19
Apr

Summertime is Circumcision Time in the Philippines

Author: jps61974

here in the Philippines, summertime is “tuli” or circumcision time for adolescent boys. Usually, boys who are aged 9-12 get circumcised during this time of the year. The Department of Health (DOH) also launched a few years ago an annual program that is roving health team tasked to circumcise boys and aged alike in many barangays.

Circumcision has become a culture for Filipino children. There is this belief that boys are cleaner and more hygienic when circumcised. Unlike in many parts of Europe where circumcision is an optional act, here in the Philippines, it is a mandatory act and an uncircumcised male is ostracized by the society. Also, circumcision marks the start of manhood for most boys as 11 to 12-year-olds are usually the ones who do this. You can rarely see a Filipino male reaching age 13 and above who is still uncircumcised. Parents are the first ones to initiate this and order their children to be circumcised during summer time.

Summer time is the best time for circumcision because Filipinos are at rest from school. This is the longest break from school in the country (April to early weeks of June). Therefore, children who got circumcised in April will have been healed before the classes start in mid-June.

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One Response to "Summertime is Circumcision Time in the Philippines"

1 Tom
May 31st, 2008 at 7:26 pm
This practice is a contraidiction to an otherwise peaceful culture. I really feel sorry for Filipino male children because of this.

[Reply]