Filipino Domestic Life
DOMESTIC LIFE
The influence of American and Spanish occupations is apparent in both
public and private life. The Spanish occupation brought with it increased
religious participation especially by women. But the newer patterns did
not replace ancient Asian kinship ties: the importance of family
relationships and responsibilities are of prime concern. The new religion
remained family-centered, not church-centered as in Spain. Family shrines
became the worship centers, and on special occasions the entire family
would join a procession carrying its own personal statues rather than
those belonging to the community church. It was largely through the
women's interest and devotion to Roman Catholicism that European ideas of
dress, customs, and music made inroads in Philippine family life.
Though Philippine women enjoy equal status with men, and frequently are
the "family treasurers," nonetheless like Spanish women, they manage in a
very feminine way to make their husbands and sons feel dominant. The
father makes all family decisions concerned with the outside world:
schools, voting, business and community affairs.
The Filipino's family is of great importance for it represents the only
source of love, sustenance, and security. There is almost nothing the
Filipino will not do for the sake of family. Lamangan is a Filipino
expression meaning more or less "by hook or by crook to get on top ..." It
is also an expression that suggests some of the difficulty of accepting
loss or defeat and the intense importance of self-esteem, pride, and
dignity. In fact, the Filipino's super sensitivity is often considered to
be a Malay trait called hiya and may be the underlying reason for
the difficulty in giving or receiving criticisms.
As mentioned above, it was mainly through the women that European ideas
were introduced, including ideas about food and its methods of
preparation. Filipinos have always been alert not only to new food ideas
but also to methods of sanitation and food preservation. In the larger
cities, modern kitchens and appliances abound but contrast sharply with
low-income homes where the barest minimum of food and equipment are
available.