Ideology in the Time of Pandemic: A Filipino Experience

Abstract

This paper attempts to hermeneutically explore and understand Filipino moral ideologies in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study frames its ideology from the conceptual tradition of Karl Marx and other philosophers who shared the common idea that ideology has material existence. As Althusser put it, ideology does not exist in the ‘world of ideas’ conceived as a ‘spiritual world,’ but “ideology exists in institutions and the practices specific to them.” This paper discusses first the concept of moral ideology. The discussion focuses morality as ideology that causes a gap between the rich and the poor. Next, it discusses certain Filipino moral ideologies: Utang na Loob (debt of gratitude), Sakop (group)-oriented and Bahala Na. At the same time, it presents how some politicians and high public officials have taken advantage of these ideologies to promote self-interest. Lastly, the relation between Filipino moral ideologies and politics are manifested in the current situation. As a whole, this paper intends to address the question: “what is wrong with the Filipino system that it seems caught unprepared?”