describe philippine society today essay

• AsianStudies.org
• Annual Conference
• EAA Articles
• 2025 Annual Conference March 13-16, 2025
• AAS Community Forum Log In and Participate

Education About Asia: Online Archives

A brief essay on my key issues book: the philippines: from earliest times to the present.

My AAS Key Issues in Asian Studies book— The Philippines: From Earliest Times to the Present —is intended to introduce readers to a nation originally named after a European prince. The people of the archipelago that now constitutes the Philippines had a long history before any European contact occurred. Since the latter part of the nineteenth century, Filipinos have experienced a wide range of encounters with the US. The Philippines was Asia’s first republic and then became a US colony after an American war of conquest and pacification, which some argue resulted in the deaths of 10 percent of the population. Almost a million Filipino soldiers and civilians, and approximately 23,000 American military, died in the war against Imperial Japanese forces.

There are at least two ideas that drive this book. The first is that the Philippines was not some isolated archipelago that was accidentally “discovered” by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Some residents of the Philippines had contact with “the outside world” long before European contact through trade with other Southeast Asian polities and Imperial China.

The second and more important theme is that vibrant cultures existed before outsiders arrived, and they have continued throughout the history of the Philippines, though perhaps not seen or simply ignored by historians and other scholars. The intrusion by the Spaniards might be seen to have changed almost everything, as did the American incursion, and to a lesser extent the Japanese occupation. This is not the case. But if one does not know what was there before, the focus may be upon the intruders—their religion, culture, economies, and the impact they had on the local population—rather than on Filipinos, the local inhabitants. While acknowledging the impact and influence of foreign occupations, I sought in the book to focus on Filipinos and to see them as not merely, or even primarily, reactive.

Beginning with the pre-Hispanic period, The Philippines: From Earliest Times to the Present seeks to present, briefly, the reality of an advanced indigenous culture certainly influenced but not erased by more than three centuries of Spanish occupation. The second half of the nineteenth century saw the emergence on two levels—peasants and elite—of organized resistance to that presence, culminating in what some call a revolution and finally a republic. But this development was cut short by the Americans. When a commonwealth was put in place during the fourth decade of American rule, this was interrupted by World War II and the Japanese occupation. After World War II, the Philippines once again became an independent republic with the growing pains of a newly evolving democracy and its share of ups and down, including the Marcos dictatorship.

The Philippines has emerged in the twenty-first century with a robust and expanding economy, and as an important member of ASEAN. And it has its issues. On November 7, 2013, the most powerful Philippine typhoon on record hit the central part of the archipelago, resulting in more than 6,000 deaths. President Rodrigo Duterte, elected in 2016, has caught the eye of human rights advocates as he has dealt harshly with a drug problem that is far more significant than most realized. Then there is the ongoing conflict with China over islands in the South China Sea. The Philippines has been and will continue to be in the news.

The Philippines: From Earliest Times to the Present depicts Filipinos as not passive or merely the recipients of foreign influences. Contrary to the title of Stanley Karnow’s 1989 book, In Our Image: America’s Empire in the Philippines, the Philippines is not made in anyone’s, including America’s, image. Teachers and students should find this book helpful, not only in dealing with the history of the Philippines but also in recognizing that often the histories of developing countries fail to seriously take into account the local population—their culture, their actions, their vision of the world. The Philippines is perhaps best known today in the West as a place with beautiful beaches and as a wonderful place to vacation. This book will show it to be much more than that.

Share this:

• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Latest News
• Join or Renew
• Education About Asia
• Education About Asia Articles
• Asia Shorts Book Series
• Asia Past & Present
• Key Issues in Asian Studies
• Journal of Asian Studies
• The Bibliography of Asian Studies
• AAS-Gale Fellowship
• Council Grants
• Book Prizes
• Graduate Student Paper Prizes
• Distinguished Contributions to Asian Studies Award
• First Book Subvention Program
• External Grants & Fellowships
• AAS Career Center
• Asian Studies Programs & Centers
• Study Abroad Programs
• Language Database
• Conferences & Events
• #AsiaNow Blog

Throughout May, AAS is celebrating Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Read more

• Subscribe Now

[OPINION] What society is today is a reflection of its education

Already have Rappler+? Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism.

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

The Philippine educational system, by looking at its roots, came from our colonial past. It was when the Americans used education as a tool for us to act, speak, and even think in line with our colonizers, separate from the Spanish who only made some reforms when the Educational Decree of 1863 was enacted, enabling mestizos to study in Europe and gain liberal ideas, which sparked the Philippine nationalism and thus, revolution. We cannot deny the fact that our educational system is one big determiner of how well we perceive quality in many aspects of our lives. 

One will agree that the educational system is a product of our distorted identity as a nation. It is true, however, that the other side of the coin is also the case. How we shape our society can be seen through the lens of education. This includes the way we view individual responsibilities, mental health, inclusion, providing critiques, and questioning the current and pressing issues that we face, among other things. 

Unfortunately, there is a need for us to check our current value system, not just the value system that we got from the Spaniards which were repeatedly taught in basic education, such as the maniana habit, ningas kugon, palabra de honor, and inter alia . What I am referring to is our problematic behaviors such as gullibility, the low viewpoint of research, how we view mental health, how we choose the next president of the country, and others as well. 

[OPINION] On the lack of public historians and intellectual spaces

On education and advancing social change

John Dewey presented the idea that the school system must be an important vessel to nurture learners into becoming valuable and performing members of society. This means that the traditional school system must be rehashed for it to become progressive, allowing learners to become enablers of cataclysmic socio-politico-economic change. 

As an example, when the Basic Education Act of 1982 was still in effect, it was lacking in terms of instilling the “social’”part of education, which Dewey refers to as “Education for Democracy,” wherein true discourse and the engaging of different ideas based on evidence and meaningful engagements could not be observed well. This was because the focus of the Marcos administration, aside from institutional reforms, was only on strengthening the human capital production of the Philippines in terms of supporting the import-substitution-industrialization (ISI) companies – which also failed due to mismanagement and corruption. 

Currently, even with the institutional changes such as the implementation of the K-12 program, free college education, and technical-vocational training courses, things are still lacking. Here, I am talking about our value system and how we take things on a larger scale as Filipinos. The national and local elections (NLE) is fast approaching, and with that, aside from instilling voter’s education, I argue that it is also important that we put our value system under scrutiny in order for us to hopefully come up with a consensus on progress and development. 

In school, we learn different things such as solving for the area of any shape, writing poems, how to properly do an exercise, understanding how the human body works, among other things. But despite the rigorous undertaking for any individual to learn, it seems that these concepts are not in touch with reality, particularly with how each individual is taught and anticipated to participate as a full member of society.

It is always expected that the highest form of citizenship, for the most part, is through voting. Renato Constantino, in his essay entitled, “The Anti-Social Filipino” has pointed out that the educational system has failed to fulfill its role to transform the nation and instead has only equipped learners to become valuable workers and employees, not emancipated citizens who can see both the small and large scales of things in society. This essay was written more than 50 years ago, and I still ponder on the relevance of Constantino’s words, as it is also true today. The ills of the system must be addressed in order for its stakeholders to focus on sustaining this system.

I also lament teachers who have been alienated by the status quo. It is quite problematic that some of them, being renowned in their fields, have decided to not come to their senses and decide to become partisans, thus, supporting unqualified and even questionable candidates such as Ferdinand Marcos Jr. It is quite ironic that many teachers prohibit cheating, lying, and any form of academic, behavioral, and disciplinary misconduct, but fail to see that these misconducts are also happening in political spheres and even in government. 

In line with this, it is frightening that it seems that many have forgotten that entitlement to one’s opinion is not equal to entitlement to facts. It is easy to manipulate and provide altercations without really addressing the most pressing issues at hand. It is like a modern-day divide-and-conquer strategy, but instead of foreign invaders, we are now influenced by our fellow Filipinos and it is now usually done via the internet and social media platforms.  

[OPINION] On the Filipino obsession with patriotism and heroism

On realigning our values

The effects of academic neutrality and rather, lack of academic freedom even in basic education, is massive. In fact, this neutrality has led to tolerance. The core values of maka-Diyos, maka-kalikasan, makatao, and makabansa are not evident anymore. I agree that it is open to different interpretations and practices, but we must not forget that these core values are place each one of us on the common ground. For example, how can we exhibit maka-Diyos as a core value if we support extrajudicial killings, human rights violations, and people who practice and/or have records of graft and corruption? 

One of our problems is that we tend to tolerate any problematic issues because they are outside our personal boundaries. As a nation, many of us do not believe in collective efforts and actions towards social justice, emancipation, and progress. This is a reminderof Karl Popper’s Paradox of Tolerance, wherein the more we tolerate anyone who does the slightest thing that can be considered as a red flag, the more they become powerful, which can result in intolerance. 

We keep on focusing on our individuality that we have overlooked the real issues that we must address: structural inequality and poverty, the prevalence of political dynasties and warlords, lack of access to quality social services, work-related exploitation, human rights violations, fanaticism, among other things. As citizens, we must realize that we have become alienated by these structures that we keep on running in circles. I believe that this overhaul must start between the interaction of the teacher and students. As John Dewey has pointed out, education must be social. It must be in touch with reality and what solutions can be done in order for us to become proactive and engaging citizens. Once realized and implemented, there is still hope for a better Philippines – a country with progress in mind rooted in its core values.  – Rappler.com

Juniesy Estanislao earned his Bachelor’s in Secondary Education, Major in Social Studies at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina in 2018. He currently teaches Araling Panlipunan subjects at the Junior High School of Ingenium School Inc., Marikina City. He is also currently taking up a Master of Arts in Philippine Studies, Major in Development Studies at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman.

Add a comment

Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines .

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

How does this make you feel?

Related Topics

Recommended stories, {{ item.sitename }}, {{ item.title }}.

Checking your Rappler+ subscription...

Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access.

Why is it important to subscribe? Learn more

You are subscribed to Rappler+

PANEN99 > Judi Slot Gacor Hari Ini Gampang Sensasional Slot88

PANEN99 merupakan agen situs slot gacor gampang menang sensasional hari ini dengan pola game slot provider slot88 terbaik bisa dapat menang maxwin taruhan slot online paling gacor terpercaya.

Jump to navigation

We have changed our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy as of January 12th, 2021. By clicking Accept below, you acknowledge receipt of these new policies.

• US & Canada

Advanced Search

• América Latina: Español
• América Latina: Português
• Mission and goals
• Strategic partners
• Health Care Without Harm in Africa
• Global team
• Health Care Without Harm board
• Coronavirus resource center
• Climate and health news
• Subscribe to our newsletters
• About Global Green and Healty Hospitals
• Imagine a green and healthier world
• The Global Green and Healthy Hospitals agenda
• Climate Impact Checkup
• Climate change: an opportunity for action
• Our approach: mitigation, resilience and leadership
• Sustainable cooling
• Air pollution
• Why sustainable procurement
• Sustainable Health in Procurement Project (SHiPP)
• Sustainable Procurement Index for Health
• SDGs and procurement
• Impact of health care waste management
• What we are doing
• Health care waste and Sustainable Development Goals
• Projects and case studies
• Infectious waste
• Sharps waste
• Pharmaceutical waste
• Pathological and anatomical waste
• A fifteen years global campaign
• Mercury and environmental health
• Mercury free members
• Switching to alternatives
• Minamata Convention
• Model policies
• Chemicals and environmental health
• Chemicals in health care
• Plastic pollution

ESSAY | Post-Pandemic Philippines and the New World Order: “Why does it matter and what can we do?”

News posted by hcwhasia on June 3, 2020

• Tags: pandemic , Healthcare , philippines

An essay written and submitted by Dr. Ronald Law

In former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s recent COVID-19 article, he mused that “nations cohere and flourish on the belief that their institutions can foresee calamity, arrest its impact and restore stability.” More than giving a rush of blood to the head of anyone in power, this brings into front and center the role of politics in a disease process as complicated and transcendental as this pandemic. Apart from being an epidemiologic phenomenon that has caused a global death toll that can parallel if not surpass that of previous plagues of our civilization, COVID-19 had unraveled the powers of nations and their leaders—their strengths and flaws—as they try their best, following a contagion dynamic, to maintain equilibrium in their part of the world by containing the disease lest it spirals out of control and spread to other areas.

COVID-19 was first reported in December last year as a mysterious respiratory illness afflicting seafood market workers in Wuhan, China. Next thing we knew, it had already spread rapidly to multiple countries and to date had ravaged the entire world with massive cases and deaths in its trail and immeasurable economic and social costs for our world to bear now and in generations to come. How did it start? Was it naturally occurring or intentionally released? Was there a delay in reporting? Was there a cover-up? What global cooperation strategies can be deployed? What nations will emerge victorious in the response? After this coronavirus pandemic, what superpower will change the world order? Which kind of politics will prevail? What will be the fate of global health governance? Which countries stand to gain? How will health systems be transformed? How will people benefit from changes in the global health security movement?

These are questions that can frame our understanding of politosomatics which explores the links between politics and pandemics. As Mika Aaltola theorized, a “dis-ease” at the individual somatic body may be viewed as part of a bigger movement in the global political hierarchy. From the deadly Spanish Flu (H1N1) pandemic in 1918 to the hyped-up (because it proved benign later) Swine Flu (also H1N1) pandemic in 2009 to the coronavirus disease of today, pandemics albeit invisible enemies are real, tangible and personal. Individuals and societies are often gripped by their resultant fear, distress and anxiety.

The old and new worlds of the East and West with their differing levels of economy and health system capacities, nuance of ideologies and culture, mix of fear, paranoia and indifference became good staging grounds for pandemics. This “coming plague” storyline started in the 1990s when Avian Flu was all the rage. Initially a disease of wild birds in China that threatened the poultry industry, human practices with livestock and mutation allowed the Avian Flu virus to jump from animals to humans and the thought of migratory birds flying to many destinations and spreading the disease propagated a medico-security paradigm that looks at external health threats as an important security issue of any country.

The “yellow danger” biohazard sign to mark unsafe sites couldn’t be more straightforward. This started the whole containment drama and military-inspired bio-preparedness tactics (think of Outbreak the movie) to mitigate the impacts of infectious diseases. Although disproportionately impacting the food security sector, Avian Flu was enough to stir the health security discourse and trigger the pandemic fantasies of the world then. Until 2003, with the US-led war on terror gaining traction after the 9/11 attacks, the perfect disease storm, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) came about. Again, it started in China but the disease surprised the world when it rapidly spread to major hubs around the world because of global interconnectedness through air travel and superspreaders—infected people who could unknowingly but exponentially infect many others—causing major economic losses and social disruptions in no time. In one fell swoop, SARS met the definition of a pandemic being able to shut down modern life support systems.

These interweaving pandemic and politics stories underscore the need for individual countries, regardless of their positions and power in international politics, to develop capacities for preparedness and resilience to pandemics--the quintessential health threat to the world order. This is at the core of the International Health Regulations (IHR) and the global health security agenda.

The Philippines, if we are to benefit from, if not change, the new world order after coronavirus, should be strategic enough to use its political resources (and people) and work with global partners not only to respond to COVID-19 but also to do its role in shaping the future of global health security.

There are two ways to go about it. First, we need to democratize the politics of pandemics by relating it to our daily lives. We need to study political response and people participation in the pandemic. Who are the political actors? What are their interests and agenda? Why are they intent on doing COVID-19 work? How do they organize their political milieu and use people and resources? How do they use power, influence, knowledge, networks? We need to study the curious use of politics by these leaders--all in the name of alleviating people’s suffering from the common ill. As the governed, we have rights and freedom to inquire about these. We also have our obligations to participate and do our part as responsible citizens of our society. Second, we need to hold leaders to account by setting clear expectations. We need to feel a new brand of leadership that rises above the usual politics to do work that are necessary no matter how difficult, costly and inconvenient they are just to achieve our goals. Putting people’s basic needs over political considerations in this pandemic should go beyond lip service. We need to perceive better ways of promoting cooperation and collaboration when leaders engage different kinds of people. Sincerity, transparency and openness can go a long way in winning public trust and confidence. This is absolutely necessary if people are to adopt prescribed behaviors. Effective crisis communication could also play a role in informing our decisions and actions. We need to see results and get feedbacks whether positive or negative so we can all learn from lessons, adapt and adjust our strategies to adapt to the new normal. Sharing of data, exchange of information and joint planning and decision-making can empower both the leadership and the people to turn around this challenging situation.

In every epic story of battle, there will be villains and there will be heroes. Some will be recognized and a few put on a pedestal; most will be relegated to our short-term memory while some may be totally forgotten. In the world after this coronavirus, as Filipinos and global citizens doing our part, we can see that global solidarity will win over national interests and humanity will prevail as the most important asset to health security. Politics if done right can change the world for the better after a pandemic. ###

Dr. Ronald Law is a physician, public health specialist and professor of public health at the University of the Philippines-College of Public Health. He obtained a fellowship in public health emergencies and emerging health issues at Griffith University, Australia and investigated the topic of health security at the University of Washington, U.S.A. as a US-ASEAN Fulbright visiting scholar.

Quick Links

Copyright © 2024 Health Care Without Harm

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

Democracy and social change in the Philippines in a time of COVID-19

Interview with maria ressa, journalist and ceo of rappler.

By Jackie Enzmann, Chief Editor

Related Articles

Latest news, sasakawa peace foundation and surin pitsuwan foundation hold art exhibition in thailand to reflect on the tragedies of war in efforts to promote a peaceful society.

The Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) partnered with the Surin Pitsuwan Foundation in Thailand to organize “Echoed Tranquility,” an exhibition bringing together several artists, including a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, to display works evoking images of past conflict and exploring the impact of war and the recovery that comes after.

“WHOLE” film screening at Sasakawa Peace Foundation Director Bilal Kawazoe brings to light the struggles multiracial people face in Japan

On October 17, 2023, the Asia and Middle East Program of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) organized a screening at the foundation for the Japanese film “WHOLE” in collaboration with the Kobe Foreigners Friendship Center (KFC). The film was directed by award-winning filmmaker Bilal Kawazoe, and starred Mr. Kawazoe’s younger brother, Usman Kawazoe, and actor Kai Sandy as Makoto and Haruki, two biracial men who were born and raised in Japan, sharing similar yet different viewpoints towards their identity and the struggles they face in Japanese society.

Achieving Positive Peace using Sustainable Development Goals - An emphasis on student collaboration and natural resource management

As part of an effort to help Japan and countries in Asia address common challenges, SPF partnered with Hiroshima University and Columbia University to invite students from around the world for the “Hiroshima University Peace Study Tour 2023,” a joint summer program focusing on natural resource management and peacebuilding.

Video Title

9 Rizalian examples for today's Filipinos

Every Rizal Day and in my talks throughout the year, I am asked about why José Rizal is still relevant— that's a relief because I am tired of trivializing the hero.

Kidding aside, although one can be irritated by the lingering questions, I am happy that they are actually being asked:  what is the importance of remembering his holiday?  Should he be a national hero if he was actually fighting for Hispanization and not for a separate Nation? Did he really have a concept of the Filipino Nation?

The late Jesuit historian Fr. John Schumacher, S.J. argued in his works that the Propaganda Movement was pro-Hispanization, and he saw that as the first step for eventual and gradual separation, which could only lead to building our own nation.

Floro Quibuyen always told me that the key to understanding Rizal's own dream of us, the Filipino Nation, is to look at the short-lived society he founded in July 1892--The La Liga Filipina.  It aimed to build a nation of Filipinos  who were: “nagkakaisa (magkapisan), nagdadamayan, nagmamalasakit, nag-aaral, nagpapaunlad, at nagpapatupad ng pagbabago.”  These concepts should be as relevant today as they were in Rizal’s time.  I propose celebrating Rizal Day by humbly drawing 9 lessons from the way he lived his life that would still be relevant to today’s Filipinos:

1. BE PROGRESSIVE. My partner in the Facebook live show Dulowtard History Live , Prof. Van Ybiernas, argued that what Rizal and the propagandists did against the Spaniard was, in a sense, trolling.  Trolling is used by the weak to irritate the powerful.  In fact they were so trolled by Rizal's Padre Damaso, Salvi and Doña Victorina that they eventually killed him.  Others can call this activism, or just being plain progressive.  Tell people the ills of society so progress can be achieved.  But take note that Rizal exposed the ills of society and attacked those that make it worse, but did not antagonize fellow Filipinos, even if he was also telling them where they’d gone wrong.

2. THINK CRITICALLY. Rizal and the Propagandists were called Ilustrados not just for being educated but because they are believers of the Enlightenment Philosophy .  They did not just accept things as they are, they began questioning the inequality in the status quo.  They did not wait for miracles to happen but advocated scientific and reasonable approaches in solving problems.  In short:  use your coconut.  Fanaticism and blind faith can be the unbecoming of a Nation.

3. EDUCATE YOURSELF. To be honest, Rizal was not democratic in his politics although he is a liberal by philosophy.  To become a worthy citizen of the Nation, he believed, one should be educated.  But what was Rizal's kind of education? Quibuyen talked about Rizal's progressive education when he taught in Dapitan, a non-traditional approach which is not based on a canned standard curriculum but is anchored on developing the strengths of each student. 

4. DEVELOP YOUR TALENTS. Why were the propagandists multi-talented? Rizal was considered a "renaissance man" just like Leonardo da Vinci because he was able to do things both in the sciences and the humanities, but he was not the only one.  General Antonio Luna was a pharmacist and a chemist, Juan Luna was a sailor and a painter, and so on.  One must understand that during the time of our ancestors, many Spaniards thought lowly of Filipinos. The propagandists, by being multi-talented, were actually proving a point about Filipinos being their own people, their own Nation.  By the product of their talents, they were able to make the people feel united in their achievements and their progressive and educated thoughts. Juan Luna showed the colonizers that we are outstanding through the Spoliarium.  Rizal demonstrated in his writings, especially the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo , our common misfortune under colonialism. There was no such town as San Diego, but being nowhere, it was everywhere.  Padre Salvi, Sisa, Doña Victorina and others are reflections of realities of Philippine life under colonialism.  These novels and portrayals of Philippine society showed us that realizing our common problems should unite us as a Nation.

• How the “Noli Me Tangere” was our first content to go viral

5. MAKE A DIFFERENCE. It is not enough to be educated ourselves and to develop our talents.  Rizal proved in Dapitan that if one decides to, an individual can change the lives of other people.  Quibuyen wrote that aside from "progressive education" Rizal's other legacy for the 21st century should be "social entrepreneurship."  When the Spaniards exiled Rizal to Dapitan, the goal was to discourage him in doing his thing by bringing him to the "edge of the earth". But even if he was only one person, a "one man NGO," he tried to change the lives of the people by instilling to the people of that sleepy town a sense of industry and pride in work.  He taught them the latest technologies in agriculture, fishing, and even collected them into a cooperative.  When he won the lottery, he bought land so he could be productive.  Rizal had money in the process, but he did not forget to make a difference as well to people's lives that when he left after four years, people were actually crying because Rizal significantly changed the way they looked at their world. 

6. RESPECT WOMEN. Some consider Rizal a misogynist, because he portrayed almost all his women characters in his novels as weak, including the main female protagonist, Maria Clara.  But we should look at the novels not just as a rebuke to the colonial system, but also as a wake-up call to Filipinos.  It was his way of showing Filipino women their situation at that time and that they should act.  One should read his congratulatory letter to the women of Malolos who agitated to be taught the Spanish language.  He basically pointed out the role of women, especially mothers, in raising patriotic kids who will eventually work for their country.  Crucial to these is the education of women, because the blind cannot lead the blind.  Historian Luis Dery summarized in his own words the message of Rizal's letter:  "If you want to kill a Nation, you have to make the women stupid."  He knew this for a fact—he himself was first educated by his mother, and he was brought up in a home with nine surviving female siblings, some of them eventually joined Andres Bonifacio's Katipunan.

7. KNOW YOUR HISTORY. With his novels, he showed us that we have a common misfortune, but in writing the history of the Filipinos in our own perspective, he was trying to show us that we can be one in our identity.  Zeus Salazar said that the contribution of Rizal and the propagandists to our being a nation was the tripartite narrative of history.  Before that, the Spaniards used to tell us the bipartite view of history which were: (1) before Spain came, there was darkness and (2) the Spaniards brought the marvelous Christian civilization to us.  This kind of narrative taught the people that all good things can only come from foreigners and that they were our only hope.  In his annotations to a historical work by Dr. Antonio de Morga, Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Events in the Philippine Islands), and through his historical essays such as "On the indolence of the Filipinos" and "The Philippines Within a Century" Rizal was able to show us the tripartite view: (1) before the Spaniards came, we were free, prosperous and were trading with our neighbors, (2) Spain enslaved us, brought darkness, and we lost our freedom and identity, (3) the society can change and we can bring back our liberties if we work for them.  Rizal was able to show us that we have our own identity and culture.  He wrote about our maritime culture or our extensive trading with our past.  Rizal once wrote, "…perhaps the people will revive their maritime and commercial activities. … And free once more, like the bird that leaves his cage, like the flower that returns to the open air, they will discover their good old qualities which they are losing little by little and again become lovers of peace, gay, lively, smiling, hospitable, and fearless .”  You cannot love someone you don't know. If we want to love our country, we have to learn about its past to better understand it.

8. THINK AHEAD.   Rizal wrote in one of his early plays, "I enter the future bringing with me my past."  Rizal tells us that history is not the only thing that is important to know, rather, its lessons should guide us in giving us foresight, to help us think ahead.  He demonstrated this in his essay "The Philippines within a century."  He opened it with these lines, "To foretell the destiny of a Nation, it is necessary to open the book that tells of its past."   Rizal was able to predict that if Spain will not give us reforms, there would be a violent revolution.  But knowing international studies, he also built the case that if we gain our own freedom, America will be interested in occupying us.  Which happened in a matter of years.  Pablo Trillana, an ardent Rizalist, always reminded us that prescience is also important.  Trying to think ahead, makes us proactive in creating a better future.

9. BE A NATION-BUILDER. There will never be a perfect kind of unity for Filipinos.  All of us will have different political persuasions, creeds and even cultural identities.  But highlighting only these differences and using these to further divide us through a rhetoric of hate and disinformation can only lead to the failure of Nationhood. Rizal and our heroes showed us to fight the ills of society, but not fight with each other, Filipinos against Filipinos.  Rizal demonstrated to us that that we can use our talents, our thoughts and our simple efforts to foster a healthy unity and to make us understand each other more.  In the time of social media, we actually need to heed this lesson more than ever.

Rizal was not perfect and did not have all the answers to all our problems.  That is not the reason why he is great.  He is great because he used his humanity and gifts to develop himself and united us to imagine a Nation.  There can only be one Rizal, but he and our other heroes like Andres Bonifacio already showed us who we are as Filipinos and what we can be.

30 November 2018, Barbara’s Restaurant, Intramuros, Manila

• All the girls Rizal loved before
• VIDEO: A tour of Rizal's Madrid, from his favorite bar to the La Solidaridad headquarters
• First wives, last rites, and the last book Jose Rizal ever read

• Philippines

What the Philippines Tells Us About the Broken Promises of Human Rights

A fter winning the presidency in the Philippines in 2016, Rodrigo Duterte has pursued a relentless “ war on drugs ,” employing police forces in a brutal campaign that has often run roughshod over constitutional guarantees of presumption of innocence and other legal due processes. This “war” has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties from deadly police operations or extra-judicial killings, with no end in sight. To date, no person has been held to account for any abuse of authority or human rights violations in these deaths. Impunity—a reality in my country even before Duterte—has reached unprecedented levels.

Later this year, the world will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Passed by the U.N. General Assembly in 1948, it was heralded then as a standard by which all nations would abide, to serve as a shield against the horrific atrocities that marked two previous world wars. Since its creation, the world has painstakingly constructed an entire edifice of human rights norms, establishing domestic and international protection mechanisms to ensure the fulfillment of the UDHR’s promise. But that promise has been broken around the world.

In 2014, Eric Posner, American law professor at the University of Chicago, wrote “ The Case Against Human Rights ,” an essay critically examining how human rights had fared across the globe, and exposing the great chasm that exists between rhetoric and reality in how states behave. Four years later, Posner’s prophetic warnings still weigh heavily upon countries where human rights are existentially challenged. A recent TIME cover story “ The Rise of the Strongman ” indicated just some of the countries where this is the case, including Russia, Turkey, Hungary and the Philippines.

The appeal of the strongman is not new and has enticed adherents throughout history. Their proposition has always been simple and strangely effective. They pose a false choice, presenting—in a complex society of competing interests—an alternative of greater safety, security, and stability, in exchange for diminished freedoms. This false and even dystopian dichotomy has regained some currency by feeding upon growing public frustration with governments’ inability to make democracy work for all. And that is how strongmen—perceived to be decisive, armed with populist rhetoric in a “post-truth” world, and ready to cut democratic corners—rise to power.

In his book The Future of Freedom , Fareed Zakaria warned of the prospect of illiberal democracy—where populist leaders take advantage of growing public discontent and win elections. Over time they then dismantle—often with popular consent—whatever constitutional guarantees there might be to rights and freedoms, thereby diminishing democratic accountability.

In the Philippines, Duterte’s continued calls to ignore international outrage led the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, to declare, “I am concerned by deepening repression and increasing threats to individuals and groups with independent or dissenting views.” The recent International Criminal Court decision to open a preliminary examination into the Philippine death toll has prompted the embarrassing response from the Philippine government of withdrawing from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC). Duterte has also threatened ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda with arrest, should she pursue activities in the country.

Without a doubt, democracy and human rights are in retreat today, and not only in the Philippines, but across all continents. What can be done to arrest this current period of democratic recession?

We can and we must direct a righteous rage toward this trend, in a manner that is both purposive and strategic. The road ahead will be difficult, but we must persevere, building solidarity to affirm a politics of civility and inclusion, while employing non-violent strategies in our parliaments, our courts, our cyberspaces, and our streets. Let us be emboldened by an unrelenting will to stand up for justice, and an undying faith in humanity’s capacity for good. If we do not struggle, we will not overcome. We must push back.

We need more democracy and not less of it, and we must uphold human rights for there is no battle more important today. Democracy and human rights are important enablers of human development that will create conditions for people to reach their full potential. As long as persons in any part of the world remain deprived of their fundamental rights and freedom, we are all diminished.

If we are unable to ensure the respect, protection, and fulfillment of human rights and fundamental freedoms of all—especially the poorest and the most marginalized—then the universal human rights project will indeed mean nothing.

Gascon is a speaker at the Oslo Freedom Forum 2018.

More Must-Reads From TIME

• What Student Photojournalists Saw at the Campus Protests
• How Far Trump Would Go
• Why Maternity Care Is Underpaid
• Saving Seconds Is Better Than Hours
• Welcome to the Golden Age of Ryan Gosling
• Scientists Are Finding Out Just How Toxic Your Stuff Is
• The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Contact us at [email protected]

Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Society — Analysis Of What Our Society Looks Like Today

Society Nowadays: Social Issues Among Young People

• Categories: Society

About this sample

Words: 953 |

Published: Feb 12, 2019

Words: 953 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Works Cited

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Preventing Youth Violence.
• Cummings, C. M., Caporino, N. E., & Kendall, P. C. (2014). Comorbidity of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents: 20 years after. Psychological Bulletin, 140(3), 816–845.
• Drug Enforcement Administration. (2021). Drug Use and Prevention. https://www.dea.gov/drug-use-prevention
• Moffitt, T. E., Arseneault, L., Belsky, D., Dickson, N., Hancox, R. J., Harrington, H. L., Houts, R., Poulton, R., Roberts, B. W., Ross, S., Sears, M. R., Thomson, W. M., & Caspi, A. (2011). A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(7), 2693–2698.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021). Principles of Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Research-Based Guide. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-adolescent-substance-use-disorder-treatment-research-based-guide/introduction
• Office of National Drug Control Policy. (2021). Youth Substance Use Prevention.
• Singer, J. B., & Singer, D. G. (2014). Violence on television and its impact on youth: A psychological perspective. In K. Dill (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of media psychology (pp. 609–628). Oxford University Press.
• Thompson, K. M., & Haninger, K. (2011). Violence in the media and its effects on adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 46(6), S26–S27.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2019). Global Study on Homicide 2019. https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/gsh/Booklet2.pdf
• World Health Organization. (2021). Violence and injury prevention.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr Jacklynne

Verified writer

• Expert in: Sociology

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 790 words

2 pages / 701 words

3 pages / 1224 words

1 pages / 533 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Society

The traditional Western-cultured image of a family consists of a father, mother, and child. With the father being the breadwinner, the mother as the caregiver of the home and the children as learning beings; a social construct [...]

Conflict is defined as a hostile relationship between 2 or more people that features intense uncompromisable differences. Since humans are very diverse and sociable in nature, it’s easy to see how relevant conflict is in [...]

Since our independence, we came to a long way. At the same time our perception and behavior has changed a lot. After our independence, we were mostly dependent on foreign products due to lack of resources. But as we moved [...]

The time I spent in NEC Pacific Asia as an intern from March to July 2018 was an unforgettable one for me as it was rich in experience and helped me realize my potential of working in an IT industry. I had a lot of opportunities [...]

In the novel Fathers and Sons, Ivan Turgenev explores the inevitability of man's integration into society by implementing effectiv structural devices. The parallel trips of the central characters highlight their emotional and [...]

Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles provides social commentary on many issues prevalent in Victorian society. In particular, Hardy uses Tess’ submission to her parents, Alec d’Urberville, Angel Clare, and society as a whole [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• Mixed media
• Announcement
• < 5 mins
• < 15 mins
• < 30 mins
• > 30 mins
• Other ranks

The ‘ Know Your Region ’ series is designed to support unit and individual professional military education on the South East Asian region. It’s important for all serving members of our military to have a foundational knowledge of the countries and issues in the Indo-Pacific.

PHILIPPINES – INFORMATION

On this page:

People and Society

National Identity

Media and the Internet

Located in South-East Asia, the Philippines covers a land area of just under 300,000 square kilometres – an archipelago of about 7,641 islands stretching between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. For a more in-depth look at the country, see the CIA World Factbook on the Philippines.

Of volcanic origin, the Philippines generally consist of mountainous terrain with coastal lowlands. Additionally, there are a variety of natural resources and a globally significant level of biodiversity. With no common land borders, the Philippines shares maritime borderlines with eight countries: Taiwan to the north, Japan to the northeast, Palau to the east and southeast, Indonesia to the south, Malaysia and Brunei to the southwest, Vietnam to the west, and China to the northwest.

The multitude of islands are broadly categorised under three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The capital, Manila, is a bayside city and home to one-eighth of the entire national population, with the rest divided into 81 provinces.

The Philippines is one of the most disaster-affected countries in the world. Situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire (a belt of active volcanoes and seismic activity bordering the Pacific Ocean) and the Pacific typhoon belt, resulting in an average of nine typhoons making landfall every year. The low-lying island geography makes the country vulnerable to climate change, seen in the USAID climate change risk profile , increasing the danger of enhanced natural disasters and rising sea levels.

The following resources provide an excellent introduction to the Philippines:

• Geography Now | Geography Now! Philippines
• Geodiode | The Philippines: History, Geography, Economy & Culture
• Kirby Araullo | How Many Volcanoes are in the Philippines?
• Climate Risk Country Profile - Philippines

The island clusters vary in terms of cuisine, languages and culture. With a population of just under 110 million, Philippine society is a unique blend of diversity and homogeneity. There are an estimated 187 languages spoken across the islands. The official national languages of the Philippines are Filipino (a standardised form of Tagalog) and English.

One of only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia, over 90% of the population belongs to a Christian denomination with the vast majority Roman Catholic. The Muslim population figure is somewhere between 6% and 11%, mostly concentrated in Mindanao in the south.

Although geographically part of Southeast Asia, the country is culturally Euro-American aligned, with the influence of four centuries of Spanish and then US colonial rule still evident today. While the Christian churches built by the Spanish and the mosque built by the Muslim Sultanates provided a spiritual anchor, the educational system established by the United States and expanded by the Filipinos has become emblematic of cultural unity and socio-economic progress. Through the persistence of strong family ties, the revival of the barangay (village) as the smallest unit of government, increased focus on Asian history and literature, and the revival of dormant traditions – the Philippines has been able to strengthen its Asian heritage without abandoning its Western cultural acquisitions.

Indigenous communities can be found scattered across the archipelago. Efforts are underway to revive rural performing arts so that they resonate more with an increasingly cosmopolitan Philippine society. For example, the innovative syntheses of indigenous Philippine musical traditions such as the ancient instrument kulintang into popular music forms.

Several sports introduced by the US continue to be widespread in the Philippines, especially basketball. Filipinos have excelled in various forms of martial arts: boxing, wushu, and taekwondo. This short video demonstrates the local martial arts tradition, Arnis, which is experiencing a resurgence:

A key element of Filipino society is a large diaspora; such as the substantial Filipino community in Australia who often refer to themselves as ‘Filoz’ (a combination of ‘Filipino’ and ‘Aussie’).

Philippine society continues to balance eastern and western influences. For more information see the resources below:

• Brief History | Exposed: 400 years of Filipino Fashion, Music and Dance
• Asia Society Philippines | Basic Filipino Language Tutorial
•   The Importance of Food in Culture (Philippines)  
• Kirby Araullo | Languages in the Philippines Are Dying
• TEDx Talks | Colorism in the Philippines | Bianca Punzalan | TEDxMoreauCatholicsHS
• Manila Bulletin | Balik tanaw: A crash course on the Filipino language
• Business Mirror | Project Marayum: Breaking the PHL language barrier via a web dictionary
• Asia Society | Religion in the Philippines
• The Manila Times | Loren Legarda – champion of the Filipino identity
• SBS Filipino | ‘Nurture our culture for the future generation’: Filipinos on preserving culture in Australia
• The Culture Trip | 8 Things You Didn't Know About Filipino Culture

A sense of national identity and pride emerged from the continuous struggle for Philippine independence, where shared national symbols and other cultural and historical touchstones were developed. Various countries – such as Spain, China, and the United States – have interacted with and influenced Filipino culture; however, Filipino loyalties have remained foremost, emphasising family and place of birth. Key values such as kapwa (fellowship), respect, and acceptance are found throughout the culture, with many Filipinos displaying a warming and hospitable demeanour.

The Philippines is a collectivist society and individuals think of themselves as part of a group. For the most part, values are centred on maintaining social harmony and preserving social hierarchy. Caring about what others will think, say, or do, are strong influences on social behaviour among Filipinos. The national identity is anchored within a values system of personal alliances, with great pride in extended family and loyalty to the barangay (village) or hometown.

Given the diversity of the Philippines, identifying the unifying elements of Filipino culture is a complex matter. For a comprehensive look at the core concepts – Hospitality, Hiya (a sense of shame), Modesty, Courtesy, Warmth, Respect, Kapwa , and Fatalism or Bahala na (come what may) – see the SBS Cultural Atlas .

More information on Filipino identity can be accessed in the resources below:

• TEDx Talks | Futurism and the "Bahala Na" Culture | Guillermo Santos | TEDxLyceumPhilippinesUniversity
• One Down | Breaking the Tabo: Episode 3: Can Filipinos claim “Pacific Islander?”
• ABC Lost and Found | Manila
• The World – No shame in sisig: Filipino chefs and scholars say they are overcoming a century of stereotypes
• ABS CBN – From ‘hiya’ to ‘utang na loob’: How digital lifestyle has changed Filipino values
• SBS Food | Why Filipino food isn’t more mainstream in Australia
• The Manila Times | Three books to help understand the Philippines

The Philippines has a multitude of private media networks, with more than 400 TV stations and some 1,400 radio stations. The dominant television networks are ABS-CBN and GMA Network. The industry is regulated by a national organisation called the Association of Broadcasters.

Newspapers are published in English, Filipino, and many of the country’s other languages. The top three newspapers are the Philippine Daily Interpreter , Manila Bulletin , and The Philippine Star . However, newspaper readership continues to decline and so the top sources of news for most Filipinos come from TV, the Internet, and social media – especially Facebook.

A highly independent press was developed in the Philippines under US administration, but many media outlets ceased publication during the period of martial law under President Marco’s regime. While freedom of the press is protected by the constitution, the country is considered by some to be very dangerous for journalists. The video below contains an interview with Filipino journalist and Rappler CEO, Maria Ressa, explaining how the media is targeted:

Since its arrival in the mid-1990s, the Internet has spread relatively slowly due to the high cost of access. There is now Government investment underway, focusing on fibre infrastructure in urban areas with 4G available in most, and a national broadband plan to improve connectivity in the more rural areas. While the country has an estimated 60% of the population as frequent Internet users, Filipino consumers experience download speeds at half the global average.

The use of digital technologies in the Philippines is still below its potential, with the country’s digital adoption generally trailing behind many regional neighbours. The ‘digital divide’ between those with and without Internet leads to unequal access to social services, education, and life-changing economic opportunities.

For additional resources on the Philippine’s new focus on digital technologies and erosion of media freedom see the resources below:

• AsiaLink | Maria Ressa on Digital Authoritarianism and Media Freedom
• The World Bank | Harnessing Digital Technologies Can Help Philippines Overcome Impact of Pandemic, Hasten Recovery
• East Asia Forum | Embracing technology to tackle Asia’s growing digital divide
• Business World | Rising to the cloud
• SunStar Cebu | Bill on digital workforce competitiveness pushed
• Bloomberg Businessweek | What Happens When the Government Uses Facebook as a Weapon?

Discussion Questions:

• The Philippines has multiple cultures and ethnic groups, although the dominant religion is Catholicism. What lessons can Australia learn from the Philippines in regard to social cohesion and multiculturalism? What does this mean for our ability to partner, support and be supported by the Philippines Armed Forces?
• As a nation of multiple island groupings, the Philippines holds an important strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region. What impacts will increasing tensions in the South China Sea have on Filipino strategic thinking? How will the Philippines’ geographical location, in conjunction with current alliances, influence the ambitions of various nations in this region (including Australia)?
• An insurgency in the southern Philippines has brought the threat of extremism closer into the Region. Should Australia do more to assist the Philippines and the Region to counter this threat? Is extremism the greatest threat to stability in the Indo-Pacific region, or are there greater issues to deal with?

The home of the Australian Profession of Arms.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Australian Army, the Department of Defence or the Australian Government.

The Cove is a professional development site for the Australian Profession of Arms. The views expressed within individual blog posts and videos are those of the author, and do not reflect any official position or that of the author's employers' – see more here. Any concerns regarding this blog post, video or resource should be directed in the first instance to [email protected] .

Related Articles

Australia's Battle of Kapyong

Australian Army Battle Lab

CoveTalk | Thinking About a Plan B: Resisting Interference and Coercion

Cove Video | Formation Gap Crossing PME