Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State UniversityCollege of Education

Agoo, La Union

Rural Living vs. City Dwelling

Writers: GROUP 8 (BEE 2-1)

∙ ALFRED MARK CASTILLO ∙ FERMIN LLOBRERA∙ CRISTINA RIVERA ∙ MARIA THERESA REMIENDO

Values Education: Personhood Development

Professor: Joanne E. Camus-Rivera Ph.D. Second Semester, SY 2012-2013January 10, 2013

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………

..3

Background ...………………………………………………………………….3

Statement of the Problem ………..……………………………………………4

Significance of the Paper ……….……………………………………………..4

Discussion ……………………………………………………………………………

5

A. Rural

Living………………………………………………………………….5

B. City

Dwelling………………………………………………………………..5

C. Advantages and Disadvantages of

Both…………………………………..6

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

…………………………………8

Summary..…………………………..

…………………………………………..8

Conclusion .………………….……………………………………………..

….10

Recommendation……………………………………………….…….…….

…10

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

References …….…..………………………………………………………..

…………11

Appendices ………..………………………………………………..

…………………12

Interview Questions……………………………………………………………13

The Respondents………………………………………………………………..14

The lifestyles of people living in the city or urban and rural areas

contrast in many aspects may it be in the lifestyles and culture. Most

people living in the city took the risks to transfer there from their

“promdy” life in the provinces. The researchers, then, sought to find

out some typical and observed differences between the city life and

rural living including the values, traditions, language, wants and needs

and others.

Background of the study

A lifestyle typically reflects on individual’s attitudes, and values

on world view. Therefore a lifestyle is a means of “forging “a sense of

self and to create cultural symbols that resonate with personal identity

( Gmelch, George, Kemper, Robert V. and Zenner, Walter P., Urban

Life: Reading in the Anthropology in the City, 2009 ). Not all aspects of

a lifestyle are voluntary.

3

INTRODUCTION1

The lines between personal identity and everyday doings that

signal a particular lifestyle become blurred in modern society. Lifestyle

may include view on politics, religion, health, intimacy, culture, and

more. All of these aspects play a role in inspiring someone’s lifestyles.

In an individual lifestyle some of the natural environment is

needed, fresh air, clean water, clean home, clean neighborhood, and a

clean example for those at home. Those in the rural areas who are

nature involved decide to plant flower, vegetables, and other crops in

the backyard and are extremely strict on how to organize their

household. Those in the social environment or city are totally different.

Social Environment includes an individual’s living and working

conditions, income level, educational background, community and

religious beliefs if they have one. In the city there are certain

expectations from one self or from those around, expectations like

success and wanting the best.

Statement of the Problem

The aim of the researchers is to determine the difference in

lifestyle among individuals living in the urban area particularly Baguio

City where they have conducted the research and the rural area.

Significance of this study

This paper is significant to determine which aspects of life are

most important in terms of priorities for there are many benefits to

living in a city that simply aren’t available in a rural area or vice versa.

Through this study, it will open our eyes to both the benefits and

disadvantages of living in the city as compared to the province/ rural

areas.

4

A. Rural Living

In the Philippines, for example, the centers of activities of

rural communities revolve around agricultural produce. Most

people are involved in the professions of farming and livestock

breeding. In some areas however factories are established

around rural areas to have an easy access to raw materials and

labor which hunt for work after harvesting season.

The people from rural areas are normally simple and

follow a closer to nature way of living. Filipino values like

“pagmamano”, “solidarity”, “hospitality”, “bayanihan” are

preserved. Children are taught to respect their elders. Few

youngsters are engaged to vices. Most sleep early at night.

Ladies are conservative—“Dalagang Filipina” in which they don’t

go out wearing tights or too short shorts and too daring tops.

5

DISCUSSION2

B. City Dwelling

Life in cities or urban areas however, is far more complex

and diverse than in rural areas. Most people are engaged on

activities such as merchandising, services, production, banking,

call centers, malling, etc. People in the cities or urban areas tend

to be generally more passive in their activities and are

extravagant comparatively. The city is ok. Everything is right

there when and where you need it. You have never to go far for

anything.

People in the Baguio are hard working. They work hard for

their living due to living in the city is quite costly. The climate is

good for a day’s or even night’s work. “People are educated,

very liberated, kind, most are low-profiled, humble, you cannot

see their true stature in appearance” according to one of our

respondents. As we have observed, few values are preserved

most have faded maybe because of foreign influences. Only few

children have right manners although still have a sense of

respect to their elders. Ladies wear tights and daring clothes.

C. Advantages and Disadvantages of Both

In rural areas things are peaceful. Some of the advantages

of rural life are space and nature, there’s enough space between

houses. There’s plenty of room to do whatever you wish. Nature

is right out your back door. The air is clean and never smoggy,

independence, in rural areas you are generally left alone to do

whatever you want; community, there’s a feeling of family, and

you are familiar with most of the people in the area.

While some of the advantages of urban or city life are

public transportation is anywhere; cultural life, if you value

going to diverse concerts, attending art galleries on a very

regular basis, city life is for you; diversity, you get to meet a

6

huge variety of people on a daily basis, urban life is branded to

have luxurious amenities such as elevators, escalators and other

modern amenities such as internet and satellite communications

like Smart, Sun, PLDT, Globe etc.; urban areas provide topnotch

educational facilities, huge medical services, and employment

opportunities.

The respondents of the survey found the following

advantages of living in the city.

1. Accessibility

2. Convenience in travel

3. Technological advancement

4. Availability of jobs

5. Easy communication

6. Good schools and universities

While some of the respondents list the following as

disadvantages of living in the city.

1. Over populated

2. Pollution

3. High cost of living

With regard to lifestyle the things noted by the researcher

based on the data gathered were: moderate adjustment on way

of living, it cannot be argued that living in the city is very

expensive, values were somehow affected, and culture shock

was not an issue.

In addition to the findings, 2 out of the 3 respondents

prefer to stay in the city for good.

7

Summary

The nature of urban and rural lifestyles and its effects on people

is the most important difference between living in the city or urban

area and living in the rural area. It is supposed that people who live in

rural areas are calmer, more family-oriented, conservative, and easy to

deal with. They are used to moving at a lower space. However in cities

life is very fast. Therefore, the people who live in today’s metropolises

are generally busier, career-oriented, focused and concerned about

their own problems, more direct and broadminded.

Besides, such factor as the opportunities for education, career

development and living advanced social life, which are available in big

cities, must be considered another important difference. It is a known

fact that the majority of higher education establishments, culture,

sports and entertainment facilities, financial and health care,

institutions, hotels and big shopping malls etc. are located in

8

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3

cosmopolitan areas. At the same time, people who live in the rural

areas have less access to modern amenities and services, as well as

quite limited opportunities for career and personal development,

entertainment and leisure activities, and so on. Social standards and

tradition of communication is one more significant point of difference

between living in cities and living in rural area. Rural communities are

considerably less crowded than urban area so people who live in rural

areas usually know and understand each other better, willingly

cooperate and support each other. In contrast to this, in cities people

are regularly involved in excessive social interaction and a great deal

of various activities that is why many of them feel tired of

communication and tend to be less open to others, than the people

who live in rural areas.

Finally, it is impossible not to mention the differences in day to

day cost of living in cities and in rural areas. Even taking into account

better job and career opportunities in modern metropolises, living in

cities is usually more expensive, and it is not always easy to afford

everything one may need. Therefore, many people have to get a

record job in order to have extra income and make the ends meet. In

contrast to this is rural area it is relatively easier to minimize the

expenses for housing and food. In addition, many families living in the

rural areas have their gardens, so they can live off the land and have

fruit, vegetables and green stuffs of their own.

“The differences between living in the cities and living in rural

areas are not limited with the factors above. Such aspects as natural

environment on social safety can be mentioned also. Certainly, there

are cultural, ethics, economic or even geographic dimensions, which

can blur the mentioned generalizations, and it is possible to find people

who live in rural areas but have the attitudes and life- style of the

cities. Besides, such factors as technological progress and new job

9

opportunities in modern countryside, as well as introduction of traffic

free and green zones in cities contribute into making its differences

between living in small and big cities smaller and smaller “ ( Ganzel,

Bill, Ganzel Group,2009 ).

Conclusions

It is nearly impossible to find a good answer to the question,

what better life-style in living in the city or living in the rural areas.

What is good for one person might not be good for another! Some

people enjoy hyper- active life in cosmopolitan area, where they can

use all modern amenities and have practically unlimited opportunities

for work and leisure. At the same time, other people feel the urge to be

closer to nature. They take pleasure from living peacefully and spend

their free times fishing, hiking, plowing in the farm, certainly, modern

life in the city and the one in rural areas are connected with a great

deal of differences.

Recommendations

There are lots of people out there living in urban areas who are

happy with their environment and there are also a lots of people in

rural areas who yearn for something different. One key thing if you’re

feeling unhappy with your environment, think of making a change.

10

Think deeply the advantages of both world (city and rural) would offer

to you for a long time.

1. Jmelch, George; Kemper, Robert V. and Zennen, Walter P.

Urban Life. Readings in the Anthropolgy in the City, 2009.

2. Janzell, Bill, Janzel Group, 2009.

3. Zaide, Antonio F., Sociology: Urban Life, 1989.

11

REFERENCES

A. Interview QuestionsB. Respondent’s Profile

12

APPENDICES

A. Interview Questions

RESPONDENT’S PROFILE

NAME OF RESPONDENT: __________________________________City Address: ____________________________________________Provincial Address: _______________________________________Nationality: _________ Occupation: _______________________Civil Status: ____________ Gender: ______

Religion: ______________ Age: ________

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS1. How many are you in the family? Do you own the house or

renting it? 2. How many years since you lived/transferred here in the city?

How many years are you staying here in Baguio? Do you want to stay here forever? Why? Why not?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages living in a city? What are the problems you usually encounter?

4. How is your lifestyle here in the city different from that of your province life before?

5. What are the different values that you encountered living in a farm and living here in the city? Have you experienced culture shock when you transferred here?

13

6. What are the experiences that affect your family value living? Your social values and culture (including your customs, religion, traditions, etc.)

7. What are the family values that you observe in your family? In your neighbors? How will you maintain the family values?

8. Can you provide the needs and wants of your family? How? Specify the typical needs and wants of your family members.

9. Is it difficult to live in the city? Why did you say so?10. Where will you prefer to live, in the city or in the farm?

Why?

B. Respondent’s Profile

Name: Ericson UbayCity

Address: Bakakeng Norte, Baguio CityProvincial Address: Agoo,

La UnionNationality: Filipino Age: 46

14

Civil Status: SingleGender: MaleOccupation: TechnicianReligion: Born Again Christian

“We are 3 in the family, and rent a house. As I remember, I live here in Baguio for more than 10 years…”

Name: Vivian AgcaoileCity Address: Bakakeng Norte, BCProvincial Address: Magapit, Lallo,

Cagayan Valley

Nationality: Filipino Age: 42Civil Status: MarriedGender: FemaleOccupation: HousewifeReligion: Roman Catholic

“We are 5 in the family and rent a house. We’ve been here for 6 years and I want to go back to our province, where my kids have grown…”

Name: William GonzalesCity Address:Bakakeng Norte,

Baguio City

Provincial Address: -none-Nationality: Filipino Age: 31Civil Status: SingleGender: Male

15

Occupation: AccountantReligion: Born Again

“We are 7 in the family. We rent the house. It’s been eleven years since we transferred in Baguio from Manila.”

16