MENDOZA, MIREN JELIN D. SSCI 106 OCT.

24 ,2018

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Values are a culture’s standard for discerning what is good and just in
society. Every single person carries different values embedded to them taught, learned and
adopted from the society and culture that they have known and grew up to. These values
shows our manner of interacting with people. I for one have many values which I have
learned since I was a child and still carry them until now. The value of contentment and
happiness is one example of the important values I have adopted. I always believe that I am
blessed enough to be wanting or asking for unnecessary thing from my parents. I always find
happiness even with simple things and find contentment for what I have, and also for what I
don’t have- may it be tangible things or achievements in life. Having contentment in life
taught me also the value of sharing. It is a joy inside whenever I am able to share something
especially when you know those people were in need financially. A simple act of kindness for
those street people brings satisfaction for me that I was able to help them get by for another
day. Being helpful also allow me to provide a sense of achievement. Helping others with
directions, carrying baggage for elders or tutoring my younger cousins with their subjects are
the few things I do to exercise the value of being helpful. I am also a person with a sense of
adventure. I always love to explore beyond the limits of life and experience different things
as I explore. This also brings out the value of courage and optimism in me. But then being a
normal person I do also adopted few negative values like settling decision on a “bahala na”
way. I keep on letting circumstances or situations go by as it is especially with my studies.
All of these different values in me show how I behave around people, especially those who
know me well as a person.

Though values are learned and adapted from different social environment,
our family has injected values to us as early as we are able to understand. I have picked up a
lot of values from our family and the culture we have around us. During meals we are always
taught to eat whatever “ulam” is on the table because there are a lot of people starving and we
shouldn’t be wasting food. We are taught the value of empathy that we should always try to
think of others before making decisions. Our parents also thought us the Filipino values of
being respectful. Saying “po” and “opo”, making mano to the elders to pay respect and to not
meddle with adult talks. We are taught that elders have experienced already a lot in life, so
whenever problems or conflicts arise we tend to seek advice from our grandparents-listen to
their words and follow their examples. I also learned the value of faith and religiosity. That
we should put God in the center of everything and have faith for what He has planned for us.
 A strong family tie is also present in our family. We will always have family
gathering and reunions making sure not to forget any titos and titas, your forehead aching
from too much making “mano”. During different occasions like weddings and christening of
a relative or neighbour, our family would tend to help with the preparation as a sign of
“panunulungan or pakikisama” a value of generosity and helpfulness. Women are assigned to
ingredients preparation while making chika while Men are in charge of butchering the pig or
cow with shots of alcohol on the side. I also learned from my family the value of
hospitability. Whenever we have guests in our home, my parents would warmly welcome
them asking me to buy merienda and soda in the store for them. Since then whenever I have
visitors to come over in our house, I would make sure to prepare something for them. I also
learned from my parents the value of strong work ethic. They entered different business and
work really hard to provide for us. And make sure to still provide love and care despite a
tough day at work.

Values exist, whether you recognize them or not. Our decisions and way of
life are also affected with the values that we carry. We should practice and promote good
values amidst challenging times because values are part of a culture and culture makes up a
society.