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What we do and what they see are the realities
we expose them to.
What they think and what they do are the truths we ought to
know.
A growing number of youth are engaging in risky behaviors
without understanding its consequences. Reproductive Health
policies, programs and services ignore the needs of the youth.
Our society does not make it easy for our
young people to feel secure, to be trusting and to be productive.
On the contrary, what they observe in our social and political
environment gives them reason to be suspicious, irresponsible
and rebellious.
As our society has become profit-oriented, liberal and permissive,
we have caused our youth to be exposed to and to be engaged
in vices. We see them smoking, drinking alcohol, gambling,
being addicted to drugs and even to commercial sex, the risky
behaviors that are threats to their health, sexuality and
fertility. More than just a private decision, sexual and non-sexual
activity among the young affects the rest of the country.
Let us note that there is an emerging trend towards more liberal
views and attitudes among our young. They continue, however,
to express views consistent with the traditional attitudes
towards sex.
With regards to knowledge concerning sexual relations, the
YAFS 2 survey showed that only one-fourth of the respondents
admitted feeling comfortable with their level of knowledge
regarding sex. Few males scored high on sex knowledge. It
seems that knowledge on sex is higher among married young
people and those who obtained information from their father,
attended population or sex education classes, were religious,
and who had previous sexual experience17.
Their Views on, Knowledge of, and
Attitudes towards:
Virginity
The majority of our youth still prize virginity
although an increasing trend towards more openness to the
virginity issue is observed. While the 1982 YAFS noted that
nine out of 10 young females expressed support for virginity
before marriage, this proportion remained unchanged 12 years
later (YAFS 2). YAFS 3 showed a five percent decline to 85
percent among the male respondents. In the YAFS 2, as many
as 80 percent favored virginity among women, but by 2002,
YAFS 3 shows an almost 10 percent down to 70 percent.
Most females believed virginity is still valued by men and
still a crucial criterion in their choice of wife18.
Understandably, this is more true among the youth in rural
than in urban places. In Zablan’s study (2000)19, which
covered Apayao, Kalinga and Ifugao, all the respondents affirmed
the value of virginity with 76 to 90% of males favoring virginity
before marriage.
Premarital Sex (PMS)
The YAFS 3 data show that one in three of
our youngsters thinks that it is alright for young men to
engage in sex prior to marriage, while the corresponding approval
rate for young women is low at about 22 percent.
Based on YAFS 2 and 3 data, there is an increasing tolerance
for women engaging in PMS (13% in 1994 to 22% in 2002), especially
among older males (24% in 1994 to 38% in 2002) compared to
older females (13% in 1994 to 22% in 2002) (Figure 12)20.
| Youth Talk
on Virginity |
| “In
one of my college classes, the discussion centered on
virginity. This was an exclusively-for-females-only
class. Despite similarities of belonging to the same
gender group, it was observed that each member of the
class has different sets of belief on this issue. Let
me share the experience.
One of my classmates was strongly arguing for the importance
of virginity, and once this is lost outside of marriage,
the woman loses her value and she would suffer for the
rest of her life if she would not get married to the
one who ‘deflowered’ her. Another argued
otherwise and vehemently stressed that a woman’s
value should not be tied to the loss of virginity. Another
remarked that most Filipino males in our culture still
value virginity; however, they are not expected to be
virgins upon marriage; this appeared to be the consensus
in my class…”
The views were a mixture of both conservative and liberal
ideas. This could be accounted for the influence of
our male-dominated culture that gave birth to the expectation
that women should be virgins when they get married.
And yet, it is acceptable for men not to be virgins,
and it is not expected of them to be virgins when they
get married. So, if a woman is no longer a virgin, she
losses her value. This in itself is the evidence of
a double standard of society.
The youth are then restricted to make the choice already
made by the existing status quo in order to avoid trouble
from moralists…”
The most important thing that we must realize is that
we have the capability and the right to decide for ourselves,
free from coercion.”
Older Children, Younger Adults, All
Filipinos (unpublished), pp. 7 & 8, Commission on
Population, June 2002. |
Figure 12: Trends on Youth’s Attitudes
Towards Woman Having PMS by sex and Age Group: Philippines
(Except ARMM), 1994 & 2002
Source: Ventura & Cabigon, 2003.
| Youth
in Focus |
| Males
and females attach different meanings to virginity and
pre-marital sex: |
| Males |
Females |
- Do not give much importance to
virginity
- View sex basically as a pleasurable
activity that need not have anything to do with love.
- See PMS as an occasion to hone
one’s skills in love making and possibly, to
strengthen intimacy when done responsibly
|
- Put a high premium on virginity.
- See sex as strongly connected
with love.
- Females are not as much inclined
as the males to go into pre-marital sex.
- Believe that sex should be reserved
for marriage.
|
|
Source: Filipino Adolescents in Changing
Times, Gastardo-Conaco, et. al, 2003 |
Pregnancy
Almost half of our youth were unaware that
pregnancy was possible after only one sexual encounter. Even
though around 70 percent of our youth knew that pregnancy
was possible only after a girl started to have her monthly
period, around 80 percent of young females did not know the
fertile period of their menstrual cycle21.
Only two percent were truly knowledgeable about how the menstrual
cycle is related to pregnancy and about the safe and unsafe
times to have sex during the cycle. This indicates a general
lack of information regarding the importance of the timing
of sex during women’s menstrual cycle.
This may not be the case for students in Metro Manila colleges
and universities, where more than half are aware that one
can get pregnant or get somebody pregnant. Also, a high of
61 percent to 77 percent think that a woman can get pregnant
from only one intercourse22.
Marriage and Living-in
Young people continue to look positively on
marriage and consider the ideal marrying age for women to
be 25, with men one to two years older6. They like to have
three children, the first coming one year after marriage,
the others following three years apart.
YAFS 3 results reveal that 11 percent of young women and 26
percent of young men think that it is all right to live together
even if they have no plans to marry, confirming the liberal
attitudes of a growing number of our youth. This is more apparent
among older compared to younger males (28% vs. 25%) and females
(14% vs. 9%) (Figure13).
A focus group discussion on the topic conducted among young
people shows that’“living-in allows couple sufficient
time to know one another” and”“getting out
of it is a lot easier compared when two people are married”23.
Figure 13: Percent Distribution of Youth’s
Attitudes On Living-In by Sex and and Age Group: Philippines,
2002
Source: Ventura & Cabigon, 2003.
Marital Separation
Our youth want their parents to stay married.
This is supported by the Ateneo (2001) study done among 7-21
year-old students which showed that the majority (55%) think
getting divorced or separated is wrong, and an equally large
number consider adultery as unacceptable. Around 70 percent
of respondents of the same study consider cheating as clearly
wrong.
YAFS 3 data reveal that about three-fifths (61%) among Christians
would not support any bill legalizing divorce. This is true
for the younger age groups especially for the males (76%)
compared to females (64%) (Figure 14).
It was also revealed that among Muslim youth, only less than
half (44%) agree with the law giving Muslim women divorce
rights.
Figure 14: Percentage Distribution of Christian
Youth who would Support Bill to Legalize Divorce by Sex
and Age Group: Philippines, 2002
Source: Ventura & Cabigon, 2003.
Abortion
YAFS 3 data reveal that 95 percent of survey
respondents are against abortion.
A similar study also found a high disapproval level: that
80 percent of youth respondents would not advise friends to
undergo abortion. In case of rape, 70 percent would still
not recommend it22.
The Zablan (2000) study in the Mountain Provinces supports
the YAFS 3 findings and indicated that 90 percent youth would
still not approve of abortion even if: (a) life of mother
is in danger, (b) pregnancy is a result of rape or incest,
and (c) child is likely to be deformed.
Although the level of approval of abortion remains low for
both males and females, where males are slightly more open
to abortion than females, YAFS 3 data show that the pattern
is increasing (Figure 15). YAFS data reported that approval
for abortion rose slightly between 1994 and 2002 for males
(from 4% to 6%) and females (3.5% to 4%).
| Learning
Through Negativity |
| I
have a perfect family... or at least that was what I
thought. My family seemed so ideal that it never occurred
to me that it would shatter into pieces. My father,
who’s supposed to be the best, turned out to be
the worst.
My father proved that money’s the root of all
evil. Driven by his hunger of pleasure, he started to
enjoy himself so much that he forgot his responsibilities
as a husband and father. My parents then separated because
my father could not stop acting like a bachelor and
spending all of my mother’s money.
During the time that my mother was suffering from heartaches
and problems, I was by her side. Part of the pain she
was feeling was passed on to me but I had to be strong
and positive when she was weak and pessimistic. I took
on most of my father’s responsibilities.
There are simple things that have a huge impact on somebody’s
personality. My mother used to say that there’s
one thing I lost when my father left ... my smile. I
guess my smile vanished because of the empty space in
my heart that my father never filled. This just proves
that a person cannot be easily satisfied… We have
our limitations regarding patience, and my father went
beyond mine. It wasn’t my intention to hurt him
but I lost control when I blurted out that everything
is his fault. Shocked as I was, he slapped me in the
face but I tried not to cry because I didn’t want
him to see me weak. I learned that I have the ability
to fight for what I believe is right and that I have
the tendency to hurt others by losing my temper easily.
It seems that negative incidents helped me develop my
character. I’m not bemoaning those things because
they’re the roots of my present individuality.
I may still be naive but I’ll never stop learning
the things that I’m supposed to know.
The author is a freshman at the University
of Santo Tomas College of Science. Youngblood, You Inq7.Net’s
website for the Interactive Youth. www.you.inq7.net/youngblood,
downloaded October 2, 2003. |
Figure 15: Trends on Youth’s Attitudes
Towards Abortion by Sexand Age Group: Philippines (Except
ARMM)
Source: Ventura & Cabigon, 2003.
Female adolescents tend to be more conservative
to the idea of bearing a child without the benefit of marriage
compared to other age groups (Figure 16).
Figure 16: Percent Distribution of Youth’s
Attitudes Towards Pregnancy Without Marriage by Sex and
Age Group: Philippines, 2002
Source: Ventura & Cabigon, 2003.
| Coming
into terms with a gay identity |
| For
several gay interviewees, the friends they attracted,
those whom they considered their group mates and companions,
helped in defining their identity. Recalling their coming
to terms with who they are, the respondents said:
“…kasi yung mga friends ko ng elementary,
yung barkada, they’re all girls. Eh‘di ako,
I felt I was one of the girls so ayun, ganun…so
kaya ako siguro ganito, sobrang girl kasi I grew up
with the lifestyle of a girl…” “I
realized that I wasn’t as gender typical as other…I
wasn’t into sports, I hated P.E. Most of my friends
were women – in fact, up to now. I wasn’t
comfortable at all with males…” “When
I saw the trend na these are the people I always attract.
Parang lahat ‘ata tomboy, lahat ‘ata lesbiana.
Ewan kasi, I believe…you attract what you think…”
Filipino Adolescents in Changing Times,
Gastardo-Conaco, et.al, University Center for Women’s
Studies, 2003, pp.83-84 |
Homosexuality
Acceptance and tolerance characterize the
youth’s view of homosexuals the young generally find
homosexuals and bisexuals acceptable as friends19. In fact,
among the ages 15 to 19, slightly more than half were accepting
of homosexuals in general, with more females (60%) than males
(41%)20.
Contraception
The majority of the youth, including 67 percent
of the Catholics, think that their religion favors contraception.
On the other hand, a smaller but significant portion—close
to one third—of the youth in each religious group also
expects their future contraceptive behavior to be influenced
by the teachings of their religion9.
Nine out of 10 youth believe the government should provide
family planning services, and some eight to nine out of 10
think it proper that these services also be provided to the
youth.
STDs/HIV/AIDS
In 2002, more young males had higher knowledge
of STD (70%) than females (63%) (Table 2).
Awareness of AIDS for both sexes was near universal (about
95%). However, misconceptions about the curability of AIDS
had worsened. In 1994, about 12 percent thought that AIDS
is curable, which more than doubled in 2002 (28%).
Misconception about the curability of AIDS was higher among
males (30%) than among females (25%). Moreover, there is a
decrease in the proportion of males who believed that they
have a chance of getting AIDS (from 33% in 1994 to 28% in
2002).
The 1994 YAFS also revealed HIV-AIDS and STD awareness and
knowledge to be associated with several socioeconomic variables.
Expectedly, awareness/knowledge of these is higher among urban
than rural residents, among better-educated classes; among
the older youth (20-24 years old) versus younger; and those
with greater exposure to media sources24.
| Table
2: Knowledge and awareness of STD/AIDS by sex: 1994-2002 |
| Year /
Sex |
%
who knows STD |
%
who heard of AIDS |
%
who thinks AIDS is curable |
%
who thinks there is a chance of them getting AIDS |
N |
| 1994 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Female |
61.1 |
95.4 |
11.8 |
21.7 |
5,605 |
| Male |
70.6 |
94.5 |
13.3 |
33.1 |
5,253 |
|
Both sexes |
65.7 |
95.0 |
12.5 |
27.2 |
10,858 |
| 2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Female |
62.5 |
95.3 |
25.7 |
25.7 |
8,732 |
| Male |
69.8 |
94.9 |
30.1 |
27.6 |
7,864 |
|
Both sexes |
65.9 |
95.1 |
27.8 |
26.6 |
16,569 |
Based on
15-24 years old, excluding ARMM for 2002 YAFS Source:
Zablan, Marquez and Laguna, 2003. |
|
