PB passes ordinance vs. lingam massage

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu Provincial Board yesterday passed the ordinance banning lingam massage service in the province without further debates even in the absence of six PB members.

The proposed ordinance was scheduled for third and final reading in yesterday's PB session after it passed through and drew debate during a public hearing last month.

Absent during yesterday's session were board members Wilfredo Caminero, Peter John Calderon, Caesar Geronimo Zambo, Alex Binghay, Sun Shimura and Bea Mercede Calderon.

Once approved by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia it shall be known as "Lingam and Yoni Massage Ban Ordinance of the Province of Cebu." 

The ordinance authored by PB member Agnes Magpale prohibits lingam and yoni massage or similar massage services in any and all massage parlors/spas/clinics, hotels, motels, resorts, and other like establishments, including home service massage arrangement, within the jurisdiction of the Province of Cebu, and providing penalties for the violation thereof.

The ordinance defines lingam massage as the act of massaging the man's testicles, genitals, scrotum, perineum, and the other nearby sensually sensitive spots by a masseuse which normally results in ejaculation.

Yoni massage is also the act of massaging the woman's genitals and the other nearby sensually sensitive spots by a masseur which normally results in sexual pleasure and orgasm.

Violation of the ban or prohibition shall subject offenders to an imprisonment of not more than a year or a fine of not more than P5,000, or both at the discretion of the court.

Persons liable include operators or owners of lingam and yoni massage parlors/spas/clinics; masseuses; masseurs; male and female customers and masseurs and customers of other massage services which are of the same nature and character of lingam and yoni massage.

During the public hearing, urologist Dr. Ernesto Cabahug explained that lingam has no therapeutic value against prostate cancer since it is done externally and that prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction are forms of medical conditions.

"Prostate is inside the genital and lingam is done externally and even doing prostate massage this might be a cause of death if the person has an acute prostate cancer," he said, adding that lingam is considered a form of masturbation and self-gratification.

But according to Honey Yoo of Authentic Lingam Massage, their massage is learned from Malaysia and not from the websites as what is usually seen.

Sofia Logarta of University of the Philippines Gender Office said that although the technical movements of the massage is taught in Malaysia, Cebuanos are not yet fully informed of its cultural context.

Magpale said her proposed ordinance is not aimed at killing the operations of decent massage parlors.  

"We are not killing massage parlors but we are just banning the lingam massage since no one has the license to practice lingam here," she said.

Yoo said their therapists are all professionals and skilled enough to do their jobs, saying that they would not subscribe to the idea of banning the lingam massage service.

She told the board that lingam has four phases but she can only divulge the first phase, which is the stretching. She said she cannot divulge the third and the fourth phases since she wants to protect their trade secret. - /BRP (FREEMAN)