On Elements of Filipino Philosophy

This essay offers a systematic account of Filipino identity, thought, and culture through interdisciplinary philosophical inquiry. Fr. Leonardo Mercado, SVD, a Filipino philosopher, derives philosophical insights from the structures of Philippine languages and patterns of Filipino conduct. He argues that Filipino philosophy emerges from the worldview encoded in local languages. The study highlights the Filipino’s holistic and non-dualistic conception of the self, and reveals a worldview grounded in relationality and communal responsibility.