Christelle Marie Aquino Beroa CE 2-6 A Reaction on The Philippine Patriarchal Society

July 08, 2013 Prof. Miguel Ochoa

Based on my experiences, Ive seen the Philippines as a Patriarchal Society. In our family, my father serves as the head; and Ive seen more men ruling in the government and they are strictly followed more than females because it is believed through the generations that men are stronger and tougher while females are said to be housewives only, though in some times now, women can be equally treated like men because they can also do what men does or even do it better. In the Philippines, men are the decisionmakers and they have the power to define the situations. For example, a child would always follow the decision of his father than her mothers because men in the family especially the father are regarded as the head. Another is the fact that mostly all bosses or the highest ranking officials in business and in the government are male and they have the power to command and give restrictions to the people under them. Weve seen that positions of power and prestige are held by men thus we can say the Philippine Society is patriarchal. Others think that Patriarchal means the domination of men in all ways but I think our society is Patriarchal because men are always going to predominate in leadership roles because they are more inclined to want those roles. Not like the other countries that a queen is more powerful than a king, because a king is only the public representation of a queens ideas, men in the Philippines are regarded as the Kings while women are not queens but princesses that are either under the king or the basis and inspiration of the King in executing his wills. If this was the only definition of a Patriarchal society then I would agree of having one because I believe that man are better rulers than female and they are great in leading others because they are the ones trained for this kinds of roles since the beginning of time. Its just that they have something like a charm that can let people under them to follow. I think, they have the power to rule but not to the extent of abusing the power they have giving men the chance to underestimate female and doing immoral deeds to females. Nowadays, when a man rapes a female, I think it isnt because they think they are superior, it is because they lack superiority and they want to gain it by showing it in that way, and they dont care if it is wrong. In that case, the woman is also seen inferior because of the lack of strength and courage to defend herself but I think man and woman should be treated equally because it is undeniable that there are things that man cant do that only a woman can do and there are also things that a female cant do that only a male can. Men should give importance to females even though our society is Patriarchal because all of them come from a woman whom they call a Mother.