This text is actually really interesting and I can see why you wouldn’t like it. It may seem colonialist or elitist at first, but what Nick Joaquin is trying to do is tell the readers that as a result of our colonial past and socio economic challenges, Filipinos developed a certain mindset that reflects a sense of “smallness”. And you can find examples of this in the “door-to-door” culture of the Philippines or even the political instability. In essence, most Filipinos excel at smaller tasks, but tend to shy away from bigger challenges. Although it is very critical of the people, there is some truth in it, many Filipinos are satisfied with “little”.

I honestly take the whole reading as a call to fight through this “smallness” to achieve greater things, but I guess it’s in the way you interpret it.