Many years ago, the term courtship had every meaning to start a relationship.

It was once the source of couples to be able to start committing to each other especially in the Philippines. They say that the Filipino way of courtship was the most romantic. Traditional courtship in the Philippines is described as a "far more subdued and indirect" approach compared to Western or Westernized cultures. It involves "phases" or "stages" inherent to Philippine society and culture. But years have passed and the very terms--"wooing," "courting," "suitors"-are archaic; and if the words barely exist, it is because the phenomena have all but disappeared. What ever happened to courtship? Is courtship still an on-going culture for couples? Courtship or panliligaw under Filipino tradition gives big importance on the value of respecting a woman and her family. This tradition gives pursuing a lady a different meaning because it makes the man strictly follow the proper rules set by the society. Dating back to the Spanish era, this practice prohibits men to be very aggressive even when they want the lady very much. In cases where a young man sees a woman he likes, he cannot just talk to her and ask for information. He must seek the help of a go-between or locally known as tulay, usually someone close to the family of both parties, to ask the father of the girl if the man can visit the lady in their house. Unless the lady is a child, the father would most likely approve to this since it is such a gentlemanly thing to do. After a long period of servitude and a series of haranas, the woman can finally accept the suitors love. This is the point when the couple can start dating in public, although always in the company of a chaperon. They would then be called magkasintahan or lovers. Despite moving up the ladder and becoming a couple, the man would still have to continue coming to the house and help out.

When the man feels that he is ready to get married, he and his parents will have to come to the womans house. The parents of the guy then have to formally ask for the hand of the girl in
marriage to their son. This is what they call Pamamanhikan. In doing this, they will have to bring food, presents, as well as the dowry that they can present to the womans parents. Under the Philippine

tradition, dowry is given by the mans family only. This is due to the high value of women in their society. Now once the two families have come to an agreement regarding the dowry, the wedding date is set and a ring is finally presented to the woman. A small feast (which could be very much associated to Engagement parties) would then be held with the food brought by the mans family.
Over the years that have passed, the tradition of courtship and marriage in some ways have been preserved. Due to the open mind of the Filipinos today, there had been modifications or evolutions, influenced by other cultures that give courtship a modern version. Modern Filipino Courtship revolves on the liberalism of the Filipino youth. If couples are not allowed to mingle in public without a chaperon in the old days, it is already acceptable today. This, together with the advanced technology today which allows people to communicate easily, made courtship easier to the Filipino youth. Meeting through a party or through a common friend is not only possible now, but has in fact become a very popular method of finding someone to court. Most parents still prefer that their daughters be courted at home. In fact, some Filipinas, especially those in the provinces, still adheres to the traditional way of courtship. However, some modern and liberated Filipina women dont follow this anymore. Instead, they choose to meet up elsewhere with the suitor and do without the step-by-step courtship process, as long as they know the person and theyre happy.

Another example of this is texting, eyeball or online dating. It is apparent that today, old styles of courtship have been replaced by the modern lifestyle of the 20th century. The twentieth century has greatly influenced the country with the use of the cellphone since its arrival into the country for almost 10 years. The countrys status in cellphone use especially in texting as GMA quotes it from Joy Weaver texting is a way of life. Its maximization for communicating with anyone anywhere has also reached to creating a custom of courtship in the Philippines through texting (Rules of thumb, 2007). Aside from mobile courting, online dating is a new dating approach that allows exclusive use of an internet service to get a potential mate (Reuters, 2005). Because of the very influential west to the Philippine culture, it didnt take time for the Filipinas to adapt in this kind of match making. Up to 100,000 Pinays are listed in 200 Internet dating sites as of 2005. USA, which is the prime market of bachelors of online matchmaking found ways to get Filipinas as potential mates because most them are divorced to less traditional and career-focused western women who find them less good looking and imperfect. In conclusion, unlike the traditional courtship, modern courtship does not have a pattern. It could start from anything, like meeting the person at a party or getting paired with him by common friends. With the influence of other cultures through the television, modern courtship today is going fast and is not as tedious as before. Gone were the days of haranas and paninilbihan. Today, its enough that a man shows up at the womans house without fetching water or chopping firewood. Yet, somehow, he is expected to prove to the family of the woman that he is worthy of the womans love. Perhaps, of all the customs and traditions, courtship and marriage are considered the two most important.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Courtship in the Philippines, http://en.wikipedia.org/ , Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtship_in_the_Philippines Courtship in the Philippines: Then and Now, http://moniquesantiago.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/, Retrieved February 25, 2014, http://moniquesantiago.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/courtship-in-the-philippines-then-and-now/ Courtship in the Philippines today, http://sarahgats.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/, Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://sarahgats.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/courtship-in-the-philippinestoday/ PINOY COURTSHIP: FROM HARANA TO SMS, http://planetphilippines.com, Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://planetphilippines.com/lifestyle/pinoy-courtship-from-harana-tosms/ TRADITIONAL COURTSHIP IN THE PHILIPPINES, http://tx.english-ch.com, Retrieved February 25, 2014,from http://tx.english-ch.com/teacher/sarj/home/traditional-courtship-in-thephilippines/