A significant aspect of Philippine culture in the modern world is Bayanihan, which is the strong sense of community amongst people. The term describes the idea of harmony, cooperation, collaboration, and aid. It represents the belief of coming together and supporting one another in instances of difficulties and challenges.
The term “bayanihan” is derived from the word “bayani,” meaning hero or someone with courage and selflessness. The origins of bayanihan come from the practice of carrying the “bahay kubo,” a traditional Filipino house. The community comes together to help the family by literally lifting the house and relocating it to a new area. From there, it has now extended to the willingness of Filipinos to offer aid and assistance when needed.
Another concrete example of Bayanihan is seen during natural disasters and calamities. No matter how frequent these situations occur in our country, Filipinos never fail to come together to provide assistance and relief to those who are affected. Especially in times where the government cannot provide, the community aids through volunteerism, donations, and collective actions to help rebuild what was destroyed.
