The Filipinos
see themselves as a fun loving people, and not without reason.
On the one hand they are not as biased as many Western people
who see every leisure moment as a waste of time. They have much
less guilt than Europeans, Americans, or Japanese when not constantly
being productive. The conditioning to constant productivity as
it is found in typical Western and Japanese minds, anyway only
partially benefits the productive person himself and mainly helps
those who draw profits from their productivity. Those who draw
profits from the productivity of others are the most interested
in conditioning the laborer's mind to high productivity.
In people
not conditioned by the pressures of a modern industrialized society
to be constantly productive, a very healthy human laziness comes
into effect. The following observation on the happy Filipinos
was made around 400 years ago by Miguel de Legazpi. He meant it
as a slam but actually it's rather a compliment.
"More or
less gold is obtained from the mines where the natives work. However,
they do not work steadily, but only when forced by necessity;
for because of their sloth and the little work done by their slaves,
they do not even try to become wealthy, nor do they care to accumulate
riches. When a chief possesses one or two pairs of earrings of
very fine gold, two bracelets, and a chain, he will not trouble
himself to look for anymore gold. Any native who possesses a basket
full of rice, will not seek for more; or do any further work until
it is finished. Thus their idleness surpasses their covetousness."
As the Filipinos
are such a fun loving people, the great importance of celebrations
especially in rural areas is not surprising. Occasions for the
abundance of celebrations in the Philippines are religious, family-related,
historical or political. Legally there might only be 11 public
holidays. But actually, laborers sometimes do not go to work because
of private festivities, and this is generally accepted by employers.
Furthermore, in a wise move, the government often declares days
sandwiched between a public holiday and a weekend or the day before
and following All Saint's Day as special non-working holidays.
They might as well, because many people would not report for work
anyway.
