ABSTRACT
The Philippines and her people have persevered for centuries, experiencing both beauty and tragedy. The indigenous Negritos (ancestors of the Aetas of Africa some 30,000 years ago) were followed by migrants and colonizers from Southern China, Tonkin, the Indonesian archipelago, Spain, and the United States (Leinbach & Ulack, 2000). Although strong regionalism exists today, characteristics such as collectivism, patriarchy, adherence to hierarchies based on age and mestizo (Spanish ancestry), and Christianity mixed with animistic beliefs comprise both the greatest strengths and also weaknesses of a Filipino cultural identity. Severe disproportions in power and resources in the family, as well as in the country as a whole, appear to be contributors to family violence.
