CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is supporting the proposed amendments to City Ordinance 1408, which aims to ban the controversial lingam and yoni massage techniques in massage parlors and spas in the city.
The proposed amend-ment allows the Cebu City Anti-Indecency Board to inspect massage parlors and spas suspected to offer lingam and yoni without a court order.
In a letter to the Council, CCCI President Samuel Chioson said the chamber is fully supporting the proposed amendments because the same also supports CCCI’s vision to make Cebu the capital of beauty, health, and wellness in the country and eventually in the whole of Asia.
“To allow visitatorial power of the CCAIB is an open admission on the legitimacy of the operations. Also, it is an affirmation of the desire of the members to promote family-friendly spa and wellness establishments anchored on decency and moral values,” Chioson said.
What CCAIB is doing, Chison said, is a positive step towards the fulfillment of their vision.
The proposed amendments in the ordinance clearly ban lingam and yoni massage that are vaguely included in the list of prohibited acts in the existing ordinance.
Dr. Lucille Mercado, chairman of CCAIB, said earlier that in a sense, lingam massage already falls under Section 6, letter (f) of the ordinance which defines sexual act as acts of masturbation, sexual intercourse, deliberate physical contact with a person’s covered or exposed genitals and public area of the buttocks.
Citing the statement of doctors invited to the initial public hearing, Mercado said lingam is a form of masturbation, which has therapeutic effects.
The existing ordinance also defines prostitution as engagement in sexual acts in exchange for payment. Mercado said that if lingam is a sexual act and clients pay to avail of this service, then it is clearly a form of prostitution.
Lingam is the Sanskrit word for the male organ. The massage procedure involves stroking the male sexual organ to soothe and relax the client. Other than relaxation, it is said to be beneficial because it prevents premature ejaculation and prevents one from getting prostate cancer.
Yoni, on the other hand, is a Sanskrit word for vagina. According to various internet sources, this type of massage provides emotional healing, deep relaxation, sensual pleasure and a form of safe sex to a woman. – (FREEMAN)