MGA BATAYAN NG SIKOLOHIYANG PILIPINO SA KULTURA AT KASAYSAYAN
Critique Paper of Rona Gem C. Templado
PSYCH 4B- CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY
The article, written by Virgilio G. Enriquez, is a Filipino psychologist who was
known as the "Father of Sikolohiyang Pilipino" (Filipino Psychology). He was a pioneer in
indigenous psychology in the Philippines (Navarro, 2013). This particular article was
published on the General Education Journal on 1975. Moreover, this account was written
as means of articulating the status of Filipino Psychology, its components and basis for
identification and standardization.Though paradoxical, Sikolohiyang Pilipino is both
unique and universal, advocating to justify the explanation of behaviors through history
and culture.
The article entered with an emphasis on the difference between the Sikolohiyang
Pilipino and the Sikolohiya sa Pilipinas, which was reiterated for the purpose of wholly
understanding Filipino Psychology. Sikolohiyang Pilipino is the psychology as a product
of experiences, mentality, and the orientation of Filipinos while Sikolohiya sa Pilipinas is
the outcome of the events related to the psychology in our culture. Enriquez gathered
data from books or articles that tackles about the history and culture of the Filipinos,
introducing six postulates as basis of Sikolohiyang Pilipino within the culture and history.
These six criteria of Filipino Psychology are as follows: (1) Mga Batayan sa Kinagisnang
Sikolohiya, (2) Ang Batayan sa Tao at sa Kanyang Diwa, (3) Ang Batayan sa Panahon
ng Pagbabagong-isip, (4) Batayan sa Panahon ng Pagpapahalaga sa Kilos at Kakayahan
ng Tao, (5) Batayan sa Pagpapahalaga sa Suliranin ng Lipunan, and lastly, (6) ang
Batayan sa Wika, Kultura at Pananaw ng mga Pilipino. According to the author, these
criteria should be considered for the true meaning of Filipino Psychology.
Enriquez has presented his ideas in a concise and thorough manner, in the sense
that although his article is short, the whole purpose of the article was conveyed in a clear
manner. Moreover, Enriquez’s criteria regarding the characteristics of Filipino Psychology
is a systematic tool for a structured study on the said matter. All of the criteria presented
were proven to be relevant to truly define Filipino Psychology. Mainly, the writer
communicate its purpose to encourage the readers to explore more the justification of our
culture, behaviors, and experiences which make all of Sikolohiyang Pilipino. The primary
focus of psychology at Sikolohiyang Pilipino is on identity and national consciousness,
social awareness and involvement, language and culture psychology, and applications
and bases of Filipino psychology in all aspects of the Filipino life setting. Sikolohiyang
Pilipino promotes cross-indigenous methods, multi-method multi-language approaches,
appropriate field methods, and a total approach as primary methods of investigation (PEPua & Protacio, 2000). These were well presented by Enriquez in the account in an
articulate manner, with the emphasis on bringing Filipino psychology into the light of
recognition that this psychology practiced in our country is not anti-universal but rather a
development in the direction of a universal psychology. It is not against Western theory
and practice, but rather against the non-selective application of imposition of Western
knowledge. Additionally, the article is set on laying the groundwork of Sikolohiyang
Pilipino as an indigenous psychology, to emerge as a psychology that ultimately functions
as a justified explanation to the uniqueness of the Filipino psychology (Yacat, 2013).
Sikolohiyang Pilipino aims to explain the true motivations behind the behaviors of
the Filipino through the karanasan, kaisipan, at oryentasyong Pilipino. With this, a criteria
was gathered from books and articles was synthesized by Enriquez to describe the
characteristics of a Filipino psychology. Moreover, this is a first step to the movement of
implementing the structure that although Sikolohiyang Pilipino is unique, it is also
universal. It is universal in the sense that it rejects the notion of imposing Western
psychology to all cultures, forcing different practices and beliefs to fit in one framework.
Enriquez’s work is an integral account for the development of Filipino Psychology.
REFERENCES:
Navarro, A.M. (2013). Enriquez, Virgilio. In The Encyclopedia of Cross-Cultural
Psychology, K.D. Keith (Ed.). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118339893.wbeccp199
Pe-Pua, R., & Protacio-Marcelino, E. A. (2000). Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino
psychology): A legacy of Virgilio G. Enriquez. Asian Journal of Social Psychology,
3(1), 49–71. doi:10.1111/1467-839x.00054
Yacat, J. (2013). Filipino Psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino). The Encyclopedia of CrossCultural Psychology, 551–556. doi:10.1002/9781118339893.wbeccp2