LEARNING MODULE IN SOCIAL SCIENCE 2 (SOCIETY & CULTURE WITH FAMILY PLANING)

S.Y. 2020-2021
( Module 3 )

Prepared by:

NEIL M. MANTO
Subject teacher
MODULE 3

HOW SOCIETY IS ORGANIZED

INTRODUCTION:

Social relationships and patterns of interactions become 'institutions the moment they start
being governed by formal and informal agreements (e.g., written laws, contracts) or by strong
traditional norms. The agreements may dictate the concrete forms of arrangements within the
ambit (bounds or limit) of specific interests and goals. The word 'organizations' here does not
exclusively refer to types of association. Rather, it pertains to patterns of arrangements shaped
and conditioned by the overarching concerns that they aim to address.

OVERARCHING QUESTIONS

In what ways can forms of social organization reflect the nuances of human sociality?
(answer it in the blank provided or in separate sheet of paper).

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

 Trace kinship ties and social networks

 Describe the organized nature of social life and rules governing behavior in collective
contexts
 Compare different forms of social organization according to their manifest and latent
functions
 Analyze social structure
 Analyze economic organization and its impact the on the lives of people
 Differentiate functions of nonstate institutions in society
 Evaluate how functions of education affect lives of people of the people in the society
 Promote primary education as a human right
Lesson 1.0

(SOCIAL GROUPS)

DISCUSSIONS:

GROUPS: THE HEART OF INTERACTION

When individuals aggregate physically in a given space, they do not necessarily make a
social group. They are just a collection of warm bodies who happened to be together in one space
or who may happen to share a set of common characteristics. Technically, the former are referred
to in sociology as social aggregates a simple collection of people who happened to be together in a
particular place but do not significantly interact or identify with one another. The latter is
technically referred to as social categories _people who share a common characteristic (such as
gender or occupation) but do not necessarily interact or identify with one another

But when the relationship starts to go beyond mere "co-presence" or mere "co-category" a
group starts to emerge (Fig 3.1). This situation then suggests that groups are not just a collection
of being; they have some common interests that necessitate "interaction" with to each other
across time and space. Hence, group can be described as a collection of individuals who have
regular contact and frequent interaction, mutual influence, common feeling of belongingness, and
work together to achieve a common set of goals.

Social groups can be formed from social aggregates and social categories

Although groups are collections of individuals, they may differ in terms of what binds these
individuals together. For example, a family can be considered a group, but it is different from a
peer group or an interest group. The difference is not just in mere physical closeness, but in the
quality of feeling one has for and with the other individuals in the group. Some groups are bonded
by the actual feeling of belongingness, but some individuals may have the same feeling without
them being recognized by the group as part of them.

SOCIAL GROUP

Social group can be defined as a collection of people who regularly interact with one another
on the basis of shared expectations concerning behavior and who share a sense of common
identity. With these qualifications as to what constitute a group, its will be better to
define/describe the categories of groups based on some standards:

1. Primary group. This is typically a small social group whose members share close, personal,
enduring relationships. Primary groups are marked by members concern for one another
and shared activities and culture. Examples include families, childhood friends, and highly
influential social groups. They are typically small-scale, include intimate relationships, and
are usually long-lasting. The members of primary groups feel a strong personal identity
with the group.

2. Secondary group. This has the opposite characteristics of a primary group. Secondary
groups can be small or large and they are mostly impersonal and usually short-term. These
groups are typically found at work and school. An example of a secondary group is a
committee organized to plan a holiday party at work. Members of the committee meet
infrequently and for only a short period of time. Although group members may have some
similar interests, the purpose of the group is about the task instead of the relationships.
Sometimes, secondary groups become pretty informal, and the members get to know each
other fairly well.
3. Reference group. This is a group to which we compare ourselves. Reference groups, such
as those of college freshmen, serve as a standard against which behaviors and attitudes
are measured. We use reference groups in order to guide our behavior and attitudes and
help us to identify social norms. Hence reference group may also be called as "identity
association group" since its creation is fueled by a person's desire to provide a character
connection. Reference groups may be classified as in-group or out-group as shown in the
matrix below.
 Groups and how they behave are not necessarily categorized in terms of membership, actual
as in the primary and secondary group, or imagined as in the reference groups. They may be
categorized in terms of how an individual is linked to any actual or imagined groups, as in the
networks defined as sets of informal and formal social ties that link people to each other. A
network may not be a physical group or a group that is populated by actual people. It is formed by
the presence of social linkage invoked and availed by an individual for some personal, economic,
religious, or political reasons.

As we can see from the previous discussion, groups may influence their members in a variety
of ways, from their thinking to their actual behavior. Sometimes violent behaviors and certain
forms of biases result. With this, we can appreciate the insight that groups are part of our social
psyches, in thoughts and in actions. History is replete with examples of this phenomenon: the
Holocaust, the Guyana mass suicides, ISIS terrorism (or terrorism in general), and many others.

When this happens, a groupthink-a process by which the members of a group ignore ways
thinking and plans of action that go against the group consensus-is said to be taking place,
Groupthink, in its general sense, is the psychological influence exerted over us by our respective
groups on moral, legal, scientific and religious matters. Groupthink is normally evaluative in
nature, hence it may affect the relationships of groups with each other.

PERFORMANCE TASK ( To be answer in the space provided or in a separate sheet of paper. )

My Group as a Mirror of Myself

From among the many groups that you have had, past and present choose one that you think
provided you the most memorable impacts. Describe the group in column A, then enumerate
the impacts it had on you as a social person.

A. B

THE GROUP ITS LASTING IMPACTS ON ME AS A SOCIAL PERSON

Lesson 2.0

( COURTSHIP )

DISCUSSIONS:

CONCEPT OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE

Courtship. The family in all societies undergoes change. The major causes of which are the
process of modernization with their concomitant developments such as industrialization,
urbanization, and outside influences brought in by mass media and contact with Western culture.
Fortunately, this process is evolutionary in most aspects of life. To understand the present
patterns of courtship, we have to trace their roots in ancient practices (Espiritu et al., 1977).

Courtship during the early period took patience and a spirit of dedication on the part of a
man to win the hand of his fair lady. For the custom of the period, a custom that has persisted to
this day in some remote areas, required that he serve the girl's parents for months or even years.
He chopped wood, fetched water, and did chores required of him. He was not supposed to talk to
his fair lady; only their eyes meet occasionally to exchange mute messages of love. There was no
chance for them to meet clandestinely, for the girl was zealously guarded by the parents or by the
grandparents, who were always on the lookout for any sign of mischief on the part of the suitor or
their girl. After having satisfied themselves that the suitor would make a good son in-law and
husband, the parents finally gave conditions(Agoncillio, 1990).

These conditions revolved around the dowry or brideprice. The dowry was a gift turned over
by the groom to the bride's parents, for all practical purpose in exchange for the bride. When a
man decided to marry, he consulted his parents and the elders in his family. If the girl and her
family were acceptable, the groom's family started to negotiate with the bride's parents in a
ceremony called the "pamamanhikan." Elderly representatives of both parties discussed the terms
of a dowry with great tact and diplomacy.

The dowry ordinarily refers to the custom in many European societies of the bride's parents
giving a substantial present to the husband. Here it has the opposite meaning of a gift from the
groom's parents to those of the bride. This is sometimes known as "bride purchase," although it is
seldom a market type of transaction. The dowry is usually a marriage settlement consisting of
land, house, or other goods given by the groom's family to the new wife (Espiritu et al., 1977).

There are several kinds of dowry to be given to the family of the bride-to-be, to wit:

1. Bigay-kaya. Consisting of land, gold, or dependents. In the absence of these, any valuable article
would do;

2. Panghimuyat. This is a certain amount of money to be given to the bride-to-be's parents as

payment for the mother's efforts in rearing the girl to womanhood;

3. Bigay-suso. This is another bribe to be given to the girl's wet-nurse who fed the bride during her
infancy with milk from her own breasts;

4. Himaraw. Sum of money to be given to the girl's parents as reimbursement for the amount
spent in feeding the girl during her infancy; and

5. Sambon. A dowry to be given to the girl's relatives (Agoncillo, 1990).

Such was the old practice of the Filipinos. In this later part of our societal life, the rural or
gemeinschaft folks, especially in the remote areas and the different minorities alike, still practice
such kind of courtship pat- terns.

In contrast, the individualistic trend of gessellschaft society has begun to manifest itself by
the present day courtship customs. There is more freedom of association among young people.
The old idea of chaperonage has been replaced by group dating, on the theory that this is less
demanding on the parents and that the presence of a group will prevent infractions of the mores
governing premarital behavior.

Youth of today enjoy greater freedom of association with the other gender. The field from
which to choose a mate is wider, and greater opportunities are available for social contact. Young
people feel that they are free to select their mates. Their elders agree because they reason that
after all it is the children and not the parents who will live with their mates, and in case the mar-
riage does not succeed, the children cannot blame their elders. Nevertheless, parents keep a close
watch on the persons with whom their children associate. As much as possible they try to
influence the children's choices of mates. Kinship is very strong, and any great event in the
individual's life is a group concern. The mores associated with marriage are such that no matter
what the youth may say about having independent choice of a mate, the parent's opinions and
evaluation determine to a long extent the individual's decision. Parents generally defer to the
children's choice but after being convinced of it merits, they tend to give in the choice of their
children or that the children will follow the suggestions of their parents or elders. This is because
of the belief that in times of crisis the family provides assistance, mate rial or emotional. It is a
very important factor in seeking parental approval (Espiritu et al., 1977).

CONCEPTIONS OF LOVE

The moment the hearts of a man and a woman consummated a deal to be sweethearts till
they decide to tie the knot of marriage, it is understood that there is already the conception of
love. Erich Fromm said that:

“To love somebody is not just a strong feeling - it is a decision, it is a judgment, it is a

promise. If love were only a feeling, there would be no basis for the promise to love each other
forever. A feeling comes and it may go (Knox and Schacht, 1999).”

According to R.J. Sternberg, love consists of various degrees of intimacy, passion, and
commitment. Intimacy includes disclosing personal feelings and thoughts, giving/receiving
emotional support to/from the beloved and being able to count on the beloved in times of need.
Passion involves sexual longing and sexual needs. Commitment is characterized by a decision to
maintain the love relationship with the partner both now and in the future.

Using the three basic elements of love, R.J. Sternberg identified the following kinds of love:

1. Non-love. Absence of all three components;

2. Liking. Intimacy without passion or commitment;

3. Infatuation. Passion without intimacy or commitment;

4. Romantic love. Intimacy and passion without commitment;

5. Companionate love. Commitment and intimacy without passion;

6.Fatuous love. Passion and commitment without intimacy;

7. Empty love. Commitment without passion or intimacy; and

8. Consummate love. Combination of intimacy, passion, and commitment.

There are some overlap among these types of love. For example, some level of commitment
is felt between romantic lovers (romantic love), and some level of passion is felt between
companionate lovers (companionate love). However, the predominant focus of romantic love is
passion and the predominant quality of companionate love is commitment (Knox and Schaht,
1999).
 Whereas, John Lee identified a number of styles of love that describe the way lovers relate to
each other, these are:

1. Ludus. The ludic lover views love as a game, as play, as fun, and refuses to become dependent
on any one person and does not encourage another's intimacy. Two essential skills of the ludic
lover are to juggle several people at the same time and to manage each relationship so that no
one is seen too often. These strategies help to ensure that the relationship does not deepen into an
all-consuming love;

2. Pragma. This is the love of the pragmatic who is logical and rational. The pragma lover assesses
his or her partner on the basis of assets and liabilities. Economic security may be regarded as very
important. The pragma lover does not seek interracial, long distance, or age- discrepant partners,
because logic argues against doing so;

3. Eros. Just the opposite of pragma, the erotic lover is consumed by passion and romance.
Intensity of both emotional and sexual feelings dictates one's love involvements. The titanic love
between Rose and Jack was of the Eros style. Also Eros was the most common love style among
college students;

4. Mania. The person with manic love feels in tense emotional and sexual passion but is out of
control. The person is possessive and dependent and must have the beloved. Persons who are
extremely jealous and controlling reflect manic love. Prosecutors in the 0.J. Simpson trial implied
that Simpson's love for Nicole Brown was of the manic variety:

5. Storge. Storge love is calm, soothing, non- sexual love devoid of intense passion. Respect,
friendship, commitment, and familiarity are characteristics that help to define the relationship.
The partners care deeply about each other but not in a romantic or lustful sense. Their love is also
more likely to endure than fleeting romance; and

6. Agape. Agape is selfless and giving, expecting nothing in return. The nurturing and caring
partners are concerned only about the welfare and growth of each other. The love parents have
for their children is often described as agapic love (Knox and Schacht, 1999).

Lesson 3.0

(MARRIAGE)

DISCUSSIONS:

Having walked to the difficult situation of courtship and selection or choice of mate that are
necessary preconditions to the establishment of a family, you are now ready to embark into the
most exciting part of its journey, i, e., constituting your family. You are now ready to get married
complete with the requisites required by the society, tribe, or religious ties of the concerned
individual, and the laws attendant to the society. The above-enumerated concepts of love and
affectionate relationship may be the guide post in selecting your mate. There might be other
considerations in choosing a mate and only the concerned individuals are privy to it since they are
the persons in the best position to decide for themselves.

In today's world, marriage is occurring later and less often; divorce, legal separation, and
annulment of marriage have become more common, as have families with only one resident
parent, usually the mother. Harding (1996) said that "second and subsequent marriages after
divorce, heterosexual cohabitation without formal marriage, and child bearing and rearing outside
formal marriage, sometimes in cohabitation but sometimes also by a mother alone, have become
more common features of society."

Though the nature of marriage may vary by the individuals involved and the society in which
it exists, marriage is recognized as one of the most valued of all relationships. Although individuals
today are waiting until they are older to marry, marriage remains a goal for most. Indeed, among
youth today commitment to the idea of life-long marriage appears to be stronger. The benefits
that await the married persons are compared with singles who are never-married, separated, or
divorced, the differences are striking. Knox and Schacht(1999) provide the differences:

Marriage is a sacrament of the hearts, a covenant with the State, and a holy agreement with
God. It should not be tarnished even in the foolish thought of breaking up the bond to give way to
our earthly lust for flesh -to do so - would be an embarrassment before God. It should not be
stained by petty quarrels - to do so - would tax the state with unnecessary petitions for
separation. It should not be worrisome for it would disturb the serenity of the heart. Marriage
should be a happy union of two affectionate hearts tied by God's love and grace, and cemented by
the States immortal mandates of preserving the sanctity of family life at all cost.

Fr. Joseph Gabaldon, S.J, wrote in his column, "Mustard Seed," the following statements of
the sacrament of marriage, thus:

“Marriage is a fundamental sacrament that gives us grace and love and holiness. The
Sacrament of Matrimony is really a marriage with God. A Jesuit preacher tells a story that the
bride and the groom walk down the aisle to the altar at the beginning of marriage. That is a sign
of their desire for each other and for God in marriage. But after the wedding the husband and wife
walk back down the aisle with Jesus! That is a sign of their love for each other and for God.
Marriage is the beginning of a long and happy journey in life, together with each other and with
God. It is marriage with God (PDI, May 21, 2000).

In religious parlance, marriage is among the most intimate of all human relationships.
Couples who give their relations time, effort, and commitment find marriage as one of life's
greatest fulfillment. On the other hand, those who fail to work toward mutual goals and to bring
variety into their marriage, find it as a source of great frustration and misery as such results in a
poor, static, and routine relationship. Marriage is a union between husband and wife. It allows no
pre-conditions as many have done these days. It is a lifelong commitment- "for better or worse,
for richer or poorer, in health or in sickness, until death do us part." Indeed, no man may divorce
what God has joined together.

In the West, marriage is generally perceived as an unstable institution. Television sitcoms,

soap operas, and even Hollywood films often dismiss the idea of marriage as a life-long
commitment. Divorce is openly portrayed as a welcome route to freedom from the difficulties of
marriage. In truth, recent divorce rates show that the chances of first marriage in the United
States ending in divorce are about one in two. One expert argues that if the current levels persist,
60 percent of recent marriages will end in divorce. The US divorce rate is the world's highest –
more than triple the Japanese rate and at least double the divorce rates in the other major
industrial democracies except England (Rodas, Richard J., Pasugo, August 2000).

Sociologically, marriage is a partnership between a man and a woman formalized by either a

religious or a civil ceremony and having a required particular status in law as well as in social
custom (Harding, 1997).

Maurice Taylor et al. (1987) sees marriage as a public and legal statement whereby a man
and a woman agree to share certain social and sexual privileges and adhere to contractual
obligations. The privileges associated with marriage are largely tied to sexual intimacy. Once
married, an adult may engage in sexual activity without fear of legal intervention or social stigma,
as long as the sexual activity is confined to one's spouse. Having children who are regarded as
legitimate and being accepted as part of a community are privileges derived from socially
approved sexual intimacy.

THEORIES OF MATE SELECTION

"Bigamy is having one husband too many - Monogamy is the same." - Elizabeth Taylor
(Married and divorced eight times). Every society recognizes at least one form of marriage. Within
these various forms, there is considerable variation in who can be married to whom, and the
nature of their relationship. In all societies, getting married involves attaining new status. Along
with this new status comes a set of role expectations - the rights, responsibilities, and obligations
associated with being married (Knox and Schacht, 1999).

Many societies have explicit or unstated rules which define potential mates as socially
acceptable or unacceptable. These norms can be distinguished in terms of endogamy and
exogamy. Endogamy, from the Greek word "endon" which means "within," specifies the groups
within which a spouse must be found and prohibits marriage with others (Schaefer and Lamm,
1992). For ex- ample, in the Philippines, many Filipinos are expected to marry within their own
ethnic groups (i.e. Muslim and Chinese Filipinos) or religious affiliation (i.e. Iglesia Ni Cristo or
Jehovah's Witnesses).

Whereas, exogamy, from the Greek word "exo" which means "outside," requires mate
selection outside certain groups, usually one's own family or certain kin folk. The incest taboo, a
social norm common to virtually all societies, prohibits sexual relationships between certain
culturally specified relatives. Mate selection has been likened to a filtering process. We select a
future spouse by passing him or her through a series of filters. Rules of endogamy and exogamy
initially define the field of eligible candidates. Proximity or propinquity that is, nearness to a
person, narrows the field even more. The end result of this filtering process may be marriage or
cohabitation outside of marriage (Schaefer and Lamm, 1992).

Other Marriage Patterns. In the Philippines and much of the western world, a marriage form
known as monogamy is practiced; each man may have only one wife at a time, and each woman
may have only one husband. This is true to the Christian Filipinos.

Many cultures, however, practice some form of polygamy - marriage in which a person may
have more than one spouse at a time (Brinkerhoff and White, 1987). There are two kinds of
polygamous marriage: firstly is polygyny which allows a man to have more than one wife at a
time. The Islamic culture is a good example of this pattern in which an Islamic man may have as
many as four wives if he can support them and if the laws of the state permits it; and secondly, is
polyandry wherein a woman may have more than one husband at a time. The Toda people of
Southern India and some remote people in Tibet are among the rare examples of polyandrous
societies that have been documented (Kornblum,1988).

Lesson 4.0

(SOCIOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL CONCEPT OF FAMILY)

DISCUSSIONS:

"The family is, as far as we know, the toughest institution we have. It is, in fact, the
institution to which we owe our humanity." Margaret Mead (Skolnick, 1996). It has been said time
and again that family is the basic unit of the society. It is the primary social institution or social
group where one is born. Failure of this institution to direct or chart the correct way of its
members will destroy the bond that ties as the fore-runner of the agencies destined to rear,
develop, and discipline the youth of the society. F. Allen Furr (1997) said that:

“ The family is the bridge that connects individual experience and development with
communities and social institutions. As a particularly influential aspect of the environment, fami-
lies reproduce the culture and community standards by teaching members how to get along in the
social world. Family membership affects society's reaction to individuals. From families people get
their ethnicity and economic standing. As systems, families have dynamics that exert pressure on
the individuals within them. Families form patterns of interacting that foster or inhibit individual
development. By focusing on family interaction styles rather than the psychological status of
individual family members, it becomes possible to understand the family as a systematic
environmental force and how it influences human behavior.”

The family, being the constellation of roles, should set the framework of basic normative
rules for the individual member of the family to follow. The core feature of it should conform to
the society's paradigm of norms. The family is central not only to our lives as adults but to those of
our children. The positive effect of family connectedness on children has been confirmed. Michael
D. Resnick et al. found that "feelings of warmth, love, and caring from parents were associated
with less emotional distress, lower substance abuse, and later age for first intercourse." Politicians
often point to the breakdown of the family as one of the primary social problems in the world
today - a problem that underlies other social problems such as crime, drug abuse, and poverty
(Knox and Schacht, 1999).

A family can be defined as a set of people related by blood, marriage (or some other agreed-
upon relationship), or adoption who share the primary responsibility for reproduction and caring
for members of society (Schaefer and Lamm, 1992). Another definition is that a family is a
biological as well as a social group - a relatively permanent group of persons linked together and
cooperate economically and in the rearing of children.

Applying the above-captioned definition to a typical Filipino family would give us a glimpse
as to the objectives of a family. Dr. Encarnacion Alzona, a Professor of History at the University of
the Philippines, pictured it in this wise:

Family life is still characterized by strong ties in spite of the freedom now enjoyed bythe women.
The Filipinos are naturally fond of home life, and the influence of Spanish law and teachings of the
Catholic church which stress filial love and obedience, serve further to maintain family solidarity. It
is the prevailing custom among the Filipinos for the adult unmarried sons and daughters to live
with their parents and give to them all their earnings. The mother is the family treasurer and
disbursing Officer, and in her absence, either the father or the eldest daughter takes charge of the
family finances (Laurel, 1965).

The Filipino Family. Although in many societies family life is deteriorating so rapidly simply
because the entire way of life of the modern culture has greatly changed, the Filipino family in
general is still monogamous. Like any other ordinary family all over the world, the Filipino family
plays a unique role for the child as it gives affection, care, attention, protection, and engenders in
him a sense of belonging or security. The Filipino family is an institution of security which protects
its members from exigencies of living. The members are bound to help each other, to help the
unemployed or the physically handicapped and to take care of the aged. The Filipino family
founded on love and affection, sanctified by marital virtue of whatever religion is cohesive in
nature. Husband and wife relationship as well as parent and children relationship is one of
closeness and harmony. It is governed in the best tradition of human rights and of understanding
of each and every member of the family. As a social group it maintains its unity and homogeinity,
they stay together as the basis of Filipino social life, and its members respect and honor each
other. In general, in the home of a Filipino family there is love, cooperation, respect, justice,
democracy and above all there is God whom they respect and believe as the greatest source of
human consolation .

There are four kinds of love that should exist within a family, and in a way, it is a sort of a
cord that preserves the family. These are:

1. Conjugal love. Refers to the natural affection of husband and wife. It is a love that never

falls away. It is love that demands unity and undissolubility of the marriage bond of husband

and wife, and it involves unswerving mutual loyalty;

2. Parental love. Manifested in the desire for children and in self-sacrificing care, protection, and

love of offspring;

3. Filial love. It is the attraction of the child to his father and mother. It is a vital integrating

factor in the home. It exerts a powerful influence over the personality of the child;

and

4. Fraternal Love. Refers to the love between the siblings. Brothers and sisters stand in a

special relationship toward each other. It is a special natural attraction that is not found be-

tween any others (E.J. Ross).

 The FAMILY as a construct stands for F - father, A-and, M - mother, a member of the family
will say

I (child - son or daughter), L - love, Y - you. So that without the four (4) kinds of love, a husband
and wife could never establish a family because filial and fraternal loves are absent.

Lesson 5.0

CONCEPT OF FAMILY PLANNING

DISCUSSIONS:

The Sixth (6th) Billion Baby

Is the announcement of the 6th billion baby to inhabit the earth the scare that engulfed the
people of this world to think twice to plan one's family? October 12, 1999 was the date when the
6th billion baby arrived in our midst was born to a couple of Herzegovina – a war torn province in
this former Yugoslavia. The place was so chosen to dramatize to stop the civil war that ravaged
the province. The message of the 6th billion citizen of the world is clear: "A human being has just
arrived in this world and he wants his natural right to life.

To live simply in a comforting environment full of love, laughter, peace and serenity." It is
scary to those who believe in the Malthusian hypothesis in the 18th Century that poverty and
starvation increases in proportion to the rise in population. And it is not scary to those who believe
that population is not a problem since food supplies have grown at least as fast as population.
Whether it is scary or not, family planning, not to control population but to have a better family
life, is in order. There is no substitute for having a family good enough to be taken care of. After all
a smaller family is always more manageable than a bigger family.

Family Planning

In this country where eighty (80) percent of the population is Catholic, the Roman Catholic
church has roundly banned all artificial contraception. Whether such prohibition has discouraged
the faithful or whether it has been honored more in the breach than in the observance is what the
laws say is forbidden and what society says is permissible. In cultures possessing an exalted
priesthood, even the word of a high priest as instrument of the will of the gods may not be
sufficient argument particularly when it is in response to so basic a drive as sex. But the injunction
is not entirely irrelevant. It indicates the depth of feeling involved, the degree of repression in
respect to non-procreative intercourse. Indeed, contraceptives making their debut in the form of
condoms used by the liberating Gis in the Second World War and then as birth control pills in the
1960s, concreted a wall separating procreation from sex. Thus, no longer could one argue that sex
was only for reproduction the way it still is with the birds and the bees and the tamaraws and the
fruit flies.

Contraceptives helped create a more permissive attitude toward pre-marital and extramarital
intercourse even if it didn't result in the outbreak of hedonism and promiscuity some of its critics
forecast or a reduction in unwanted pregnancies its advocates hoped for (Malang, 1992).

Family planning means planned parenthood and contraception. Planned parenthood is

responsible procreation and socialization of children. Contraception connotes prevention of
unwanted pregnancies through the use of approved contraceptive methods.
 The government advocates family planning which means delayed marriage at the age of 25,
birth spacing between 2 to 3 years and a small family size of three children through the use of
legally approved contraceptive methods. Experts define family planning as the process by which
responsible couples if they wish can determine by themselves the timing, spacing and number of
children born to them. It can also mean the rational utilization of effective contraceptive methods
by married couples so they can space and limit their children to desirable size in order for them to
attain quality life (Ronquillo et al.,1989).

Family Planning is a concept of enhancing the quality of life of families which includes the
regulating and spacing of childbirth, helping subfertile couples beget children, and counseling
parents and would be parents. It is not only limiting and spacing children but also a way of life to
promote the health of mothers and children. Family planning would help parents decide how
many children they want and when to have them.

Family planning seeks to attain the maximum enjoyment of life. It is anchored on the right of
the individual to growth of mind and body, to health and to work, and to affirm his dignity as a
person. It aims to promote the responsible use of procreation to convince people that the birth of a
child need not occur by chance so that his future is solely dependent on fate or divine will. The
sexual act must take into consideration the inherent right to a dignified existence of the future
child. Limiting the number of children is a parental responsibility that considers the welfare of the
family, community, and society (Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports, 1983).

The Importance of Family Planning

There are many reasons that may encourage a couple to decide to limit their family or space
the births of their children. Newly weds may not want to have a baby soon after marriage. They
may want to postpone having a baby until such time that they are more financially prepared to
raise a family. Family planning helps couples determine how many children they will have and
when they will have them. Each child then becomes a wanted child.

Family planning enables newly weds to enjoy a longer honeymoon or adjustment period. In
the process, both will have a chance to mature physically and emotionally. In this way, too, they
become better prepared for the responsibilities and demands of parenthood. Food, clothing,
shelter, education, health care, love, and attention are basic needs of children. In this time and
age, smaller families can afford better nutrition, adequate and appropriate clothing, and
comfortable and healthful living condition more than larger families. The rising prices of prime
commodities belief the old saying that "Two can live as cheaply as one" or "Cheaper by the
dozens."

Education is an important right of children. It develops their potentials and prepares them for
a productive life and as contributing members of the society. It is a precious legacy which cannot
be taken away from them. One has to pay and work for it. Again, the less children to educate the
less expenses for the parents. Children need to feel that they are loved and wanted. They need
loving guidance and counsel as they face growing-up responsibilities. Since every child has a
pesonality of his own, it is necessary for parents to treat each child individually. The fewer children
they have, the fewer personality differences they have to deal with, and the more time to spend
for each child. No parents would admit, no matter how many their children may be, that they love
any child less than the others. But when there are so many, the concern is more on how to provide
especially for their material needs at the expense of showing their love and attention to each one
of the many.

However, if there are only two or three children, the problem would be less in all aspects. A
mother's health is as important consideration in planning the family. The youthful vigor and well-
being of the mother can be maintained if she has only few and evenly spaced children to allow her
time to recover her health after a delivery. Furthermore, the baby will have a better chance to be
cared for properly and grow up healthy and strong both physically and mentally. Likewise, the
father, who is the breadwinner, can provide for the needs of the family without hassle. The burden
becomes lighter when children are spaced according to their parents' ability to provide. For
couples with many children, not only the parents feel the burden of feeding, clothing, housing, and
educating them but also the government agencies concerned.

Aside from the personal reasons for planning the family, we have to consider national and
community goals. We are trying to be a modern country that can provide quality life for all of its
people. To do this, we must experience economic growth. We want to produce more food and sell
more products than we ever had. Right now we are working hard to increase the amount of food
we can raise but so many babies are being born that they require all the extra food produced. If
we could only raise more food than we need, we can export the excess and improve the economy
of our country. Many countries in the world are beginning to feel the effects of the problem of
rapid population growth. There may soon be too many people for the land to support. Too rapid
population growth will give rise to social problems, such as shortage of housing, overcrowding,
unsanitary conditions, crowded schools, inadequate health care facilities and recreational centers.
Food and water supply will also be affected. Family planning is, therefore, not only a way of
helping individual families, but also a way of helping countries attain their development goals
(Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports, 1983).
Lesson 6.0

( DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE )

DISCUSSIONS:

Marriage has a profound meaning for most people. Although some marriages eventually end
in annulment or legal separation, for reasons known only to them, but they believe that their
marriage will last "till death do they part." Marriage is formal, legal union in which debts and
assets are shared. It is a public declaration of commitment, companionship, and love. For many
people, marriage also carries expectations of being a "cure all" for their problems. These families
have love, but they idealize what love means.

More than ever, Filipinos, especially women, value marriage as a token for the rest of their
lives. Although there are some isolated cases of broken marriages, it does not manifest an era
where a spouse will easily say, "Let us now separate, I don't love you anymore." There are only
times when couple could not withstand the rigors of adjusting to their new roles as partners,
parents, and breadwinners for all the members of the family. This is especially true to the young
couples who are not quite prepared to embark on such life.

In the Philippines, there are ways in our laws wherein marriage could be dissolved for as long
as the ground for dissolving the bond is present. Otherwise, couples are bound to preserve the
sanctity of their vows. The Family Code, which was adopted on August 3, 1988, provides the
following methods in which Filipino couples could dissolve their marriage bond.

A. Legal Separation. A petition for legal separation may be filed on any of the following grounds:

 1.Repeated physical violence or grossly abusive conduct directed against the petitioner, a
common child, or a child of the petitioner.
 2. Physical violence or moral pressure to compel the petitioner to change religious an
 3.Attempt of respondent to corrupt or induce the petitioner, a common child, or a child of
the petitioner to engage in prostitution, or connivance in such corruption or induce-
 4.Final judgment sentencing the respondent to imprisonment of more than six years, even
if pardoned;
 5.Drug addiction or habitual alcoholism of the respondent
 6. Lesbianism or homosexuality of the respondent:
 7. Contracting by the respondent of a subsequent bigamous marriage, whether in the
Philippines or abroad;
 8. Sexual infidelity or perversion;
 9. Attempt by the respondent against the life of the petitioner; or
 10. Abandonment of petitioner by respondent without justifiable cause for more than one
year.

B.Annulment of Marriage. A marriage may be annulled for any of the following causes existing at
the time of the marriage, to wit:

 1.Absence of parental consent if one of the parties is eighteen years old but below twenty
one;
 2. Either of one party was of unsound mind; fraud;
 3.Consent of either party was obtained by
 4.Consent of either party was obtained by force, intimidation, or undue influence;
 5.Physical incapacity, or
 6. Affliction of serious and incurable sexually transmissible disease.

The aforementioned are the laws of the State. Religiously, God corrects the wrong notion of
those who consider marriage as a purely civil arrangement and who argue that divorce would
unmask the facades of respectability concealing the unhappiness and even violence within some
marriages. Prophet Malachi explains thus:
 You ask why he no longer accepts them.

It is because he knows you have broken your

promise to the wife you married when you were

young. She was your partner, and you have

broken your promise to her, although you pro-

mised before God that you would be faithful to

her. Didn't God make you one body and spirit

with her? What was his purpose in this? It was

that you should have children who are truly

God's people. So make sure that none of you

breaks his promise to his wife. I hate divorce,

says the Lord God of Israel. " hate it when

one of you does such a cruel thing to his wife.'

Make sure that you do not break your promise

to be faithful to your wife.

God abhors a philandering husband who is cruel and

unfaithful to his wife. He also hates an unfaithful wife.

More so, He hates divorce. A couple should remember

that they have been made partners by God in an insti-

tution that He Himself established - marriage. The in-

violability of marriage was clearly emphasized by the Lord

Jesus when He answered the question of the Pharisees

who tried to trap him, "Do you permit Divorce?"

Some Pharisees came to interview him, and tried to trap him into saying something that
would ruin him. 'Do you permit divorce they asked. 'Don't you read the scriptures?' he replied. In
them it is written that at the beginning God created man and woman, and that a man should
leave his father and mother, and be forever united with his wife. The two shall become one - no
longer two, but one! And no man may divorce what God has joined together (Mt. 19:3-6, Living
Bible, in the work of Rodas, Richard J., God's Decree on Marriage and Divorce, Pasugo, August
2000).

Recent Development on Divorce. There is now a proposed law in the House of

Representatives during the eleventh Congress filed on March 8, 1999 and authored by
Representative Manuel C. Ortega of La Union providing for the grounds of divorce in the
Philippines. Read the rationale of this proposed law and comment on its merits whether to allow
or not its passage in the light of the radical changes in our society particularly the institution of
Filipino families. His explanatory note is herein quoted in full:

“ This bill seeks to amend Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the Family Code of
the Philippines, as amended by Executive Order No. 227, by allowing absolute divorce (a
matrimonii) and thereby granting legally separated spouses the right to remarry.
 Today not all marriages succeed as a permanent union. An increasing number of married
individuals find themselves subjected by their marriage partners to physical violence, grossly
abusive conduct and other acts or offenses that rather than promote blissful, harmonious conjugal
and family life – impair, debase or destroy the legitimate ends of the marriage relationship. This
bill thus seeks to give spouses who are shackled by an irretrievably broken marriage the freedom
to remarry fulfilling family life. and possibly succeed in attaining a stable and Divorce is not a
noble legal right granted by Philippine civil laws: The Family Code of the Philippines sanctions
relative divorce (a mensaet thoro). Under the provisions of Title II of the said Code, legal
separation, or separation from bed and board, is a recognized remedy for victims of failed
marriages. To be sure, our civil laws have always recognized the need to allow married individuals
to sever conjugal ties under certain justifiable conditions.

Neither is divorce an institution exclusive to contemporary times. Historical records indicate

that long before the advent of Spanish colonial rule beginning in the early 16th Century, absolute
divorce had been widely practiced among our ancestral tribes - the Tagbanwas of Palawan, the
Gandang of Nueva Vizcaya, the Sagada and the Igorot of the Cordilleras, the Manobo, Bila-an and
Moslems of Visayas and Mindanao islands, to name a few. During the Spanish regime, the law on
divorce was the Siete Partidas which allowed only legal separation. The Spanish Civil Code on the
subject were among those suspended by Governor General Valeriano Weyler in 1889, and was
never enforced since.

In 1917, Act 2710 was passed by the Philippine Legislature repealing the Siete Partidas by
allowing divorce on the grounds of adultery on the part of the wife and concubinage on the part of
the husband. During the Japanese occupation a new law on absolute divorce, Executive order No.
141, was promulgated providing for ten grounds for divorce. The law lasted until 1944 when
General Douglas MacArthur re-established the Commonwealth Government by proclamation
which in effect repealed Executive Order No. 141 and revived Act No. 2710 In 1950, Act 2710 was
repealed by the Civil Code of the Philippines which allows only legal separation. The draft of the
Code, however, had provisions on absolute divorce which was subsequently eliminated and
substituted with legal separation. The present Family Code of the Philippines also does not allow
divorce (except a divorce obtained by the alien spouse of a Filipino citizen abroad), but it has
expanded the grounds for legal separation to ten. Indeed, quoting a respected Filipino historical
writer, "the law has come full circle."

While the Family Code of the Philippines allows relative divorce, it prohibits lawfully
separated spouses from exercising the right to remarry. Under our present laws, legal separation
does not dissolve the marriage bond between legally separated spouses, said parties are
considered married individuals for all legal intents and purposes. Our civil laws on marriage justify
and allow the separation of a married couple under certain circumstances, but forestall both
spouses from pursuing manta/ ties with others. As a result, this jurisdiction legally sanctions
separation of married individuals but does not confer them the legal right or remedy to extricate
themselves from the ordeal of a broken marriage.

In the light of the foregoing, it is proposed that our present laws on marriage be amended to
allow absolute divorce or dissolution of marriage. Based on the increasing number of failed
marriages which confines many of our citizens to a perpetual state of marital limbo, it has become
morally and socially acceptable for many Filipinos to grant spouses of broken marriages the legal
right to remarry. The present grounds for legal separation which are recognized in our society as
justifiable bases for relative divorce should be re-enacted as lawful grounds for absolute divorce.
In addition, it is recommended that irreconcilable marital differences be included in our present
civil laws as a justifiable cause for absolute divorce because not all circumstances and situations
that vitiate the institution of marriage could be specifically categorized and defined by our
lawmakers. Spouses living in a state of irreparable marital conflict or discord should be given the
opportunity to present their marital contrarieties before the courts and have such differences
adjudged as substantial grounds to dissolve or sever the legal bond of marriage.
Lesson 7.0

( ABORTION )

DISCUSSIONS:

Corollary to the discussion on family planning is the ticklish issue on abortion. The First World
or the G-7 or Group of Seven Highly Industrialized Countries (Canada, USA, Japan, Great Britain,
France, Germany, and Italy) of the world favor the liberal approach to dehumanize the world not
through family planning but through the more fatal solution of Abortion. This is one option to cast
away unwanted pregnancies or probably wanted pregnancies but married couples are not yet
ready to venture into parenthood. Any reasons advanced to justify such act of fetus killing could
not deodorize the abominations created by the killing of the unborn. The unborn has nothing to do
with the problems of his would-be parents for he is just but a necessary feature in a husband-wife
relationship. But there are so many couples or live-in partners who have gone too far as to
procreate yet in the long run would not face the responsibility attached to the illusion of sexual
embarkation. To avoid such situation before facing the legend of procreation family planning
should be considered.

In the Philippines, although we are Christian believers, there have been so many reports
where women who may have been victims of their own biological curiosity with partners resort to
abortion. With the occurrence of these cases, whether to legalize abortion or not is the prevailing
issue. The fundamental law of the Republic of the Philippines provides that:

“ The State recognizes the sanctity of family life... It shall equally protect the life of the
mother and the life of the unborn from conception (Article II, Section 12, 1987 Constitution). This is
an explicit provision of the Constitution that prohibits abortion of unwanted pregnancies. The
State reaffirms its basic duty and responsibility at preserving the sanctity of family life by equally
protecting the life of the mother and the unborn. The fetus has already the natural right to life
from its conception in the womb of the mother so that it should not be aborted and to do So would
be a commission of mortal sin before God and a flagrant violation to the sacredness of the
fundamental law of the land. If the unborn has the necessary natural right, he acquires therefore
the right to see the light.

What is the legal meaning and purpose of the protection that is guaranteed for the unborn?
First, this is not an assertion that the unborn is a legal person. Second, this is not an assertion that
the life of the unborn is placed exactly on the level of the life of the mother. When necessary, to
save the life of the mother, the life of the unborn may be sacrificed; but not when the purpose is
merely to save the mother from emotional suffering, for which other remedies must be sought, or
to spare the child from a life of poverty, which can be attended to by welfare institution. Why is
the protection made to begin from the time of conception? The overriding purpose in asserting
that the protection begins from the time of conception is to prevent the State from adopting the
doctrine in the US Supreme Court decision of Roe vs. Wade, 410 US 113 (1973) which liberalizes
abortion laws up to the sixth month of pregnancy pro- vided it can be done without danger to the
mother. The understanding is that life begins at conception, although the definition of conception
can be a matter for science to specify (Bernas, 1997).

The protagonists of this issue are of two faces. The first is the group of The Pro-life Side and
the second The Pro-choice Side. Their arguments are:

 The Pro-life Side. One side of the struggle, usually called the anti-abortion or pro-life
movement, had articulated their arguments in so many forums berating the pro-abortion
side of the issue. They are conducting an all-out political drive to recriminalize abortion by
making it permanently and unequivocally illegal except, perhaps, when necessary to sa he
mother's life. The crusaders said:

“Life begins at conception. Hence, a fetus at any stage of its development is a human being,
with the same right to life as any other human being. Thus, to take the life of a fetus by abortion is
the same as taking the life of an adult without due process of law. That is, fetuses are not tried for
a crime or sentenced to death as penalty for a crime. They are simply put to death summarily. That
is plain murder. Each fetus has an immortal soul from the moment of its conception and that any
soul destroyed before it is baptized is eternally lost to salvation. Human bodies do not belong to
the people who occupy them or to the parents who beget them, and they certainly do not be- long
to society. Bodies belong to God, and God alone has the right to decide what happens to them
(Ranney, 1995).

The pro-life groups believe these arguments deeply, and they feel that their efforts to outlaw
abortions are dedicated to the most sacred and important cause in politics: The preservation of
innocent human beings and their immortal souls from murder and eternal damnation. However,
their antagonists, the pro-choice forces, are committed just as passionately to quite a different set
of beliefs. The Pro-choice Side. The pro-choice side forces believe that a woman has the right to
seek an abortion or not to seek an abortion free of government interference. After all, they argue,
only women can bear children, and in our society the many personal consequences physical,
psychological, economic, and social – of bearing a child are far greater for mothers than fathers.

Their arguments anchored on the following grounds:

 Abortion is the most intensely personal choice that a woman can make, and that basic
justice demands that she who must bear the consequences should have the right to decide
whether or not she will have an abortion. This most personal of all decisions should never
be made for any woman against her will by any organization, profession, or person who is
not and cannot be as deeply involved as she; that is, not by physicians, not by biological
fathers, and certainly not by politicians and bureaucrats.

The fact that most pregnant women who want an abortion are going to have abortions
anyway. Abortions were performed tens of thousands of times when abortions were illegal, and
women will continue to have abortions if abortions are made legal. The only difference is that
when abortions are legal they are expensive and dangerous, performed in secret many time by
untrained people often under unsafe conditions highly dangerous to woman's life and health
(Ranney, 1995).

Moralists have dramatized their crusade against abortion by distributing leaflets and flyers
wherein an unborn child had already a diary of her sad existence in the dark womb of her mother
and lasted when her mother decided to abort her as an unwanted pregnancy. Herein is the
dramatization:

GENERALIZATION:

PERFORMANCE (Answer this activity in a separate sheet of paper)

1. Enumerate and define the different kinds of dowry.

Choose one and explain the concept.

2. Discuss importance of marriage.

3.. Distinguish the sociological concept of family from

its legal concept.

4. What are the functions of family?

5.Define family planning. What are the reasons for having a family planning?

6. Discuss the two methods of dissolving marriage in

the Philippines.

Congratulations!

You have successfully completed this module. Your hard work and determination will make your
dreams materialize. Keep it up!

God bless and keep safe!

Answer Key:

Pretest Activity – Answers may vary

Generalization – Answers may vary

REFERENCES:

http://anthropology unt.edu

http://writingcenterunc edu /handouts/ political science/

Political Science (n.d.). The American Heritage New Dictionary of

Cultural Literacy. Third Edition. Retrieved March 22, 2016 from

Dictionary.com website http://www.dictionary.com browse political-science

OTHER RESOURCES:

Contreras, A. 2015. Personal Conversation, Feb 20

Erasga, DS. 2016. Selfieying. A Universal Culture or Culture Universal.

Conference paper. 447h Annual Conference of the Canadian

Sociological Association, May 27-June 3, 2016. University of British

Columbia, Ottawa, Canada

Mills, C.W. 1959. The Sociological Imagination. London: Oxford University press.