Colonial Mentality of the Filipinos

Yes i strongly agree with what your student said. I believe that Filipinos, like us, ahave a strong or rather an unhealthy inferiority complex. I mean, look at us right now, talking in English (btw, i don't have anything against English) fluently and even want to learn the proper grammar and usage, while we rarely do that for our native tongue. And, honestly, i have met people who doesn't even know what our national language is or what our national anthem is. There are a lot of things that can be said of us, i know, since i have been trying my best to live out an example (to the best of my abilities) to other Filipinos on how we should be living. A great example for having colonial mentality is that MOST Filipinos want to migrate - go out and get out - having the easy way out. What good is there for our studying here, getting good grades, when we just go abroad and use our great talents there. Brain drain, a phenomenon that has started a long time ago, and is now currently affecting our economy. Our talents, our abilities, our great people are all going to waste. That is why the Philippiens is still a third-world country. We have no more love for our country - that is why i do not believe that patriotism is still alive today, well, probably for a few exemptions, but nonetheless, that is what is happening right now. and persoanlly, i hate it. I mean, what good to the economy does going to a call center do? nothing. yeah, it gives good pay, but who is earning from there? the country that owns that call center company, not the Philippines. they just place their tall towers here in the Philippines because they can save up more on their labor fees. Yes, it might sound lucrative for us, having i don't know, let's say 20k (~$380) a month. But still, what will happen to our country if all people just go to these sprouting call centers? Yes, it has been a well-known fact that we are good speakers of the Enlgish language, but did that help us? They usually say in schools, "English is the passport to success." I say crap. According to national surveys and the like, we Filipinos are one of the largest English speaking countries in Asia, might also be around the world. But hey, THIRD WORLD COUNTRY here. STILL third world. STILL getting worse. Colonial Mentality, yeah, another example would be the "pwede na yan" attitude ("that would do"). It has already been observed that whenever a FIlipino is outside of the country, they are the best of the best. They are the first ones to always behave and follow the rules. But what do we do here? "pwede na yan". Crossing the streets on a red light?Not even know what jaywalking is?Driving against traffic on a one-way street?oohh, if only i could upload videos that i have taken here. Taxi drivers goign at top speed with you behind them around a car and a half away, suddenly stopping just because they are looking for a passenger. Jeepney and bus drivers stopping at places where they are not supposed to, stopping in front of "no loading/unloading" signs, and, take note, IN FRONT of a police/MMDA, and what do these officers do? Hold at their cellphones, texting, reading messages, and just waving their hands so as to make them look like they are working. how is this related to colonial mentality, well, one thing would be that these people do not want to change. They believe that the US is always stronger than us, always better, always more disciplined, etc. so why bother changing. No one is, so why not just go with the flow? This i', not sure of, but former Pres. Estrada was probably impeached and all those accusations came out because (according to what i heard) he was going against the flow and against America. Could you believe that our government officials is not involved in all these illegal activities? I think something must be wrong here. You see, the biggest problem here is not America or other countries, it's us FILIPINOS. No discipline. i mean, just take a look outside your window, and look at the road. there you will find all sorts of undisciplines people who want to have it their way. Stopping at pedestrian lanes even though cars are meant to stop before these lans to allow the people to walk across? People who do this always want to be ahead of others. Its just the same with having a crab mentality, you wanting to go ahead while pulling others down. If i cannot go there, why you? I'm better than you, i'm more skilled than you, i'm supposed to be there - not you. Now, i can go on and on about how the Philippines is and the Filipinos are, but this is it for now, await my blog. What's left now is your decision. What are you going to do about our situation? as quoted from MJs song "if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself in the mirror, and change." This is my response, what is yours?

Wow. What age was the kid? So proud of her. I do agree (a lot) that Filipinos have very strong colonial mentality. The simple fact that many are going abroad and having dual nationalities proves it. And then thinking that all those products made outside the Philippines are much better, not knowing that most of those same products were just made by Filipino hands working in PEZA. And it's not only showed on the preference of products. It's also showed in the way we think in general, the way we teach our children, and most specially, the way we look at our fellow Filipinos. Most of us admire many people outside the country when we ourselves have a lot to prove of our own. We also have a lot of beautiful places here in our country. That alone is one thing to be very proud of the Philippines. My, even foreigners visiting here are increasing in number. So why can't we ourselves be proud of our own country and of being a Filipino? I agree with what your kid said. Preferring much on imported products isn't helping on the growth of our nation. Although it does help but not in the long run. We Filipinos have what it takes to be one of the best. So instead of concentrating on the foreign lands, we should start working and moving up!;)

Unfortunately, it is us adults who allows this colonial mentality thing. We must remember that children only imitate what we do. Anyway, I also think that this is one of the reasons why our economy do not grow. Let's look at Japan for example. They love their country so much, that only a few of them wants to learn English. But then, they are now a very rich country and this is because they patronize their own products. I also think that crab mentality also plays a big role, and it is unfortunate that only a few of us are willing to help fellow Filipinos especially in terms of products. I know Filipinos are talented, and also be very good businessmen. All we need is our support for each other, especially from the government. Thanks!

Hi there! I admit when I was still in the Philippines I would always go to the section of some imported products when doing the grocery and when a friend or relative arrives from abroad I am happy if I receive something made from where she came from. However, when we started residing abroad I always look for Philippine brands as we always have this distinct taste in food and better quality brands of other commodities like detergents, shampoos and the likes. Unconsciously, we are patronizing the Filipino products. And so, I believe that colonial mentality is only present most likely in the mind of Filipinos who are residing in the Philippines but for us who are far from home would still prefer to eat or utilize our own products. Qualitywise, Filipino brand are still the best!