Filipinos' Forgiving Nature
Why many Filipino people are forgiving?
Giving offenders a “second chance” rather than punishing them is inherently Filipino.
Let’s take for example the apology offered by the Magdalo mutineers which comes as no surprise in light of the Filipinos forgiving nature. Despite the very good laws we have here in the Philippines, we don’t think settlement of it will still be possible. We rarely condemn people, we just require them to change their ways. Ms. Arroyo’s granting of amnesty towards the Magdalo mutineers is just one of the issues that shows Filipinos tend to forgvive.
We are not very legalistic except on impersonal matters, such as cases involving money or disputes between big corporations that don’t have a human face. For example, everyone agrees that we should go after tax evasion.
Under the Filipino concept of justice, what is prescribed by law is not necessarily just. We tend to forgive easily when we find something valid in the reasons behind the offense. That’s why we have the phrase ‘nadadaan sa magandang usapan’.
The way we are raised by our families could affect the way we understand and look into the contexts of one’s behavior. For example, rather than be rigid over rights or claims, step siblings generally do not regard with spite but look after each other’s welfare even when one is illegitimate. And of course, the prodigal child is always given a second chance.
No wonder why there are many unresolved cases in the Philippines. Some were given pardon by the government like the case of the former president Ejercito Estrada. Could it be the government’s way to come clean in the eyes of other countries in promoting the tourism industry?
To front them that it’s easy to settle agreements here would attract many investors in the country. We‘ll, if that’s the case, many might really take advantage on the situation. And this would just prove that we don’t have rigid implementation of the very good laws here in the Philippines.
Giving offenders a “second chance” rather than punishing them is inherently Filipino.
Let’s take for example the apology offered by the Magdalo mutineers which comes as no surprise in light of the Filipinos forgiving nature. Despite the very good laws we have here in the Philippines, we don’t think settlement of it will still be possible. We rarely condemn people, we just require them to change their ways. Ms. Arroyo’s granting of amnesty towards the Magdalo mutineers is just one of the issues that shows Filipinos tend to forgvive.
We are not very legalistic except on impersonal matters, such as cases involving money or disputes between big corporations that don’t have a human face. For example, everyone agrees that we should go after tax evasion.
Under the Filipino concept of justice, what is prescribed by law is not necessarily just. We tend to forgive easily when we find something valid in the reasons behind the offense. That’s why we have the phrase ‘nadadaan sa magandang usapan’.
The way we are raised by our families could affect the way we understand and look into the contexts of one’s behavior. For example, rather than be rigid over rights or claims, step siblings generally do not regard with spite but look after each other’s welfare even when one is illegitimate. And of course, the prodigal child is always given a second chance.
No wonder why there are many unresolved cases in the Philippines. Some were given pardon by the government like the case of the former president Ejercito Estrada. Could it be the government’s way to come clean in the eyes of other countries in promoting the tourism industry?
To front them that it’s easy to settle agreements here would attract many investors in the country. We‘ll, if that’s the case, many might really take advantage on the situation. And this would just prove that we don’t have rigid implementation of the very good laws here in the Philippines.