I’m nearly 50 and for most of my adult life, the prostate was… one of those things I don’t really talk about.
You know how it is with Filipino men.
We don’t go to the doctor unless something is already very wrong.
We tough it out, we ignore the signs, we say ‘okay lang’ when we’re clearly not okay.
And then you hit your mid-40s and suddenly you’re reading articles about prostate health at midnight on your phone and wondering why nobody told you about this sooner.
So let me be the one to tell you.
Because these are the things I wish I’d known earlier.
What Exactly Is the Prostate?
The prostate is a small gland… about the size of a walnut, they say, though that comparison never quite made sense to me until I saw a diagram. It sits just below the bladder and in front of the rectum (yes, that’s why the doctor has to check it the way they do, and yes, you should just let them do it).
Who knows… you just might like it enough to reassess your preferences hehehe…
Its main job is to produce fluid that forms part of semen.
Simple enough, right?
The problem is that this small walnut-sized gland tends to enlarge as men get older, and that’s where the trouble starts.
By the time a Filipino man hits 40, the prostate has already been quietly doing its job for decades.
By 50, almost half of all men will have some degree of prostate enlargement.
By 60, that number climbs higher.
And in the Philippines, where men historically avoid medical checkups until something is already painful or alarming, a lot of problems get caught late.
Warning Signs You Should Not Ignore
| Symptom | What It Might Mean |
| Frequent urination, especially at night | Possible BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) or early prostate issues |
| Weak or interrupted urine flow | Prostate may be pressing on the urethra |
| Difficulty starting or stopping urination | Common sign of prostate enlargement |
| Pain or burning during urination | Could indicate prostatitis (inflammation) or infection |
| Blood in urine or semen | Requires immediate medical attention — do not wait |
| Pain in the lower back, hips, or pelvis | In advanced cases, may indicate prostate cancer spread |
| Painful ejaculation | Often linked to prostatitis |
If you are experiencing any of the above… please don’t do what most Filipino men do, which is wait another six months and hope it goes away.
It won’t.
Book an appointment.
In Davao, there are good urologists at Davao Doctors Hospital, San Pedro Hospital, and Southern Philippines Medical Center.
You don’t need a referral to start.
Just go.
The Three Main Prostate Conditions
Not everything that goes wrong with the prostate is cancer. In fact, most prostate problems in men under 60 are not cancer at all. But they do need attention.
| Condition | What It Is | Who It Affects |
| Prostatitis | Inflammation of the prostate, often from bacterial infection. Can be acute or chronic. | Men of any age, including those in their 20s and 30s |
| BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) | Non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. Very common as men age. Not cancer. | Most men over 50; some over 40 |
| Prostate Cancer | Malignant growth in the prostate. One of the most common cancers in Filipino men. | Risk increases significantly after age 50; family history raises risk earlier |
The PSA Test: Get It Done
PSA stands for Prostate-Specific Antigen.
It’s a protein produced by the prostate gland, and elevated levels in your blood can be an early indicator of prostate problems, including cancer.
The test is a simple blood draw.
It takes minutes.
And yet so many Filipino men over 40 have never had one.
The general recommendation is to start discussing PSA testing with your doctor at age 40 to 50, or earlier if you have a family history of prostate cancer (father, brother, uncle). In the Philippines, the Philippine Urological Association recommends annual PSA screening starting at 40 for high-risk individuals and at 50 for average-risk men.
A high PSA doesn’t automatically mean cancer. It can also indicate BPH, prostatitis, or even recent physical activity. But it gives your doctor a number to track over time. That trend matters more than any single reading.
What You Can Actually Do About It
Here’s the part where I feel like I’m talking to myself as much as to you.
Because I know what Filipino men eat.
We eat a whole lot of unhealthy stuff.
And I’m not going to tell you to stop eating those things entirely because that’s not realistic and honestly life would be sad. But there are things worth knowing.
- Reduce red meat and high-fat dairy — studies link high saturated fat intake to increased prostate cancer risk
- Eat more tomatoes — lycopene, found in cooked tomatoes and tomato-based sauces, is associated with lower prostate cancer risk
- Exercise regularly — even 30 minutes of walking most days reduces BPH symptoms and cancer risk
- Limit alcohol — it irritates the bladder and worsens urinary symptoms
- Stay hydrated — but reduce fluids in the evening to help with nighttime urination
- Maintain a healthy weight — obesity is linked to more aggressive prostate cancer
- Get checked — this is the most important one and the one Filipino men are worst at
Pros and Cons of Getting Screened Early
| Reasons to Get Screened | Common Reasons Men Avoid It |
| Early detection dramatically improves survival rates for prostate cancer | Fear of a bad result (but knowing early is always better than knowing late) |
| PSA test is quick, cheap, and widely available in Davao | Embarrassment about the digital rectal exam (DRE) |
| Allows monitoring of BPH before it becomes a serious quality of life issue | ‘Walang nararamdaman’ — no symptoms yet, so why bother |
| Peace of mind if results are normal | Cost concerns (PSA test at most Davao labs is P500 to P1,500) |
| Gives you and your doctor a baseline to compare future results against | Thinking it only happens to old men (it doesn’t) |
I’m not a doctor.
I’m just a guy in Davao who is approaching 50 and started paying attention to things I should have been paying attention to years ago.
And the more I read about this, the more I’m convinced that the single biggest problem with prostate health among Filipino men is not the disease itself.
It’s the stigma around it.
We don’t talk about our bodies.
We don’t go to the doctor.
We act like needing medical attention is a sign of weakness instead of a sign that we’re taking responsibilty for ourselves and for the people who depend on us.
So here is my recommendation, as simply as I can put it.
If you are a Filipino man over 40… make an appointment.
Get a PSA test.
Talk to a urologist.
Your family will thank you for it even if you never tell them you went.
Because the men who catch it early are the ones who get to stick around.
And that, I think, is worth a blood test and a slightly uncomfortable conversation with a doctor.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a licensed physician or urologist for diagnosis and treatment.
