instill a respect for cows or create castes, but exalted human beings and the equality of all. Spanish catholicism has also influenced our extreme rituals, the adoration of the black Nazarene and the recreation of the Passion in the Ati-atihan of Kalibo, Aklan.
In their colonisation of the country, the Americans brought three lasting things.
1) the routine use of English which today is still a more effective cultural unifier than Filipino and has opened the way to BPO and call centers as major employment sources as well as a pathway to business at international and Asian levels.
2) the public school system (now radically changed and expanded (though Government can barely keep up with its growth) and education is still and all the more so today aspired to, as the main stepping stone to economic betterment; and
3) the early telephone system, now so modernly advanced to multi-purpose cel phones, in many ways replacing newspapers and books, radio, television and movies. Have you noticed, many people can recall from memory and in English the PLDT landline numbers, but have to note down all their cellphone numbers?
Nonetheless, in Asian situations, social or business, we often need to lean on our older cultural roots and frequently depend on our alliance system (who are our very close friends and allies). We may need to express our Asian feelings through a cultivated shyness and humility, an inclination to listen and understand rather than talk and impose, to follow positively and with contribution, rather than lead and instruct. In many ways, it would seem that Filipinos are poly-cultural, though we may express one or the other culture at any one time!