In the Filipino value orientation, a man is brought up with the orientation of strength, boldness and aggression. He is allowed more freedom of action than a woman simply because of the usually ascribed adult traits distinctive of the male- responsibility, independence and conviction. Oftentimes, these traits are shown under the guise of masculinity-that is, in terms of muscles, sexual prowess, booze, cigarettes. The Filipino male is to drink, smoke and have as many women as their energy will allow them prior to and after marriage. A man who is promiscuous is considered simply as demonstrating his pagkalalake (manliness). A woman who is promiscuous, however, is considered masamang babae (bad woman). The young Filipino male from his teens on is free generally to come and go as he pleases with little or without direct supervision by his parents. “Boys are boys” is the accepted dictum. However, the young Filipino girl is carefully supervised in her social activities until the time of her marriage.

The ‘ manifestation of sexual behavior in the Philippines is best illustrated through a long-held tradition of initiation commensurate to rites of passage, a phrase coined by anthropologist Arnold van Gennep. This rite known as binyag (baptism) has come to be generally viewed as a positive means of affirming manhood and maleness. It necessitates every boy and young man to go through two stages to become a complete man.

The first phase is “tuli” (circumcision), which, at present, is still considered the flagship and test of manhood. Circumcision carries very much weight upon the behavior of an uncircumcised -he becomes the object of a fair game for a lot of needling, taunting and ribbing from both circumcised friends and enemies. The Filipino boys usually undergo circumcision upon reaching the age between eight and ten. Those in the urban communities have their opemtions in the hospital, where many boys are circumcised as soon as they are born. Those who undergo the traditional operation do so voluntarily. In both rural and urban communities there are a number of specialists who perform the operation. Most operations are done on Holy Saturday of the Lenten season, but they can also be done anytime. The preference for the Holy Week is the belief that “bleeding is not profuse doing this season”. The place of operation is usually in a tree covered backyard in the rural communities, or in an isolated ‘ barong-barong (shanty) in the urban center.

Phase two is the first sexual intercourse or the so-called “binyag“. This may be alluded to as pre-marital defloration in the case of a female. Because of the still prevalently high premium put on would-be virgin brides, the first attempt is, most of the time done with a prostitute. This means that now the boy is a man and he should be introduced to manly things. Members of his peer group accompany him; sometimes, they pay for the “encounter.” Sexual intercourse is not a precondition to becoming a man in the rural area. Circumcised boys nevertheless are considered clean and, many young people believe, they are much preferred by women than those who are not circumcised. The latter are known as supot, and they are not considered men yet. One is called a sissy. In some cases where there are no prostitutes, a bakla (homosexual) is invited to binyag or initiate sexually the neophyte.

A male sexual behavior associated with adolescence is the gaping or sleep-crawling. In both rural and urban communities this takes place. Gapang is a practice young males resort to in order to experience sexual intercourse with a girl he likes. Although this appears by all means to be one form of rape, Filipinos do not recognize the act as such. The term for rape is paggahasa. Gapang involves “crawling beside a girl at night when most of the older household members are asleep or are not at home”. Usually there is a previous understanding between the boy and the girl that the gapang will take place. This happens or is deliberately done when the girl’s parents strongly object to her choice and put up barriers to discourage the affair. Should it be known that the girl has lost her virginity to her boyfriend, marriage is the only way to rectify the damage and restore the status of the family before the eyes of the community.

Gapang is sometimes resorted to in order to overcome unrequited love. It becomes a mechanism to maintain the image of the offender in the community which is threatened by his being a rejected lover. It likewise reinforces the man’s acceptance of certain locally unconventional sexual escapades. Because gapang is also used by the male to “even up with the girl who rejects him”, the technique restores his image and strengthens his "pagkalalake". This then takes the form of rape since it is without the girl’s consent.