# Whats the appeal of Filipina women? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623 "2012-09-13T19:05:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/61 "2012-09-18T11:48:00Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Oh yeah, I forgot, India and Pakistan are “not Asian” (to geographically-challenged Americans, to whom “Asia” can only mean chopstick-land). Sorry, it’s just that Asian in the United States can refer to the continent as a whole or it can be used as a racial designation. If you showed me a photo of someone from India and another from Vietnam and asked me to identify the Asian I’d point to the Vietnamese guy. If you asked me which one was from Asia I’d point to both of them. On behalf of all Americans I sincerely apologize for having our own linguistic indiosyncrasies. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/62 "2012-09-18T13:07:53Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Oh yeah, I forgot, India and Pakistan are “not Asian” (to geographically-challenged Americans, to whom “Asia” can only mean chopstick-land). What Americans? India and Pakistan are considered to be South Asian. Yes, there are ignorant Americans. And Brits. And Indians. And (insert any nationality here). America does not have a monopoly on ignorance, nor do I even think that we lead the world (nor do we lag - I’d say we are above average in ignorance, especially about foreign cultures). ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/63 "2012-09-18T13:44:00Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > You guys seriously never heard of LBFM? > > Have you never read any Vietnam histories? > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Nope. > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > No, and no. > [@SciFiSam](#): > > I have to add two nos to this too, just because I’m surprised that you think this is so universal. I also want to say “no and no.” What’s with the incredulity? > [@D\_Odds](#): > > (Note, the official languages are _Filipino_ and English, but Filipino is about 95%+ tagalog) [Filipino](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_language) is a prestige register and a standardized dialect of Tagalog. Just like Standard American English as taught in schools is a standardized dialect of English. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/64 "2012-09-18T22:19:18Z")
Does that mean that if someone took an introductory class in Tagalog or read a Pimsleur/Rosetta Stone/Berlitz book on Tagalog—which would be automatically the standard form of Tagalog just as any general language-learning material only covers that standard language—it would be the identical standardized Tagalog known as Pilipino? Is there any difference between standard Tagalog and Pilipino or are they synonymous? Presumably Pilipino is of only one official version, while Tagalog in the broad sense is a dialect continuum like most natural languages. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/65 "2012-09-18T22:39:18Z")
If Tagalog is taught in a standardized form under that name then presumably the term “Tagalog” has multiple meanings, just like, say, “Hindi.” ---
**Author:** ![Rhaegar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/51bf81/32.png) [@Rhaegar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhaegar)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/66 "2012-09-18T23:15:12Z")
> [@simple\_homer](#): > > There is no such thing as a “mail order bride” anymore. > > For the immigration papers to be processed there is a requirement that the man and woman have met in person, and there should be evidence of a relationship. > > Filipinas typically cannot get a visa which allows them to go to America as a tourist. > So, the need for the American to go to the Philippines first, and then for him to sponsor her visa after having met her in person. > > The idea that a guy can just sit at his computer and order up a wife as a “mail order bride” is just crazy. There most assuredly is still “mail order brides” but probably not the way you are thinking. No, you cannot just “order” a person on the internet and have them “delivered” to you like a package. The man usually has to travel to Asia, Russia or wherever it is in order to meet the bride, and then if they are serious, they will have to actually get married and probably hire an immigration lawyer to work things out. I know of one guy who married a bride from China in this fashion, and my wife’s cousin is looking to get married to a girl from Cambodia in this fashion as well. It’s not easy, but it can be done. I do not advocate this style of “meeting” people though. It is rife with fraud, and I know of at least one guy who married a girl, only to end up divorced in a few years, and much lighter in the wallet as a result. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/67 "2012-09-19T00:34:25Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Does that mean that if someone took an introductory class in Tagalog or read a Pimsleur/Rosetta Stone/Berlitz book on Tagalog—which would be automatically the standard form of Tagalog just as any general language-learning material only covers that standard language—it would be the identical standardized Tagalog known as Pilipino? Is there any difference between standard Tagalog and Pilipino or are they synonymous? Presumably Pilipino is of only one official version, while Tagalog in the broad sense is a dialect continuum like most natural languages. Tagalog is now alternately called ‘Pilipino.’ There is no denying it’s the lingua franca in the islands. A lot of islands make it a big thing to speak in their own provincial dialect but they are sure to understand Tagalog. Like English, it has several levels; from gutter-speak to an admix called ‘taglish’ to ‘newscaster-level’ to epic verse. Along with being called Pilipino, there’s a steady move to upgrade it. The old 19-letter alphabet has been replaced by the standard English one (there’s just no use for ‘x’ and ‘z.’) Mathematical and technical terms have either a contrived Tagalog translation or can adopt the original word directly. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/68 "2012-09-19T04:51:42Z")
Some of the links probably won’t work, but here’s an old [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=212249&highlight=mail+order+bride) about one guy’s experience. ---
**Author:** ![Reverdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e495f1/32.png) [@Reverdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverdan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/69 "2013-01-20T22:04:05Z")
Having been married to a very beautiful filipina for some time now, I can tell you from experience and from the mouth of my own dear wife. Philippine women are brought up to seek out a better life for themselves. In that they also are taught that older men are more secure in life, both financially and emotionally. Less likely to see divorce and usually wanting children, whereas many Philippine men don’t want the responsibility of a family, and prefer living single. Also, since most decent paying jobs in the Philippines are only available to young pretty Filipinas (i.e. 18-25 yrs. old, pretty, must have long hair, wearable in pony tail, and can wear high heels, (these are the requirements listed in the job ads)), Philippine men usually don’t have decent paying jobs. Overall though, Philippine women see American men especially as more caring, loving and family oriented than any other men on earth. That is the real reason that they prefer us over anyone else. They are raised to not care about a mans looks, only his heart, and how he treats them. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/70 "2013-01-20T22:25:53Z")
> [@Reverdan](#): > > Having been married to a very beautiful filipina for some time now, I can tell you from experience and from the mouth of my own dear wife. … How long have you two been married? How did you meet? ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/71 "2013-01-20T22:48:47Z")
> [@Reverdan](#): > > Having been married to a very beautiful filipina for some time now, I can tell you from experience and from the mouth of my own dear wife. Philippine women are brought up to seek out a better life for themselves. In that they also are taught that older men are more secure in life, both financially and emotionally. Less likely to see divorce and usually wanting children, whereas many Philippine men don’t want the responsibility of a family, and prefer living single. Also, since most decent paying jobs in the Philippines are only available to young pretty Filipinas (i.e. 18-25 yrs. old, pretty, must have long hair, wearable in pony tail, and can wear high heels, (these are the requirements listed in the job ads)), Philippine men usually don’t have decent paying jobs. Overall though, Philippine women see American men especially as more caring, loving and family oriented than any other men on earth. That is the real reason that they prefer us over anyone else. They are raised to not care about a mans looks, only his heart, and how he treats them. Will all due respect to my “kababayan” she’s making a lot of generalizations. I have a decent job here in the Phils, enough to send my kid to college. And I never entertained thoughts of emigrating. A lot of Filipinas prefer to stay in the Philippines (mostly the high-borns or the well-educated ones with prospects of a career and financial independence.) The fastest-growing industry in the Philippines right now is call centers, where probably the last requisite for males and females would be to look good. As to American men being more caring and loving, I’ll take her word for it —for now. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/72 "2013-01-20T22:51:37Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > I The reason it makes me curious is because its so specifically women from the Phillipines, is there something cultural that is appealing to these guys? I know asian women are kind of fetishized in our culturr, but still I kind of wonder why its not, say, Chinese women, or vietnamese, etc. I was thinking certain men buy the fantasy presented in movies and entertainment where horny Asian/Filipino women are saying stuff like “Boom-boom, Yankee boy?” and “Me love you LONG time!”. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/73 "2013-01-21T06:27:10Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > I have only a hazy recollection, but in the book _Matterhorn_, a novel set during the Vietnam War, I believe the black American soldiers were depicted as wanting to go to Thailand for the Thai prostitutes, and the white soldiers wanted to go to Japan. I might have mixed those up, though. There were plenty of white soldiers coming to Thailand for R&R back then too. Maybe you’re thinking of the Korean War? My understanding is that among Peace Corps Volunteers, the highest rate of marriage to locals is among the PCVs who serve in the Philippines. When I was at the U of Hawaii, a fellow grad student was a Returned PCV from the Philippines. He brought back a Filipna wife and told me he pegged the marriage rate among his group at 25%. EDIT: Or served. I think they were evacuated at some point around 1990 due to guerrilla activity. Don’t know if the program ever returned. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/74 "2013-01-21T06:40:39Z")
> [@JessMagic](#): > > Funnily enough, I’ve always thought they speak the best English of any of the Asian nationalities. They learn English and Tagalog simultaneously from a very early age. I have been told that Philippine nationals do not have to take the Toefl exam for English-language abilitry when applying to universities in the US. On the other hand, I knew a guy in Hawaii whose job it was to teach English to newly arrived Filipina nurses, so I don’t know if my previous sentence really is true. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/75 "2013-01-21T06:55:11Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I have been told that Philippine nationals do not have to take the Toefl exam for English-language abilitry when applying to universities in the US. > > On the other hand, I knew a guy in Hawaii whose job it was to teach English to newly arrived Filipina nurses, so I don’t know if my previous sentence really is true. Only a very few universities (like the one I attended. :D) But that uni graduates ‘only’ 3,000 a year. How many nurses apply to the US annually? Many times that number. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/76 "2013-01-21T07:50:07Z")
They would rather live in the Phillipines than China. ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/77 "2013-01-21T07:56:25Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Well, English is one of the [2 official languages](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_Philippines) of the Philippines (the other is Tagalog). So, that probably helps. As far as I know, there is no other Asian nation where English is an official language. So, there’s a pretty good chance that a Filipina mail-order bride will speak and understand English. Singapore has English as an official language and probably India, Pakistan, Malaysia etc. ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/78 "2013-01-21T08:02:02Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > I noticed a trend among many of my older co workers- many of them have filipina girlfriends/wives. The guys tend to be in their forties/fifties, white, previously married. I dont know of any of these couples that have kids together. Many of these guys move to the Phillipines when they retire. > > The reason it makes me curious is because its so specifically women from the Phillipines, is there something cultural that is appealing to these guys? I know asian women are kind of fetishized in our culturr, but still I kind of wonder why its not, say, Chinese women, or vietnamese, etc. Do they have access to the other nationalities that you mention? Phillipinas emigrate in very large numbers to work and send money back home. I met many Phillipinas in my work, but none of the other nationalities you mention. BTW many thousands of western men marry Thai women, so the English language isn’t the primary motivation, but that’s a whole other subject. ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/79 "2013-01-21T08:07:18Z")
> [@JessMagic](#): > > Funnily enough, I’ve always thought they speak the best English of any of the Asian nationalities. They learn English and Tagalog simultaneously from a very early age. Singaporeans also speak perfect English, along with a Chinese dialect and Malay. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623/80 "2013-01-21T14:59:04Z")
Millions of Americans visit London, but millions also visit Paris. Some Americans don’t worry about a language barrier, but there are plenty who still strongly prefer to visit London because they are more comfortable in an Anglophone country. > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > My understanding is that among Peace Corps Volunteers, the highest rate of marriage to locals is among the PCVs who serve in the Philippines. When I was at the U of Hawaii, a fellow grad student was a Returned PCV from the Philippines. He brought back a Filipna wife and told me he pegged the marriage rate among his group at 25%. > > EDIT: Or served. I think they were evacuated at some point around 1990 due to guerrilla activity. Don’t know if the program ever returned. Marriage rates for Peace Corps volunteers depend on all kinds of variables and it changes a lot from year to year. Cameroon has historically been on the high end, and not long ago there was a group in Cameroon where nearly 50% got married to Cameroonians! My group had only a handful of marriages. Beyond cultural compatibility and attractiveness, variables include stuff like: - If you start a long term relationship, are visa issues, communications infrastructure, and travel costs such that you could continue the relationship after you return home, or do you basically have to get married or end the relationship? China had a lot of dating, but not too many marriages, because it was easy for foreigners to find work in China and continue the relationship, and so there wasn’t a lot of pressure to get married right away. Cameroon had a lot of marriages in part because if you are dating a Cameroonian and you are going home, there was no realistic way to do long-term-relationship communication (Skype, calls, etc. would be tough) and traveling frequently between the countries is financially unrealistic, so it was basically either get married before you go or break up and never see each other again. - Does your country’s volunteer travel policies and geography make it difficult or easy to socialize with and date other volunteers? When travel is easy, lots of volunteers try to avoid generating village gossip and hook up with each other. When travel is difficult, volunteers are going to make closer bonds, including romantic ones,at their site. With so many islands, I’d imagine volunteer travel is more difficult in the Philippines. - Are volunteers primarily in urban or rural sites? Villages are pretty family oriented places, and after two years it’s not uncommon for volunteers in villages to want to feel a part of that and have a family of their own. In urban sites, volunteers are more likely to live a more typical American young person’s life, and so there is more casual dating and less focus on marriage and having children. - What age group is the program brining in. Some programs get a lot of fresh undergrads, others get an older crowd. I couldn’t tell you which ones leads to more marriage, but it’s certainly a factor. - [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-appeal-of-filipina-women/634623.md?page=5)