A jar full of insights

Connections, relationships, and dynamics—various terms can describe how people relate and interact with one another. Discussing such a complex topic is all the more important whennavigating an organization's intricacies. Nonetheless, there is merit to peering into this introspective matter through the lens of an image familiar to us Filipinos: the banga. 

In recent days, Dr. Prospero Covar’s Concept of Filipino Humanity has gained some popularity on Facebook. Students, educators, and other like-minded individuals quickly exchanged their takes on the classic Sikolohiyang Pilipino model that had been in the vocabulary of most, if not all, psychology majors in the Philippines.

Covar stands true as an icon among the social sciences, being dubbed “Ama ng Pilipinohiya.” I would care to argue that, perhaps, this jarring concept of his goes beyond the confines of understanding the Filipino identity—that, to an extent, this concept is a key to gaining more insight into the organizational psyché of Filipinos through the lens of business and management.

Let’s dwell on the premise of the Filipino identity in Covar’s humble image of a banga. We often see this embellishment in our humble homes among our lola’s wide assortment of trinkets. This towering jar serves as the symbol of every Juan—varying in size and color yet every bit as useful and industrious as their fellow countrymen—where Covar sheds light on how a Filipino has layers to their identity. Circling back to the subject image, everyone has an outer self (labas) that is molded by external factors and manifests in one’s distant and cautious attitude. 

As we go about day-to-day at work, we see this manifest in the polite, often meek, gestures exchanged between co-workers. This panlabas na anyo is merely a façade to the crevices of a jar that has more depth to its existence. Simply put, the surface (babaw) of every member of an organization is not what it seems, and peering beneath the lid has the potential to uncover underlying mechanisms that could spell either doom or opportunities. 

A deeper level of the Filipino identity is our inner core (loob). Here we get to understand the real depth of a person, with one’s unadulterated feelings and opinions fully out. It is, however, no easy feat to uncover this layer as the tendency is it is only divulged to those we trust (mga taong hindi iba sa atin). Office cliques are a prime example of how this proliferates.

 Life is a constant showcase of balancing our panlabas na anyo and kalooban, especially in the context of organizations to which we belong. More often than we realize, it’s only the surface that we get to encounter in braving the hustle and bustle of work—in doing so, serving as a barrier to fully comprehending the sentiments and needs of those around us.

 People of authority, be they managers or executives, often find themselves in an impossible position to establish meaningful relationships without opening the lid of the banga. Simply deriving conclusions from the visible mold of each individual is a broad (malawak) approach to helping connect—a fact that is too generative in nature to truly understand.

 Understanding one’s colleagues and subordinates is often precluded to the malawak na pananaw that is ingrained in our sense of shared identity (pakikipagkapwa). Nonetheless, a more holistic approach is also getting to know one another in a narrower (makitid) perspective to ultimately get a sense of the true identity.

An irony of the matter is how Covar’s phrasing of “narrow perspective” is rather regressive in Western ideologies—as it is synonymous with being intolerant or close-minded. The Filipino sense of being makitid, however, is our stride to becoming close and personable. It is our means to peel off the superficial layers hindering authenticity in the relationships we foster.

As a juxtaposition of sorts, we make sense of the Concept of Filipino Humanity in a managerial peripheral as a means of being more authentic leaders. It is a definitive guide to becoming more “Filipinized” managers who do not merely interact or lead but cultivate meaningful and personal

relationships.

Though Dr. Covar is no Michael Porter, one may find many innovative insights in his simple yet profound concept concerning management. Our humble image of the banga posits an impactful truth on how we ought to be as leaders and managers—treating everyone as a fragile vessel that holds depth and value beyond mere work.