Fiestas

The fiesta is part and parcel of Filipino culture. Through good times and bad times, the Filipino fiesta must go on. Each city and barrio has at least one local festival of its own, usually on the feast of its patron saint, so that there is always a fiesta going on somewhere in the country. The Philippine fiesta is a lot more that it seem on the service. It is the tie that binds Filipinos from a region or an area together, a time to reunite with your extended family and you kababayans. No mater where you are, your are expected to attend. It is a time to rejoice in friendship, spend all you have, forget the expense, just be happy you can afford to entertain and feed others, if you can.

fiestas in the Philippines

Fiestas are very important in our culture because it shows how we care to each families. We let them eat whatever they want, and let them enjoy the day.

PORTRAIT OF THE FILIPINO FAMILY

INTRODUCTION

The Filipino family have brought us many values in life. Values and the cultural ways helped us a better Filipino. We'll as we can see, Filipinos have a great culture and we must passed it to the generation of Filipinos. Even though some are not to be followed but in most cases, we must show what are really Filipinos capable of. We must not look at the bad side but look whats best for us Filipinos. We must not be afraid but tell the world were the best. This will reflect to the next generation because in reality, we cannot change our culture because we're already stick to it and there's no problem there but let's think that were still happy. TO BE A FILIPINO. In our own culture.

Instructions and Guidelines

PORTRAIT

OF THE FILIPINO FAMILY

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY CLASS

by

Tugel Dela Cruz
delacruzr@dls-csb.edu.ph

OBJECTIVES:

1. MAKE A CHECKLIST OF ITEMS (CULTURAL) THAT BEST DESCRIBE THE FILIPINO FAMILY TODAY
2. DISCUSS THE MEANINGS OF EACH ITEMS TO THE FILIPINO FAMILY
3. USE THE ITEMS IN COMING UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE WRITE UP ABOUT FILIPINO FAMILY PORTRAIT
4. IDENTIFY AND EXAMINE THE ISSUES COMING FROM THE STORIES BEHIND THE ITEMS THEY WILL CHOOSE
5. WRITE A PERSUASIVE ESSAY CONCERNING THE CURRENT STATE AND DIRECTION OF THE FILIPINO FAMILY
6. CREATE A BLOG.WEBSITE THAT BEST REPRESENTS THE PLIGHT OF THE CONTEMPORARY FILIPINO FAMILY

I

INTRODUCTION

WE are now on the 7th year of the 2 nd millennium.

How will THE FILIPINO FAMILY be reflected to the future generations of Filipinos?

II

Problem

The PORTRAIT OF FILIPINO FAMILY
has been established by the Philippine
National Archive to select pictures and
documents to best represent the PROFILE
of today's FAMILY. As selected members
of this distinguished committee, you and
your group mates must search, evaluate
and identify any component of this social
institution that must be included in the
archive's electronic time capsule. You will
defend you're your output in an explanatory
essay and a Blog/website. You must
convince the panel why it should be included
in the electronic time capsule of Philippine
National Archive.

III

Task

If future archaeologists looked at
the objects of your everyday life, what
could they infer or conclude about the
family life of today? What sources could
sociologists rely on to draw their conclusions
about family of today? What might these
materials tell archaeologists and sociologists
about your family, community, region,
and/or nation?

Process

What do I have to do?

You will:

select objects, images, and writings that you
believe best serve as a
portrait or picture of the Filipino Family Today.

write an explanatory essay to
demonstrate your justifications
on why and how you chose certain
items/materials that will be included
in the Historical Time Capsule

Put everything in a Blog or Website

Submit your BLOG ADDRESS OR WEB ADDRESS

NOT LATER THAN TONIGHT (OCTOBER 29, 2007) WITH

NAMES OF YOUR GROUP MEMBERS IN IT

VI

Data Collection

What goes in the time capsule?

Pictures, songs, articles, advertisements,
lists, objects, etc. are all things that
might be included. You must make at
least 10 selections for inclusion in the
Snapshot in Time Project. Your selections
should be varied, but they must include:

a piece of writing

a song

a picture

an object

All additional selections are your choice. Look at fashion, fads, beliefs, sports, schools, social behavior, news articles, movies, statistics about families

There are a wide variety of sources which would allow future historians to reconstruct today's FaMILY culture. When making your selections for the time capsule, always try to answer the core question:

How would your selections be the best in helping future historians to understand the FILIPINO FAMILY culture that existed at the end of the year

Rubric for Portrait of Filipino Family

Criteria	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Quality Of research	The points included in the essay and presentation are quite vague and not related to class discussion.	Some the points included in the essay & presentation are related to class discussion web	All the points included in the essay & presentation are related to class discussion	All the points included in the essay & presentation are related to class discussion and was backed by resources from the web
ESSAY	Contains very little information about aspects of culture with no reasoned analysis,detail. Unorganized and unclear.	Contains some information about aspects of culture with little reasoned analysis or detail. May not be clear and organized.	Contains clear and organized information about aspects of culture with some reasoned analysis and detail.	Contains detailed, organized, and clear information about aspects of culture with well reasoned analysis and very detailed.
Presen- tation (blog or website)	Less than 10 selections with little or no commentary or summary. Lack of neatness and creativity.	10-15 selections including 5 visuals with some commentary and summary. Somewhat creative and neat.	10-15 selections including 5 visuals with good commentary and summary. Creative and neat.	13-15 selections including 5 visuals with excellent commentary and summary. Creative and neat.

Conclusion

We are connected to our past by the world we have been given. We are connected with our future by the choices we make today and where our imaginations can take us.

Our culture is the reflection of who we are. The objects of our everyday lives are the artifacts of tomorrow. The archeologists of the future will know us by our culture.

What do we want the world to see?

How will future archeologists and historians interpret what they find?

Courtship

- Patrick Caidic

We marry the one we love because we love truly and that’s GOD’s will. That a couple will be together for better for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, together forever and ever, ‘til death do us part.

Some marriage is very negative on our side because Filipinos forgot the real essence of being married, that they do not know what is the difference of WEDDING to MARRIAGE, and of a PARTNER to a WIFE. Simply because…

“…People get married at an early age because of a minute of pleasure. Marriage becomes a symbol of regret.”

- Joanna Ponce

“Sadly, today, marriage is thought of as a NEED (especially for Filipinos like us). Need sounds as if the person desperately wants to be married. It is such a pressure for Filipinos to get married before they reach their 30s or they'll be branded as "matandang dalaga or binata." I mean, what's wrong with being single when you're old? It's not like the end of the world. Unlike in other countries, people don't really mind if they're married or not.”

- Lorisse Ramirez

mycodesplace.com

Communication

- Joel Sandejas

Communication plays an important part for the filipino family. this is the way to get closer to our love ones even though far away. It is also helpful in case of emergencies or simple as kamustahan. There are several ways how Filipinos communicate to each other:

a cellular phone

Cellular phones or cellphones is one of the most quickest way to communicate. Just a simple text to a person and you will automatically read the text. Calling also is very simple too. Cellphone is a necessity to every Filipino because we don't want to be alone and we get bored if we don't have a communication device.

e-mail and the internet

We'll, technology as we can say today, is the most advance way to communicate. You can now do everything in it like chatting, researching, buying, selling, calling and so much more. The internet gives us all everything that we need. Filipinos love friendster, and it is also one way to communicate love ones and forgotten schoolmates.

E-mail or electronic mail is also the easiest way to receive mails form different places. It is more advanced than snail mail. It is often used by OFW's.


This kinds of communication helps the Filipino family to communicate and to get closer to their love ones. This shows that Filipinos want to keep in touch with their love ones wherever they are.

Balikbayan Box

- Joel Sandejas

A Balikbayan Box is a cardboard box containing novelty items brought by or sent by a Filipino that is returning to the Philippines from a foreign country.These boxes contain non-perishable food items, canned goods, other food items, toiletries, household and kitchen stuffs, time saving devices, computer parts, electronics, toys, designer clothing, personal items, and hard to find items in the Philippines.

a balikbayan box

The Balikbayan box is very important to us Filipinos because this box is like a link to our love ones outside the country. Inside the box brings a lot of stuffs that will surely love by Filipinos here in the Philippines. This also shows how Filipinos are being giving and shares their goods. This will also help to let closer the families even though their away. It is simple yet very unforgettable. We Filipinos loves gifts so that every time there is is balikbayan, they will surely bring some balikbayan boxes.

This shows that Filipinos are very loving and caring for each other.

Street Foods

- Patrick Regis Caidic

Street foods really is part of our culture everywhere you look there’s a stand of a street food vendor.

Isaw is one of Filipinos favorite street food, I don’t know why because I haven’t ate one yet, maybe it’s tasty? I guess? For me I don’t want to eat such kind of foods because I might be the “one-in-a-million” who will be infected by such kind of diseases like hepatitis and others.

Balot is a form of street food but it doesn’t affect us much as compared to some like isaw, dugo, kwek-kwek, adidas, and one-day-old because balot is clean and they say that I strengthens bones specially your knees.

In the past, street foods can be considered safe to eat but nowadays street foods cannot be trusted, because some street foods aren’t done right. For example, the Calamares, they say that I was persevered in formalin from China and then Filipino dealers buy the squids in a cheap price. We should be more careful nowadays in eating such kind of foods, because you might not know what you’re eating. Like what the news said, some luncheon meats “Maling” are made from human flesh of dead Chinese people. So we better be smart or else we could end up tomorrow dead.

Christmas

- Patrick Regis Caidic

Every Christmas Filipino family gathers in one home and share blessings. We grew up in the way that we eat Noche Buena together every Christmas Eve and giving gifts at 12 midnight 24. We share money and playing games and having exchange gifts for fun.We buy Christmas lights and parols to make our home colorful and bright, children sings and carols in each and every house.

Simbang-gabi is very attractive to some teens cause they elders said that if you have completed the simbang-gabi, your wish will come true. But some of the teenagers today only goes for simbang-gabi but not listening but rather playing with some friends and they feel like their cool ‘cause they’re attending simbang-gabi. They forgot the real essence of hearing the Holy mass.

Filipino family always celebrates Christmas inside their homes, because Filipino family has a tight family bonding so we prefer to celebrate Christmas inside our homes.

And last but not the least, the preparation of the Christmas tree. Filipinos prepare Christmas trees by family decorating it and having fun and after that a beautiful and happy tree was made

Basketball

- Patrick Regis Caidic

Basketball is a big part of our culture. Wherever you look, anywhere, wherever else there’s a basketball court, because playing basketball became our sport. Now you will see everybody play basketball, even 5 year-old children plays basketball ON THE HARD COURT, and not only male children play basketball, young girls also play basketball

“Life, for me, is like basketball.

As one has to learn the facts of life,

A basketball player has to learn the basics of basketball.

As one wants to achieve his every goal,

A basketball player wants to shoot in his every ball.

As one wants the shortest cut to his dream,

A basketball player tries a three-point shot to score more.

If at one time on fails, still has the rest of his life to succeed,

A basketball player if at one time fails he still has the rest of the game to bounce back.

If there are defeats, there are won games.

Really, the comparison is endless…”

- Allan Caidic

This came my uncle Allan Caidic’s book entitled “My Life”, for me this quote talks about everything and this made my mind clear that being a basketball player really isn’t just because you wanted to be but being one is a calling.

Basketball gave our country many titles and championships. That’s why it became one of the things that formulated our culture, our country and our own selves.

Christianity

- Patrick Regis Caidic

We Filipinos are one of the most God-fearing man kinds, we value religion most. We always go to the church every Sunday by family to hear the word of the Lord. Every Holy Week, every year, families gather and we pray. Every Christmas we gather, celebrate and share gifts as a sign of love, sharing and thanksgiving. In religion Filipinos have different beliefs, like for the tribes, they believe in Anitos and some other Gods but we don’t criticize them, because we respect other beliefs and religions as well. Most of the Filipino families pray together when eating, before sleeping and when praying the rosary. Some of us have collections of saint inside their home for they believe that it’ll be their savior and it’ll cause bad spirits to avoid their homes.

We Filipinos always pray for others before our own happiness, we care for others as they’re really part of the family, because we believe that, all of us are brothers and sisters and we are all made for God.

Novelty Songs and Noon-Time Shows

- Joel Sandejas

Filipinos likes watching television especially noon-time shows. we get entertained by these shows because they are comedic. While we are taking our lunch

And nothing beats the noon-time shows. And we will never forget these shows. Wowowee and Eat Bulaga. These shows dominates our noon-time shows and still trying to show which are the best. but let's not talk about that and let's discuss their events.


these shows make our noon-times happier.


We'll these shows helps us forget our problems because they always make us laugh. The most important part here is that anyone who watches these shows help cope up with life's problems. This will help because it helps the family to be happy and will make everyone's life complete with these shows.


And we'll who doesn't know these songs:

****HIT THE PLAY BUTTON****




these kinds of song are really unforgettable because you can hear these form place to place. It's like everywhere. Novelty songs makes us happy but for some, they find in corny. Yet we cannot judge them, as the host said "basta ang mahalaga, masaya tayo lahat" or sort of. These songs are for everyone and if you don't like them, let's just respect them.

This can help the future sociologist to determine the needs and wants of the filipino family.

Sunday is Family Day

- Joel Sandejas

This is a Filipino culture were our Family bonds together. It is also a time for going into the church together. We have this because like God did, we also have to take a rest and have fun. It's like having a free day with our Family and get to know what happened the whole weekend.

Here is an example were a Filipino Family goes in a picnic to relax.

Time to go to Church

This should be remembered because it shows even though were always busy at our work, we can still have time with our family and God. Filipinos practice these because we want to have time with our family.

Karaoke

- Joel Sandejas

Singing and love for music has been part in our lives since in the past. we love to singing to show of our talents. music shows our emotions and we get entertain by this. And so Karaoke was invented.. .

This dude is singing

Karaoke is a Japanese expression for singing along to a famous record with the vocals removed. Roberto del Rosario described his sing-along system as a handy multi-purpose compact machine which incorporates an amplifier speaker, one or two tape mechanisms, optional tuner or radio and microphone mixer with features to enhance one's voice, such as the echo or reverb to stimulate an opera hall or a studio sound, with the whole system enclosed in one cabinet casing.

here is a photo of a karaoke machine.. .

Today, as well as technology is rising. there was now the magic sing.. .

The Philippines' Finest Magic Sing

Enter Tech was the first manufacturer to release a portable karaoke microphone in 2000 called Magic Sing. The latest Magic Sing microphone is the ED-11000 which was released in 2006 and is completely wireless. Now you can sing karaoke wherever you want and anywhere you want!


This will help in the future historians because singing makes the family stays together. Here, they can show what they really are. Karaoke is a simple way to recreate the family. Karaoke is also a way to get together with your love ones. This shows how music is important to us Filipinos.