NEDA: Understanding PH culture key to change
Credit to Author: ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES| Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2019 16:19:13 +0000
A recent survey shows that understanding Filipino culture and common values are essential to creating well-targeted plans and effective policies for the country’s development, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said on Monday.
The study, covering 10,200 respondents aged 15 and over, aims to understand the cultural values that characterize Philippine society and provide a basis for monitoring the country’s progress in terms of values formation toward national development.
“There has been a notion that Filipinos are culturally diverse, and that it is difficult to determine what really makes us Filipino. This survey now shows us what distinguishes Filipinos from other nationalities based on common values,” NEDA Director General Ernesto Pernia said.
NEDA said results of the survey showed that Filipinos are generally proud of being a Filipino and are quite traditional, religious and trusting of others regardless of their sexuality and religion.
The survey’s initial results also indicate the Philippines is a relatively conformist and interdependent society.
“The survey results provide insights on specific Filipino cultural values that have potential effect on national development and the role they play in shaping public policy,” Pernia said.
Since the Philippines being a relatively conformist society, this hinders efforts at spurring innovation and change, which needs to be challenged and overcome, Pernia added.
He added the survey provides new knowledge that the government can make use of in positively influencing people’s attitudes and behavior toward building a high-trust society.
“We need to initiate cultural change and promote those positive values that will allow us to achieve our goals and realize our AmBisyon of creating a highly-innovative and high-trust society,” Pernia said.
Conducted by Hofstede Insights Inc., the study employed the dimensional model for analyzing cultural differences.
Developed for the Philippines, the model gauges Filipino culture and values, and identifies its key dimensions.
The survey was done over a two-year period and the final report is expected to be completed by the end of October.