Structure of Families in the Philippines

 

Image from Happy Nuclear Family

The Filipino Family: Nuclear Family

A basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not. Two or more people who share goals and values have long - term commitments to one another and usually reside in the same dwelling. Usually, in our society the structure that most of the families have is the nuclear family. We Filipinos are known for being religious. We believe that a family should only have one father, one mother and their children (or monogamous). 

My belief is that every Filipino is like every nuclear family around the globe. They do have a father, a mother, and their children. The father is often called as"Haligi ng tahanan" or the Home's Foundation and the mother is "Ilaw ng tahanan" or The home's light.

 

Image from Gilbert Bondilla

The Filipino Family: Extended Family

The members of one's extended family includes: grandparents, great grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, nieces as well as in some cases brother and sister-in-laws. Basically, just above anyone that doesn't live with your immediate family which would be your mother and father and any siblings. The advantages of having an extended family is that there would be a large family network, social relationships, and so on. And the possible disadvantage is that there would be less attention  by parents due to a large number of dependents.

Image from Wheeler Family Farm Photography

Although expanded through bilateral lineage, the extended family system is further enlarged by the compadrazgo system. In addition to relatives by blood and marriage, each Filipino gaines relatives through godparents rituals and ceremonies. Typically, more wealthy and powerful acquaintances close friends or neighbors of the natural parent is called on to serve as a godparent (known as ninong or ninang of the child) and as surrogate parental relationship to the child by virtue of acting as a sponsor at the religious rites of baptism, confirmation, and marriage. Based on the meaning of compadrazgo it left me a realization that the compadrazgo system extends and binds the family ties, loyalties, obligations, reciprocity, and interdependence among people in the community.

The extended family is said the basic unit of Philippines society. Within given households, nuclear families average six to eight members in size. Unmarried adult daughters and sons typically remain in their parents' home and contribute to family support.


- Salgado, Jansen Mari

Social Movements Towards Social Change

Credits to Sarah Reich

          Social change is large, sometimes informal, groupings of individuals or organizations which focus on specific political or social issues. As society redevelops itself and progresses to keep up with the ever changing dynamics of its citizens, social movements are an outlet available to bring about change within the law. 

          Social movement is a broad term and often can have specific goals and targets in mind, when trying to mobilize the law. "Social movements are collective actors or groups that seek a common goal or express a common identity; targets may include states, society, corporations, and/or social norms and values. May be conservative or progressive" (Hilson, 2002). We must accept that social movements may not always be seeking a goal but expressing an identity. Social movements make claims in relation to law or based on law. 

Credits to Kleier

          Social movements deliberately and proactively litigate when they bring a case with a number of different goals in mind. An example of legal mobilization through a social movement would be the assertion of women's rights in regard to abortion. Women have a right to choose whether or not they want to reproduce and  through the use of social movements we have seen laws progressively change. The effects of social movements can resonate on individuals, institutions, cultures or political systems. While political impacts have been studied the most by the researchers, effects on other levels can be counted at least as important as the others. Because Impact Theory has many methodological issues, it is the last studies of the major branches of Social Movement Theory.

While technology, population, environment factors, and racial inequality can prompt social change, only when members of a society organize into social movements does true social change occur. Social movements refers to collective activities designed to bring about or resist primary changes in an existing society or group. Wherever they occur, social movements can dramatically shape the direction of society. When individuals and groups of people—civil rights activists and other visionaries, for instance—transcend traditional bounds, they may bring about major shifts in social policy and structures.

Social movements are purposeful, organized groups striving to work toward a common goal. These groups might be attempting to create change, to resist change, or to provide a political voice to those otherwise disenfranchised. Social movements, along with technology, social institutions, population, and environmental changes, create social change.

The functionalist perspective, focusing on the way that all aspects of society are integral to the continued health and viability of the whole. When studying social movements, a functionalist might focus on why social movements develop, why they continue to exist, and what social purposes they serve.

The conflict perspective focuses on the creation and reproduction of inequality. Someone applying the conflict perspective would likely be interested in how social movements are generated through systematic inequality, and how social change is constant, speedy, and unavoidable.

The symbolic interaction perspective studies the day-to-day interaction of social movements, the meanings individuals attach to involvement in such movements, and the individual experience of social change. An interactionist studying social movements might address social movement norms and tactics as well as individual motivations.

- Zabala Jeanella Shaine C. & Vergara, Carla Erika D.C

Political Dynasty in the Philippines

Image from Rappler

The clearest manifestation of the oligarchy in the Philippines and how it impacts politics is the existence of Political Dynasties. Political Dynasties usually crop up from a good forerunner who is loved by his or her voters. After the forerunner's term, it is passed on to other members of the family reminiscent of empires where there is a succession of hereditary rulers. But, let me ask something is political dynasty something that is permissible, alarming, or should it be accepted as part of the Filipino political culture? Is it normal and cannot be avoided, but it has been often contented that political dynasties go against the values sustained by democracy since it does not provide an equal opportunity for people to hold offices of power service.

I can say that Political Dynasty undoubtedly plays an influential role in Philippine Society. Binays are the given example but there are so many. Political dynasties have advantages and also disadvantages, political dynasty is good if the family is not corrupt and because their families had been in the same workplace as they are, they might also have an ability to lead and they know how to handle a certain scenario and it's disadvantages is the lack of skill and the lack of knowledge of the candidates that may ruin our political system or worse, our country. Political dynasty is said to monopolize the system of governance since it limits the chances of other common Filipinos to serve other people. It creates a brain drain in the sense that the new and capable leader who could possibly perform better, would not be given an opportunity when running against someone with a name because people nowadays vote those people who they already know. I f we tolerated this kind of decision making our country may be dragged down because politicians will always protect and prioritize only their own family's interest.

-Vergara, Denniese Erin

Philippine Economy

Credits to Joshua Sorono

When it come to Philippine economy we focused on the political economy of the Philippines since we wanted to talk about the tax of the government that came from the citizen of the society. This is a time of crises. Inequality is accelerating, with gains concentrated at the top of the income, and wealth distributions. This trend - interacting with deep racialized and gendered injustice - has profound implications for our politics, and for the sense of agency, opportunity, and security of all but the narrowest silver of the global elite. Law is central to how these crises were created, and will be central to any reckoning with them. Law conditions race and wealth, social reproduction and environmental destruction. Law also conditions the political order through which we must respond. The point is to understand the world in order to change it, which begins by making it less resistant to both change and understanding.

Over the past few years, its pretty obvious how our country, the Philippines has emerged as one of he most vibrant economies in the world, shedding its old image as "the sick man of asia"

Image from Filipino Star News

We come up to a conclusion when it comes to political economy. We're giving here an insight drives which grows the interest to political economy.

First there is the fact that there are available solutions that would improve public welfare but reforms still fails.

 If ever the blame should be put on our own leaders who failed in their tasks of navigating our economy to higher level of development after we achieved independence. That is on their failure to make and implement the appropriate policies, programs, and needed to spur faster economic growth that is both equitable and sustainable.

Finding ot that we are not doing well in our economy or in improving our people in the same pace that many of our close neighbors have done, not a few of us points to our presidential and unitary system of government as the culprit. I say its not so much the system but the officials who run the government for us.


If we are going to put the blame to these officials, let me ask you people one question. Who placed them in the government? It all goes back to the people who elected them, right? We elected them and even persist in electing or replacing them with their own kind even if we find them unable to better our lives.

So why? one answer is our institutions, because institutions matters. Institutions are the established laws, practices, or customs.

For example, the presence of political dynasties in our country which the even, the corrupt, and the incompetent to remain in power for long because being in power makes it easy for them to influence the result of every election in in their favor. One more example of this are the strategies for streamlining the economy which includes improvements of infrastructure, more efficient tax systems to bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and privalization of the economy, and increasing trade integration within the region and across the world.

- Tulabut, Daniella G. & Salgado, Jansen Mari A.

Social Injustices Experienced by Filipinos

SOCIAL INJUSTICES EXPERIENCED BY FILIPINOS

Image from National Coalition Against Censorship

First let us define Social Injustices, what is social injustices? According to http://www.studylecturenotes.com/basics-of-sociology/social-injustice-definition-issues-and-example. Social injustice is a situation when someone unfair practices are being carried in the society.Whatever unjust is happening is usually against the law and it might not be something that is considered a moral practice. Basically, social injustice occurs when the equals are treated in an unequal way and the unequal's are treated in an equal way. Base on my understanding social injustices are the inequality of the people in the society, people are not treated equally.

Based on what I see and experience in the society here in the Philippines there are many social injustices that are happening. For example, the injustice in the gender, age, poor people and drug addicts.

Credits to Hyra Basitt

 But first let us talk about the injustice in gender.   Based on what I observed in the society when a   man is harassing a woman it is a crime. But in   my further observation situations like this are   merely reported as 'crime' when things like this   are reported to the social media they often ask   "Ano ba kasing suot ng babae?" " Baka naman   kita na kaluluwa niya sa damit niya?" "Bakit ba   nasa labas pa sya ng ganong oras?" this irritates   me the most cause why would they refer to the   

way of how a woman dresses herself and say that when you're showing too much skin "you're asking for it" like can we just stop victim blaming, why can't we just accept the fact this this world is not the safetiest place you can be, and when there are situations where in the woman harasses a man the man is weak or called "gay" because he lets a woman harass him, come on people. Not just because a man doesn't fight back he's gay. Can we just see it this way, that man are respecting this woman even at the cost of his health, or because this man is taught well by his parents not to hurt woman in any way. I believe when a man fights back thats more like being gay.

Image from Juvenile Justice Clipart

Second is the injustice in age. Because of the law that is implemented, when a teenager commits a crime this child cannot be put to prison, even if this child killed someone or do any serious criminal act he cannot be imprisoned. But if you are in a legal age and do something that violates the law you'll be put in to jail immediately. This is a form of injustice in a way that many children commits crime because they fear nothing other than their parents. They are thinking that if they steal, no one would probably put me to jail because I'm only 9 years old. This is the main reason why 'sindikatos' made children do things for them because they know that children will remain innocent no matter what they do.

Credits to Berlina Parrenas

Third is the injustice to the poor. Poor people must be the one who benefits the most from the government because they're the one's who needs support the most. But in reality what happens is that poor people doesn't get any benefit from the government but instead those who have the power and wealth are the one's who benefits the most. And when calamity comes, it is the duty of the government to help these people by giving them enough support and relief good but what happens is that they receive less more often they receive nothing. Instead of eliminating poverty in our society it just gets worst even then.

Image from Sunstar.com.ph

Lastly, the injustice about the 'tokhang'. Many "drug addicts" they say are being killed today without due process. And still, the government doesn't give or do any actions regarding this issue. According to the Bill of Rights Article III of the Philippine Constitution Section 1 " No person shall be deprived of life,liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the law." But why are these extrajudicial killing still exist? why are they killing them without due process of the law.  Even if they are not drug addicts they are accused of being one if they are killed by the policeman.

Many social injustices exist in the society of the Philippines and people of the Philippines just don't see it. They keep they're eyes closed and shut the doors of reality. I hope someday all of there injustices will no longer exist, and everyone will be treated fairly and equally.

- Pahigdana, Zhea Jhay G.

Different Religions

In the Philippines we have a different religions. More than 86 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, 6 percent belong to various nationalized Christian cults, and another 2 percent belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations. In addition to the Christian majority, there is a vigorous 4 percent of Muslim, the remaining 2 percent follow non-western, indigenous beliefs and practices.

The pre-Hispanic belief system of Filipinos consisted of pantheon of Gods, spirits, creatures, and men that guarded the streams, fields, trees, mountains, forests, and houses. Bathala, who created earth and man, was superior to these other gods and spirit upon this indigenous religious base two foreign religions were introduced-- Islam and Christianity and a process of cultural adaptation and synthesis began that is still evolving. Spain introduced Christianity to the Philippines (1565) with the arrival of Miguel Lopez De Legaspi. Earlier, beginning 1350, Islam had been spreading northward from Indonesia into the Philippine archipelago. By the time Spanish arrived in the 16th century. Islam was firmly established on Mindanao and Sulu and most Cebu and Luzon.

There is only one predominantly christian country in all of Asia. The Philippines is approximately 85 percent christian. The roman catholic is the oldest religion in our country. Philippines. Catholicism in the Philippines is in many ways unique to the region in which it is practiced. The way Filipinos view their relationship with Jesus is also infused by distinctly Filipino and southeast Asian cultural nations. The relationship Filipinos with Jesus is also characterized by the idea of dept and dependency. Because Filipinos believe that Jesus Sacrificed his life for them and to be saved. Filipinos believe that god and Jesus is our savior.

Pre-colonial spiritual beliefs is against in catholic beliefs. Many Filipinos in rural communities make use of healers to cure illnesses and these healers are bound up with the indigenous Filipinos. The healers work to cure illnesses that are caused by invisible small spirit being called “tawo”. the indigenous people/ pre-colonial belief is came before the Christianity.

Islam in the Philippines is comprised only of Catholics. This Muslim mainly remains in the southern islands of the Philippines and Mindanao there group called “Moro”. Muslim believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a Promo dial faith that was revealed many times before through prophets. Muhammad is the founder of Islam, is revered as “the seal of the prophets”- the last and greatest of the messengers of god.

Animism is the ancient Filipinos thought that virtually all objects had souls or were populated by this sort. Even apparently non-living objects such as lakes, mountains, rocks etc., and natural phenomena such as fire, thunder and wind. In fact, even in “organized” faiths such as Buddhism, Jainism, Confucianism, Taoism and Hinduism these types of principles also exist. The powers of nature

-- Vergara, Carla Erika D.C

Education System

Image from Jane Matthew

   Education is very important to everyone because it helps to learn how to do things and encourage us to think about what we learn and it can help us in the near future to have a better life. We have three types of education, the formal education, informal education and non-formal education. We all know that the three types of education are important to us, but for me the most preferable is the formal education because it is often used by all of us, formal education is structured and there is a lot of evidence that formal education is the most effective way to learn for some people because formal education is classroom-based and provided by trained teachers, one of the great advantage of a formal education is you will be credentialed and it will help you to get a better job. It is official, hierarchically structured, organized by public or private organizations institutions and results with formal certification and formal level of qualification which is recognized by relevant national educational authorities.

Image from Mamunur Rashid

  The second type of education is the informal education, a self-controlled and self-guided type of learning that usually doesn’t have a formal curriculum and it can be spontaneous. In informal education there is no classroom because any place can be your classroom, someone teaches you what you want to learn without any trained teachers as long as you gained knowledge and skills from that. One of the people who studies informal education methods is the street childrens, because they do not have enough money to provide their basic needs in school.

Image from Christopher Bissell

The last type of education is the non-formal education, it is not organized or structured in terms of objectives and learning support. It helps us to acquire and maintain skills and abilities in a new and fun way. The lesson or the activities that you do can be take place outside the school or institution. It provides you a completely new experience which you will never forget.For other peoplr, it is enough for them to have formal education but for me it's better not to focus on formal education only because it's better if you have a lot knowledge,skills and values from those types of education, like in non-formal education everything changes and becomes challenging, exciting and fun that that young people like, to have fun, to actively participate and to benefit from it.    Each of these education has many advantages and benefits that we can take and the most important thing is that we learn in different ways.

- Suarez, Patricia Annrhey T.