Seriously, they use the term MAIL ORDER BRIDES IN YOUR 2011 EDITION OF The Rough Guide to the Philippines. Pages 5 & 45 mention this term, it is an obsolete term and an offensive one, which the authors may know if they actually did their research. Let's get this right, anyone who meets online is a mail-order bride? So e harmony, cupid.com, all of those websites which can just as easily be international are mail-order bride companies.
I quote "the Philippines is often misunderstood by travellers and its Asian neighbours, casually dismissed as a supplier of maids, tribute bands, mail-order brides and corrupt politicians. Ok, seem to say "but we don't agree". However, on page 45 there's a paragraph on prostitution they describe the phenomenon of older western men accompanied by young, attractive filipina women, then say "don't assume all of these are prostitutes; the situation is confused further by the legal and equally popular phenomenon of MAIL ORDER BRIDES (most now arranged by dating sites)- plenty of the men you'll see have been matched by their Filipino "girlfriend" & intend to marry them, however dubious that may seem.
What an elitist, patronizing comment!! Who do they think their audience is? The vast majority of men meet these women on their own using a website as many do (ever hear of e-harmony?) and it should not be stigmatized, esp. by a guidebook they expect people to buy while visiting there.
I have to discredit their guides in the future due to such clueless idiocy.