Foundations of Philippine Popular Culture

Popular Culture

Everyday ideas, practices, and products embraced by the public. It reflects current trends and social values, evolving with the interests and experiences of ordinary people.

Accessibility

(Characteristics of Popular Culture)

Easy to understand and available across ages and classes.

Popularity

(Characteristics of Popular Culture)

Becomes mainstream because many people relate or participate.

Commercialism

(Characteristics of Popular Culture)

Driven by profit through merchandise, events, and digital content.

High Culture

Artistic and intellectual expressions associated with educated and elite sectors, valued for historical, aesthetic, and intellectual depth.

Validation

(Characteristics of High Culture)

Supported by formal institutions (museums, universities, orchestras).

Sophistication

(Characteristics of High Culture)

Focuses on creativity, intellectual depth, refined techniques.

Exclusivity

(Characteristics of High Culture)

Limited by cost, location, or social status.

Folk Culture

Customs and practices within communities passed through personal and communal experience, not created for mass profit.

Tradition

(Characteristics of Folk Culture)

Practices passed through generations.

Locality

(Characteristics of Folk Culture)

Shaped by specific regions and environments.

Symbolism

(Characteristics of Folk Culture)

Rituals and objects that express deeper beliefs and values.

NCCA (National Commission for Culture and the Arts)

Government body for policymaking, coordination, and promotion of culture. Supports GAMABA and Order of National Artists.

CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines)

Established in 1966, focuses on high culture and also promotes folk and contemporary arts.

Indigenous Peoples (IPs)

Legal term recognizing native ethnic groups with collective rights.

Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs)

Local communities with distinct languages, traditions, and ways of life (e.g., Igorot, Aeta, Lumad, Moro).

IPRA (Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997 / RA 8371)

Upholds rights to land, self-governance, and cultural integrity.

Cultural Sensitivity

Engaging with cultures respectfully to avoid stereotypes and misuse.

Cultural Studies Theory

Interdisciplinary field studying how culture connects with power, identity, and society.

Power

(Cultural Studies Theory Core Principles)

Culture reflects and challenges authority.

Representation

(Cultural Studies Theory Core Principles)

Media portrayals shape social understanding.

Interpretation

(Cultural Studies Theory Core Principles)

Audiences actively create meaning.

Stuart Hall

Encoding/decoding model; focused on race, identity, and power.

Raymond Williams

“Culture is ordinary”; introduced “structures of feeling.”

Antonio Gramsci

Cultural hegemony; dominant groups maintain power by shaping norms.

Media & Communication

Influence of media on meaning-making.

Subcultures & Youth Culture

Resistance identities (punk, hip-hop).

Postcolonial Studies

Effects of colonialism on identity and culture.

Gender & Queer Studies

Representation and perceptions of gender roles and sexuality.