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Old Churches in the Philippines
November 27, 2011 by Anita
Filed under Travel And Leisure
Alexis Ray Celestino asked:
Here are some tips to help guide you and other travelers find these historical sites:
1. Ask around.
When you have time to visit any locality, fell free to ask the local residents on where they go to hear mass, or where you can find the oldest church, the miraculous shrines, someone surely will direct you on your way.
2. Buy a Travel guide and Map.
This is of course a must for any traveler, especially a foreigner or even a local first timer. Or else, how can you expect to get around without any form of knowing how to navigate your way. Travel guides and maps, such as the Philippine atlas and E-Z maps are easily purchased in bookstores and department stores. These are maps that are also available at the tourism office in any locality.
3. Search the Web.
You can also search the internet on anything and everything about the Philippines. There are many websites that feature the country and touch extensively on various topics, including old churches and historical religious sites.
Perhaps you can visit the Google website and look under:
a) Churches in the Philippines
b) Wow Philippines old churches
c) Baroque Churches in the Philippines
d) Philippines Churches
As you search on those different sites, you can see their different pictures, historical backgrounds, statues of the different Saints and altars. You can also read their different history from when they were built, why they were built and the people involved in building the different Gothic designs of the churches and the beautiful garden designs of the shrines.
Caffeinated Content
Here are some tips to help guide you and other travelers find these historical sites:
1. Ask around.
When you have time to visit any locality, fell free to ask the local residents on where they go to hear mass, or where you can find the oldest church, the miraculous shrines, someone surely will direct you on your way.
2. Buy a Travel guide and Map.
This is of course a must for any traveler, especially a foreigner or even a local first timer. Or else, how can you expect to get around without any form of knowing how to navigate your way. Travel guides and maps, such as the Philippine atlas and E-Z maps are easily purchased in bookstores and department stores. These are maps that are also available at the tourism office in any locality.
3. Search the Web.
You can also search the internet on anything and everything about the Philippines. There are many websites that feature the country and touch extensively on various topics, including old churches and historical religious sites.
Perhaps you can visit the Google website and look under:
a) Churches in the Philippines
b) Wow Philippines old churches
c) Baroque Churches in the Philippines
d) Philippines Churches
As you search on those different sites, you can see their different pictures, historical backgrounds, statues of the different Saints and altars. You can also read their different history from when they were built, why they were built and the people involved in building the different Gothic designs of the churches and the beautiful garden designs of the shrines.
Caffeinated Content
Why Get Dual Citizenship in the Philippines?
Will Irwin asked:
Being a consultant and author on topics related to retirement in the Philippines, one of the most common questions I receive from (former) natural-born citizens of the Philippines, who lost their Philippines citizenship by being naturalized as a citizen of a foreign country, is “why should my Filipina wife or my Filipino husband get dual citizenship in the Philippines”?
For those who are planning to obtain a job or start a business after they retire to the Philippines, dual citizenship is a must. Whereas there are various residency options for a non (Philippines) citizen to retire in the Philippines, there are numerous benefits to such a retire to acquire dual citizenship in the Philippines. In 2003, the Philippines government passed a law which enables former citizens to re-acquire Filipino citizenship. It is known as the Dual Citizenship Law.
THE BENEFITS OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP ARE:
o Right to 100% own real property – without citizenship, an investor’s only means to purchase real property is by way of a corporation, of which he/she cannot own more than 40% of the stock.
o Right to operate a business – without citizenship, an foreigner is restricted to what industries he may participate in, and he must invest a minimum of $250,000.
o Right to practice one’s profession – many retirees wish to pursue their profession, but the Philippines licenses to practice professions (doctor, nurse, lawyer, and so forth) are reserved for Filipino citizens
o Right to re-acquire a Philippine passport
o Right to vote in elections
o Immigrant visa can be issued to the citizen’s spouse that entitles him/her to permanently reside in the Philippines – this gives the spouse the benefits of (i) obtaining employment in the Philippines, (ii) leasing real property, (iii) ownership of personal property, (iv) can qualify for Filipino citizenship after five years of residency in the country, and (v) can freely enter and exit the country without all the red tape of a non-immigrant resident.
The Supreme Court of the United States has stated that dual citizenship is a “status long recognized in the law” and that “a person may have and exercise rights of nationality in two countries and be subject to the responsibilities of both. The US Supreme Court ruled that a naturalized U.S. citizen has the right to return to his native country and to resume his former citizenship, and also to remain a U.S. citizen even if he never returns to the United States.
Caffeinated Content
Being a consultant and author on topics related to retirement in the Philippines, one of the most common questions I receive from (former) natural-born citizens of the Philippines, who lost their Philippines citizenship by being naturalized as a citizen of a foreign country, is “why should my Filipina wife or my Filipino husband get dual citizenship in the Philippines”?
For those who are planning to obtain a job or start a business after they retire to the Philippines, dual citizenship is a must. Whereas there are various residency options for a non (Philippines) citizen to retire in the Philippines, there are numerous benefits to such a retire to acquire dual citizenship in the Philippines. In 2003, the Philippines government passed a law which enables former citizens to re-acquire Filipino citizenship. It is known as the Dual Citizenship Law.
THE BENEFITS OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP ARE:
o Right to 100% own real property – without citizenship, an investor’s only means to purchase real property is by way of a corporation, of which he/she cannot own more than 40% of the stock.
o Right to operate a business – without citizenship, an foreigner is restricted to what industries he may participate in, and he must invest a minimum of $250,000.
o Right to practice one’s profession – many retirees wish to pursue their profession, but the Philippines licenses to practice professions (doctor, nurse, lawyer, and so forth) are reserved for Filipino citizens
o Right to re-acquire a Philippine passport
o Right to vote in elections
o Immigrant visa can be issued to the citizen’s spouse that entitles him/her to permanently reside in the Philippines – this gives the spouse the benefits of (i) obtaining employment in the Philippines, (ii) leasing real property, (iii) ownership of personal property, (iv) can qualify for Filipino citizenship after five years of residency in the country, and (v) can freely enter and exit the country without all the red tape of a non-immigrant resident.
The Supreme Court of the United States has stated that dual citizenship is a “status long recognized in the law” and that “a person may have and exercise rights of nationality in two countries and be subject to the responsibilities of both. The US Supreme Court ruled that a naturalized U.S. citizen has the right to return to his native country and to resume his former citizenship, and also to remain a U.S. citizen even if he never returns to the United States.
Caffeinated Content
The Philippines Through the Eyes of a Filipina
Ivi asked:
I received a copy of ‘The Philippines Through the Eyes of a Foreigner’ through an email last June 2007. Why did I not react then? First, I did not have my own blog yet. Second, and more importantly, I did not see the need to do so as it was one man’s sentiment and there was some truth to it. So why am I reacting now? Well, yesterday as I was sorting out my email I chance upon the letter again and then later on as I was doing some research on Filipino culture I chance upon the same essay. This time though, I was surprised to see a lot of reactions from my kababayans, ranging from defensive to violent rections. Why be so harsh on the guy when he is merely voicing out his sentiments as he is entitled to in the first place.
Although there are some truths in his essay, there are also some overstatements.
Let me start with the sad truths:
1. Yes, it is true that we do have streets lined with street people, beggars and squatters.
But, let me remind you that those people did not dominate our sidestreets overnight.
Once upon a time, those people used to live happily in the rural areas. Then one day, a politician named Mr. Trapo arrives in a shiny limo and promises them the sun, the moon and the stars. But there is a catch, they have to go to his town to help him win elections by becoming ‘flying voters’. They were pledged mammoth promises, given a few measly bucks and picked up by huge Sarao jeepneys bound for Zion. After Mr. Trapo wins his election, he leaves all the necessitous folk behind. With their families still with them, hungry, broke and exhausted, where do they go now? With very little money left from Mr. Trapo, they begin building shanties along the sidestreets. And the rest as they say is history……..
2. Yes, it is true that our roads are cursed with pollution and our public utility vehicles are in disreputable states of repair. Yes, we have streets full of potholes and unrepaired streets.
Then one day, after Mr. Trapo is sworn into office, he becomes Congressman Trapo. He decrees that the roads be repaired and lined with asphalt. Since he has the power to pick the contractor, he selects the one who offers him the most proceeds. And because the contractor has to give a huge chunk of his earnings to Congressman Trapo, he figures that to earn more he could probably gain more by using substandard materials. That explains the potholes.
Congressman Trapo runs for the Senate and wins. Senator Trapo is now even more jaded by all his power. He does not care (or he has been bribed enough) to overlook that the other government subsidiaries are allowing bus comapnies to import buses that are really old and dilapidated. So that explains the disintegrating vehicles and the pollution that comes with it.
3. Yes, it is true that our educational system allows children to attend schools without desks or books to accommodate them. Yes, it also true that teachers, even college professors, are paid salaries so disgracefully low that it’s a wonder that anyone would want to go into the teaching profession in the first place.
Senator Trapo has his share of the The Pork Barrel, A.K.A. Pork, Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). These are funds given to both members of the Senate and Congress, these are discretionary in nature so it is up to Senator Trapo to identify the projects that will be funded from these funds. Senators get P 200 million each while the congressmen are allotted about P 70 million each. To have something to show for, Senator Trapo builds small waiting sheds with a huge picture of his face and his name in large fonts to advertise what he has done. He forgets about the public schools that cannot accommodate half the school’s population. Senator Trapo also needs more funds to help him in his re-election bid. He forgets about the teachers who, aside from a meager salary, work long, grueling hours.
There are a lot of Mr. Trapos all around us. He could very well be holding office at your Barangay Hall, the City Hall, the House of Representatives, the Senate, maybe even in Malacañang. Who knows?
There is no ending to my fairy (goblin) tale. The rest is up to you.
As for the overstatements, here’s my take on that:
1. Filipinos do not worship, almost slavishly, everything foreign. Foreigners are not looked up to and idolized.
Filipinos are essentially warm, nurturing, and tolerant to a fault.
Do not mistake Filipino hospitality for worship. Having said that, it is but natural for Filipinos, even Asians in particular to be generous givers. Luxury goods, more often than not, imported brands flatter not just the giver but the receiver as well. Isn’t that what it’s about, status quo?
Case in point, last week my husband & I were in Greenhills for an errand. In case you don’t know, it is a shopping mecca for everything faked or copied. We traverse the tiangges as I wanted to do some research on the demographics of people who patronize fakes. Surprise, surprise. In one corner, we saw 2 Americans (males) searching for an ‘authentic looking fake’ briefcase. We walk some more and more and we see 3 foriegners (they sounded British but I wasn’t sure) looking for ‘authentic looking fake’ Mont Blanc pen. We walk a bit more and we see 2 foreigners (males) looking for ‘authentic looking fake’ Louis Vuitton bags for their girlfriends. Is that what character is to you? I’m not even making this up.
Allow me to spill another anecdote. A few months ago I was at Louis Vuitton in Greenbelt waiting for my purchase to be wrapped when I was approached by a man in his 60′s (about my Dad’s age) asking my impression on 4 LV bags laid out in front of him. He said he was having a hard time deciding which one to pick as an anniversary present for his wife and the SA(sales associate) wasn’t much help. I gladly oblige. Mind you, he was Filipino, very simply and unostentastiously dressed. He didn’t look like a fashion victim nor did he look uber rich. Maybe just like the rest of us, he appreciates a little luxury. Don’t you think?
Even in HongKong, walk around and you’ll see about 60% of the locals are carrying LV bags. Real ones, I’m sure. We went to all 3 stores and all of them were packed. In one store, we had to wait in a long queue just to get in. You wouldn’t call them slaves to foreigners, would you?
2. Filipinos are not itching to leave the country.
It’s just that sometimes, for some people, there seems to be no other choice.
Do you think our OFWs would still leave the country if they were given the same rate here as they are given abroad? Domestic helpers abroad are paid more than thrice over than what our teachers are paid here.
In the United States for instance, the minimum wage (average) is about $6.00 an hour. Did you know that that same amount is the minimum wage here BUT for a full day’s labor? I **** it when I hear foreigners say, ‘Oh, the gasoline prices here are the same as in the US’ or whatever country. No matter how the numbers match, it’s still not the same. No matter how our government rubs all sorts of figures on our faces, they mean nothing. Absolutely nothing. Why? Because we, the Filipinos, feel nothing. The government has nothing to offer. The jobs they claim to have are mediocre compared to what we as parents have to pay for in tuition fees. What jobs await U.P., Ateneo and La Salle graduates? Jobs at call centers?
To strive for something better is no shortcoming on our part. We will always strive for the best, not just for ourselves, but for our families and our nation.
The government claims that it is helping boost tourism in our country. How exactly?
When we went to Bangkok just a few weeks ago, I wanted to visit Siam Paragon. We could’ve walked as the mall was only about 5 kilometers from our hotel, I merely wanted to ride a tuk tuk so we hail one to take us there. Since the cab and tuk tuk drivers there understood very little English I brought a map, a picture of the mall and a copy of the exact address. About 15 minutes and many kilometers later, still no mall in sight. He brings us to a jewelry store, when we asked why, he said that he’s bringing us there at no extra charge to us. It’s just that everytime they bring in tourists, they get a coupon for free LPG (their petrol) from the government. We aren’t under any obligation to buy, just come in for a visit. He then takes us to another shop (and thus my asthma was triggered by the stench of LPG). We ended up buying some goodies as he says he will get a small commission if we do so (yes, we were that gullible, but to us it was being helpful). Even during the temple tour, the tour guide told us that it was compulsory for them to bring tourists to particular spots. That is because their government encourages exactly that. Do you think the tricycle drivers here would get an incentive if they bring you to Luneta? I don’t think so.
But what about tourism in the Philippines. My husband & I were surprised to see on a cable channel that some of our museums are still open. Note that it was on a cable channel and not even a local channel. Up until that moment we thought all our museums have closed down. Is that the government’s definiton of ‘boosting’ tourism?
We are a free country. We are free people. We are entitled to our own opinion. In the same way that each of us is free to voice that opinion. If you’d want to block or edit everything negative you hear just to make it favorable to you, won’t that be the start of censorship?
The reason behind my poking fun at Filipino drivers (in my blog) isn’t to insult, ridicule or degrade them but maybe, just maybe with those little insights I could reach out to someone to do something about it, be it by doing better at it (it is a skill after all) or by at least implementing the laws that are there for a reason.
Hats off to Mr. Barth Suretsky. I do believe that it was in his best intention to put a little perspective into our culture and I take no offense whatsoever. I thank him for taking the time to analyze the things that somehow puzzle me as well.
To all foreigners, always remember this, we Filipinos have managed to unseat 2 presidents in the last 2 decades. It is my belief that we can do so again. It’s just that at this point, there is no one person who could penetrate the system and not be spoiled by it. It will take time, discipline, and the will to change in each of us. Like I said, probably not in my lifetime. But soon, I hope.
I am a Filipino and I am proud to be one. I love my country and it is here that I will spend my old age until the rest of my days.
I hope you can say the same for yourselves.
I received a copy of ‘The Philippines Through the Eyes of a Foreigner’ through an email last June 2007. Why did I not react then? First, I did not have my own blog yet. Second, and more importantly, I did not see the need to do so as it was one man’s sentiment and there was some truth to it. So why am I reacting now? Well, yesterday as I was sorting out my email I chance upon the letter again and then later on as I was doing some research on Filipino culture I chance upon the same essay. This time though, I was surprised to see a lot of reactions from my kababayans, ranging from defensive to violent rections. Why be so harsh on the guy when he is merely voicing out his sentiments as he is entitled to in the first place.
Although there are some truths in his essay, there are also some overstatements.
Let me start with the sad truths:
1. Yes, it is true that we do have streets lined with street people, beggars and squatters.
But, let me remind you that those people did not dominate our sidestreets overnight.
Once upon a time, those people used to live happily in the rural areas. Then one day, a politician named Mr. Trapo arrives in a shiny limo and promises them the sun, the moon and the stars. But there is a catch, they have to go to his town to help him win elections by becoming ‘flying voters’. They were pledged mammoth promises, given a few measly bucks and picked up by huge Sarao jeepneys bound for Zion. After Mr. Trapo wins his election, he leaves all the necessitous folk behind. With their families still with them, hungry, broke and exhausted, where do they go now? With very little money left from Mr. Trapo, they begin building shanties along the sidestreets. And the rest as they say is history……..
2. Yes, it is true that our roads are cursed with pollution and our public utility vehicles are in disreputable states of repair. Yes, we have streets full of potholes and unrepaired streets.
Then one day, after Mr. Trapo is sworn into office, he becomes Congressman Trapo. He decrees that the roads be repaired and lined with asphalt. Since he has the power to pick the contractor, he selects the one who offers him the most proceeds. And because the contractor has to give a huge chunk of his earnings to Congressman Trapo, he figures that to earn more he could probably gain more by using substandard materials. That explains the potholes.
Congressman Trapo runs for the Senate and wins. Senator Trapo is now even more jaded by all his power. He does not care (or he has been bribed enough) to overlook that the other government subsidiaries are allowing bus comapnies to import buses that are really old and dilapidated. So that explains the disintegrating vehicles and the pollution that comes with it.
3. Yes, it is true that our educational system allows children to attend schools without desks or books to accommodate them. Yes, it also true that teachers, even college professors, are paid salaries so disgracefully low that it’s a wonder that anyone would want to go into the teaching profession in the first place.
Senator Trapo has his share of the The Pork Barrel, A.K.A. Pork, Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). These are funds given to both members of the Senate and Congress, these are discretionary in nature so it is up to Senator Trapo to identify the projects that will be funded from these funds. Senators get P 200 million each while the congressmen are allotted about P 70 million each. To have something to show for, Senator Trapo builds small waiting sheds with a huge picture of his face and his name in large fonts to advertise what he has done. He forgets about the public schools that cannot accommodate half the school’s population. Senator Trapo also needs more funds to help him in his re-election bid. He forgets about the teachers who, aside from a meager salary, work long, grueling hours.
There are a lot of Mr. Trapos all around us. He could very well be holding office at your Barangay Hall, the City Hall, the House of Representatives, the Senate, maybe even in Malacañang. Who knows?
There is no ending to my fairy (goblin) tale. The rest is up to you.
As for the overstatements, here’s my take on that:
1. Filipinos do not worship, almost slavishly, everything foreign. Foreigners are not looked up to and idolized.
Filipinos are essentially warm, nurturing, and tolerant to a fault.
Do not mistake Filipino hospitality for worship. Having said that, it is but natural for Filipinos, even Asians in particular to be generous givers. Luxury goods, more often than not, imported brands flatter not just the giver but the receiver as well. Isn’t that what it’s about, status quo?
Case in point, last week my husband & I were in Greenhills for an errand. In case you don’t know, it is a shopping mecca for everything faked or copied. We traverse the tiangges as I wanted to do some research on the demographics of people who patronize fakes. Surprise, surprise. In one corner, we saw 2 Americans (males) searching for an ‘authentic looking fake’ briefcase. We walk some more and more and we see 3 foriegners (they sounded British but I wasn’t sure) looking for ‘authentic looking fake’ Mont Blanc pen. We walk a bit more and we see 2 foreigners (males) looking for ‘authentic looking fake’ Louis Vuitton bags for their girlfriends. Is that what character is to you? I’m not even making this up.
Allow me to spill another anecdote. A few months ago I was at Louis Vuitton in Greenbelt waiting for my purchase to be wrapped when I was approached by a man in his 60′s (about my Dad’s age) asking my impression on 4 LV bags laid out in front of him. He said he was having a hard time deciding which one to pick as an anniversary present for his wife and the SA(sales associate) wasn’t much help. I gladly oblige. Mind you, he was Filipino, very simply and unostentastiously dressed. He didn’t look like a fashion victim nor did he look uber rich. Maybe just like the rest of us, he appreciates a little luxury. Don’t you think?
Even in HongKong, walk around and you’ll see about 60% of the locals are carrying LV bags. Real ones, I’m sure. We went to all 3 stores and all of them were packed. In one store, we had to wait in a long queue just to get in. You wouldn’t call them slaves to foreigners, would you?
2. Filipinos are not itching to leave the country.
It’s just that sometimes, for some people, there seems to be no other choice.
Do you think our OFWs would still leave the country if they were given the same rate here as they are given abroad? Domestic helpers abroad are paid more than thrice over than what our teachers are paid here.
In the United States for instance, the minimum wage (average) is about $6.00 an hour. Did you know that that same amount is the minimum wage here BUT for a full day’s labor? I **** it when I hear foreigners say, ‘Oh, the gasoline prices here are the same as in the US’ or whatever country. No matter how the numbers match, it’s still not the same. No matter how our government rubs all sorts of figures on our faces, they mean nothing. Absolutely nothing. Why? Because we, the Filipinos, feel nothing. The government has nothing to offer. The jobs they claim to have are mediocre compared to what we as parents have to pay for in tuition fees. What jobs await U.P., Ateneo and La Salle graduates? Jobs at call centers?
To strive for something better is no shortcoming on our part. We will always strive for the best, not just for ourselves, but for our families and our nation.
The government claims that it is helping boost tourism in our country. How exactly?
When we went to Bangkok just a few weeks ago, I wanted to visit Siam Paragon. We could’ve walked as the mall was only about 5 kilometers from our hotel, I merely wanted to ride a tuk tuk so we hail one to take us there. Since the cab and tuk tuk drivers there understood very little English I brought a map, a picture of the mall and a copy of the exact address. About 15 minutes and many kilometers later, still no mall in sight. He brings us to a jewelry store, when we asked why, he said that he’s bringing us there at no extra charge to us. It’s just that everytime they bring in tourists, they get a coupon for free LPG (their petrol) from the government. We aren’t under any obligation to buy, just come in for a visit. He then takes us to another shop (and thus my asthma was triggered by the stench of LPG). We ended up buying some goodies as he says he will get a small commission if we do so (yes, we were that gullible, but to us it was being helpful). Even during the temple tour, the tour guide told us that it was compulsory for them to bring tourists to particular spots. That is because their government encourages exactly that. Do you think the tricycle drivers here would get an incentive if they bring you to Luneta? I don’t think so.
But what about tourism in the Philippines. My husband & I were surprised to see on a cable channel that some of our museums are still open. Note that it was on a cable channel and not even a local channel. Up until that moment we thought all our museums have closed down. Is that the government’s definiton of ‘boosting’ tourism?
We are a free country. We are free people. We are entitled to our own opinion. In the same way that each of us is free to voice that opinion. If you’d want to block or edit everything negative you hear just to make it favorable to you, won’t that be the start of censorship?
The reason behind my poking fun at Filipino drivers (in my blog) isn’t to insult, ridicule or degrade them but maybe, just maybe with those little insights I could reach out to someone to do something about it, be it by doing better at it (it is a skill after all) or by at least implementing the laws that are there for a reason.
Hats off to Mr. Barth Suretsky. I do believe that it was in his best intention to put a little perspective into our culture and I take no offense whatsoever. I thank him for taking the time to analyze the things that somehow puzzle me as well.
To all foreigners, always remember this, we Filipinos have managed to unseat 2 presidents in the last 2 decades. It is my belief that we can do so again. It’s just that at this point, there is no one person who could penetrate the system and not be spoiled by it. It will take time, discipline, and the will to change in each of us. Like I said, probably not in my lifetime. But soon, I hope.
I am a Filipino and I am proud to be one. I love my country and it is here that I will spend my old age until the rest of my days.
I hope you can say the same for yourselves.
Why Do Many Filipina Girls Marry Foreigners?
Peter Finch asked:
A Filipina in her early twenties, clad in a tight-fitting pair of jeans, a body-hugging shirt walks on a busy street in the Philippines. She attracts attention not only because of her looks but because she is holding hands with a foreigner who is old enough to be her grandfather.
Two blocks away, a woman in her late forties is hanging on to the arm of a 65-year old foreigner. Both women will be marrying their boyfriends soon and each had her own reasons. Every year more Filipina ladies are leaving the country each year to marry a foreigner. Here are some of the common reasons for these marriages:
The search for greener pastures.
It is undeniable that a big percentage of the Filipina girls who marry foreigners look at their husbands as a “visa” for them to go find better opportunities abroad. Filipina ladies have a mission to support their family as soon as they are able to, like help send younger siblings to school or take over the responsibility as the head of the family.
Travel and adventure
A foreigner husband is a ticket to exciting worlds beyond the desolate place she may have grown up in. She looks at him as the realization of her childhood dreams of traveling to far places.
Status elevation
As ironic as it seems, majority of the Filipino women prefers American love stories over Philippine films and they get all dreamy eyed and instantly fall in love when they see a caucasian man.
Age factor
While a woman in her late thirties is considered in the prime of life in other countries, it is not the case for a Filipina because when she is past 30 and is still unmarried, eyebrows will start to rise and her chances of getting married starts to get slim and meeting a foreigner for a prospective husband online is one of her few choices. Usually, a Filipina marries in her late teens or early 20s and should already have a child in college by the time she is 40 years old.
Failed marriages
Failure in her marriage could also push Filipina ladies to look to foreigners for a second chance. Some of these Filipina ladies are unwed mothers, while others are victims of abusive husbands, forced to do menial jobs for a meager pay just to support her children.
Average looks
An average looking Filipina (meaning not the beauty queen material) may feel she does not have to go to lengths and pay huge amounts to augment her physical features to attract a foreign husband-to-be.
True Love
You may find it hard to believe this but despite the perception that the Filipina is taking a risk marrying a person with a different set of values with a different cultural background, love could be the reason why she will marry a foreigner.
A Filipina in her early twenties, clad in a tight-fitting pair of jeans, a body-hugging shirt walks on a busy street in the Philippines. She attracts attention not only because of her looks but because she is holding hands with a foreigner who is old enough to be her grandfather.
Two blocks away, a woman in her late forties is hanging on to the arm of a 65-year old foreigner. Both women will be marrying their boyfriends soon and each had her own reasons. Every year more Filipina ladies are leaving the country each year to marry a foreigner. Here are some of the common reasons for these marriages:
The search for greener pastures.
It is undeniable that a big percentage of the Filipina girls who marry foreigners look at their husbands as a “visa” for them to go find better opportunities abroad. Filipina ladies have a mission to support their family as soon as they are able to, like help send younger siblings to school or take over the responsibility as the head of the family.
Travel and adventure
A foreigner husband is a ticket to exciting worlds beyond the desolate place she may have grown up in. She looks at him as the realization of her childhood dreams of traveling to far places.
Status elevation
As ironic as it seems, majority of the Filipino women prefers American love stories over Philippine films and they get all dreamy eyed and instantly fall in love when they see a caucasian man.
Age factor
While a woman in her late thirties is considered in the prime of life in other countries, it is not the case for a Filipina because when she is past 30 and is still unmarried, eyebrows will start to rise and her chances of getting married starts to get slim and meeting a foreigner for a prospective husband online is one of her few choices. Usually, a Filipina marries in her late teens or early 20s and should already have a child in college by the time she is 40 years old.
Failed marriages
Failure in her marriage could also push Filipina ladies to look to foreigners for a second chance. Some of these Filipina ladies are unwed mothers, while others are victims of abusive husbands, forced to do menial jobs for a meager pay just to support her children.
Average looks
An average looking Filipina (meaning not the beauty queen material) may feel she does not have to go to lengths and pay huge amounts to augment her physical features to attract a foreign husband-to-be.
True Love
You may find it hard to believe this but despite the perception that the Filipina is taking a risk marrying a person with a different set of values with a different cultural background, love could be the reason why she will marry a foreigner.
