In the vocabulary of the Bicolano courtship and marriage practices, nothing can be more intriguing than the term lagpitaw (slingshot). It is a kind of surprise marriage entered into between the parents of the would-be bridegroom and that of the bride-to-be. Utmost secrecy attends its sealing. The bride and the bridegroom come to know of their fate only when they are told to don their wedding attire for an appointment at the altar, come wedding day. Among the cultural minorities, it is the Bagjao(w) tribe that boasts of a similar practice.
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Source:
Anima, N. 1975. Courtship and Marriage Practices among Philippine Tribes. La Loma: Omar.
