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Andrea Cutaran

FLCD 125

Professor Ugaddan

September 6, 2019

A Critical Analysis of Torres, A. (2015). Divorce and Separation in the

Philippines: Trends and Correlates. Philippine Sociological Review, 223-228.

Article Review

“Amaryllis Tiglao-Torres, PhD (psychology), is Professor Emeritus, College of

Social Work and Community Development, University of the Philippines and

Executive Director, Philippine Social Science Council. She has designed and provided

training and technical assistance on gender mainstreaming for national agencies,

international organizations, Southeast Asian governments, and local government

units” (Tiglao-Torres, 224).

Her review on Belen T. Medina’s The Filipino Family are her remarks based on

the book launching, hosted by the Department of Sociology, CSSP, Pi Gamma Mu

Honor Society and the Philippine Sociological Society that took place in at UP

Diliman on February 26, 2015 (Tiglao-Torres, 223).

This paper encompasses the analysis made by Dr. Tiglao-Torres’ on Medina’s

The Filipino Family, demarcating the various intricacies of the transmogrification of

Filipino families in defining its essence and structure, and further observing the reality

of the present circumstances the subject finds itself in existence. In echoing Dr.

Tiglao-Toress’ analysis of the book, this paper will further address the book in
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lacking diversity found within the Filipino communities and families in the matters of

single parent families, homosexual unions, multi-racial unions, and the deconstruction

of Gender Theory.

Article Summary

The book review examines the the Filipino family in the spectrum of defining the

praxis of local family. Dr. Tiglao-Torres reiterate Medina in explicating the Filipino

family as an institution gauged to be the rudimentary corner stone of relationships in

the Philippine society yet in the changing seasons and advent measures, it is also an

evolving institution comprised of dynamics, structure, functions, and symbols that

have become largely diverse as influenced by economy, polity, technology, culture,

and essentially, intellect.

Critical Reflections

Family is no longer defined as its previous essence which encapsulates and

renders the structure of “persons united by ties of marriage, blood or adoption,

constituting a single household”, as defined by Burgess and Locke in the 1960, in

suggesting the corresponding societal roles of gender and age, a structure consisting

of a husband and wife, father or mother, brother or sister. And essentially, the children

as the fundamental characteristic of a Filipino family (Tiglao-Torres, 224).

It has been over five decades of intellectual advancement and philosophical

progression, that this former notion is redefined in the present time and defining such

as what the former suggests will only pass off as ignorant reasoning in excluding

homosexual unions, solo parenting, and a familial unit of child-headed families or a

household consisting of grandparent - grandchildren setting.

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In this day and age, Gender Theory or Gender Roles plays a big part in

deconstructing the conventional ideologies placed within the society. With the rise of

various social movements such as Feminism, women are more empowered in the

workspace and stay at home fathers are appraised with equal respect to each function

and roles within the family as well as within the society. We debunk the notion of

social assignments in the aspect of femininity and masculinity, particularly in the

local setting of facets like ina ang ilaw ng tahanan and ama ang haligi ng tahanan.

Although we are trying to proliferate in debunking social ideals in the familial setting,

some people are still ingrained with conventional rules and it is unfortunate to say that

these ideals are still admonish in institutions.

Family, in the Filipino setting is essentially the definition of blood relations. As

mentioned by Medina, it is “considered to be the most fundamental building block of

relationships in the Philippine society”. Although defined by blood, domestic abuse,

violence, and harassment are still prevalent in the local Filipino families. It is ironic

that family is supposed to be the unit where in one finds refuge and care, yet in some

cases, they are those who inflict pain and violence within blood related members.

Conclusion

“Blut ist dicker als Wasser” (Hendrickson 234).

It is an ancient and also an utterly overrated hackneyed saying that goes “blood is

thicker than water”. Is it though? Or is “the blood of the covenant is thicker than the

water of the womb”? Blood relations can be as strong as intrinsic intuition and affinity

and thus regards the loyalty it bears. Yet, at the same time, it is as the stone in the

hands of Cain that culminated the life of Abel. Is it all nature that bounds loyalty and
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affinity within people and thus the essence of family? Or is it in nurture that we find

refuge, solace, and the intimate connection each human being is in need and covet of?

It might be that family in essence is solely unique to each individual the either nature

and nurture is what defines it to be.

Works Cited

Torres, Amaryllis T. “The Changing Filipino Family.” Philippine Sociological

Review, vol. 63, 2015, pp. 223–228. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24717167.

Hendrickson, Robert. The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase

Origins. New York: Facts on File, p. 234, 1987 Inc. ISBN 978-0-8160-1012-7.