The Filipino Compared to the Bamboo

There is a popular saying, "The Filipino is as pliant as a bamboo."

The bamboo is a tree found in tropical and subtropical regions.

It is known for its flexibility and versatility.

It can be used in making furniture, kitchen utensils, and other items for practical use.

There is even a organ made from bamboo at the Las Piňas church, the only one of its kind in the world.

The properties of bamboo, according to Tomas Andres in Positive Filipino Values (1989), are "low modules of elasticity, poor bond with concrete, tendency to absorb moisture, high absorption strain, and variations in mechanical properties."

The bamboo is generally considered pliant, and symbolically it has been compared to the Filipino character. Why so?

The Filipino character is similar to the bamboo because it has flexibility, endurance, and harmony with nature.

It bends with the wind, but can survive a storm. Just like the bamboo, the Filipino nation goes along with the forces of nature and politics.

It copes with "fate" rather than fights against it.

The Filipino mind is pliant in the sense that it is open to new ideas.

Although the Filipino is trusting, he is also capable of standing up for his own beliefs.

He will not tolerate betrayal and oppression.

Filipinos in general are protective of their hard-won independence, and they will fight for their freedom at all costs.