This act was accompanied by giving certain presents for the family and visiting the woman consistently. As the courtship stage commenced during the primordial times in the Philippines, paninilbihan or act of servitude at the lady’s home was executed by gentlemen in order to depict their genuineness and loyalty toward the woman they love and adore. Instead, plenty of them do this at malls, clubs, or during parties with the end goal of creating a higher flicker of emotion, most especially in front of the public’s eye. Although there are still gentlemen who prefer to render a love song for their chosen lady, they no longer perform this outside her house. In such way, harana was certainly not a solitary move it had become a social event for dating and love.Īt present, harana is no longer a common dating practice among young lovers in the Philippines. They had done this by way of inviting their friends and other musicians in town to accompany them in executing this romantic gesture. During those times when harana was still commonly done in the Philippines, gentlemen who were not blessed with the gift of music can still court their desired ladies thru harana. While it was a great advantage for a colonial gentleman in the Philippines to possess certain musical abilities, it had not ever become a problem if he did lack capability in singing or in playing the guitar. Given the sweet combination of Spanish-influenced songs and of the wonderful Tagalog poesy and lyricism, serenading the woman of your dreams on a breezy night is such a commendable and extremely sweet courtship act you could ever perform ( ). Harana is a traditional courtship practice where men introduce themselves and woo their admired lady by serenading underneath her window at night.

This seems to be the most popularly-known courtship gesture in the Philippines as it is very romantic and emotionally appealing.

These lines, however, are not just geared toward showcasing feelings of love they also convey deep emotions such as getting heartbroken, friendzoned, or betrayed.įilipino courtship: a gentleman serenading a beautiful Filipino lady. This is most commonly done in the region of Palawan in the past.Īlthough receiving dowry for relationship or marriage is no longer mainstream in the country nowadays, riddles are still delivered as a means of expressing love and emotions however, these are being innovated and modernized at present in the form of hugot (deep) lines. After everything is done, they will settle the price in a form of dowry. In this wooing form, parents of both the suitor and the pursued lady are present in the event where love riddles are delivered for two major purposes: to showcase certain expressions of love and to assess the sentiments of the parents of both parties. This form of courtship has been practiced ever since before the Spanish rule arrived in the country. Traditional Dating Practices in the Philippines Before Philippine dating had reached its present configuration, there are a couple of traditional courtship practices that were genuinely observed by many Filipinos in the past. Since age immemorial, wooing has always been there it comes in various ways and forms, and it actually links a particular set of dating etiquette and taboos. Although there are tremendous shifts in terms of the wooing practices among Filipinos, still, it cannot be denied that they still give a huge amount of love and affection toward the persons they cherish, whether that romantic pursuit is done conventionally or contemporarily.Įvolution of courtship and dating practices in the Philippines has been greatly shaped through history and time.

From pre-colonial era up until present, the Filipino culture has remained true to its legacy in spite of the many innovation and societal changes it has gone through. Like any other countries around the globe, the Philippines has established its own set of unique, exemplary, and symbolic dating traditions and customs, making it more appealing to locals and foreigners alike.

Filipino courtship has undergone a tremendous shift -from traditional serenading to online dating.Īs love seems to be every person’s favorite language, dating and courtship can never be thrown out of the window when discussions about culture commence.

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