Views and Values on Family among Filipinos: An Empirical Exploration

Abstract

The Filipino family provides an interesting study because familism is embedded in its social sphere, translating its relational quality outside the family. Being family-centred, child-centric, having close ties, and a large family size (Medina, 2001; Miralao, 1994) are some basic elements of families in the Philippines. Applying regression on the data from the World Values Survey for the Philippines in 1996 and 2001, this study aims to explore the correlates of views on family values among Filipinos, specifically those concerning the traditional nuclear family set-up, the woman’s roles within family, and the reciprocal relationship of the parent and child. While the results show that Filipinos generally share family values, especially on those related to child rearing for both parents, and child-bearing, there are indications that such views also differ across educational attainment, geographic location, social class, and ethnic groups. Disparities in views could be reflecting shifting family values, which could then help explain current polarising policy debates on issues on the reproductive health, divorce, and migration.

Socio-ecological determinants of distress in Filipino adults during COVID-19 crisis

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“…By contrast, the consistency of familial bonds as factors that promote the outcome, even when members did not share the same household, points to the importance of relatives as a supportive structure for those suspected of having TB. This is particularly relevant and specific to the context of the Philippines as close and strong family ties are at the core of Filipino culture ( Morillo et al, 2020 ). In a systematic review that examined the functions of social capital at the level of the family, the authors found the exertion of social influence and the exchange of social support to be key mechanisms through which family social capital can affect health ( Alvarez et al, 2017 ).…”

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“…It is also reasonable to bring the strong correlations between Filipino fathers and mothers' parental behaviors to the fore. A Filipino family is a child-centric social institution in which parents do what is best for their children (Morillo et al, 2013). In terms of their children's education, Filipino couples make mutual decisions given that their children's academic achievements are their source of pride and compensation for their sacrifices (Alampay, 2014).…”