Johnmer Poblador Villanueva, Special Philosophy
When I was figuring out the topic for this reflection, two things came across my mind which made me weigh what to choose. I thought they would both equally make me happy if I have to write something about them and so, I am taking this endeavor of exploring both Filipino hospitality and religiosity. I title this paper, The Hospitality of Phenomenal Catholics. I just hope to get my message into the track of answering the question, “how can I not become a Filipino yet remain as one?”
For twenty-five years now, I have not gone or stayed outside of the city longer than a month. It was only last summer that I was able to have a month-long experience outside of my usual comforts when I was assigned in San Miguel for my pastoral exposure. San Miguel is the first town when one goes somewhere Southeast outside Iloilo City. Of course, I must affirm that it is a beautiful town with very hospitable people. It is not that rural. It is the gateway to Aleosan District; and as gateway, it has good business and commerce. However, I am not going to talk purely about the people of San Miguel. All I want to say is that my one-month stay outside the city could not possibly give a thorough observation as regards Filipino hospitality and religiosity. I would like to raise the point that understanding fully one’s culture or values does not only take a month or a year. I believe it takes a lifetime. One needs to immerse himself fully and even become part of the culture to grasp what is it and what is in it. However, this is still not an assurance that one’s culture or values are fully understood or grasped.
Filipinos are really known throughout the world as a hospitable people. We belong to a culture where everyone is accepted. We want that as much as possible nobody is left out, that everyone is included and everyone is accommodated. We make our guests feel at home, that our houses are offered even to strangers or that we could invite a passer-by to dine with us. We are very hospitable, we are accommodating. In this spirit, our fiestas and birthdays or any other special occasions would be celebrated with as much pomp as possible. We want our events to be very festive and impressive. We have lots to eat and plenty to drink. All these pomp and ostentatiousness we offer to our loved ones and guests who come from the barrios and other towns just to celebrate with us. The usual Filipino hiya makes everything possible. Even in a Filipino’s simple life, the thought of a grandiose celebration is never left out. The Filipino hospitality because of hiya goes out even to the point of borrowing money from other people or even asking for solicitations just to cope with the desired celebration. It is the kind of hospitality that no longer thinks of tomorrow for what is important is what is in stored for the guests today. Leonardo Mercado sketched the hierarchy or ranking of Filipino values as follows: life, values related to the sakop like the extended-family, values concerning relationships and all other values. These values according to him may be illustrated in a circle where the core value is life, followed by the others in concentric circles. In simpler terms, Filipino values are rounded and founded on relationships. Filipinos value relationship strongly that one’s personal comfort is at the expense of providing the best accommodation possible for his guests.
When we went to Manila for the papal visit, I coined the term Phenomenal Catholics. Usually, we hear the term nominal Catholics. But I think for me there are also phenomenal Catholics. I guess these are many. Look at our churches when there are more festive celebrations in the Faith. Let us see the streets during religious events where they are flooded by people who come from different walks of life. When the pope arrived last January, we hear almost everybody talking about him and now euphoria is gone. There are tens of thousands perdon lighted on Candlemas but there are really a small number of people flocking to the cathedral on ordinary days. Sometimes or even most of the time, Filipino religiosity is phenomenal. We only are a Catholic people when there is fiesta, when there are religious sadsads or when there are great clerical men who would arrive or die. Or in the most particular sense, we are Catholics when there are licensure exams or when we have special petitions to ask from the Lord.
The hospitality of phenomenal Catholics makes a description to this race. This might be a good branding for a race such as the Filipino people but looking at its core, we would see that Filipinos hospitality is grounded on hiya and their religiosity is dependent on phenomenon. This probably could be one of the identifications that even without it Filipinos would still remain a Filipino. One would remain a Filipino even on fiestas he doesn’t have anything to offer to his guests but only a heart very open to others. One would still remain a Filipino if he goes to church and practices his faith with utmost reverence and fidelity.
Philo Notes 