Last year a close relative, near and dear to my heart, said this about Filipinos and the sometimes hidden but none-the-less very rigid ‘class system’ that underlies Philippine society. “They are what they are” … and the hidden meaning was, there are classes of people here whom you are not going to change, no matter what you spend on education, material items or (the most costly investment) giving of yourself.
As an American and a person strongly believing in the principle we are all children of God and equal in his eyes, a fellow who has read and even gotten emotional over Horatio Alger style stories, and a guy who even working professionally in the human relations/racial discrimination field I found that statement and the attitude behind it shocking. Oh what I could have said, wished I had said, how it cut me to the quick that a Filipino, of age and wisdom, would make such a crass and even hopeless sounding statement abut fellow Filipinos.
Everyone has potential, Everyone wants to better themselves, Everyone wants the best for their children … don’t we all know these truths to be self-evident?
Well in my heart I still believe they are, but you must temper your dreams at times with the reality of the Philippines. It’s not necessarily a show stopper, but if you approach life here and approach the people you meet who might need some help with the same strategy you would approach them in the US, you are very liable to hurt yourself emotionally and you may even hurt, or badly upset the person you think you are helping.
The Philippines has a very class conscious society. It has since the days before the Spaniards, and certainly the idea of classes or even castes were strongly ingrained and reinforced during the nearly 400 years of Spanish rule. In the US when we see a guy emptying trash cans we automatically assume he wants to be the office manager. And we certainly make the almost always correct assumption that the trash man wants his son or daughter to have a better education and a ‘better life” (in US-speak a ‘better life’ means more salary).
There are people born and raised here in the Philippines who feel the same, but in my experience they are ore thin on the ground than their counterparts in the US, and (a more likely theory) the signs that indicate they want to climb the ladder of success are much more subtle.
My thoughts on this issue are, don’t give up on helping, be open and ready to help when you can, but lose the ingrained American “I’m here to help, here’s what you need to do” focus many of us seem to labor under. What are your thoughts?
Here’s a couple stories that have made my mind work in this direction, if you want to explore a bit more about how your mind works.
Call her Sheryl… Losing More than a Maid … A day of many firsts
What do you think? Do I give up too easy or do I not try hard enough?
Hi Dave,I can understand what your friend meant,as here in the Uk the class system is prevelant in our culture.However it has reduced somewhat over the past 50yrs,regards Chas.
Hi Dave,
It is certainly not one of the good aspects of the Philippines. But what can you, the only people who can change the system are the Filipinos themselves.
What shocked me was the amount of classes they have.
Could you imagine booking a flight on an jet using that system, it would be like a jeepney with wings. Or poverty airlines in "D' class where you get given a rope, shackle, roller skates,sunglasses,a liitle helmet to stop bird strikes, gloves so you do not get frostbite at 40,000ft. A camel pack so you can have drink in flight and a small anchor so you do not end up in the exhaust pipe once the plane has stopped after landing.
The class system the way it is in the Philippines is out of date and the day they get rid of it, will be the day they join the 21 century
Steven
@CHAS: Interesting point, Chas. Indeed when I lived in England many years back that was indeed true. It was often not spoken about openly, but to try to encourage sya, the gardener's boy to become an engineer often made even the gardener's boy very uncomfortable. Mnay Americans have little concept of this mindset, it's something else to learn about when living here, for sure.
@Steven: Mnay don't realize the term you used "D" class is very much officially alive and well here. Students and practitioners of marketing, for example, classify everyone in the population as A thru D … almost all the money is spent on A and B 'targets'. Every towen and city is offcially classed by the governemnt as a first class through fourth class municipality and certain rights and prividges, not to mention government money, flow fist to the 'first'. Could you imagine the furor in the US if s government spokesperson announced some day that Podunkville wasn't getting their tax revenue because they were slipped from a third-class to a fourth-class municipality? Something else that people don't always think of when they consider 'culture shock'.
Hello Dave,
I know in Australia the person to come up with idea of a class system would not last 5 minutes here.
The thing I have noticed about the Philippines is it does not have any true leaders who will force a change, if you mention that to a Filipino they will come up with Rizal. But that was a very long time ago and that was mainly to rid of the Spanish.
You look at other Asian countries and they all have had great leaders at one time or another, but the Philippines never really has. Even went they move to another country very few Filipinos will make comment on the faults of their country. If anything they go overseas to learn good money then go back their foriegn pensions and extra money they have make. build a huge house and climb up to class "B" and settle right back into the old system.
The Filipinos are who have moved overseas and eventually see the faults in there own country adopt their new country and do not want to go back.
I do wonder why a lot of expats actually live in the Philippines, a country huge problems with poverty, poor government, corruption and a lot of enviromental issues.
I do think the Philippines is paradise by any stretch of the imagination and after reading numerious websites and my many trips up there, I think paradise is what you make of it.
So Dave you keep up the good work, as I find articles to be refreshing and honest.
Steven
Hi Dave,
I liked your story as well as the links to the other stories. This is something I had never considered about the mind-set of some Filipinos.
As a Canadian I find that I share a common outlook on life in many respects with most Americans. Your article has made me try and think about life from the point of view of a desperately poor Filipino who has little or no formal education. I’m trying to put myself in their shoes and it’s not easy to imagine where they are coming from.
@Steven: Indeed, Steven, I think that’s one of the better lines in yours or anyone else’s comments … paradise is what you make of it. I think one of the key things for me … which might be hell for some others is … I am completely isolated from the American political process. I watch two comedy shows most night which lambaste the current front runners and that’s about it. Thank goodness.
Now for those who live, sleep, eat and breath good government and the democratic process? They are liable to be very. very frustrated here in the Philippines. As I often say there is alot more to consider about living here thna what you can afford.
@Randall Jessup: Hi Randall, thanks for the kind words. The only comment I'd make on your view is, you almost seem to be falling into a trap many Westerners do … believing that the Philippines can educate itself out of the 'I Can't" mindset.
I don't think better education is the key, as I have run into just as many folks who won't even reach out for a helping hand, let alone grasp it, who are decently educated. Point of fact, many of the schools here saeem to teach defeatism as part of the curriculum.
Indeed there are many similarities between us US and Canadians … and having known many successful people from both sides of our common border I hold the opinion that education had little to do with the success of many.
Decent education is a fantastic advantage and an adjunct to success but in most cases education won't give you that belief inside that leads to success. I have myself been sadly disappointed and seen others get themsleves into situations of personal sadness and frustration because they came here with that thought … if I can only help some of these kids get an education that will be the key to their success. Doesn't always work that way.