Filipino Culture

If you, like many Filipinos, have lost hope in the Philippines and have mentally labeled it as a “Lost Cause”.  Don’t lose hope…  Not just yet.  There’s one other “hopeless” poor and Catholic country that managed to get its cultural, economic, and political act together.  We can look to IRELAND for a historical example of how we can rise up as a people and as a nation.

Ireland was exactly like the Philippines as recently as a few decades ago:

People wanted to emigrate the F out. As in PRONTO.

Hidebound and dogmatic Catholic Church making sure the country stayed assbackwards

Anemic economy

Cr@ppy infrastructure

Insurrection/Rebellion in one of the counties (Norther Ireland)

In terms of culture, many Irish were considered by some racists as “worse than blacks” when it comes to sexual morality, industriousness, and general civility. Many of the more “respectable” WASPS (White Anglo Saxon Protestants) would call them “green niggers”. The same way many of our Northern Asian and advanced ASEAN neighbors would consider Filipinos as “lower” than them.

Irish prostitutes filled brothels wherever in the world the Irish emigrated.

Irish men were often derided by other ethnic groups as drunks, lazy, and “good for nothing”

For years, the Irish bore the mental wounds and low self-esteem wrought by centuries of English coloinialism and subjugation.

In America, Irish were so universally looked down and derided that it took a while for Americans to consider them WHITE. See: How the Irish Became White

But until recent economic meltdown, Ireland has become one of the THE investment destinations in the EU. Many Irish who emigrated in the past started flowing back. Real estate boomed. The economy rocked. The war in Northern Ireland finally became a political issue instead of a military confrontation.

Ireland’s ascent, the same as Scotland’s ascent in the 1700s, and Japan’s in 1800’s PROVE that Cultural Change can bring about Economic and Political progress.  If they can do it, what’s stopping us?

We often hear the term “ningas cogon” in Filipino culture. At times, it is often used when describing news headlines, current scandals, or Filipino traits. But what does the term really mean? And where did it come from? How does it actually occur in Filipino culture, and why?

Definition of ningas cogon or procrastination

The term “ningas cogon” is actually derived from the word cogon, which refers to cogon grass, a tall, green, thin type of grass that grows through large fields and easily catches fire. Because cogon grass is thin in texture, any amount of flame brought close to it can cause a quick and wild fire. The next thing you know, you are left with an empty field of dead and burned grass. The reason people use the term ningas cogon is because it refers to the fact that people show fervent interest in a new topic (like the wild fire), but also lose interest just as quickly (like the cogon grass that burns out rapidly). Oftentimes, people describe ningas cogon as procrastination, as it refers to the fact that people tend to show immense interest in new topics, and then procrastinate by failing to follow through with the necessary means of solving the incident at hand.

Ningas cogon as part of Filipino culture

Perhaps you can blame it on the hardworking and busy lifestyles of the Filipino people. Or maybe, quite simply, on the Filipino people’s love for excitement and entertainment. Whichever the cas, one can often find the ningas cogon mentality in Filipino culture, especially in matters of politics, media, news scandals, and entertainment. One such example of this would be when there is a news scandal involving a crime committed by a prominent person. When such event occurs, you find the headlines on every single newspaper, talk show and news channel available. People all over the country discuss, debate, and argue over the matter. Some people even spread rumors and gossip to further worsen the news scandal. Politicians usually step in to remind people of the power they possess to fix the matter, and to find justice. Unfortunately, it does not take long before everyone loses interest, and the next big scandal is simply a day away. Before you know it, the politicians have moved on to other projects, and what was once a great big scandal is left forgotten and unsolved.

Some say that the reason Filipino people are so quick to forget about important incidents (and that promises made to fix them) is because they are simply too busy with their individual lives. Others say that it is because the Filipino people are subservient, patient, and forgiving. But regardless of which case it may be, ningas cogon is often (if not always) viewed as a negative trait and a weakness of the Filipino people.

Related questions:

1. How did Filipinos develop ningas cogon?
2. What are the other negative traits of Filipinos?
3. How can Filipinos change their ways?

The Philippines has had a long and tumultuous past, marked with colonialism and the endless search for true identity. Because the country spent so many years under colonial rule, the Filipinos were often left feeling like helpless victims. In fact, it is believed that one of the main reasons it seemed so easy for Spain to colonize the Philippines was because the Filipino people were awfully kind, forgiving, and subservient. It is because of this past that, until today, there remains a class hierarchy, as well as a struggle between the rich and the poor. As such, it is no surprise that among the many unique traits in Filipino culture is that of the “api” mentality, or, in English, the “victim” mentality.

What is the api mentality in Filipino culture

The api mentality in Filipino culture is rooted in a strong sense of paranoia, or the undeniable feeling of inferiority. Perhaps it is only logical to blame the country’s past for this Filipino weakness, as it is still found in the psyche of many Filipinos today. You might often hear the phrase “Parang ina-api ako,” which, in English, means, “I feel as though I’m being looked down upon,” or “I feel like I’m being treated like an insignificant person.” What this really means is that the api mentality makes Filipinos believe that they are being maltreated in whatever situation may be at hand, when in truth, it is merely their paranoia that is causing this belief. Another situation in which the api mentality may occur is when Filipinos grant the “pity” vote to other Filipinos. This means that there is a strong sense of empathy and sympathy for others, and that the person who is more of a “victim” is granted the favored vote, simply because he or she is suffering more.

Api mentality in Pinoy pop culture

Among the favorite pastimes of many Filipinos is watching television and engaging in the local shows that appear on it. Filipinos also enjoy reading Pinoy novels, which, in truth, share similar traits to those of the television series’. Within both the television series and the novel, one can find that the api mentality is a common theme that occurs, as it stirs much emotion, sympathy, and even attachment to certain characters who suffer as the victims of whatever the circumstance may be. In the teleserye, for instance, a common theme in a love story is the relationship between a wealthy character and a poor character. As their relationship grows, the poor character begins to feel as though he or she is being looked down upon by the family of the wealthy character.

The api mentality is certainly a trait of the Filipino people that many may view as a weakness. However, it is also of essence to recognize that the Filipino people take kindly to victims because it is an accompanying trait of the Filipino to be sensitive and sympathetic toward others’ circumstances.

Related questions:

1. What are the disadvantages of the api mentality to Filipinos?
2. Does api mentality hinder our growth?
3. Why are Filipino people too sensitive?