The Indolence of the Filipinos

The Indolence of the Filipinos shows the reasons why the Filipinos gradually became lazy as the Spaniards stated. Some of the reasons were the introduction and wrong education of religion, the introduction of gambling, and coastal trade was banned.

The introduction of religion may have been a good thing that was given to the Philippines. However, the friars taught that the rich would not go to heaven, therefore making the poor not want to get rich, hence them not working.

The introduction of gambling gave the thought of "easy money". Since one can get rich through gambling, there would be no use of work. Because although winning in gambling was rare, once winning, one receives more than the labor's fee.

Banning coastal trade costs the Filipinos a lot of work force. The coastal trade and relation between the Philippines and other countries was good. Many of the Filipinos at the time were making a living from coastal trade, enjoyed it, and made it a way of life. Removing trade made many seek other jobs that they did not enjoy therefore they may not perform their best.

The indolence of the Filipinos in the Spanish period shows its effects even in the present period. We even have the term ningas kugon as the term to do things later rather than now. Even in our language, it shows that the Filipinos are indolent.

----Joyce Sia