#walangFOREVER? (Part 1 of 2)

On Telenovelas of Infidelity and Views towards Marriage

(Image Credit: ABS-CBN)

Marriage is a superstructure. My father always reminds me, “you don’t build it unless you are ready. It takes time. It also requires a lot of pillars in order for it to stand and its heart is the covenant of love and faithfulness to each other for a lifetime.”

In Philippine culture, people are born and raised in the belief and stand of marital success.

One of the reasons would be our strong grip to our Christian faith which weaves the way we live and the way we shape our principles.

Ever since I was a child, I have seen my parents sticking to each other through thick and thin. I could hear them talking to each other about how they are going as employees, as a couple, as parents, as a sister and a brother, and about their spiritual lives in early mornings while having coffee.

I have witnessed them compromising to each other and staying faithful to one another. I have seen how much my father loves my mother and how my mother respects my father as the man of the household. They are intimate, they are passionate and they are filled with commitment.

Even history and literature speaks itself that Filipinos are the kind of people who strongly believe in the power of love and commitment to marriage. This love and marital success has also reached its way to the Philippine media—a great tool in spreading information and influencing the minds of the people.

One obvious set of evidence is the common story plots found in the Philippine telenovelas.

The titles and their corresponding theme songs promise a love story plot of an unending and unconditional love such as the telenovela “Pangako Sa’yo” in 2000-2002.

These telenovelas usually end with grandiose and joyous weddings as to seal the love found and fought for over social dilemmas, third parties, and personal issues. Marriage in telenovelas, thus, symbolizes a beginning of a joyful lifetime of happiness through faithfulness to the spouse and love in the family. These kinds of love stories reigned the primetime until, telenovelas of infidelity came.

The theme of infidelity had spread like wildfire both on television and movies. What’s more surprising is that these were being patronized by the Filipino viewers; having the highest ratings when aired or released in cinemas.

According to a report by the Catholic Bishops’ News Agency, the number of marriage annulment cases in the Philippines has risen by 40% in the last decade with at least 22 cases filed every day.

Along with this increase is also the increase of ratings and viewership of the same social issue in telenovelas. Telenovelas of infidelity constantly have the highest ratings in primetime in both local channels according to AGB Nielsen in 2014. (To be Continued) (Emmaree Jane Lozada)