A shift in Filipino values and priorities: Being good, finding balance, keeping the faith
Acumen’s Project Alphabet, conducted in 2025, showed the movement of the top five values that influence behavior and decisions among Filipinos of all generations compared to a study 10 years earlier. So, what has changed?
In the decade between 2015 and 2025, a great change took place in the Filipino mind.
Acumen’s Project Alphabet in 2025 research shows that faith – which was among the main themes in Filipino life and culture in the first 2015 survey of Filipino generations – is no longer among the top five influential factors that guide decisions and goals.
But let’s look at the basic truth: Go peek into a Catholic church or church anywhere in the Philippines on a Sunday and chances are, it will be packed during the scheduled Mass celebration. And there is continued devotion to what some might call miracle churches such as Quiapo and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu City.
Looking at those factors alone, it would be easy to say that faith is alive and well among Filipinos and religion remains an important part of the culture.
The truth is, the Philippines is still a country where about 80% of the people say Catholicism as their religion. The remaining 20% have no religion and about 13% belong to a Protestant or Christian denomination and 6% to Islam.
Demographics clearly show that self-identification as part of a religious community remains a common characteristic of the Filipino.
So, what does Project Alphabet’s qualitative and quantitative survey show?
First, let’s look at the baseline results from 2015 when Acumen conducted its first productivity survey. The dominant themes in Filipino values were:
Budget – Balancing income and expenses was a big stress
Happiness – No matter what happens, Filipinos find reasons to be happy, based on recovery and gratitude.
The family — The origin and background of human life
Faith — Belief and prayers were a source of hope and strength.
Education — A ticket out of poverty
Social and face-to-face communication – Being sociable and maintaining a good reputation was highly valued.
From a bird’s-eye view, these themes show a place where people are centered in relationships, guided by faith, and grounded in resilience for a better life.
That landscape will be shaken in the next 10 years by digital advances, dramatic changes in weather patterns, and an unprecedented global health event that may prove to be the most important of all disruptors: the COVID pandemic.
Within this global and national context, the mindset of the Philippines has changed.
Family holds firm as a fundamental value, along with education and money.
Nine out of 10 Filipinos still rank family as the most important, based on Project Alphabet. Older generations – Boomers and Gen X – express their love for that circle that is most important to them in terms of adventure and work. Younger generations – Gen Y or Millennials and Gen Z – show this value more by being present, prioritizing closeness and open communication.
Meanwhile, the idea of education is no longer just a “ticket out of poverty” but a tool for self-improvement and the pursuit of human ambition.
Filipinos’ perception of money has grown beyond the budget. Awareness has increased from generation to generation about the importance of financial security, although what you say is still different from generation to generation.
What emerged from Project Alphabet as the new central themes of Filipino health and work life.
“It’s not just about money (that’s important) … it’s about spiritual health and social life,” said a Gen Ze respondent from Davao.
Filipinos from generation to generation continue to be grounded in their faith while redefining resilience in a practical sense. They now see wellness as an important part of the pursuit of a good life.
“I always pray before I make big decisions, especially business ones. Kasi hindi lang naman ako ang ang concerned,” said a Gen X member from Metro Manila.
Boomer from Cebu said going to church is still a ritual that keeps the family close: “We make it our goal to be together. It’s part of us staying connected as a family.”
What Project Alphabet tells us is that Filipinos are not abandoning their faith. Instead, they evolve into a holistic mindset where priorities move toward empowering immediate and tangible freedoms such as physical health and mental health.
Life as a source of freedom is very important for all generations. What it means, however, varies for different age groups:
Gen Z – As a digital generation, we are heavily influenced by online discussions with burnout and anxiety
A thousand years – See health as total self-care and expression of self-respect
Gen X — Relate health to their responsibility to support and protect their families.
The Boomers – View life as independent, empowering them to stay active both for fun or to continue professional productivity.
Work life balance is the key to success. It’s a dramatic leap from the work-to-work attitude that has been passed down into the Boomers’ post-war culture.
Like life, finding balance also differs between generations: For Gen Z, there is freedom to pursue passion; in Millennium, it is a wonderful harmony between desire and relaxation; and for Gen X and Boomers, it comes back to family – being a good provider, not being a burden, and having ways to make life easier.
Filipinos of all generations continue to embrace deep-rooted values of family and faith, but at the same time embrace concepts that fit in with a world now largely defined by technological advancements, self-awareness, and well-being. – Marifi Jara, Consultant Marketing Consultant, Acumen (www.acumen.com.ph)
If you want to access the Project Letters study, visit www.acumen.com.ph/project-alphabet.
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