Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Contents
[edit]
Core ideas and
Although Westernization and globalization have influenced Filipinos
main influences who live in the metropolitan areas, the overall culture remains quite
[1]
conservative in its sexual values. Filipino sexuality is affected
by education received by Filipinos from schools, the media, the rise
of the internet, religious teachings from their churches or other
similar spiritual institutions, legal policies and laws, and the
influence of urbanization or urbanized regions in the Philippines.
There are provisions and policies in the constitution of the
Philippines which promulgates that the sexual act should happen
only within the framework of married life between a man and
woman, because this personal human expression is solidly connected to the family unit and to
[2]
society as a whole.
As a predominantly Christian country, the Philippines considers that the only sexual behavior morally
and legally acceptable and appropriate is heterosexual intercourse within a monogamous marriage,
with the exception of polygamous marriage as practiced by some Filipino minority groups and by
Muslim communities in the Mindanao, southern, and southwestern regions of the Philippines, as
[2][3]
long as the men of these population are financially capable of supporting their multiple wives.
The following forms of sexual behavior are still considered illegal in the
country: prostitution, pornography, nudity, extramarital sex, and similar variants. Although
considered morally inappropriate, quiet homosexuality and heterosexual cohabitation have become
[1]
socially accepted to a certain degree. Homosexuality is legal in the Philippines, and the idea of
[2]
allowing same-sex marriage remains being debated by "both Church and State".
Furthermore, the Roman Catholic Church became the primary influence in legal, political, and
religious views and issues on sexuality, birth control and contraception, abortion, education
(including sex education, sexual roles of men and women, and homosexuality) and other aspects of
civil life in Philippine society. Among the views of the Catholic Church include that premarital sex
and masturbation are immoral behaviors, and that homosexuality – similar to the form of Catholicism
[3]
introduced by the Spanish missionaries – is an abnormal human conduct.
One of the general pronouncements for the majority of Filipinos is that men should choose to marry
virgin women and that women should keep and maintain their virginity until marriage. However, there
are some tribal Filipino communities who permit young men and women to engage in sexual
[3]
activities beginning from the stage of puberty.
Historical perspective[edit]
Indigenous culture[edit]
Before the arrival of the first group of Spaniards in the Philippine islands on the shores of Cebu,
under the leadership of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, the ancient native Filipinos already had their
own sexual and relationship practices. One of them is the carrying out of polygamy. Early Filipino
[3][4]
tribal men had five or more wives, a marital ethnic norm of the archipelago at the time.
Ancient unmarried Filipino women were encouraged by their cultural orientation at the time to
participate freely in sexual activities. According to Antonio Pigafetta and Friar Juan de Plasencia, as
explained by Stanley Karnow in his book, In Our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines and
in The Body Book by Fe Maria C. Arriola, apart from penile piercing through the use of rods made of
tin or gold with dimension similar to a goose-quill which may or may not have pointed spurs, the men
were also using other penile adornments such as the sagra and an item known in Tagalog as pilik-
[5]
mata ng kambing or "goat's eyelashes".
Pigafetta further described that there were adornments that are similar to the size of a cart nail, and
that the middle section of the rod had a hole to facilitate urination. During sexual intercourse, the top
of the spur – while attached to the penis – was smoothly introduced first into the woman's vagina,
followed by the bottom portion. Once the penis becomes stiff, the rod or bolt stayed firmly, and
[5]
cannot be withdrawn from the female's sex organ until the penis becomes flaccid.
10th century[edit]
Sex industry[edit]
Main article: Prostitution in the Philippines
As of 2009, one source estimated that there were 800,000 women working as prostitutes in the
[10]
Philippines.
Prostitution caters to local customers and foreigners. Media attention tends to focus on those
areas catering to sex tourism, primarily through bars staffed by bargirls. Cities where there is a
[11]
high incidence of prostitution are Angeles City, Olongapo, Subic Bay, and Pasay City, with
[11]
the customers usually foreign businessmen from East Asian and Western nations.
Pornography[edit]
Further information: Pornography and erotica in the Philippines
Based on the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines and Republic Act No. 7610, pornography is
defined as doctrines, publications, and shows that are immoral, obscene, and indecent.
Philippine legislations penalize involvement in these activities, including
[2]
the abuse, exploitation, prostitution, and discrimination of children.
Subtopics: