Introduction

The Philippine National Archive is storing a time capsule with the "portrait" of the 2010 Filipino family! Present and persuade with fifteen items that symbolize the Filipino family of today.

The Filipino family has always been a strong and binding force in our society. Despite all the other social institutions having problems, the Filipino family is rock-solid. It has not only been a source of strength and fortitude for Filipinos, but also of mirth and inspiration. This family that's so important to us is what we want to present to you.

This time capsule of 2010 we are presenting has in it the basic image of an average Filipino family.
Enjoy :)

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The List

To the Philippine National Archive:

For your consideration, we think the following items should be included in the 2010 Time Capsule:

1. Cell Phones!
2. Pictures of Family Members!
3. Prayer Before Meal!
4. The Big Spoon and Fork! (in the Dining Room!)
5. Manyana Habit!
6. Social Networking Sites!
7. Wowowee! and Other Variety Shows!
8. Utang Na Loob!
9. Election Campaign Stuff!
10. Mama Mary Statue!
11. Manny Pacquiao!
12. Foreign Currency!
13. I Don't Care - 2NE1!
14. The Last Supper Tapestry!
15. Beer!

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Religious Roots

Prayer Before Meal
Prayer is a big part of every household especially during meal times. For the household who’s in the Catholic faith, the most common meal prayer is this: “Bless us Oh Lord for this thy gifts which we are about to receive for thy bounty in Christ our Lord. Amen.” It is innate for every Filipino family to gather together for a meal and say their thanks to God for the blessings He has provided.

Mama Mary Statue
Filipinos are very religious people. And so, it’s not surprising to see a religious object inside their house. A Mother Mary statue or any religious object found inside the house not only shows how religious a household is or how big their faith is. But it also reminds the entire household of the teachings and lessons incorporated in their religion.

The Last Supper Tapestry
This is another example of how religious Filipinos are. We often see a huge tapestry or a big framed picture of the Last Supper in the dining table. It doesn’t have a significant meaning but it seems like Filipinos place it there because of how it looks like. It reminds the members of the family of the blessings He has given to them.

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Current Callings

Election Campaign Stuff
Election is coming near and it is a topic which is discussed inside Filipino households currently. Filipinos love a conversation wherein they can get their opinions out and be heard. And politics is one of the topics we often love to discuss. Nowadays, the youth are also taking part in conversations such as this. And inside a Filipino household, talking about the current events (politics) is one way for the family to bond especially with food in hand.

I Don't Care - 2NE1
“Asian music” is dominating the airwaves right now here in the Filipinos. Young and old, they listen to these songs. And even if they don’t understand the lyrics, they enjoy them and even at times, memorize it. Music is part of the Filipino life. It is something we can’t live without. Families bond through music. There are even families who perform together. Music is something that bonds and unites Filipino families. There’s not a celebration for Filipinos without music.

Foreign Currency
Because of the difficult life we have here in the Philippines, some resort to working abroad for them to provide food for their families here. It’s not surprising to see other currencies included inside their wallets, either as a souvenir or as something to be exchanged into Filipino bills. This is evidence that a family member might be in another country.

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Filial Fraternity

Cell Phones
They say the Philippines is a 3rd World country. It’s true. But we’re the only 3rd world country that uses cell phones like it’s going to be the end of the world. Cell phones are very important nowadays for family members to get in touch with each other. Sometimes, it even becomes the only way for them to stay connected with their families. What with the business of people, cell phones and other handy technology becomes the solution to stay connected.

Pictures of Family Members
Because of how hard life is here in the Philippines, a lot of people try their lucks abroad. They choose to live in a very foreign and faraway place to help out their family in the Philippines. And so as to always remind them of their relatives working abroad, they put up pictures all over the house. Filipinos love to showcase things that are very important and special for them, so pictures of family members are very important inside a Filipino household.

Social Networking Sites
Then Friendster, now Facebook. Social networking websites such Twitter have been weirdly dominated by Filipinos! They've become the new source of news of a person. Because of the jam-packed schedules of each family member, and sometimes because of the miles apart, these networking sites have become the bridge between kuya, ate, mama and papa.

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Moods and Manners

Manyana Habit
This particular behavior is purely Filipino. Inside a typical modern Filipino household, the older ones usually boss the younger ones around. And more often enough, we linger first before doing the said task. This also applies to an individual wherein he/she lingers for a while before doing what he/she is supposed to do.

Utang Na Loob
Filipinos are people who never forget about the kindness you have shown towards them. They don’t ever forget the things you’ve done for them. And Filipinos having a tight relationship with their families, this behavior extends to the family members. When one member has an “utang na loob”, this extends to the whole family as well.

The Big Spoon and Fork in the Dining Room
It may only serve as a decoration placed in the dining room, but it seems like it has become a must for Filipino households. Some say that it meant as an invitation for good vibes or to have a hearty meal. But no matter what it means, it has become part of the Filipino customs to have inside the house.

Beer
Filipinos love to have a good time and celebrate life as it is. Even if there’s no occasion to celebrate, they would suddenly call up friends and have a small gathering with food and of course, beer. It is common in Filipino families to bring out beers –kind of like in the western countries- as the choice drink for this gathering and pika-pika for food. It wouldn’t be a party if there was no beer served.

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Familiarly Filipino

Manny Pacquiao
Pacquiao has become a household name most specially for the Filipinos. It is common to mention Pacquiao in a conversation in a Filipino household, either through jokes or not. He became an inspiration to Filipinos. Plus, his fights are considered as family bonding time.

Wowowee! and Other Variety Shows
One of the favorite past times of Filipinos is to watch noon time variety shows. It is another way for Filipino families to bond with each other. It has been part of the culture to have shows such as these to pass up the time at the same time to be entertained.

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The Filipino Family Portrait

The modern Filipino family is still bounded by the same traditions but at the same time, it has incorporated some things that are currently popular. It is the type of family that flows with what's current while retaining the same substance as it was before.

The saying: "The family that prays together, stays together." applies to every Filipino family. It puts God first as their foundation and grows through God's teachings. And because of this, the Filipino family is very tight knit.

Compared to other culture's family, Filipinos are the only ones who let their grandparents stay at the same time. The ones who live harmonously with their extended families. And even the ones who sacrifice theirselves -living and working abroad for the benefit of their families who remained in the Philippines.

To describe a Filipino family in simple terms, it is a loving and caring family.

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Personal Reflections

Her: I see the modern Filipino family like a bamboo. It bends where the wind wants it to bend but snaps back as soon as the wind disappears. Filipinos have this certain characteristic that enables us to adapt easily to changes but not forgetting about the ones we already have. And because of this, I can tell that Filipino families though living in this modern world still have that traditional side. You may think it's something common.
- Mafia Escasinas, is living happily with her brother, parents and "everyone else"

Him: The modern Filipino family, I think, is in a little bit of an identity crisis. Looking for the feeling of solid and common ground to sculpt a figure of the Filipino family is hard. What’s most common are things we cherish for the moment. Traits like tradition are becoming unfamiliar to us. That comes to no surprise as we are a poor country; and more immediate priorities come first. The call of hunger has taken precedence over the establishment of art.
Yet it is because of this lack of solid foundation that the Filipino family is resilient. We take other cultures in and learn other languages easily. Filipinos and their families will face more problems; but because they are loose with the past, they aren’t daunted by the future.
- Mico Espina, loves his parents and is the middle of three brothers

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