Evolution of Filipino Culture

I am a true-blooded Filipino. My mother hails from Bulacan and my father is from Pampanga. I have lived all my life here in the Philippines, and with that I have witnessed the changes that happened to our culture. My feet had never touched  foreign ground. I eat adobo, sinigang, bulalo and all Filipino food you can think of.

Image from Cebu Bluewaters

Through the years of my existence, I have a concrete evidence of our past, but I learned that it was shaped by external influence, ultimately changing the people of the country. Pre-colonial details of way of life has been documented because of historians and scholars brought by Spain, only to destroy it by changing our way of life. It was a radical change. The cross and the sword changed the face of our culture. It was a slow and gradual process making our ancestors abandon their lifestyle. Here I learned that oral history was forgotten, culture and tradition was destroyed,   and the traces of our old identity eliminated.

Image from Beth Holloway

We used to be the brown Asian people who were educated by American and Christened by Spaniards. Barongs will never go out of style,and Filipiniana surely means classicc Pinoy fashion. The list of change can go on and on, but there are still things that are distinctively Filipino. However, with globalization, mass media, and internet, we are now driven closer to another cultures over impossible distances. The gaps are bridged and we consume more American, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and other cultures. Our concept of identity gets muddled, confused, and exchanged over some stereotypes starting from childhood even up to adulthood.

Image from Rappler

Though we resemble closely our Asian cousins, we behave and think differently. And yes we can draw it in our history and heritage, but it only speaks about the past. Today is a state of mind and a choice, for each and everyone. It is the pride in our race, our culture, our customs, our traditions, and our daily way of life. The flag and the country no longer represent us, they represent the government and the government represents the individuals who run them.



- Tulabut, Daniella G.