With the growing popularity of Philippine tourism, it has proven to be helpful to sex workers in the country. There are at least 100, 000 women in the country, both young and a bit older trying their luck to have a fair share of income in the tourism industry of the Philippines. In the country (Philippines) sex is priced more or less at Php 2,500 an hour. Not really bad considering the minimum wage is too less! Who does not want to earn this amount in an hour anyway? It is more wage than the salary of some CEO's!


You might be thinking how this can happen in a purely Christianized country. And yes, you are again assured that this is one of the Filipino hypocrisies. I have a lot of evidence to show how Pinoys try to be blind and deaf on the happenings around them. There are laws against this, against that but these laws are never working nor implemented! Although illegal in the Philippines, prostitution is still a very good industry. It is being boosted by dollars brought in by foreign tourists, who are most likely to be male, aged 38 years or older and in the country for pleasure. The government actually has enough laws against prostitution, I have to mention again.
Among these Anti-prostituion laws is Republic Act 9208, otherwise known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, which seeks to save women and children from falling into prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage. Unfortunately, the law does not save them from poverty and lack of livelihood opportunities, which force thousands of women to prostitution. The fact that some Filipinos are very rich and others are very poor breeds the exploitation and abuse of poor women. As I may tell you, there can be no other law more beautifully phrased than Philippine laws... really! But all these, are all drops of ink and nothing more. I don't even think most law-makes are aware that they have passed these laws!


In 2005, some 2.6 million foreign tourists infused about $2.4 billion into the country, the highest in history. This year, the Department of Tourism (DoT) expects between $2.8 and $2.9 billion from the influx of about three million visitors. Another 3.4 million visitors are expected in 2007, 3.88 million by 2008, 4.42 million by 2009 and five million by 2010. And of course, the tourism industry has computed it in the premise that there are always be prostitutions to help foreigners to come by.




The truth is, this prostitution is so rampant in the country. There is no way to stop it. It is everywhere! Why don't the government make something about it? Not to make laws againts it because again, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to stop it considering the Filipino's Ningas Cugon mindset, where laws are hot when newly passed but will be eventually forgotten as the time goes by. For me, it is better to legalize prostitution, put it in a secluded part of the country or certain province, generate revenue from it. The revenue would then help poor children to go to dchool, develop industries, provide a good paying work. In this manner, it is possible to decrease the number of potential prostutes because others have source of livelihood. As Macchiavelli said, the means justifies the end. And after all, there is no difference, this prostitution industry will exist and continue to exist whether the Philippine government likes it or not.


This is my suggestion and if you have other thoughts, and I know that you have your own set of thoughts on this, so do not hesitate to comment or post your insigts here. It is highly appreciated and welcomed. Also, you will be more enlightened if you read the full report from the " Manila Standard Today.