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Thursday, March 7, 2024

Integrity in the Organization and Its Effect on Job satisfaction

 Damianus Abun

Introduction

The performance of the organization/business or school does not only depend on how much capital (money) you invest in the school/company. It does not depend only on the managerial skills of the administrators/managers but it also depends on many aspects of organization life. Therefore, paying attention to the details of organisational life is necessary, not only on physical matters or tangible things but the things that we cannot see such as the values of leaders/managers or administrators and employees. Values may be insignificant in the eyes, but if they are not given serious attention, they can be a big hindrance to the development of the organization.

People often focus on big things or big issues such as efficiency, transparency, managerial skills, strategic planning, and leadership skills together with their technical skills in carrying out their duties and responsibilities but one aspect that people often undermine is the values, particularly the moral values of those who lead, those who are on the top of the organization. The motivation of employees to work is not just caused by money but it is also caused by other factors such as employee’s treatment and organizational climate as a whole (McShane, 2000). Moral values that are being practised by the organization are considered as one of the sources of motivation.

One of the moral values that are often undermined is integrity. Such value may be considered insignificant to some and therefore it is often ignored, if not forgotten and taken for granted. However, though it may be insignificant, but the effect of ignoring it can have a tremendous impact on the organization. The administrators/managers often commit mistakes by focusing on the big picture such as vision; mission, and objectives but small factors that contribute to the achievement are neglected. The foundation of management should be solidly founded on integrity. 

The value of integrity is often written in the handbook of the organization/business or schools as their core values. The value of integrity may seem to be small in our eyes but it has a tremendous power to bring down or up the organization. We may mention several examples of successful companies that have applied integrity as one of their values namely Accenture and Barness & Noble Booksellers. These companies have been included in the Fortune 500 Company (http://fortune.com/video/2016/03/04/best-companies-to-work-for-hospitals/) because of their success stories and their success stories can never be achieved without practising the value of integrity. We also mention several companies that went into trouble such as ENRON and WorldCom. Their bad stories were caused by some wrong behavior which we may call “lack of integrity (Edmonds, 2001, Gison, 2008). Somehow based on the report, the managers and accountants committed fraud in their financial reporting that misled the public and investors.  Those are just examples of having no integrity in managing a business. It has been always the reason that bankruptcies are caused by criminal CEOs. The criminal CEOs are not following the rule of law and ethical practices (Howe 2011).  

Integrity Defined.

Originally the word “integrity” was used only for material objects which means wholeness or intactness. It is a condition in which an object is not damaged or corrupted. Such meaning later on is used for human persons. Integrity is used as a virtue; it refers to a quality of a person’s character. A person of integrity is then defined as a person who has not been damaged inside–out by wrongdoing or immoral act. Thomas More (1633as cited by Nillsen (2005) has used the word integrity which means wholeness which means moral soundness. Moral soundness refers to strong moral principles specifically uprightness, honesty and sincerity. To expand our concept of integrity, we are going to see different concepts of integrity offered by different philosophers.

Condit & Caudill (1999) defines integrity as consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations and outcomes. Integrity in their case refers to consistency, in the sense that there should be no alteration or flip-flopping. Such understanding then is associated with honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one’s actions. Thus, it is now considered as a moral character. A person of integrity now means a person who has not been broken by immorality. Stemming from such understanding, integrity is connected to acting morally. In this case, there is a substantive aspect of what it is to act with integrity (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2011).  Substantive integrity is the wholeness or intactness of a person. What you see from the outside is a reflection of what is inside you. The inner moral values of the person and actions of the person are jibed, in coherence. Inside and outside of the person is the same. His/her action is a reflection of his/her inner values. Word and action are one, inside and outside are one. Such a view indicates that a good action is originated from a good intention, good heart, and good mind. One can read a person, and what kind of person he/she is, from the action. Integrity then is necessarily seen in action and it is through action we can evaluate if such a person is a person of integrity or not.   

In the development of the discussion of integrity, Cox, Case, and Levine (2017) as cited from Frankfurt (1987) classified integrity as the integration of self, integrity as maintenance of identity, integrity as standing for something, integrity as moral purpose and integrity as a virtue (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2013, 2017). Integrity as self-integration means keeping the self-intact and uncorrupted (wholeness/intactness). In this sense, integrity is a condition of unbrokenness.  According to them, a wholly integrated person is a person who acts without any conflicting desires or a person who constitutes themselves without ambivalence. In terms of integrity as maintenance of identity, integrity means a person’s holding steadfastly true to their commitment, (Frankfurt 1987).  A person of integrity in this sense is one who is committed to people, institutions, traditions, causes, ideals, principles, jobs/ duties and so on.  However, commitment in this case is not just any commitment because people can be committed to a certain act that is not good or even immoral. Bernard Williams (1973) argued that integrity in terms of commitment means a commitment to what is most deeply, and fundamental to one’s life. In that sense, to abandon integrity is to abandon what is fundamental to one’s life, to abandon what gave him/her identity or virtuous character. Therefore, integrity in this case is a virtue.  A virtue motivates a person to act in desirable ways or it enables a person to act in desirable ways.  A person of integrity is a person who can act in a way that reflects his sense of who he is/she is, who acts from her/his motives, his/her interests and commitments that are her/his own (Williams, 1981). The questions here are: what are those commitments, motives, and interests because commitments, motives and interests can be anything either is good or bad?  Cox, Caze and Levine (2003) answered that those commitments, motives and interests must be expressions of great moral values (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2017).

Deepening further the discussion of integrity, Colhoun (1995) tries to view integrity as a social virtue. As a social virtue, integrity is defined only by others, in the sense that integrity cannot be understood if it is not lived in the social context.  Such value exists and is understood because of one’s relation to others. In this case, the integrity of a person can only be understood and seen in his/her relations with others in the community. Colhoun (1995) pointed out that “integrity is not just a matter of a person’s proper regard for their own best judgment but a person of integrity stands for his/her best judgment within a community. A person of integrity treats their own endorsement as ones that matter or ought to matter to fellow deliberators”. In this case, a person of integrity is committed to what is best, not only for himself but also for the community. The person stands for what is good for the community and does not lie to his own statement/decision, conceal them, recant them under pressure, selling them out for rewards or change stand under pressure. He stands for what he/she believes to be best not only for him/herself but also for the community. Therefore, Halfon (1989) later argues that integrity has a moral purpose. It is not just for the sake of integrity itself but a person of integrity in this case is a person who is dedicated to pursuing a moral life by living up to their moral principles and commitment to others. He/she is pursuing a commitment to do what is best morally.

Integrity in Organization

The application of integrity is not just within the sphere of individual life but it is within the social context or social domain. Integrity is not just an individual value but a value that has to be lived in the community or in the organization where one relates himself/herself to others. Therefore, we want to see how integrity is being practised in the organization or in the school context. School is also an organization with its special character and purpose. Thus, when we talk about the organization in this paper, we refer it to as school. The integrity that we discuss in this study is integrity in the school context.

When we talk of organizational integrity, we cannot avoid of talking personal integrity because the organization is composed of individual persons and these may include administrators and employees. We cannot deny that the integrity of those who run the organization can affect the integrity and the image of the organization. Thus, administrators or managers must acknowledge their role in shaping organizational ethics and seize this opportunity to create a climate that can strengthen the relationships and reputations on which their companies’ success depends (Paine, 1994). In this case, integrity is indispensable, it is hard to ignore. In short, not living and practising integrity can lead to bankruptcy. Managers, in this case, are the first one to live such value in their decisions because if they do not, then they run the risk of personal and corporate liability. Such a view supports our belief that individual integrity matters to organizational integrity. What does it mean? When managers do not live moral lives, do not live by their moral example, they can affect the values of the employees. Do not expect employees to be moral when the managers are not. Along such a concept, Dugar (n.d) argued that “at the corporate level it takes individuals of integrity to develop a consensus around shared values. As this consensus builds, the corporation develops a culture of integrity. A culture of integrity creates a highly valued work environment; it impacts the quality of corporate governance; and it provides a foundation for solid long-term financial performance”. In other words, organizational integrity is derived from individual integrity. Verhezen (2008) confirmed such a link between organizational integrity and individual integrity as he argues that individual integrity reinforces organizational integrity. At this level, all employees of the organization adhere to moral principles despite pressure or personal temptations (Adler & Bird, 1988). Now integrity gains respect in concrete situations in relationships with others and within the community or organization.

Along with the stated idea above, integrity failure in an organization is originally caused by character flaws of the responsible individual. The responsible individuals are managers. Most of the time, they need to discern what is morally appropriate and what is not in their daily decisions. Most decisions are not based on good motives and good purpose, but are driven by self-interest and sadly their wrong values affect the rest of the organization which consequently destroys organizational integrity (Rodrigues, 2007). Thus, organizational integrity becomes a social virtue that emphasizes connectedness with a large purpose. A manager of high integrity must act according to moral principles and values that relate to other members of the organization (Becker, 1998). In other words, organizational integrity is a standard of personal moral excellence (Habermas, 1998) of all people working within the organization. Managers’ job is to see to it that all employees are guided by the moral principles, guided by the moral values adopted by the organization. There should be no possible internal conflict between personal values and organizational values.

It is therefore necessary to create an environment where employees are encouraged to live the value of integrity. The organization needs to express those values in a normative statement which can be included in the organization’s mission statements (Paine 2003). However, even though an organization has organizational values, it does not guarantee that all employees will act according to the stated organizational values. One needs an attitude of integrity that not only follows the letter of the rules but adheres to deeply held and internalized ethical values. In this case, leadership maintains organizational ethos about collective mission, identity and long-term objectives. The most challenging is when managers or administrators are confronted with competing and ambiguous demands. In such a situation, a person of integrity needs to make a decision about right versus right, inevitably leading to certain compromises that do not undermine integrity (Badaracco, 2002). 

Integrity and the Bankruptcies

Stories coming from other parts of the world are enough evidence for us to tell that the value of integrity is crucial to the survival of the organization. It has been the reality that not living the integrity means the collapse of the organization.  The stories of several big corporations such as ENRON, WorldCom, Parmalat, Waste Management, Qwest Communications, Tyco International, AIG, Satyam Computer Services, Adelphia Communications, AOL Time Warner and many more are enough evidence to tell us that it is time to give attention to the value of integrity. All these companies are brought down not because of capital inadequacy but because of fraud. The managers and the auditors are conniving to mislead the public by not telling the truth about the financial situation of their companies (Patsuris, 2002). The lack of integrity which is indicated by poor governance led directly to the demise of Enron and Andersen (Veherzen 2008).  The collapse of those organizations does not only destroy the organization itself but even the personal reputations of board members and management.

Just by knowing what happens to those companies and asking why, we simply say that they cheated, they lied or they were not honest. The prize of being dishonest was so expensive. Their stories tell us that the bottom line of bankrupt stories is the lack of integrity. Solving bankruptcy is in the first place to manage integrity. Managing integrity is to manage individual integrity and individual integrity management is a way to build organizational integrity. It is only through such consensus; that the corporation can develop a culture of organizational integrity. As argued by Duggar (n.d) a culture of organizational integrity creates a highly valued work environment for the employees, pride of being part of the organization and improves the brand image of the organization. Consequently, it provides a foundation for solid long-term financial performance.

Besides financial rewards, organizational integrity creates a great place to work. Great Place to Work Institutes, Inc. (n.d) pointed out trust and integrity as the essential factors to create a great workplace to work in. It maintains that trust and integrity contribute positively to the bottom line. When these values are being practised in the organization, employees will be happy to be part of the organization and it can lower turnover rates. Beyond that, it will be easy for the company to recruit qualified applicants, and have better employee morale. Such an environment indirectly or directly generates higher earnings and high performance (GPWI, n.d.).

One may conclude that practising dishonesty can destroy the workplace environment and it can cause short-term and long-term consequences. Short-term consequences include employees’ dissatisfaction, employees’ demoralization and work performance. Long-term consequences may lead to bankruptcy. But what is frightening is not just financial bankruptcy but moral bankruptcy, the bankruptcy of society or the organization. It is a state of being devoid of morality and ethics for business. As O, Connor (2014) put it, “it is the state a person reaches when he trades away or violates too many of his core moral values and commitments. He may also lose important relationships either as a cause or a consequence of his loss of moral commitments. Someone who is morally bankrupt may or may not recognize that he has reached this state”.

Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction is the output of how people feel toward their jobs.  It is how much workers like or dislike their jobs. There have been a lot of theories related to job satisfaction. We recall the five hierarchy needs of Maslow, Herzberg's theory and many more. Job satisfaction is a product of the fulfilment of different needs which is produced by the work. The needs must be met and the needs that create job satisfaction are not only physical needs but also psychological needs. In terms of physical needs, it can be identified such as basic needs and wants, however, when it comes to psychological needs, it is hard to pinpoint exactly what exactly those needs are, given the fact that humans are different in nature. Psychological needs encompass many aspects of life and many factors either internal or external can affect psychological needs. Thus the term “job satisfaction” is understood to mean everything from “making all aspects of a job easy for employees” to “making the job meaningful, significant and challenging.” Even such description is still limited because aspects of jobs are not the only ones that make people happy but there are unrelated aspects to jobs that make people happy. In other words, we can say that all the factors contributing to employee motivation and effectiveness are not captured in any one of the single ambiguous concepts of job satisfaction. Thus, much of the quantitative research has not been verified by qualitative data. Research conducted by Schleicher, Watt and Greguras (2004) for example, indicated that individuals with identical responses to questions on job satisfaction often possess entirely different behaviours relating to job performance. Additionally, differing factors relating to job satisfaction hold varying degrees of importance to individuals. Thus, a proven model showing the relationship between job satisfaction and performance has been elusive despite the vast quantity of qualitative data supporting the relationship. These issues are very complex and have simply not been fully deciphered by researchers.

Scheid (2010) argued that although job satisfaction, employee motivation and productivity are complex and confusing issues, management should not stop finding out how to improve job satisfaction. It is important to understand them and find out why so. Understanding the reasons for job dissatisfaction and motivation should temper your approach to improving job satisfaction. It is recommended therefore that managers focus on two areas to improve job satisfaction and they are motivation and productivity. The two factors refer to how employees are treated and the content of their work. Managers must monitor the effect of their management practices through feedback. A good employee survey should help management focus on areas which are creating dissatisfaction or which are not providing adequate motivation.

Many researchers have identified tangible ways how to improve job satisfaction. Benefits have been always identified as one of the sources of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Only a few researchers have identified job satisfaction or dissatisfaction to intangible factors such as behaviour or treatment. According to Voon (2010), organizational success depends on the leaders of the organization and their leadership styles. By adopting the appropriate leadership styles, leaders can affect employee job satisfaction, commitment and productivity. Narasimhan & Lawrence (2011) also emphasized leader’s behavior and style influence employees’ perception of their leaders and such a situation leads to desirable workplace outcomes. Beyond leadership styles, Xiao (2008) pointed out that work values have something to do with job satisfaction. Work values are related to various facets of job satisfaction, which in turn influence employees’ commitment to the organization.

Related Literature on Integrity

Integrity emerges from the literature as a feature of both conviction and personality. At its most neutral, it is identified with coherence between one’s convictions/one’s words, and one’s actions.  The word alone is associated with ethics. Ethics and integrity are often used interchangeably but they are clearly different. Ethics are the moral behaviours prescribed by society or culture that determine “good” and “bad” conduct for its society or organization members  (Pojman, 1995 as cited in Kaiser & Hogan, 2010). While integrity is the moral attribution we apply to one’s observed behaviour (Kaiser  & Hogan, 2010).  Scherkoske (2010) in his essay on Integrity and Moral Danger argued that persons of integrity are a person who is consistently living his moral values in every day’s life and such consistency merits respect. Two influential accounts suggest why. Bernard Williams as cited by Scherkoske (2010) emphasized that integrity is 'a person's sticking by what she/he regards as ethically necessary or worthwhile. People without integrity trade action on their own views too cheaply for gain, status, reward, approval or for escape from penalties, loss of status, or disapproval.

Consistently in line with what we have discussed at the earlier part of this paper, integrity is becoming also a social value because it is only understood in the social context such as community or organization. Such value is not only the value of individual person but it is also attributed to organizations. In this case, though originally integrity is a personal value, it becomes the value of the organization in which all individual persons who are working in and for the organization are living the value of integrity. Srivastava (1988) in her book, “Executive Integrity: The Search for High Human Values in Organizational Life”, shows that executive integrity is not merely a moral trait but a dynamic process of making empathetic, responsible, and sound decisions. Key features of executive integrity include effective social interaction, open dialogue, and responsive leadership. Such value is not just for oneself but it should be displayed through action in everyday management practices such consistent moral action can radiate around the organization to inspire more employees to follow and finally, it can improve the image and performance of the organization.   

Along such a line of argument, integrity can be considered a business asset. Integrity can enhance business outputs and such assets are crucial to the operation and success of business operations. Koehn (2005) in her writing: Integrity as Business Assets, stressed the need for integrity. He pointed out that in today’s organization, employees seldom see executives with integrity. Koehn cited a new survey by the Walker Consulting Firm to prove his point. According to the survey, less than half of workers thought their senior leaders were people of high integrity. However, integrity is not an instrumental value but it must be an intrinsic value of the managers or executives. Often time integrity is used to achieve the ends but it is not really the inner value of the person. Integrity should be a character of the executive, not treated as an instrument used to achieve a certain purpose. Though Koehn sees integrity as an intrinsic value or it may be called the intactness of the character of a person, however Planalto (2012) sees integrity not only as an intrinsic value or psychological harmony but it has also a practical value. Such value must be practised in daily life. According to him persons of integrity remain true to their commitment to action and deliberation. He suggests that practical integrity captures other features of character and action often related to the ascription of integrity.

Expanding on the meaning of integrity, Cox and Caze (2013) argued that integrity is attributed to various parts of a person’s life such as professional, intellectual and moral integrity. Integrity refers to general character. Since it is the general character of the person, integrity would mean how a person exhibits integrity throughout his life. In other words, the main concern of integrity is how a person of integrity lives his life which can be exhibited in his/her personal, professional and intellectual life. Therefore, integrity is now classified into two kinds. One aspect of integrity is related to a formal relation one has to oneself, and the other aspect is related to an important way of acting morally.

On Integrity and Job Satisfaction

Few literatures have been written along this line. However, we try to examine some available literature on job satisfaction and integrity. It has been stated above that integrity is an essential value of the organization. It has been emphasized that practising such values naturally will improve organizational climate, work environment and finally job satisfaction. Callaway (2006) argues that a lack of organizational communication and organizational performance may decline. Integrity and trust have been identified as a crucial ingredient for organizational effectiveness and it has been also established that there is a linkage between trust and job satisfaction in private organizations.  

Integrity in the organization starts with the manager. It must be a personal value of the manager that has to be seen in action.  A manager who has integrity helps employees, listens to their innovative ideas, motivates them, directs them, and remains open and friendly with them. In that regard, a manager’s integrity helps an organization in achieving short-term and long-term goals because a manager’s value plays a significant role in employee involvement. It inspires and motivates employees to engage. See to it that the ethical code that is set by the manager must be lived by himself and acceptable to the employees. All actions and decisions must be based on the value of integrity and it reflects the intensity of integrity of the manager (Eby &Lentz, 2006).  

It cannot be denied that job satisfaction and a manager’s integrity have a direct relationship. The actions and words of the manager govern the actions of employees. If the manager’s words depict trust and honesty, employees will follow the manager. Therefore, integrity is significant to the employer-employee relationships. When there is trust, there can be a good relationship and when there is a good relationship, employees behave ethically and use ethical ways to complete their tasks and achieve organizational objectives (Kosgaard 2006). Lack of it can weaken the performance of an organization because employees can be dissatisfied and demotivated. When the employees perceive unfairness and inequality, they will adopt unethical behaviour (Cropanzano & Mitchell, 2005). Building trust relationships between employees and employers is necessary to achieve the objective of the organization. Employers and employees can work as a team. Teamwork creates a friendly and cooperative environment that makes employees and employers emotionally attached to each other. Emotional attachment builds a trust-based relationship between employees and managers. In light of this theory, managers and employees share a formal relationship. Both work for the betterment of the organization. Social exchange theory exchanges social benefits such as support, advice, etc. (Grant & Sumanth, 2009)

Related Studies On Integrity and Job Satisfaction

Studies have proven that integrity influences job satisfaction or dissatisfaction. It affects the organization positively and negatively depending on how integrity is exercised by those who lead the organization. Along this line, there have been a lot of studies on integrity and how it affects the job satisfaction of employees. Some researchers argue that leaders need integrity to be effective, while others argue that only results matter, not how you get them. Few have empirically examined the impact of integrity on leadership effectiveness. Hooijberg and Lane (2005) examined the impact of leadership behaviours on effectiveness as well as values such as integrity, flexibility and conformity on effectiveness. They found that the values of integrity and flexibility have a significant impact on effectiveness over and above the impact of various leadership behaviours. Going into the same line of interest of study, Davis & Rothstein (2006) conducted a study entitled, The Effect of the Perceived Behavioral Integrity of Managers on Employee Attitudes: A Meta-Analysis. It tried to examine the relationship between the perceived behavioral integrity of managers and the employee’s job satisfaction, organizational commitment, satisfaction with the leader and attitude toward the organization. Results indicate a strong positive relationship between the perceived behavioural integrity of managers and employee’s attitudes toward the organization. From such findings, the study concluded that behavioural integrity should be given serious attention by those who are in the position of leadership. Lack of integrity would result in reducing organizational commitment and dissatisfaction.  This finding was also supported by the study by Protass (2007) who tried to assess the value of integrity of managers and how it affects employee’s attitudes toward the organization and their commitment toward the organization.  The study concluded that perceived behavioural integrity (PBI) was positively related to job satisfaction and commitment to the organization but negatively related to stress, poor health, and absenteeism. It means that lack of integrity does not affect stress and poor health of employees.

Following the same lead, Yammarino and Palanski (2011) also introduced a similar study on the impact of behavioral integrity of managers on follower job performance, follower’s behavioral integrity. Findings from the studies indicated that leader behavioural integrity was not directly related to follower job performance, but it can affect trust in the leader and follower satisfaction with the leader. It was only the integrity of employees themselves that has a relationship toward job performance. Therefore, Somer (2001) recommended that integrity should be written in the manual of the organization to guide the behaviour of its employees.    

Conclusion

Integrity is not spare parts that are needed when it is needed. It is the value that holds an organization together and brings the organization forward. Without integrity, organizational objectives cannot be achieved.

 

References

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Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Filipino Learners’ Waning Interest on Heroes and Historical Events: a Result of Neglecting the Philippine History in High School

 Billy Joe T. Rosal

Divine Word College of Laoag

Abstract

            Our Forefathers have always utilized nationalism as their rallying cry against colonial and neo-colonial governments. This move eventually led to the brewing of nationalism among Filipinos. Due to recent events of misinformation and historical distortion, the country is facing a great national malady due to bad administration, the failure of the educational system to implement ways on how to advance nationalism and the removal of Philippine History subjects in the high school curriculum. The lack of exposure of learners to historical concepts and events, and a mature forum for discourse makes them more prone to historical revisionism and the exacerbation of historical amnesia. Nowadays, Filipino learners have a waning interest to Philippine heroes and historical events.

Keywords: Philippine History, historical malady, historical distortion, historical revisionism, historical amnesia.

Introduction

It's interesting to remember that two historical films, Mallari and Gomburza, were screened at the previous Metro Manila Film Festival. These films demonstrated the increasing number of Filipino filmgoers who remain enthralled with historical dramas. Not only are these historically accurate films, but they also significantly contributed to the advancement of nationalism, patriotism, and nation-building among young Filipinos. These movies also made us wonder: Who are we as Filipinos? and how ought we to defend our country?

I clearly remember the day that Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition published a series of recordings that shocked Filipinos all over the world on April 13, 2022. Where the infamous MAJOHA incident occurred after one of the contestants failed to identify the monicker of the three priests in Philippine History - Fr. Mariano Gomez, Fr. Jose Burgos, and Fr. Jacinto Zamora whose executions inspired many key figures of the revolution. The frightening truth of today's youth and their disinterest in and ignorance of our country's past became evident to the Filipino people after this awful incident. These videos opened serious discussions about the Philippine educational system and its effects. On the other hand, the same sentiments were also evident in 2015, when high school’ learners were commenting “Lumpo pala si Mabini”, after watching the movie “Heneral Luna”. if this incidence of historical ignorance becomes widespread among the millennials, the country will be in great trouble. 

In the local context, I usually get erroneous or blank stares in response to my questions regarding national heroes or historical events, which I pose as part of my lesson review before moving on to discussions. I used to nod and grin at it, but deep down I felt sorry for them because these are such simple truths, and I wondered why they didn't know the answer. I can tell from these examples that students' enthusiasm for learning about Philippine history is waning. I am concerned about the future of our country because of this age group's lack of understanding of our country's history. It seems that the study of Philippine History in high school and neglected yet this subject is crucial in nation-building and important in brewing nationalism, patriotism, and sense of identity.

The Filipino Nationalism

Our historical heroes have always utilized nationalism as their rallying cry against colonial and neo-colonial governments. Claro M. Recto once said “The battle cry that animates and sets in motion millions of hearts and minds is nationalism. It is not a passing emotion, not a naïve longing for the trappings of sovereignty. It is persevering, militant and mature. In a speech of Recto as mentioned by Cruz 2021, “What are the basic components of nationalism? One is the growing and deepening consciousness that we are a distinct people with our own character and spirit, our own customs and traditions, our own ideals, our own way of thinking, our own way of life. What sets us apart as a people distinct from any other are the experiences and vicissitudes we have gone through together as a nation in our own environment. A Filipino cannot assert this identity and call himself a nationalist unless he is one with his people’s history and has enshrined in his heart the precepts and example of our heroes and martyrs.”

With this, Filipino Nationalism is a sentiment, a consciousness, an inspiration, a motivation, the nation’s collective conscience, the primal virtue of the citizen, and a manifestation of the national soul or spirit (Abueva, 1998).  As a political ideology, Filipino nationalism embodies the philosophy of national power lodged in and excised by the citizens in a constitutional democracy. In this sense, it is a manifestation of the nation's purposefulness, committed to the goals of attaining progress, development, and national unity as well as economic, social, and political modernization.

Current State of Nationalism and Philippine History

National Artist for Literature, Virgilio Almario, claimed that these incidents previously stated above were a sign of great national malady due to bad administration and failure of the educational system. He also mentioned two reasons why the youth of today has a lack of knowledge and interest in our country’s history, culture, and tradition. First is the removal of Philippine History in High School, and second, in the elementary, the subject is only taught through memorizing facts and very limited analysis. With this current situation, Philippine History is limitedly taught in classes. There is a dearth in establishing meaning, connection, and relevance to the present and life. The use of evidence in history is not only a historical skill but an essential skill in the analytical and critical thinking of the learners.

Almario also said that for learners to learn how to connect to the past and feel a sense of pride in their national identity and patriotism, they need be taught to appreciate prehistoric and ancient history as well as the wisdom and character of our heroes. In this age of disinformation, students may close the gap created by the epidemic and the educational crisis by using their fundamental analytical and critical thinking abilities to check facts, fight disinformation, and do fact-checking.

Numerous requests have been to reinstate Philippine history in high schools since 2014. This was caused by the Department of Education's (DepEd) Order 20, series of 2014, which essentially eliminated Philippine history as a high school elective. In response, clumsy government officials claimed that other Araling Panlipunan (AP) courses, like Asian History, already included elements of Philippine history. There was no need to make it redundant since it was already taught in elementary. This was made painfully clear when, in 2017, current DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones expressed the following in a Philippine Daily Inquirer article entitled, “Not ‘Kuri-kulam’ but ‘Cure-iculum’”. This move from the Department of Education seriously affected the learners because of the lack of scaffolding and opportunity to learn historical concepts and events in the classroom.

The adolescent years during which learners are enrolled in high school are the most formative years, according to developmental psychology theories advanced by Erik Erikson. Erikson feels that a scaffold is necessary. Since learners go from childhood to early adulthood, scaffolding can be used to study Philippine history appropriately. Learners are most socially, developmentally, and politically changeable at this age. Also, during these years, learners develop their critical thinking skills and are better equipped to comprehend, evaluate, and consider historical problems and occurrences.  Their lack of a mature forum for discourse makes them more prone to historical revisionism and the exacerbation of historical amnesia.

In the present educational scene, Social Studies or the Araling Panlipunan subject in high school is only taught for three (3) hours or 3 sessions per week. As compared to other subjects like Math, Science, English and Filipino with 4 contact sessions each week. Thus, it is impossible to integrate Philippine History into Asian Studies, World History, Economics and Contemporary Issues with the crowded curriculum of Araling Panlipunan. With this condition, an elementary learner will study Philippine History next after 6 years as this has a separate subject in college which is the Readings in Philippine History. With this 6-year gap, high school learners might forget the concepts and events of our history resulting in low knowledge and comprehension levels and worst no knowledge at all. This is further worsened by information that is circulated in social media that can cause an explosion of manipulative and distorted historical content. If teenagers start to genuinely believe this misleading content in high school due to a lack of pedagogical guidance, then they will most likely bring that misguided belief and historical revisionism.

From 2018 until now 2024, Historians and Teachers have called for a petition for the return of Philippine History in high school. They also ask the Department of Education to review the AP curriculum in the hopes of returning Philippine history to junior high school and perhaps even senior high school. It likewise urges Congress to enact legislation to make it mandatory to have Philippine History in all tranches of education, especially in high school.

Hurdles to Overcome in Fostering Nationalism

It's true that through education, we can foster nationalism among the learners but before the new generation brews nationalism the following hurdles must be needed to be overcome to foster nationalism among the new generation.

1.    Tribal Mentality - it seems our deepest loyalty is mainly limited to our immediate and extended family. By certain means, the "kumpare/kumadre system" creates a network that grows the extended family. This system was and is put in place for religious purposes when a child is baptized or confirmed, but it is also utilized for nefarious purposes to obtain or gain political and economic power. Our devotion to our hometown, province, or region is another example of this tribal and constrictive thinking in action; as a result, anyone who is not part of our group is largely ignored, seen with distrust and suspicion, and is easily stereotyped.

 

2.    Belief in Determinism - Our belief that all that occurs is the "will of God" has been ingrained in our thoughts throughout the generations by the Catholic religious legacy of Spain. Statements like "bahala na ang Diyos", "ginusto ng Diyos", "oras na", and so forth indicate that we have thus evolved a fatalistic mindset. Even the so-called educated and our impoverished compatriots have this fatalistic mindset. The overall negative effect of fatalism is that it causes people to give up in hopelessness, helplessness, and inaction and turn to wish well and fervent prayers, which essentially only serves to validate Karl Marx's often-quoted statement that "religion is the opium of the people".

3.    Colonial Mindset/English as the Language of Teaching - The four centuries of Spanish domination did not hinder the development of Filipino nationalism throughout the fifty years of American colonization. The native Filipinos were largely kept stupid and uneducated by the Spaniards, but our revolutionary predecessors battled them off skillfully and efficiently, nearly defeating them before the Americans arrived to deceive and take from them in their quest for true independence.

4.    Lack of Social Consciousness/ Selfish Individualism - This Filipino character is the outcome of the tribal mentality. It is also the result of a confluence of the rich and powerful as well as the historical, ongoing, and present desertion by the federal government. The deprivation that followed shaped us into "looking out for ourselves" only. Those who are fortunate enough to inherit land and fortune often harbour contempt and apathy toward the impoverished. The cliche "the rich only get richer or the poor want to only get rich" rings true. Forget the saying "it is more difficult for a rich man to enter heaven...."Oh well, who believes that.

Conclusion

These gaps in the education system are dangerous because it can impact learners’ critical thinking ability which is essential in combating misinformation. Thus, the return of Philippine History in high school curriculum in the country will recalibrate learners’ critical thinking and skills, and digital literacy skills are needed at a time when misinformation is rampant on social media.

This move can also brew nationalism and send of pride among Filipino youth today. This eventually cultivates a country that takes pride in its own unique rich history, culture, and tradition. If this continues, the hardships and sacrifices of our forefathers, our heroes and our fighters will be set aside and put to waste. 

References:

1.    Abueva, J. (1998). Filipino nationalism, nation-building and national development. Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

2.    Briones, L. M. (2017). Not ‘Kuri-kulam’ but ‘Cure-iculum’. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/936395/deped-leonor-magtolis-briones-ferdinand-marcos-marcos-martial-law-ferdinand-marcos-jr-bongbong-marcos-marcos-martial-law-k-to-12-basic-education-philippine-history.

3.    Cruz, E. S. (2021). Filipino nationalism. https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2021/04/15/2091234/filipino-nationalism.

4.    Department of Education Order 20, s. 2014.

5.    Ignacio, J. (2019). The slow death of Philippine history in high school. https://www.rappler.com/voices/ispeak/243058-opinion-slow-death-philippine-history-high-school/.

6.    Tomacruz, S. (2019). KWF’s Almario hits universities removing Filipino as a subject. https://www.rappler.com/nation/231617-almario-hits-universities-using-supreme-court-decision-remove-filipino-subject/.

 

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

A Journey of Doubt: Exploring the Intersection of Illness, Financial Strain, and Faith

 Wilmalyn U. Agudelo

Divine Word College of Laoag

This article was published in this blog after the author granted permission to publish.  

Abstract

The journey of losing faith in God due to heart disease and financial problems is a profound and complex odyssey that plunges individuals into the depths of existential turmoil. This reflective essay focuses on the complex experience of struggling with the loss of faith in the face of physical illness and financial difficulties. Through introspection and philosophical inquiry, it delves into the intricacies of doubt, despair, and eventual realization, illuminating the transformative potential of rediscovery amidst the darkness.

Keywords: faith, hope, suffering

Introduction:

Faith is an inner attitude, conviction, or trust relating human beings to a supreme God or ultimate salvation. In religious traditions that stress divine grace, it is the inner certainty or attitude of love granted by God himself. In Christian theology, faith is the divinely inspired human response to God’s historical revelation through Jesus Christ and, consequently, is of crucial significance. (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.) The idea of faith includes confidence, trust, and belief in something without the need for evidence or proof. It frequently entails having a firm belief or confidence in an intangible, such as spiritual truths, religious concepts, or the dependability of a person or concept. There are many ways that faith can appear. Religious faith is the belief in a higher power and the teachings of a particular religion. Personal faith is believing in oneself or others in the face of uncertainty or hardship. Faith has a vital role in forming worldviews, directing behavior, and offering consolation during trying times. It can give people a feeling of meaning, purpose, and hope.

Though it is frequently referred to as a ray of hope and comfort, faith may be severely tested when faced with hardships in one's own life.  Any unforgettable experience characterized by intensely challenging times can push the boundaries of our views and ideas. Severe illness and financial hardship are two of the most heartbreaking experiences that caused man’s trust in a higher power of God to be shaken to its core.

                  The experience of losing faith because of a severe illness is a very intimate and complicated one that is characterized by significant obstacles, existential reflection, and the hunt for purpose in the face of hardship. Man frequently finds himself navigating a maze of uncertainty and misery as he faces the facts of his mortality and wrestles with the uncertainties surrounding his health and family, oftentimes doubting the core of his beliefs.

The Shattered Illusion

                  Man often claims to have faith, but when his faith is put to the test, he must do more than just say the words. Often, man can’t truly exercise the virtue of faith when he has no reason to believe in anything. When things are going well, it is easier to have faith; when they are not, it is far more difficult.  According to Blain (n.d.), losing your faith can involve the loss of connection with the things you believe in, whether it's your religion, your values, or humankind. It can be a devastating feeling that undermines your confidence, convictions, and well-being. Losing your faith can take a toll on your resilience and undermine your sense of belonging. But it can also be an opportunity to grow, build a stronger sense of self-awareness, and cultivate new beliefs that are more closely aligned with your current values, goals, and needs.

The sudden presence of a severe illness now casts a dark cloud over man’s existence, threatening to disrupt everything. The added financial burden only deepened the crisis with mounting expenses creating a sense of despair and engulfing the overwhelming wave. Faith was tested as man grappled with the reality of a health condition and a financial problem. Questions about life’s fairness arose as mortality became a reality. The strain of battling a disease led to doubts, about the benevolence of a power. How could a compassionate deity allow suffering? The disease diagnosis plunged man into uncertainty and fear triggering a crisis. Suddenly, death loomed large, casting its shadow over every aspect of his life. Amid doctor appointments, treatments, and debilitating symptoms, man now finds himself questioning the justice of life and feeling abandoned by an absent God in a time of suffering. Dealing with such a condition brings not just physical struggles but also emotional and psychological weight.

He may occasionally experience disorientation, anxiety, and withdrawal at the strangest moments. Doubt stole into the back of his mind like a robber in the night as he struggled to accept the reality of his situation. Questions like "Why me?" that had before seemed unfathomable were now loud and clear. Why this time? What role does God play in this? He now felt deceived and abandoned, floating in a sea of existential sorrow, by the contrast between his suffering and the idea of a loving god. He now found himself perched on the edge of disbelief as the once-firm foundations of his religion gave way under the pressure of uncertainty.

         In the depths of his despair, doubt became his constant companion, whispering insidious questions about the fairness of life and the existence of a loving God. He questioned the purpose of his suffering, struggling to reconcile the inherent injustice of his circumstances with the teachings of his faith. The darkness of doubt enveloped him, casting a shadow over every aspect of his existence and leaving him feeling utterly lost and alone.

         Another struggle was how to project the idea that a man is strong and appears to embody the epitome of professionalism and competence in his workplace. Despite my inner turmoil, he needs to maintain a facade of normalcy for the outside world. He needs to show a smile on my face and go through the motions of my daily routine, all the while concealing the struggles that threaten to consume him. He needs to bury his pain beneath a mask of perfection.

 Finding Meaning Amidst the Chaos

Yet, amidst the darkness, man began to glimpse rays of light illuminating a path toward rediscovery and renewal. Kabatebate (n.d.) said that when we are facing problems in life, it can be difficult to believe that God has a plan for every challenge that we face. We can be tempted to believe that God is more interested in punishing us than in helping us. We can be tempted to believe that God would rather see us struggle than conquer. However, it is important to learn from Jeremiah 29:11 that God does not purpose in His mind to harm you. God loves His creation and you are created in His image. God is not sadistic. God will therefore never create you so that He can spend His time ensuring that only bad things happen in your life. God has great plans for you. God plans to “prosper you” and “give you hope and a future.”.

As man navigates the challenges of life, he can discover unexpected sources of meaning and purpose in the most unlikely of places. His sufferings act as a trigger for existential analysis and contemplation. During difficult times, man was forced to ask himself about the big issues of life and look for purpose in the face of hardship. Through this process, suffering turns into a means of learning about oneself, one's relationship to the divine, and the larger human situation. Through acts of kindness and compassion, man found solace in the interconnectedness of humanity and the profound beauty of human connection. He learned to find joy in the small moments of everyday life, and to appreciate the inherent richness of existence, even amidst the most challenging circumstances.

Embracing Resilience and Hope

Suffering, according to Friedrich Nietzsche, is a blessing in disguise. His theory is that people who can endure difficult circumstances and pain are stronger individuals who are better prepared for life’s challenges. For him, those who can suffer and persevere have a greater capacity for meaning and purpose in life (Dutt, 2022).  The experience of pain puts man’s faith to the test and disproves beliefs about God's kindness. He struggled with emotions of abandonment or uncertainty at difficult times, doubting God's goodness in the face of what seemed to be pointless suffering.

Nevertheless, suffering serves as a refinement, a deepening, and ultimately a strengthening of faith. Through the crucible of suffering, man emerged with a renewed sense of resilience and hope, determined to embrace life's challenges with courage and integrity. Though the road ahead remains uncertain, he walks it with a newfound sense of purpose. Man has come to realize that faith is not a destination to be reached, but a journey to be embraced—a journey marked by uncertainty, doubt, and eventual realization.

The moment man recognized the power of God and renewed his faith in Him, everything became easier. God used different people to show that every day is a blessing. In God’s hands, everything will be possible just stay faithful to him.

Conclusion:

The journey of losing faith in God due to severe illness and financial struggles has been a profound and transformative odyssey, marked by moments of despair, doubt, and eventual rediscovery. Through the darkness of doubt, man has learned to find meaning amidst the chaos and to embrace the inherent beauty of existence. There will be a newfound sense of purpose and an unwavering commitment to living a life guided by courage, resilience, and compassion.

Yet, in the depths of despair, man began to realize that faith is not synonymous with certainty. It is a journey fraught with doubt and ambiguity, a journey that demands courage and resilience in the face of life's greatest challenges. As he grappled with the erosion of my beliefs, he found solace in the resilience of the human spirit and the beauty of human connection. Regaining faith after going through hardship is a powerful and life-changing event. It's a journey filled with periods of uncertainty, hopelessness, and, at the end, a deep spiritual awakening. A man emerged from the depths of sorrow with fresh insights and a stronger bond with his faith through introspection and reflection.

Through the support of loved ones and the guidance of the Lord, man began to explore new avenues for finding meaning amidst the chaos of circumstances. He discovered strength he never knew he possessed and resilience that transcended the confines of belief.  In relinquishing his faith in a higher power, man discovered a deeper connection to the world around him and a profound appreciation for the inherent beauty of existence. He learned that meaning can be found not in the absence of suffering but in our capacity to endure and grow amidst adversity. And though he may never fully reconcile the mysteries of faith and suffering, he walks forward with a renewed sense of hope and a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of the human spirit. Losing faith in God due to an illness and financial struggles was a painful yet enlightening journey that ultimately led man to rediscover the beauty and meaning inherent in the human experience. Though the road ahead may be fraught with uncertainty, he will walk it with a newfound sense of purpose and an unwavering commitment to embracing life's challenges with courage, resilience, compassion, and a stronger faith in God.

References

Blain, T., MA. (n.d.). What to Do When You Feel You Are Losing Your Faith. Verywell Mind. Retrieved February 22, 2024, from https://www.verywellmind.com/losing-faith-definition-suggestions-and-take-away5214137#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20divorce%2C%20job%20loss,a%20person's%20sense%20of%20faith

Dutt, S. (2022). Nietzsche: Why Suffering Is Valuable? (1/13) - Nietzsche’s Philosophy - Medium. Medium. Retrieved February 25, 2024, from https://medium.com/nietzsches-philosophy/nietzsche-why-suffering-is-valuable-ed6b729bb727

Faith: Contemporary Perspectives | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (n.d.-c). https://iep.utm.edu/faith-contemporary-perspectives/

Kabatebate, S. (n.d.). Why does God allow problems in my life? - InspiredWalk.com. InspiredWalk.com. Retrieved February 25, 2024, from https://www.inspiredwalk.com/1103/why-god-allows-problems-in-your-life

 

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Faith | Beliefs, Practices & History. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved February 21, 2024, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/faith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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