
Filipino values can lead to corruption if not properly regulated, Dominican priest warns
FILIPINO VALUES and norms like ‘pakikisama,’ ‘hiya’ and ‘utang na loob’ may lead to corruption if practiced without moderation, a Dominican priest and scientist has warned.
Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P, a professor of sacred theology and biological sciences and a fellow of the UST Research Center for Natural and Applied Sciences, said the cherished Filipino values can be a double-edged sword because they can be used for both good and evil acts.
"If they are not properly regulated, the force of these psychological inclinations can be very powerful in a way that nudges the Filipino into an area of corruption that he or she may not want to do," he said during the 55th St. Thomas More lecture held on Wednesday, March 22.
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