SOCIOLOGY OF THE FILIPINO LUZVIMINDA MASON

Presented by Norberto Bautista, PM on July 15, 2006

"Filipino" in this presentation refers to the Filipino Masons of the Lodge

Good Afternoon Brothers!

           The WM gave me the liberty of speaking on a topic that is non-Masonic in nature. Though not related to the craft, nonetheless, I believe that the information I will share today will enhance the understanding of our interpersonal relationship as Masonic Brothers belonging to two cultures.

I initially selected “the sociology of the Filipino Freemason”. After browsing the two college textbooks I ordered from the Philippines, I decided to narrow down the topic. I herein acknowledge authors and academicians as cited in the bibliography. I will not discuss academic concepts so as not to bore you. Just allow me to define sociology. It is the science of human society and of social relations, organization, and change; specifically, the study of the beliefs, values, etc. of societal groups and of the processes governing social phenomena.

I will speak briefly about Filipino values and characteristics. Because I belong to this ethnic group, I take the liberty of being a social critique and assure myself free from contempt of others and from others.

What are values? Values are an expression of the ultimate end, goal or purpose of social action. Values are deep-rooted motivations for behaviors. I cannot but overemphasize that values are manifested by how a group or an individual behave in society. An object or concept has a value when it is perceived as good and if it is desirable or not. The desire to acquire them influences attitudes and behavior. Examples are food, money and house. It also comes in intangible concepts such as truth, honesty and justice. Examples of values in our fraternity that we adhere to are temperance, fortitude, prudence, justice, discretion, morality, silence, secrecy, etc.

To start with. Look at the Filipino-American brother next to you. Chances are, at some point in his life, he lived in any of the 7100 islands of the Philippine Archipelago. His pronunciation of words, his accent and his intonation may be totally different from the Filipino-American brother next to him. Besides English, he can speak any one or more of the 8 major languages from among the 84 major ethnolinguistic dialects. Except for a few, most Filipino-American brothers came to the United States as an adult. Despite this variety, there are many common characteristics of the Filipino society and quite a number of shared societal values and behaviors.

The Philippine society revolves around social classes of people. Historically, economic power begets political power, and political power begets social power. And with many years of unusual, some may term as corruption, political power begets economic power. In cursory analysis, the Filipinos are socially segregated as a result of the economic differences. This differences influence one’s behaviors – with, for and against each other.

What then are the major characteristics of a Filipino brother?

1. The Compadre or padrino system initiated the Filipino into the practice of extended families. On a positive note and an advantage for immigrants like us, this value system has enlarged our social network by adopting family friends as virtual relatives, the bonding of which are sometimes more intense than with real blood relatives. This is manifested when one sees a young Filipino respectfully addressing the brother Mason as “Tito” (Uncle) and his wife as “Tita” (Aunt). You have heard many times when Filipino-American brothers are around and call the ladies (wives or girlfriends of the brother) as “sister”. The rationale is simple - because the husband is a brother, it just appropriate to call his wife or lady a sister. The bonding then goes beyond the tyled recesses of the lodge room.

Negatively, however, this has served to strengthen the notorious and negative social practice of nepotism and favoritism. In other words, this value system has corrupted our sense of fairness and plain dealings with others who are not within our circle. In our fraternity, this is manifested by the existence of virtual or even real head honchos or leaders of the pack. Unfortunately, this head honchos are the very people who willfully violate the age-old tradition of not recruiting members into our fraternity.

The result of inviting cowans manifests another Filipino value that has taken a more negative turn than positive – which we call “utang na loob” or debt of gratitude. This is the theory of reciprocity which states that if A gives something to B, it is expected that B will return the favor to A in some future time. If not, the interpersonal relationship between A and B breaks down. In essence, this is parallel to, but not quite the same as to what Americans refer to as “you owe me one” for a favor done to another. To the Filipino, the debt of gratitude goes beyond the grave and its payment is endless, or otherwise, one would be branded as “walang utang na loob” or ingrate or ungrateful. I still hear quite a few Filipino-American brothers who are beholden to another brother or a head honcho that introduced him to Masonry. I would rather think that all of us became Masons on our own free will and accord, thereby maintaining one’s independence of thinking – to be a true freemason, a free thinker, free from ignorance. A brother who was "recruited" misses the point when as an EA candidate, we were asked on whom we put our trust - that is to God and not to the person who influenced us into Masonry.

2. The “bahala na” or the "come what may” mentality has led to a lack of foresight, the contentment with the past or the status quo, the indolence, the lack of initiative, the lack of self self-reliance or the lack of pioneering spirit. There is no regard for planning and one leaves the outcome of future events to faith or chance. Related to these value system (lack of initiative, lack of self reliance or lack of pioneering spirit), the Filipino has a “segurista” mentality which means that one demands a demonstration of assured success.

“Bahala na” also leads to the practice of “Filipino time”. When one invites you to a formal dinner at 6:30 AM and you are diabetic, be sure you will have some stash of fast-acting carbohydrates because chances are, dinner will be serve an hour much later than the appointed time. “Bahala na” is a disservice to the guest who is prompt.

The Filipinos cannot be blamed entirely for this value, as our colonial masters for 370 years, the Spaniards have taught us to rationalize our predicament, our poverty our subjugation - having us believe that we will be rewarded in heaven as it is outlined in the Christian's seven beatitudes.

The creation of LuzViMinda was met with resistance because its organizers has not and that time cannot demonstrate assured success. However, its founders believed that taking this pioneering spirit is much better than taking over dying lodges and basking over elderly and older member's hard-earned lodge resources.

3. There is a tendency for Filipinos to meet with contempt and not support a cause, an activity or an idea of another Filipino. It is referred to the “crab mentality” evident by a passive or even an active participation in pulling down or wishing failure of a compatriot. It could be motivated by all or any of the following: envy, jealousy, retribution, retaliation, distrust, arrogance or simply ignorance if not innocence.

Crab mentality describes a way of thinking best described by the phrase "if I can't have it, neither can I allow you." The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.

4. “Amor propio” is the superhigh self-esteem and is manifested in extreme sensitivity to hurt feeling and insults - real or imagined. It is the Filipino’s sensitivity to criticism; his inability to accept criticism; and his interpretation of criticism as a personal insult. Some Filipinos still thinks that Manila is the cleanest city. A Hollywood celebrity, as honest and up front all-American, described the streets of Manila as dirty. The celebrity was banned from coming back to perform.

5. The society in its social structure is described as paternalistic just because it is the male that dominates the nuclear family. It is also feudalistic in its practices - people assume roles of leadership in social groups based on economic status.

6. The Filipino has an obsession to title, real or made up. Education has become a status symbol; an announcement to the community that one is different, one is above the rest. Growing up in the Philippines, my grandfather used to castigate my brothers and I, when we misbehave, by sarcastically asking “are you hijos mal educado?” All herein present, I ask: Do you know that our PGM Sat has a PhD in nuclear science? If he is a Filipino and in the Philippines, he would demand to be addressed as “Dr. Tashiro” or “Doc” and will most likely sign his name with a “PhD” at the end. Engineers, architects, physician, lawyers, retired military demand to be addressed by their professional titles and not otherwise.

7. The Filipino has a “balimbing” attitude alluding to a behavior that he will easily change horse in the middle of a race. Balimbing in English is “starfruit” named as such because when cut crosswise, the fruit will have the shape of a star. It is multi-faced as opposed to multi-faceted. Such as was evident when a few blue lodges under the Grand Oriente de Espana and Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Philippine Archipelago pledged allegiance to the GL of California in the 1900’s. The Spanish Empire then, was loosing its status as a world power at the turn of the century while the United States was then emerging as world super power. While this speaks of the survivalistic attitude of the Filipino, it shouts of a certain disloyalty to a cause or even to friendship, and again operationally this defines the “segurista” attitude (assured success).

8. Over enthusiasm with no follow up or provision for continuity and maintenance of an endeavor describes the Filipino behavior of “ningas-kugon”. It is grassfire in summer, easy come easy goes. There is the lack of planning and leaves the course of events to faith tied up to the "bahala na" attitude. It is anathema to the "segurista" attitude previously described. This is one which the LVM organizers have successfully hurdled.

9. The Filipino is “gaya-gaya” or imitative – especially in the performing arts. Hence, you can hear of the Elvis Presley of the Philippines, the Frank Sinatra of the Philippines, etc. However, no one has heard of the Albert Einstein of the Philippines or a Benjamin Franklin of the Philippines. Such “gaya-gaya” attitude is evident when a few Filipino-American Masons perform the rituals and degree work to perform for visitors rather than for the candidate of our mysteries - who we should bear in mind, is the focal point of all our degree works.

Lastly, my brothers, you must be a Filipino, if you got offended to what I just mentioned.

Panopio, Isabel S., Cordero-MacDonald, Felicidad and Raymundo, Adelisa .  (1994).  Sociology focus on the philippines. 3rd Ed. Quezon City: KEN Incorporated.

Hunt, Chester, Quisumbing, Socorro, Costello, M and Lacar, Luis.  (1996).  Sociology in the philippine setting, a modular approach.  4th Ed. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House.

Others, as was suggested by brother Filipino Masons after this presentation. . . your must be a Filipino (YMBAF), if you,

1. “are hele-hel bago quiere” that is, you adamantly refused to sing using the Karaoke microphone, even threatening to leave the party and yet waited for your turn again and again and again and again even though you only had one Budweiser lite for the last 2 hours of the party.

2. when it was obvious that you had a fight with your spouse - when during the potluck, your share was 8-pc Kentucky Fried Chicken meal and not either of these: chicken pork adobo, pancit bihon, pancit palabok or lumpiang shanghai;

3. were trying to cover up that fight, by bringing the family’s 10-cup rice cooker that your wife started for tonight’s dinner;

4. as when they are about to leave, you force your non-Filipino guests, as a token or party favors, to brown bag food even if they tell you many, many, many times that they do not eat dinuguan or kare-kare with bagoong;

5. On the other hand, YMBAF, if you brown bag party trays within half an hour of the start of a party and you must be that Filipino’s kid, if your mom or dad ordered you to bring to the party a plastic sack and a marking pen and a take-home tupperware and a roll of aluminum foil;

6. you speak proudly, so eloquently and so authoritatively of balut or the hard boiled duck embryo as a Filipino delicacy even if you have not eaten one in your lifetime. You could be the same Filipino if you mistaken the itlog na maalat (or salted red egg) from that of a balut;

7. you reinforced your non-Filipino friend’s belief and is so proud, that there exist a Filipino Mafia, rather than project the positive image that this ethnic group is full of community or bayanihan spirit and sense of belongingness;

8. Lastly, my friends, you must be a Filipino, if after this presentation, you will criticize my thesis - as you are matampuhin or maramdamin - or mataas ang amor propio.