are Filipinos more regionalistic than nationalistic?
By jane9147
@jane9147 (252)
Philippines
July 2, 2009 5:13am CST
what can you say about this fellow Pinoys?
i had a discussion with my history professor just a while ago and she said that Filipinos are more regionalistic or they prefer their regions or provinces than that of the Philippines itself.
i told her that it isn't right to say that you are not nationalistic if you reside in the regions or provinces. i mean you can still show your nationalism even if your from this region or that region.
she said that people from the provinces (or the regions) prefer what is just in there locality. example, during elections. they prefer people who came from their province or region and don't even do a background check on other candidates. for me on this particular one, i think it's because they already know what kind of person from their province is. for me, people also do background checking. nowadays, filipinos are already more vigilant. they don't just choose people who will rule the country base on the persons hometown. i mean c'mon.. hehe
please share your thoughts on this. i will really really appreciate your opinions regarding this issue.
thank you very much!
1 person likes this
6 responses
@mz_Ira (1090)
• Philippines
2 Jul 09
hello there... good topic you got!Your history instructor is right, Let's just say majority of the people that lives in this area would definitely go for their fellow natives. Lets use your example, During Election, I for instance lives in a province and knowing that one of the candidates is from my province and thinking that this person would do good for us. basically, people would depend on the norms that a person who cam from this area are very kind... responsible etc.. something like that. So for them they would vote the person because they think that their attitude and perception would be the same as the candidate's.
I would not wonder if your instructor would answer that because it is true. Some do not really see the candidate as an individual--- who can be responsible enough?is he going to be a good officer? instead, a candidate who came from the same area.
1 person likes this
@jane9147 (252)
• Philippines
2 Jul 09
but there are instances that candidates from your hometown (this is just for example)are not worth the vote. i mean, for example me, my hometown is here in qc, which is in ncr right? the elections are coming next year. i will choose who i feel is right or fitted for the position he/she is running for, regardless of his/her hometown. it's what he can that i am after.
1 person likes this
@mz_Ira (1090)
• Philippines
3 Jul 09
exactly! And that's how should a voter do. regardless of the province he came from or in any situation should see the candidate---- his capabilities... But as I said some people nowadays do not practice that unless they really are the type of person who are hoping for a better change. There are still people who vote like that, as what you're instructor said..
@mypriv8link (180)
• Philippines
3 Jul 09
I think you and your professor prove a point. In some issues, like in politics, people really do prefer to vote for candidates that hails from their provinces. We have to remember that althoug we are one, we are far divided in many aspects due to Philippines geography. Island after island, we had to be able to establish something of our own apart from the mainland. We have different dialects, beliefs etc. So basically, we become regionalistic in some matters. But if you think bigger than the box, we are also very nationalistic. Say like in the case of Pacquiao, we learn to stand as one and praise our very own. We celebrate June 12 as a country and so forth. So, this just brings me to the fact that both you and your professor are correct.
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
3 Jul 09
Yeah that is really one of the problem we have in our culture. We tend to become regionalistic than nationalistic. We become Nationalistic only when we go abroad Pinoy's stick together most of the time and traces of regionalistic attitude is not that obvious but then you can also see traces of it like the Cebuano group would flock together or the Bicolanos would flock as a group as well but they can flock as Filipino Group when in abroad. Here in the Philippines, it is very much prominent especially when it comes to election time comes. People from one region would obviously support candidate that is coming from their place. Like for example, GMA would definitely get the support of her Kapampangans.
I do not find it wrong to be regionalistic, at some point but I guess there are advantages and disadvantages that go with it. I think we cannot but avoid it since we started as a fragmented groups of people but was just unified when we were colonized long time ago. That is why traces of the past still persist and I think will stay for quite sometime.
1 person likes this
@sandymay16 (1617)
• Philippines
4 Jul 09
Yes, you are right and not only during elections where Filipinos are regionalistic. take for instance during the Independence Day celebration, well, in our region, province, city there was not much fuss about it because most likely the celebrations are concentrated in manila as well as other national holidays.
And when there are happenings in Manila good or bad, i can always hear comments that's it's only in manila not in our city but really it concerns the whole of the nation.
That there was one time that my friends's foreigner husband asked, is this city part of the Philippines?
@dagma09 (90)
• Philippines
3 Jul 09
I think your prof is right... even though the filipino where known for being nationalistic,but most are regionalistic. I my self experience discrimination when I went to another region and they always asked me why I go to their province, and I should speak to their dialect. I have no problem with that things but because I'm not belong to that region I have to do something that the student belong to their region doesn't do,just to be accepted in that college... I Think tt's one of the problem of the filipino that's why the progress is very slow....
@KaraKATAD (246)
• Philippines
7 Sep 09
Of course people are regionalistic, and it's not just Filipinos.
People have the tendency to trust things that they know or that come from a place that they know, despite reality.
I even had a friend whose uncle would only buy lechon from Cebu and buy a PLANE ticket so he could have it in Manila.
And naturally, people who live in Cebu love Pochero, while Tagalogs like Bulalo. It's a matter of pride.
