Sex plays different roles in our social condition then and now. According to historians, Filipinos have their own sexual and relationships even before the Spaniards came here to the Philippines. Filipino men were practicing polygamy because this is one of the expected behaviours of their society back then. Most of them have five or more wives while ancient unmarried Filipino women can freely engaged in sexual activities. Adornments or referred as sex toys today were also used that time. Men wear a ring with goat’s eyelashes to their penis. Once the penis becomes stiff, the ring stays firmly that makes it hard to be withdrawn from the female’s sex organ until the penis becomes limp. I think this adornment is not only use for pleasure but also for reproduction because it tightens the penis inside the female’s sex organ.
Also, Filipinos back then already established some arrangements and values when it comes to marriage. In Ifugao before, the size of the women’s breast and wideness of hips is equivalent to the money, goods or properties that a woman brings forth to marriage. Marriages between boys and girls who have reached the age of puberty are also permitted. Ambeth R. Ocampo also described the sexually attractive female body parts before which were bare arms, a good neck and tiny rosy feet.
But when Catholicism came here in the Philippines, most of their native practices were forbid. Virgin Mary that symbolizes virginity or being pure before getting married is promoted. Until Filipinos attitudes and practices towards sex and marriage were based on the doctrines of Christianity; Filipino men practiced monogamy instead of polygamy, women were encouraged to engage in sexual intercourse after they get married, the size of a woman’s breasts and hips didn’t matter anymore and teenagers should reach the legal and not puberty stage before they get married.
Sex education also came to picture to guide the youth in making decisions especially when it comes to sex. But still, it is not enough because of the media we have today. According to survey, Filipino youth whose ages ranged from 15 to 24 years old already engages to pre-marital sex. The Christian idea of purity maybe is not that powerful anymore because of the media we have today.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexuality_in_the_Philippines
