Full Title: Resolution to direct the Committee on Education, Arts and Culture and the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Development to conduct a joint inquiry into the strengths and weaknesses of the character of the Filipino with a view to solving the social ills and strengthening the nation’s moral fiber.
In September of 1987, former Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani filed a resolution urging the senate to study the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino character. The premise was to identify the positive qualities needed for nation building.
Presidential Proclamation No. 62, s. 1992 clearly sums up the recommendation of the study:
WHEREAS, the Senate Task Force, after comprehensive study, has established the need to develop in the Filipino — (1) a sense of patriotism and national pride, or “pagmamalaki sa bansa” — a genuine love, appreciation and commitment to the Philippines and things Filipino; (2) a sense of the common good or “kakayahang magmalasakit” — the ability to look beyond selfish interests, a sense of community living, a sense of justice and a sense of outrage at its violation; (3) a sense of integrity and accountability, or “katapatan at pananagutan” — an aversion towards graft and corruption in society and an avoidance of the practice in one’s daily life; (4) the value and habits of discipline, hard work or “pagsisikap”, self-dignity and self-reliance; and (5) the value and habits of self-reflection and analysis or “pagpapahalaga at pagsusuri sa sarili”, the internalization of spiritual values, the emphasis on essence rather than on form;
Presidential Proclamation No. 62, s. 1992