Draft:Bayanihan: The Filipino sense of Brotherhood

In the Philippines, there exists a name for helping your peers through tough times –it is the cultural principle called "Bayanihan” which embodies Filipino “group work” (Ang, 1979), communal unity, and cooperation toward a common objective. And until present times, this ethos is deeply woven into the Filipino mindset as it continuously shapes their beliefs and way of life.

The term bayanihan refers to any communal voluntary effort to achieve a common goal. Bayanihan “connotes heroic assistance (from bayani meaning hero)... [and] is a peerless communitarian practice that ignores social ranking and structures, leadership roles, and authority relationships" (Ofiana, 2002 and Aguiling-Dalisay et al., 2004 cited in Barrameda & Sandino, 2011).

It is derived from the Tagalog root word “bayan” –which is a town or a nation (Ang, 1979). But at its core, Bayanihan culture centers around the notion of "bayani," denoting a hero or a person who undertakes heroic deeds (Ang, 1979). Thus, Bayanihan culture epitomizes collective endeavor for the greater good, marked by love for others, teamwork, synergy, and mutual assistance within communities. In the Filipino society, this culture manifests through instances of mutual aid by assisting fellow countrymen or "kababayan” such as rallying together to aid a family relocating to a new residence. Here, everyone contributes, lifting heavy furniture, appliances, and other possessions, showcasing the spirit of Bayanihan in action.

In the provinces, this practice is highly exercised, most especially when a family moves a bahay-kubo, when a ka-barangay is about to be wed, and other more social events. Although in today's world, where technology guides all that we do, the concept of Bayanihan has changed -it has gone from the physical world to the online realm, with people rallying and practicing pakikiramay (empathy) towards peers.

As Nicole Angela Obias, a writer from Medium, stated; “Our culture is changing, but it is immutable. Many things may change but the values, traditions, culture and beliefs of each and every Filipino will still remain the same. Time may pass, a lot may change, but the knowledge of these things won’t fade,” (2019).

Even as the practice of bayanihan changes through time, it is evident that this culture and practice will continue to thrive, only in different means, in different fonts, in different contexts.