Some thoughts on the laziness of Filipinos...

I have been thinking about this phenomenon of laziness in the Philippines and have wondered what could be the cause or origin of this prevalent attitude and behavior. An idea came to me as a result of spending time on the farm. I noticed in the Philippines, especially in the upland area of Cavite, the soil is rich and fertile due to its volcanic nature (synthetic fertilizer is not needed, and instead damages the soil). What I found most interesting is how easy it is for plants to grow! I can stick about any plant or seed in the ground (as long as they can handle the climate) and it grows! Amazing! It’s effortless planting. The ideal combination of temperature, soil and humidity is conducive to plant growth and fruit bearing.

The question is what was life like in the Philippines pre-colonial days? The population was significantly smaller (1 million or less?). Life was simpler. Natural resources were abundant. Perhaps when hungry, one simply picked fruit from trees or speared fish in shallow waters. There was no shortage of food. There was no reason to store. Food was plentiful.

Perhaps, as the picture above depicts, one could just lay under a tree with mouth wide open to catch falling fruits (not advisable under coconut trees). Could this scenario be the origin as to why there is a dominant lazy attitude in the culture — a remnant behavior from the distant past and from a culture and environment that no longer exists?

…just my thoughts.

--------------------------
This is a GRP Featured Comment. Join the discussion!