Philippine 'circumcision season' underway after virus delays

Silang (Philippines) (AFP): For more than a year, Caspien Gruta has been teased because his circumcision -- a rite of passage for boys in the Philippines -- was delayed, first by a volcanic eruption and then the coronavirus pandemic.

"I worry if I don't get circumcised now, I will be shamed," said Gruta, 12.

The Philippines has one of the highest rates of circumcision in the world, with many seeing the centuries-old practice as key for boys to enter manhood.

Even as circumcision comes under increasing scrutiny elsewhere, with some critics branding it "child abuse", it is rarely questioned in the Philippines and boys face tremendous pressure to undergo the procedure.

Every year, thousands of pre-teens have the operation for free at government or community-sponsored clinics.

Full story: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210830-philippine-circumcision-season-underway-after-virus-delays

-- France 24 - 2021.08.30