Traditional ‘Panliligaw’

Practice or Belief I want to Keep and Empower

What is Traditional Panliligaw in the Philippines? ‘Panliligaw’ the Tagalog phrase for

courtship, is the most beautiful and fascinating stage of every Filipino’s love life. Traditional

Filipino courtship is strongly ingrained in tradition, respect, and honesty.

Why is it that I desire to preserve and strengthen this Filipino custom? In the Philippines,

traditional wooing has disappeared significantly. There is no longer any romantic ‘Balak’ or

spoken poetry, in which a man wooing a woman expresses his true thoughts in beautiful poetry

poems. Even the once-famous ‘Harana’ or serenade, custom has declined in popularity. It is

really a memorable experience to witness this sincere display of love, complete with a traditional

instrument playing as the suitor sings a love song under his beloved’s window. In addition, it is

customary for males to formally visit the home of their ‘nililigawan’ in order to request

permission from her parents—a practice known as ‘Pamamanhikan’.

Unfortunately, this classic manifestation of love is gradually being supplanted by a more

modern form of courtship. Men frequently pursued women via text, chat messaging, and other

online contacts. Even requesting parental approval has become less typical.

In my opinion, traditional courtship must be kept and empowered. It is very useful to take

the time to truly know one another, laying the framework for a long-lasting relationship. Another

tradition of courtship in the Philippines is that men should make an effort to show their sincere

feelings for their beloved. And most of all, it always concerns the consent and involvement of

parents, which is very important.