icole, the alleged victim in the Subic rape case versus four US Marines turns 23 this week, and judging from what she's gone through, we can presume, a lot wiser than she was a year ago. As the case unfolds, there remains this vexing question in the minds of many Filipinos: What was a supposedly "decent" young woman doing out, late at night, drunk, and cavorting with a soldier in a bar frequented by US servicemen?

For many Filipinos above a certain age, such behavior by a young woman is simply unacceptable. There was a time when the modesty and propriety of Filipinas were proudly heralded by Filipinos the world over. Those days are now long gone with the pendulum seeming to have swung hard in the opposite direction. Sadly for many foreigners, the word "Filipina" now conjures up images of bargirls, strip-dancers, prostitutes, and mail-order brides.

In the Nicole rape case, even the prosecution team seems to be encountering difficulties making the case for rape, as lead counsel, Senior State Prosecutor Emilie Fe de los Santos, voiced concerns about the victim's actions that night as well as her overall credibility.

Deciding her case, in the end, is a matter for the courts to make, but as many Filipinos who return from abroad will attest, the Filipina has changed! Long-gone are the Maria Claras or the Sylvia la Torres--"Filipino custom, no touch." In their place are their younger, more aggressive daughters many of whom have no qualms about using their gender to get whatever they want.