The moral responsibility in utang na loob and moral luck

• Main Author: Gozon, Bianca Marika V.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2024
• Subjects: Responsibility; Gratitude; Reciprocity (Psychology); Philosophy
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdb_philo/14; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etdb_philo/article/1025/viewcontent/2024_Gozon_The_Moral_Responsibility_in_Utang_na_Loob_and_Moral_Luck_Full_text.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

Utang na loob is a Filipino concept following the idea of reciprocity wherein an individual helps their kapwa who has assisted them in the past. Multiple iterations of utang na loob have caused puzzlement among people on which definition should be chosen and practiced by Filipinos. Francis Dancel stated that among all the translations of utang na loob, the version that encapsulates the essence of utang na loob the most is Leonardo de Castro’s “debt of goodwill” because it fosters kagandahang loob which sets forth the notion that utang na loob is an act of giving a part of themselves to their kapwa. Kapwa, another Filpino ideology, plays a significant role because it highlights the value and dignity of both parties in the bifocal utang na loob relationship. In utang na loob transactions, Filipinos are more inclined to put their kapwa's needs ahead of their own because they value their community or kinasasakupan more. This implies that once a person enters an utang na loob bond, both the beneficiary and benefactor have a moral responsibility to do an act of kindness to each other. Since some utang na loob transactions are not immediately fulfilled, one may beg the question if there are aspects and elements in an individual’s life that may affect and lessen the moral responsibility in an utang na loob arrangement. With this being said, I will contend that moral luck does not diminish the moral responsibility in the bifocal utang na loob relationship because, amidst the possible factors one may encounter, the parties involved are aware of the responsibilities they have to fulfill due to the Filipino cultural norms revolving reciprocity, gratitude, and kindness to others. I shall defend my stance by delving into other Filipino values that are intertwined with utang na loob.