Under the Knife: Filipinos’ Attitude Towards Plastic Surgery
by Bea Devesa
Following the most recent plastic surgery rumor that has put Filipino actress Arci Muñoz in the spotlight, going under knife procedures are once again at the forefront of the public eye.
Last week, photos of Arci Muñoz quickly went viral after a netizen posted them on social media. Many had speculations that the actress underwent nose and lips enhancement procedures. While some defended her, many still criticized Munoz.
“‘Di na nakontento,” said one user; others likened her “new look” to that of the late Michael Jackson, who was believed to have undergone several ‘physical enhancements’ during the height of his career.
Despite the influx of advertisements that can be found ubiquitously—from giant billboards in Metro Manila to TV and radio commercials, plastic surgery has always been under the microscope of public perception in the Philippines. And there’s little escape from their watchful eye, whether it’s about an up and coming actor or a well-known celebrity.
The Filipino Times lists the top reasons why ‘plastic surgery’ seems to remain a ‘taboo’ in the Philippines:
- 1 Influence of religion
The teachings of the church have instilled that the virtues of kindness and simplicity in life always triumph over physical appearance in the eyes of God.
In 2015, the Vatican released a document stating the opposition of the Roman Catholic Church to plastic surgery procedures, suggesting that alterations done to one’s body “can amputate the expressive possibilities of the human face, which are connected to empathy” and “be aggressive toward the feminine identity, showing a refusal of the body.”
- 2 Human body is sacred
Filipinos have a strong sense of principle that each person is distinct and unique. In the quest for physical perfection, people putting their “sacred bodies” in the hands of surgeons are believed by some to risk to lose their sense of individuality.
- 3 Conservative society
Being tagged as conservatives is common for Filipinos. From stands on divorce to contraceptives, the preservation of traditional values persists in its society.
Any kind of change, including alterations done to one’s body could be seen as a threat to the preservation of Filipino culture and beliefs.
- 3 “Maraming nagugutom”
While Filipinos love a good transformation story from “mahirap” to “mayaman” and “pangit” to “maganda”, a large chunk of its population remains ‘poor’. And the pursuit to bring food on the table surpasses the quest for beauty, which entails a hefty amount of money. Thus, plastic surgery somehow remains unacceptable in Philippine society, according to experts.
But this is quite ironic because when someone goes to a supermarket, he/she will spend so much time looking up for something at the beauty and skin product section. Papaya and glutathione soaps are a must have for a lot of men and women alike. And these products sell like hotcakes.
While focus on self-improvement like learning new skills and improving one’s life mindset is encouraged, attitudes towards a different kind of self-improvement, plastic surgery, still remains up in the air.
(Source: FilipinoTimes.net)