But once a couple gets serious, and they participate less in group activities, the question of sexual intimacy they will face is a very difficult issue in the Philippines. Teen sex is extremely frowned upon, and, in fact, most Filipinos strongly disapprove of premarital sex at any age. This belief comes from the Roman Catholic Church, of which 83 percent of Filipinos are members. To many people in the Philippines, religion is an important element of everyday life. Many children attend Catholic schools.
Sex is a very risky thing to do.
Protection against disease and unwanted pregnancy is not readily available in the Philippines. In smaller cities, shopkeepers know you and your family, so buying condoms and other forms of protection is an uncomfortable, if not impossible, experience for teens. Unfortunately, this leads to using no protection at all. In attempts to scare teens into not having sex, parents and extended family members sometimes tell children horror stories of excruciating pregnancies and warn them that unwed parents are family outcasts. It seems that families and the church attempt to make even the thought of sex a taboo among Filipino teens.