In the rural Philippines, "pagtutuli " or circumcision is a pre-adolescent or adolescent rite of passage, performed on small groups, traditionally on Holy Saturday (Sabado de Gloria). It is performed, not by the physician or village doctor (albularyo), but by any lay person with expertise in the procedure. Rarely it is done on one's self.

The procedure is usually preceded by a bath in the river (believed to decreased the amount of bleeding) and the chewing of a handful of bayabas leaves.

The cut on the prepuce is performed using a barber's blade (labaja) or balisong (fan-knife). The cut is guided by a "lukaw," a wooden contraption carved from a branch of the bayabas tree, one end of which is staked to the ground . The other end, shaped to fit between the penile prepuce and head, is put in place with the lad sitting and straddling the lukaw. The blade is then carefully placed on the prepuce for the dorsal slit and a single blow is delivered by hand or a wooden branch. Immediately, the mouthful of bayabas leaves being chewed is spit out and applied to the wound; this is believed to facilitate healing and prevent infection.

A piece of soft cloth, about 5x5 inches, preferably white, with a small hole in the middle to allow for urination, is wrapped around the penile head and tied with cloth-strings.

The dressing is changed daily, after washing the wound with a decoction of bayabas leaves. Some apply fine scrappings from the outer coconut shell to the daily wound care. Recently, it has become common practice to apply pulverized penicillin tablets (obtained without prescription) to the wound.

In some rural areas, if unusual swelling (kinamatis) occurs, a termite is placed on the swelling to produce a puncture and subsequent draining. If infection occurs, a dog is made to lick off the dried pus, blood and debris. Another practice is the stringing off of dried pus and debris.

Cost:
Usually free or a pack of cigarettes.

In Bontok, boys are expected to be circumcised (nasegyatan) by puberty. Uncircumcised boys are teased as "loyyup," meaning 'long penis.' As in the lowland rural areas, the procedure is simple and spare. The tip of the thin knife is inserted to the length to be opened, when in the desired position, the knife is hit with a piece of wood. The prepuce is slit open and rolled back and a poultice of chewed or pulped young leaves, umok, is applied to the wound, to stop the bleeding and help in the wound healing. The method of slitting-and-rolling-back without cutting off the skin is cause for re-circumcision in some.

Cost:
Dried beans or some tobacco leaves.

 Bintusa

 Bulong and Orasyon

 Cadot

 Kudlit

 Lunas

 Luop

 Magasawang Gamot