The Contemporary World 1

The Global Filipino

8
Learning
Outcomes: Pretest
At the end of the
lesson, you will Modified True or False
be able to: Directionss: How well do you know about the World Class Filipino personalities?
• explain the role Write TRUE in the space before the number if the statement is TRUE. Write FALSE
of the Filipinos in if the statement is False and change the underlined word to make it TRUE.
the global
_____________1. Sarah Geronimo played an award-winning role in Miss Saigon
community;
and the voices of a number of Disney characters singing voices.
• describe the
concept of _____________2. Lydia de Veyga was considered as Asia’s fastest woman in the
global 1980s.
citizenship. _____________3. Arnel Pineda is the lead singer of the American rock band
Journey.
_____________4. Onyok Velasco is regarded as one of the greatest professional
boxers of all time winning eight division world championship in the history of boxing.
_____________5. Pia Wurtzbach is the first Filipina to win the title of Miss World.
_____________6. Gloria Diaz is the first Filipina to win the Miss Universe title.
_____________7. Maureen Wroblewitz is the first Filipina to win Asia’s Next Top
Model.
_____________8. Jaclyn Jose is the first Filipina to win the Best Actress Award at
the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
_____________9. Drew Arellano was the First Filipino to climb the Seven Summits
(mountains in the world).
_____________10. Efren Reyes is a world renowned Filipino professional pool
The Contemporary
player, the first player to win world championships World
in two different 2
pool disciplines.
 Let’s Elaborate
In today’s era, every people’s over $51 billion into the country’s
lives are already tied and affected by national coffers.
globalization and its processes.
Filipino’s are clearly no exemption and
continuously rose from time to time as
Filipinos can be very good in adopting
changes. In the aspects of the Philippine
economy, it depends largely on incomes
from jobs with global connections. The
first is migrant labor.
primer.com
In 2015, the Department of Labor
and Employment reported that the The third source of the national is
number of Filipinos leaving the country comprised of exports. The Philippine
to work overseas rose to 4,018 in 2010 exports machinery, semiconductors,
to 6,092 in 2015, a 51 percent increase wood, cars, export crops and fruits,
in the span of five years.1 minerals (gold and copper), ships, and
vehicles to other Asian countries,
In 2016, there Europe, and North
were 2.4 million America. According to
Rappler published a report
Filipinos leaving Workman, D. 2017 in
that OFWs sent back
and/or working 2016, these exports earned
$25.8 billion in 2015,
outside of the $56.3 billion. The fourth
roughly 8.5 percent of the
country according to country’s gross domestic largest source of income in
the Philippine product. the country is tourism,
Statistical Authority. which reached about $6.05
An article by Rappler published a report billion by the end of 2016 according to
that OFWs sent back $25.8 billion in World Bank. Added to the $51 billion
2015, roughly 8.5 percent of the from OFW and BPO earnings, the total
country’s gross domestic product. The revenue of $113.35 billion makes the
second is business process outsourcing Philippines the 36th largest economy in
(BPO) that the Philippine provides for the world.
foreign clients. According to Agcaoili,
L. 2017 in 2015, BPO operations Out from all these export
yielded $24 billion. Combined, these products, rice is the only left. The
two economic activities have plowed Philippines is the 8th largest rice
producer in the world. But, the country

The Contemporary World 3

is also one of the biggest importers of of the country which still survives
rice as basic staple. because of its regional and global
connections. Drugs, guns, illegal
Historically, there has never been
immigrants, and drugs flowed between
a time in the long life of the Philippines
the south of the Philippines, linked to
that existed in isolation from the Asian
Borneo, Sabah, Singapore, and southern
region as well as the world. History
China. Many powerful countries like
records have shown that communities
the colonial powers and the postwar
in the archipelago were engaged in
republics wanted to end these illegal
extensive and lucrative trade with other
activities of these network but failed
neighboring countries in most of
Southeast Asian countries,
China, and other countries in
Asia in the pre-colonial era.

The country became a

colony of two empires, Spain
and the Americans, as the
same with neighboring
countries. Japan had also
extended its new found
power at that time and
extended their reach in Asia.
wearekubo.com
When the Philippines
become independent, the country sided and continue to persist today.
with the United States during the Cold
In that sense, the global
War against the USSR or the Union of
connections of the Filipino cannot be
Soviet Socialist Republic.
easily deterred. Despite the warnings of
In the 1960s, when the United the nationalist Filipinos on the effects
States intervened in the Vietnam War, of the influence of the foreign culture
the Philippines helped formed the anti- especially the Western culture, the
communist regional body, the Southeast Filipinos continue to hold the West in
Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), high regard without realizing the
created by the American hegemon to corrupting influence of the West.
“contain” the alleged spread of English is the other official language of
communism in the region. Even the the country aside from Filipino, by
underground trades agreements which, English is largely spoken lingua
between countries are still rampant. franca in the country. The American
These consist of the informal economy popular culture remains the model of

The Contemporary World 4

modernity and high social class. The plays the vital role in today’s society.
2014 Pew Research Center survey by Oddly, it is in the diaspora that there is
Stokes, B., showed that 92%
of Filipinos are Pro-
American.

The cultures imported

to the Philippines shores are
not just American.
Remember, the country is so
diverse, and that makes
Filipinos a unique nation.
The country has adopted
Japanese, Korean, and even
Mexican popular culture,
notable in teenage boy/girl
bands (Kpop, Kdrama, Jpop, wordpress.com

and Jdrama, etc.) as well as a greater attempt to “preserve” Filipino

various Mexican telenovelas (Marimar, culture. Filipino-American artists, for
Maria del barrio, Rosalinda, and etc.). example, have “revived” the use of the
Returning OFWs or migrant families Kulintang, an instrument associated
who comes back to the country from with the Moros of Mindanao.
abroad brings back various practices
and customs of the countries they had This peculiar “preservation” of
been to. According to Umeda, Y. 2009, “tribal Pilipino arts” indicates a
Filipinas living or working in Japan “reverse flow” in which the local is
alter their clothing styles to look and act now transposed overseas. In addition,
more like Japanese. Aside from that, the campaign to revive baybayin as a
many Korean merchandises and fashion national writing system campaigned by
statements were already used and various organizations. In fact, a house
followed by many Filipinos in all ages. Bill was filed by Pangasinan Rep.
Leopoldo Bataoil in 2018 named House
The Korean and Japanese Bill 1022 whose desire is to preserve
language are attractive to learn, and and promote baybayin.
these are all coming from the influences
of the TV dramas and other media According to The Manila Times
platforms. Added also the fact that most article posted on April 26, 2018 which
of the people today have various and says, the bill was approved by the
easy access on the different social House Committee on Basic Education
media platforms and internet which and Culture, which seeks to “promote,
The Contemporary World 5
protect, preserve and conserve System of the Philippines, using it as a
‘Baybayin’ as the National Writing
tool for cultural and economic development to create a consciousness, respect and
pride for the legacies of Filipino cultural history, heritage and the country’s authentic
identity.”

Filipinos really have very little choice but to accept this globalized world. The
world is not going backwards instead every single day, lots and lots of things are
upgraded and it’s like there is no turning for globalization. Everything needs to move
forward and just find a balance from it.

The impact of globalization to the Filipinos is actually uneven and often doesn’t
beneficial to most Filipinos. But there is also movement and progress. Part of that is
because of the Political leaders leading the government whose actions and decisions
are will greatly impact the country. Most of these leaders decided to open the
Philippines to the world community hence the country has embraced the country
decades ago.

As it has been said, the only choice the country has is to move and look
forward in the midst of globalization since going back in the old times is no longer
attainable. The government led by its leaders and the people itself should find a
balance from the imbalance of globalization. They should to it that the benefits of the
globalization should always be present which will allow Filipinos to live a better life.

Source: m2social.net
From left:

The Contemporary World 6

Activity 8.1 Broaden your minds
Directionss: Briefly explain the following questions. Use separate sheet of paper, if necessary.
Refer to the rubrics in the Appendix B for guidance.

1. Do Filipinos have a role in the global community? If yes, what are those roles that
Filipinos have taken up? If no, state your reason. Enumerate and cite examples to
support your answer.
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2. When you hear the word “Overseas Filipinos”, what comes in your mind? Cite examples
to support your answer.
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3. What do you mean by Filipino community? How relevant this community is outside the
Philippines?
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The Contemporary World 7

4. What do Filipinos and the other nationalities have in common in the global community?
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5. What could be the impact to the country having many Filipinos outside the Philippines?
Is it advantageous or disadvantageous to the Philippines? Why or Why not?

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The Contemporary World 8

Activity 8.1 Global Citizenship
Directions: In 250-300 words, write a descriptive essay on global citizenship with emphasis on
what it meant to be a citizen of the world. Use the space provided. You may use an
extra sheet if needed.

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Title

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The Contemporary World 9