Filipino Values

The world’s population is 8 billion. More than half live in Asia led by India (1.6B) China (1.3B) Indonesia (300 million) Japan and the Philippines (100 million each) Pakistan, Bangladesh, Laos Korea etc. (700 million.) Christianity reached us on March 16, 1521. For 500 years (1521-2021) Christianity and Filipino values have been mixed, have evolved, developed that we are considered as the only Asian nation with a deep western religious culture.

Today, we are the only Catholic nation in Asia. Globally, people are impressed by the manner we have enhanced, improved and strengthened our Catholic values. The world does not understand that it is not only our Catholic but also our Filipino values. The January Quiapo black Nazarene procession is the world’s biggest in terms of participants/ devotees and the world’s longest. The Sto. Niño festival on the third Sunday of January is the world biggest in terms of participant devotees done at the same time in Cebu (Sinulog the world’s biggest) Kalibo Aklan (ati-atihan) and Tondo followed by Dinagyang in Iloilo City. The world is amazed at our zeal and dedication in Fiesta Celebrations starting with a novena prayers with nightly program activities. We have the yearly Flores de Mayo (flowers of May) which combines a novena for Sta. Maria and summer cathechism ending in a spectacular Santa Cruz Procession led by Reyna Elena, Haring Constantino etc.

In relation of its population, Pampanga and Bohol have the biggest number of priests, nuns, brothers. In Bohol, the family is deemed blessed when the sala walls are filled with pictures of children, grandchildren, relatives who are nuns, priests, brothers. Sadly, some values are slowly dying. 1. Kissing the hand/amen/bendisyon of a priest, father, mother, elders. 2. Praying the rosary during the 6pm angelus. 3. Altar in the sala, even if it has only a small crucifix, pictures/statues of saints. 4. Whole family going to church on Sunday, holy week processions, fiestas. No other nation has kept all these values despite internet, radio, computers, cellphones, virtual reality, among others.