THE ROLE OF COALITION AGAINSTTRAFFICKING

IN WOMEN ASIA – PACIFICIN TRANSFORMING

THE LIVES OFPROSTITUTED WOMEN
IN THE PHILIPPINES

An Undergraduate Thesis Presented to the

Faculty of the Department of International Studies
Institute of Arts and Sciences
Far Eastern University

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the

Thesis Writing in International Studies- IS21

Joya, Jemicah M.
Magdangal, Maria Eliza A.
Narido, Arvie M.
Sagun, Jenifer H.
Tan, Carolyn J.

April 2014

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2
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Nicanor Reyes Street, Sampaloc Manila
Institute of Arts and Sciences
International Studies Department

Thesis title: THE ROLE OF COALITION AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN ASIA –

PACIFIC IN TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF PROSTITUTED WOMEN IN THE PHILIPPINES

by: Joya, Jemicah M.; Magdangal, Maria Eliza A.; Narido, Arvie M.; Sagun, Jenifer H.;
Tan, Carolyn J.

Abstract:

Prostitution has been the subject of much public debate in the Philippines. There
have been transformations in the form and structure of sex industry in the country. It has
been complicated, sensitive and unresolved. Poverty and past experiences of women are
some of the main reasons why most Filipinas compelled to enter the flesh trade. However,
prostitution exists squarely within cultures of gender-based inequality. Feminists intend that
prostitution is a paradigmatic expression of male domination of women. Far from being
gender-neutral, prostitution is gendered to the hilt. The buyers are men whose goal is their
sexual pleasures. This study provides an emphasis on the issue of prostitution as a human
right violation against women, through the analysis of the life histories of five prostituted
women of Bagong Kamalayan Collective, Inc. under the Coalition Against Trafficking in
Women Asia – Pacific. It aims to promote awareness on women’s human rights and
support survivors of prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation. Furthermore, the
study characterizes the perception and substantial experiences of the survivors of
prostitution from being exploited to empowered women. It also aims to raise awareness not
only to the non-governmental organizations (NGO), governmental agencies but among
policy makers and the whole international arena as well. The importance of this study is
how the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific motivates Women in
Prostitution to leave the said industry. CATW-AP is a human-rights based agency which
adheres to developmental initiatives in accordance to international human rights standards.
It is directed towards the promotion and protection of women’s right towards over-all goal of
gender equality. The result shows that majority of the respondents had experienced
violation against women rights before and during the period they are prostituted.

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Executive Summary:

Prostitution is the performance of sexual acts solely for the purpose of material and
emotional gain. Persons prostitute themselves when they grant sexual favors to others in
exchange of money, gifts or other payments and in doing so use their bodies as
commodities. Moreover, some prostituted women have some benefits when inside the trade
such as companionship. Therefore, they feel that they are not alone. Voices are being
raised to suggest that prostitution be accepted as commerce, a legitimate work for women
and a valid means for economic survival or empowerment. Pro-prostitution advocates as
such posit that women have the right to prostitute themselves.

However, human rights activists and feminists argue that it may be characterized as
an expression of sexual freedom or as a form of labor but reality shows it bears much closer
relationship to gender-based violence especially the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation
among women. The researchers focused on the role of a non-governmental organization
like CATW-AP in providing practical support to women affected by such acts of violence.
Additionally, the researchers also emphasized prostitution in Thailand in comparison with
the current status of prostitution in Philippines.

In this study, the researchers attempted to understand the Case Study on the Role
of Coalition Against Trafficking in Women–Asia Pacific in Empowering Prostituted Women
in the Philippines. Specifically, the study aimed: 1) to define what the prostitution means, 2)
to identify the causes of violence and exploitation to the survivors of prostitution in
Philippines during the period they are prostituted, 3) to determine the effects of violence and
exploitation to the survivors of prostitution in Philippines during the period they are
prostituted, 4) to distinguish the current international protocols regarding prostitution that
protects the victims of prostitution in the Philippines, 5) to characterize the current initiatives
done by Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific in the Philippines to transform
the lives of survivors of prostitution, 5) and to discover the policies that can be
recommended to Coalition against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific in the Philippines to
empower the victims of prostitution.

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 This study is carried out to document the good practices, lessons learned, immediate
impact, challenges and recommendations of the programs of the Coalition Against
Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific’s (CATW-AP) in addressing trafficking and prostitution.
The researchers sought to determine how CATW-AP, through its programs and services,
has contributed in changing people’s lives, especially the lives of women by making the
Philippine government and its agencies, to fulfil its obligations to women in empowering the
latter to demand for their rights from and hold the former accountable.

CATW-AP has four programs: Policy Advocacy, Campaigns and Networking

Program; Education, Training and Organizational Development Program; Research,
Documentation and Publication Program; and the Empowerment of Survivors Program.
The projects and activities of the Policy Advocacy, Campaigns andNetworking Program
resulted to policy changes at the national and local levels,primary of which is the passage of
the Anti-Trafficking Law. These victories aredue to the strategy of enabling individuals,
organizations, barangays, and NGOs inorder to participate in bringing about societal
change and the multi-pronged andaudience-based strategies employed by CATW-AP such
as strong media work,building partnerships with individual legislators and government
agencies, and theother activities mentioned earlier.

CATW-AP’s feminist analysis of the issues of trafficking and prostitution which is the
selling and buying of women and children’s bodies creates the trafficking phenomenon,
wherein trafficking is the means to ensure the supply of women and children’s bodies for the
prostitution industry. It posits that any act of using women and children’s bodies for profit is
a flagrant violation of women/children’s rights as well as a system of violence against
women and children. Within this frame, trafficking is not limited to acts that constitute
physical force, but also include those that exploit vulnerabilities brought about by socio-
economic, political and gender inequalities.

The CATW-AP’s innovative strategies in addressing the issues of trafficking and

prostitution had led to their high profile in international campaigns. CATW-AP was asked by
NGO partners in other countries to participate in conferences and campaigns to provide
input derived from the experiences in the Philippines. The Empowerment of Survivors
Program is a comprehensive and holistic program designed to respond to the survivors’

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healing and empowerment. CATW-AP also sourced out funds for survivors’ groups to start
their own alternative livelihoods. CATW-AP’s work with survivors is unique because helping
survivors become social actors is a part of their psychosocial healing.

Survivors work with CATW-AP in raising their awareness on relevant social and
gender issues, equipping them with skills in analysis, problem solving, advocacy, and
documentation, and in organizing other survivors. Becoming social actors participating and
making a clear impact on the social events and policy contributes significantly to healing
because it helps re-establish positive self-image and connections with people. Sustainability
issues of the organizations set up by survivors were addressed by piloting livelihood
projects, for example, the cafeteria business for Bagong Kamalayan Collective, Inc.
recommendations include documenting the experiences of CATW-AP and the survivors in
organizing and case work and regularizing national consultations with the survivors.

In terms of the research technique and methods, the researchers have conducted an
informal and semi-structured interview with five members of the Bagong Kamalayan
Collective, Inc. under the Coalition Against Trafficking of Women in Asia - Pacific. The
researchers decided to use creative interview where different set of pictures were shown to
the respondents relating based to their experiences. On the other hand, the researchers
had an in-depth interview with the officer-in-charge of Coalition Against Trafficking of
Women in Asia – Pacific. The interviews were held on January 27, 2014 at Room 202
Philippine National Bank Building, Matalino Street, Diliman Village, Quezon City.
Descriptive, historical, documentary, and qualitative approach of research were adopted.
The Robotfoto, Dendogram, and Repertory Grid are used in the data gathering,
presentation, and analysis of data.

The researcher’s study recommends service which responds to the needs of

survivors in all aspects of empowering them. This support system must meet the particular
needs of survivors that include: 1) counseling 2) legal assistance 3) education and
scholarships 4) health services 5) livelihood services 6) training services 7) referrals to job
placement agencies and 8) repatriation and rescue services. Survivors and feminists in
CATW-AP resolve to continue their work in supporting the empowerment of prostituted
women and children and in advocating for alternatives. They will continue to challenge all

6
attempts by governments to make prostitution a profitable market sector to protect each and
every rights of women’s that are involve in the said trade industry.

The research study recommends that the NGO and Philippine Government must
cooperate in order to improve and implement specific laws that protect prostituted women.
The government of the Philippines must pay attention for the protection of victimized women
and not stigmatize and marginalize them. The degree on how international law plays a role
on Prostitution must be given importance, such as CEDAW and UN Anti-Trafficking
Protocol. The Philippine government must review these particular standards of international
law and policies so that it can be implemented and enforced.

The researchers conclude that most of the women who are in prostitution have
experienced different kind of abuses that leads them to enter the flesh trade. These
experiences have become a catalyst for them to have different perception about being
abuse or not. They had a hard time to distinguish the difference between the two being
abuse and not. Furthermore, the researchers conclude that the local government of the
Philippines has weak efforts to curb the violence among prostituted women and
implementation of law about prostitution for the protection of the rights of the women in the
flesh trade industry. Also, the different international organization here in the Philippines are
having a hard time to protect this women because of the lack funding and awareness to the
people that are involve and not involved in the flesh industry.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The success of this thesis required the help of various individuals. Without them, the
researchers might not meet their objectives in doing this study. The researchers want to
give gratitude to the following people for their invaluable help and support. First of all, we
would like to thank our families for their never ending support and patience for each and
one of us. To Joya Family, Magdangal Family, Narido Family, Tito Nito, Tita Elsa and
Sagun Family, Tito Ricardo, Tita Marilyn and Tan Family, for letting us gate crash to their
respective homes while we write this thesis. If not for them, we would not be able to survive
all the challenges along the way. Second of all, our sincere thanks goes to our mentors,
Prof. Benedicto Mirabueno, Prof. Anna Marie Sopoco and Prof. Jerry Apolonio for guiding
and giving us the knowledge and meticulous comments in order to make our thesis
possible. The time they have lent to us will be treasured and we are deeply grateful for what
they have imparted to us. Also, to Prof. Marietta Dublin, we hope that you may finally have
the guts to stand up for your students as an International Studies Professor.We are truly
thankful to you for your decisions led us to the right people. Of course, we would like to
express our gratitude to our Beloved Adviser, Prof. Catherine Telan, for not hesitating to
accept us as your very first thesis advisees. Without her continuous optimism concerning
this thesis, enthusiasm, encouragement and enormous support would hardly have been
completed. She has been our constant companion through victories and hard times and we
know that saying thank you would not be enough.

We would also like to show our greatest appreciation to Coalition against Trafficking
in Women Asia-Pacific (CATW-AP) particularly, Ms. Jean Enriquez, Ms. Gie, Ms. Teresa,
Ms. Elsa, Ms. Princess and Ms. Clydie Pasia who were involved in this study from the start
and was a great help in providing all the data as we made them the subject of our study. As
researchers, we realized that though they are a small organization, their hearts were huge
as exerting their constant support in empowering women’s rights. Furthermore, we owe a
very important debt to the five survivors who had a little hard time to encourage to be
interviewed because of the sensitivity of their experiences.

Despite of the negative impact they have inclined to us, we still owe a great debt of
gratitude to the feedback offered by the Panelists, for giving highly competent suggestions

8
and constructive comments for the improvement of our study which we led us to gain more
courage and motivational strength.

The researchers would like to thank IS1041 family, for the help and updates all
throughout the year, your block made us feel the love and belongingness as the “ATES” of
International Studies and to our 6th and “sort-of” member Sherina Bonifacio, we love you
She. Also, we thank the IS Department, to PH Carlo Gutierrez and Supervisor Arsenia
Jimenez for their concern and love to our thesis group.

Above all, we send our immense gratitude to our Almighty God who became the
source of our strength when everything seems not to go on our way. We praise you Lord for
we have successfully surpassed all the trials you have given us. To God be the glory!

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page……………………………………………………………………………………...... i

Approval Sheet…………………………………………………………………………………. ii

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………….. iii

Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………………… vii

Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………………. x

List of Abbreviations……………………………………………………………………………. xiv

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………............. 1

Background of the Study……………………………………………………………………… 4

Research Objectives………………………………………………………………………….. 7

Research Problem…………………………………………………………………………….. 8

Theoretical Framework……………………………………………………………………….. 9

Conceptual Framework………………………………………………………………………. 12

Research Paradigm…………………………………………………………………………... 14

Significance of the Study……………………………………………………………………... 16

Scope and Delimitations of the Study……………………………………………………….. 17

Definition of Terms…………………………………………………………………………….. 18

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

I. History and Definition of Prostitution……………………………………………….. 20

A. History of Prostitution in the Philippines……………………………….. 21

B. Types of Prostitution……………………………………………………… 24

II. Legal Approaches…………………………………………………………………….. 25

III. Cause of Entry………………………………………………………………………… 28

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IV. Current Status of Prostitution in Philippines……………………………………….. 29

V. Prostitution is Violence Against Women……………………………………………. 30

VI. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific……………………………. 35

A. Organization Overview…………………………………………………… 36

B. Vision – Mission…………………………………………………………… 37

C. Programs and Policies…………………………………………………… 37

VII. Synthesis………………………………………………………………………………. 38

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

Research Design……………………………………………………………………………...... 40

Participants of the Study……………………………………………………………………..... 41

Data Gathering Procedures…………………………………………………………………… 41

CHAPTER 4

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

I. What is prostitution……..…………………………………………………………….. 43

Women’s cause of entry…………………………………………………….... 43

Years of working in prostitution…………………………………………….... 43

Place of work…………………………………………………………………… 44

The customers…………………………………………………………………. 44

The right to choose customers……………………………………………….. 45

Men’s sexual urges…………………………………………………………….. 45

Prostitution in Thailand………………………………………………………… 47

Respondent No. 1’s Narrative Story…………………………………………. 49

II. What are the causes of violence and exploitation to the survivors of prostitution in

the Philippines during the period they were prostituted……………………………………... 51

Violence in Prostitution…………………………………………………………. 51

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 The reason behind violence……………………………………………………. 51

Philippine’s patriarchal society…………………………………………………. 52

Respondent No. 2’s Narrative Story…………………………………………… 54

III. What are the effects of violence and exploitation to the survivors of prostitution in

Philippines during the period they are prostituted……………………………………………. 55

Effects of Violence………………………………………………………………. 55

Vices………………………………………………………………………………. 56

Violence among survivors………………………………………………………. 56

Respondent No. 3’s Narrative Story………………………………………….. 61

IV. What are the current international protocols regarding prostitution that protects the

victims of prostitution in the Philippines……………………………………………………….. 63

Philippine government on women’s rights……………………………………. 64

The ideal law…………………………………………………………………….. 64

International Protocol on protecting women’s rights…………………………. 64

Respondent No. 4’s Narrative Story…………………………………………… 65

V. What are the current initiatives done by CATW-AP in the Philippines to transform the

lives of survivors of prostitution…………………………………………………………………. 66

Membership in CATW-AP……………………………………………………….. 66

Programs of CATW-AP………………………………………………………….. 66

Respondent No. 5’s Narrative Story……………………………………………. 75

CHAPTER 5

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings……………………………………………………………………………... 76

Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………………….. 77

Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………….. 77

References………………………………………………………………………………………… 78

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Appendices

A. Robotfoto

B. Repertory Grid

C. Dendogram

D. Transcription of Interviews

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 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

AIDS - Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

ALS - Alternative Learning System

BKCI - Bagong Kamalayan Collective Inc.

CATW-AP - Coalition Against Trafficking in Women - Asia Pacific

CEDAW - Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women

DSWD - Department of Social Welfare and Development

HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

HURIDOCS - Human Rights Documentation System

NGO - Non-Governmental Organization

SINAG - Sigaw Ng Angking Lakas ng Kababaihan sa Lansangan

STD - Sexually Transmitted Disease

WIP - Women in Prostitution

WHISPER - Women Hurt in Systems of Prostitution Engaged in Revolt

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 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

“I will always be the virgin-prostitute, the perverse angel, the two-

faced sinister and saintly women.”

― Anaïs Nin, Henry & June

Prostitution is called the world’s oldest profession. (Tomura, 2009) Prostitution is

linked to human nature and therefore, it is natural. Prostitution is said to be the oldest form

of violence and most profitable way of earning money. (Talnar and Himcinschi, 2012)

According to Murphy, prostitution is a behavior that involves the exchange of sexual

services for food. (Murphy, 2007) Like other market setting, in prostitution, it demands,

creates and supply. Usually, men buy sex while women offer it. Therefore, prostitution is

considered normal and inevitable. (Farley and Butler, 2012)

Prostitution may be characterized as an expression of sexual freedom or as a form

of labor. But in reality, it bears a much closer relationship to practices of gender based

violence. (Leidholdt, 2003) Commercial sex workers are considered as women of loose

morals, without rights, and often times, they are routinely subjected to coercion and

violence. Prostitution is not viewed as normal job because they are dependent on selling

sexual favors; prostitutes are particularly prone to violence. (Bennett and Manderson, 2003)

The exchange of money in prostitution paves way for sexual harassment, sexual abuse and

sexual violence. (Raymond, 1998) In the context of globalization, the following are the

causes that escalate the violence against theprostitutes: 1) increasing political instability

15
2) Rising income 3) and inequalities within and between countries. (Bennett and

Manderson, 2003)

Knowing the characteristics of prostitution is essential for understanding the victims

of this phenomenon. (Talnar and Himchinschi, 2012) It is indeed important to review the

international standards – the established universal frameworks in viewing the global

problem, nuances of such human rights perspective, the commitment made by states, and

what is happening in reality regarding this problem. (Coalition Against Trafficking in Women

Asia-Pacific, 2010) It is also necessary to emphasize the role of the non-state actors such

as non-governmental organizations since they provide practical support to women affected

by violence. The role of the non-governmental organization in poorer nations and

communities because of few government resources dedicated to addressing the prevention

of violence against women. (Bennett and Manderson, 2003)

Generally, prostitution is viewed in a negative way and the person who prostitute is

condemned and marginalized. (Talnar and Himcinschi, 2012) Rebecca Foley‟s research in

Malaysia shows that female sex workers who attempt to prosecute men who have

committed violent crimes against them are typically charged for the illegal act of prostitution.

(Bennett and Manderson, 2003) In the case of the Philippines, even if RA 9208 was passed,

it does not automatically punish the offender of prostitution because when RA 9208 was

passed it does not automatically repeal the old vagrancy law. In most cases, they are

sexually abused by policemen and investigators in the process. (Coalition Against

Trafficking in Women Asia-Pacific, 2010)

The purpose of the study is to promote awareness of women’s human rights and

support survivors of prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation by discovering

16
the lives of survivors of prostitution through their life experiences and histories. In

prostitution, it is imperative to stress, women’s perception of their self-image and needs

since they are the main actors. Women’s perception should further be known to NGO‟s

and policy makers in order for them to get a wider understanding of the phenomena as well

as to contribute to a wider understanding about the problem.

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BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

For so many years, prostitution has been the subject of much public debate in

Thailand and Philippines. There have been transformations in the form and structure of the

sex industry in both countries. It has been complicated, sensitive and unresolved.

Theprostitution, being the oldest profession worldwide, is also not new for Thai society.

Prostitution in Thailand has its roots in Buddhism that is the main religion there. (Keown,

2003) Prostitution in Thailand can be dated back at least to the Ayuddhya period (1350-

1767). The women were commonly slaves and were viewed as an object and forced to

serve her owners. Under the Ayuddhya time prostitution was taxed and legal by the

government, which may have been the starting point for Thailand to draw in state revenue

from prostitution (Van Esterik, 2000;Boonchalaksi and Guest, 1994).

The clientele were then as now, both local and foreigners. Even under these times

there was a close relation between the sex industry, migrant communities and economic

development. Although, during the earlier times it was mostly the Chinese communities that

had a connection to prostitution, today there are other foreigners who have migrated and

established communities, such as Europeans. When the Chinese migration of males

increased, so did the sex industry, and was mostly located in the Chinese neighborhoods in

Bangkok. In other parts of Thailand, as Phuket, the sex industry was unfolded through the

growth of coal mining together with Chinese migration. Prostitution during that time did not,

however, involve only Thai women. There were also a large number of Chinese women

(Boonchalaksi and Guest, 1994). After 600 years of slavery, King Rama V finally abolished

slavery in 1905. Still, some women “voluntarily” became prostitutes.

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 Thailand served as a rest and recreation place for US troops who visited the country

and also for those 70,000 combat troops stationed in the northeast. The Americans had

women in prostitution as girlfriends, openly walking around on the streets, compared to the

Thai and Chinese customers, who instead visited brothels. Even though the 1960s and

onward was the time when most laws were established with an intention to diminish the sex

industry, it was also the time when it expanded the most. (Boonchalaksi and Guest, 1994;

Van Esterik, 2000).

In the case of the Philippines, prostitution has started when the Spanish came,

theychronicled some pre-existing sexual practices by Filipinos which they considered lewd,

vicious and perverse. They observed that society did not value either virginity or

monogamous marriages. The Spanish chroniclers wrote that virginity was, in fact, believed

to be a hindrance to marriage and that to reach the place of eternal bliss, women must have

lovers. There were males who would even offer their services for initiating women to the

sexual act. Unwed mothers did not decrease their chances of marriage. Despite this sexual

freedom, most of our ancestors kept monogamousinstead of polygamous relationships.

There were laws which penalized illicit behavior between men and women, effectively

restricting promiscuity and preventing prostitution. (Asong and Sexon, 2009)

The Spaniards preached the values of virginity and chastity to the "natives" or

Filipinos and condemned their immoral sexual practices. However, they also failed to live

out what they preached. They carried out sexual relations with native women outside their

marriage resulting in the birth of many Spanish mestizo children. By the 19th century, casas

catering to Peninsulares (Spaniards), Insulares (Philippine-born Spaniards), and Indios

(native Filipinos) existed in Manila. The casas housed young virgins (usually daughters of

peasants sold to cover their parent's debts) to cater mainly to Spanish soldiers and officials.

(Asong and Sexon,2009)

19
 However, it is interesting to note that several prostitutes from Thailand and

Philippines had transformed their lives which are considered as one of the huge problems of

the two countries. What are the current initiatives done by the CATW-AP in the Philippines

to transform the lives of survivors of prostitution? What are the policies that implemented by

the CATW-AP in the Philippines to empower the victims of prostitute. These questions

fueled the researcher‟s interest in understanding a case study of prostitution in the

Philippines.

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RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:

The purpose of this study aims:

1. To present the characteristics of prostitution in the Philippines.

2. To discuss the current international protocols regarding prostitution that protects

the victims of prostitution in the Philippines.

3. To analyze the current initiatives done by CATW-AP in the Philippines to

transform the lives of survivors of prostitution.

4. To provide policies that can be recommended to CATW-AP in the Philippines to

transform the lives of survivors of prostitution.

21
RESEARCH PROBLEM

This study aims to answer the following questions:

1. What is Prostitution?

2. What are the current international protocols regarding prostitution that protects the

victims of prostitution in the Philippines?

3. What are the current initiatives done by the CATW-AP in the Philippines to transform

the lives of survivors in prostitution?

4. What are the policies that can be recommended to CATW-AP in the Philippines to

transform the lives of survivors in prostitution?

22
 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Theory Definition

- Defined as a movement to end sexism,

sexist exploitation, and oppression.
- A belief in equality, defined not as
“sameness” but rather as opposed to
ranking one sex superior or inferior to the
other, or opposition to one’s sex’s
categorical control of the rights and
Feminism opportunities to the other.
- A belief that women’s condition is socially
constructed and historically shaped, rather
that preordained by God or nature.
- A belief that women have socially
constructed position situates them on
shared ground, enabling a group identity or
gender consciousness sufficient to mobilize
women for change.
- Considered with the emancipation of
women.

- Is an adherence to at least some of the

central ideas of Marx. Typically include
perceiving the social world in terms of
categories of class as defined by
relationships to economic and productive
processes, belief in the development of
society beyond the capitalist phase toward
a revolution of the proletariat, and in
economics the labor theory of value, and
Marxism above all rejections of the exploitation
inherent in private control of productive
processes.
- Is a commitment to the exploited and
oppresses classes, and to the revolution
that should better their portion.
- A system of economic, social, and political
philosophy based on the ideas that view
social change in terms of economic factors.
A central tenet is that the means of
production are the economic base that
influences or determines the political life.

23
 - A set of social relations between men
which have a material base, and which,
Marxist Feminist though hierarchical, establish or create
interdependence and solidarity among men
that enable them to dominate women.

Theorist

• Nancy Cott
• Karl Marx
• Karl Kautsky
• Friedrich Engels
• Catharine Mackinnon

FIGURE 1.

This study follows the Marxist feminist theory which postulates the relative relation of

economics in gender. Marxism and feminism are theories of power and its distribution:

inequality. They provide accounts of how social arrangements of patterned disparity

can be internally rational yet unjust. But their specificity is not incidental. In Marxism to be

deprived of one's work, in feminism of one's sexuality, defines each one's conception of

lack of power per se. They do not mean to exist side by side to ensure that two separate

spheres of social life are not overlooked, the interests of two groups are not

obscured, or the contributions of two sets of variables are not ignored.

They exist to argue, respectively, that the relations in which many works and few

gains, in which some fuck and others get fucked, are the prime moment of politics. It

believes that the economic base, gender- inflected in this way, in turn, determines the

superstructure where are found gendered institutions and often misogynous or at least

24
stereotypical ideologies of gender. The main function of gender ideologies is to justify

discrimination between sexes in general, the sexual division in particular and by extension,

the oppression of women in general. Given that everything in the superstructure is the effect

or reflection of cases found in the base, for Marxist Feminists, ideas about the respective

attributes and roles of males and females are entirely determined by those economic

factors.

As gender defined as the social construction of sex, that is, the interpretations

imposed upon the anatomical sex of human beings, resulting in certain qualities and roles

being attributed to and internalized by males and females. In other words, certain

conceptions concerning what it means to be male as opposed to female are ingested and

regurgitated in the beliefs and the behavior of both men and women. Of course, one is not

always consciously aware that one has imbibed and manifested such attitudes. (McKinnon,

1982)

25
 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

What is Prostitution?

Current International Policy

Prostitution
Protocols regarding Recommen-
prostitution that protects dation
the victims of prostitution

The current initiatives

done by CATW-AP in the
Philippines to transform
the lives of survivors in
prostitution

FIGURE 2.

26
 In translating the theoretical framework into specific concepts that is used in this

study, prostitution serves as the premise of the study. (See Figure 2) The center of the

diagram indicates the set of core categories that will be explained through the Marxist

feminist theory. It also emphasizes the primary focus of the study as it centers on these

issues. Thus, the study will propose an adoption of policy assessed on both study’s premise

and the application of Marxist feminist theory on the specific issues.

27
 RESEARCH PARADIGM

Input Process Output

1. What is prostitution?

2. Current international In Depth Interview

protocols regarding
And Recommendation
prostitution that
protects the victims Documentary Analysis
of prostitution 28

3. Current initiatives
 Feedback Loop

FIGURE3.

0251678720

FIGURE 3.

Figure 3 shows the input of the research which comprises the following: 1) what is

prostitution? 2) Current international protocols regarding prostitution that protects the

29
victims of prostitution 3) Current initiatives done by the NGO’s in the Philippines to

transform the lives of survivors of prostitution. Further, the process section of the study

infers on how the presented input will be acquired. In this study, in-depth interviews and

documentary analysis will be conducted through a specific number of participants. The

output section will be the policies that could be recommended to CATW-AP in the

Philippines to transform the lives of survivors of prostitution. The feedback loop is the

process wherein it allows adjusting the operation, according to the difference between the

actual output and the desired output.

30
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will contribute to the following:

Theory of International Relations. The result of this study will provide

anunderstanding in changing the issues and problems primarily prostitution by whichpolicy

makers of International Relations struggle to solve. Hence, they could implement better

measures and solutions arrived through the processes of learning. This study would

assume that lawmakers might give out policy outcomes from different perspectiveson the

study as well as the nature of the problem.

Practice. The result of this study along with non-governmental

organization,government officials, scholars, and International Studies students may lead to

a plethora or avenues for talks, forums of well-versed and experts to come up with effective

measures to this subject. In the academic aspect of being a scholar, this subject matter

would serve as a catalyst for a change in the youth sector and in the community in general

as well. It tempts to do such in order to resolve their immediate economic and financial

needs.

Research. The result of this study can serve as references by other colleges

anduniversities who may wish to undertake similar scope in their respective school.

Through the given data, figures and approaches presented it will certainly provide concise

and clear-cut approach for further research on this matter. It would ensure moreaccurate

and defined framework of future studies on prostitution, which may lead through intensive

research and application of theories.

31
SCOPE AND DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study is focused primarily on the survivors of prostitution under Coalition against

Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific. Using the method of in-depth interview, the study

explains the role of the said NGO in transforming the lives of survivors from exploited to

empower women.

This study will deliberately discuss four the programs conducted by Coalition against

Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific.

Also, this study did not generally discern prostitution as a social problem, health

problem (AIDS/STD) and moral problem. Hence, this study views prostitution as a human

right problem, which makes women in prostitution as the main victims.

32
DEFINITION OF TERMS

Prostituted Women are women who were prostitutes or exploited for

anotherperson's sexual gratification or pleasure, and for the monetary gain or profit of

others. (Philippine Commissionon Women, 2013) In this study, it refers to the Bagong

Kamalayan Collective, Inc.

Prostitution is a behavior that involves the exchange of sexual services

foreconomic compensation in the form of money or needed resources such as housing or

food. (Murphy, 2007) In this study, it refers to the form of sexual exploitation and violence

against women and girls in the Philippines.

Violence is the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or

actual,against oneself, another person, or against a group or community that either results

in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment

or deprivation. (Tjaden, 2005) In this study, it refers to violence against women perpetrated

by men in the Philippines.

Exploitation is a system that commodities, objectifies and dehumanizes

women,men and children who are being sold within the system. It reinforces the

subordinate status of the most vulnerable individuals who are more often, women and

children. (Philippine Commission on Women, 2013) In this study, it refers to sexual

exploitation of women in and out of prostitution in the Philippines.

Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific (CATW-AP) a human-

rights based agency which adheres to developmental initiatives in accordance to

33
international human rights standards which is directed towards the promotion and protection

of women’s right towards over-all goal of gender equality. Essentially, it incorporates the

principles, norms and standards of the international human rightsinstruments that promote

gender equality, particularly, CEDAW. (Balanon and Barrameda, 2007)

34
 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The study of related literature and research work is very essential and important as it

provides us proper guidelines. In this chapter, itdeals with the current status of Prostitution

in the Philippines, the cause of entry, the historical overview and the legal approaches in

Prostitution. Included in this area were the overview of the CATW-AP, the vision, mission,

policies/programs and some perceptions of prostituted women as indicated by a literature

review.

I. History and Definition of Prostitution

In Graham Scambler and Annette Scambler’s book of Rethinking Prostitution

Purchasing Sex in the 1990’s, prostitution refers to a single trans-historical, trans-cultural

activity. The degree of continuity between the earliest documented forms of sacred

prostitution, in the Middle East and contemporary Western secular prostitution is debatable.

It is clear, forexample, that in the great cities of Mesopotamia and Egypt around 3000 B.C.

with the Great Goddess Inanna (later Ishtar) she identified as a prostitute. The prostitute-

priestess of the temples still at the center not only of religious, but also political and

economic power, the status of prostitutes then was high. In other words, these early

prostitutes were far from being stigmatized compared to the contemporary women called

prostitutes. (Scambler and Scambler, 1997)

This literature is restricted to facets of prostitution or sex industry in general towards

the end of the twentieth century. It is intended to inform and to stimulate discussion and

debate and perhaps “rethink” of sex work. The authors mentioned a number of social

theories that explains the sex industry, which consists of the following: 1) Socio-biological

xxxv
which explains female prostitution as a social imperative to accommodate the overpowering

male sex-drive. 2) Psycho or socio-pathological rationalizes the female sex work in some

deep underlying pathology, be it in theabnormal psyches of women or the abnormal social

milieu in which they were raised or interact. 3) Functional theory insists that all social

institutions through which sexual contact between men and women occurs are functioning

in some respect. 4) Conflictual theory emphasizes female sex work’s genesis in general

social conflict of one type of another. 5) Feminist theories draw on the concept of patriarchy

which depicts men’s domination over women in controlling female sexuality. 6) Discourse

analytic theories constituted in pre-eminent sexual discourses, which have their own

histories and conditions of existence. The purpose of the book is not to explicate or provide

critiques of specific theories mentioned, nor proffer an original theory or explanatory model.

Rather, it will suffice to elaborate on a few select – including neglected themes linking the

sex industry in the 1990’s. (Scambler and Scambler, 1997)

A. History of Prostitution in the Philippines

In the Philippine setting, Luis Dery’s journal of Philippine Studies, which entitled

Prostitution in Colonial Manila depicts how colonial policies of Spaniards and Americans led

Filipina women into prostitution. Spanish rule made Manila the center of its colonial affairs.

Colonial rule is generally "based upon the principle of rewarding political services to the

Government in power by the pillage of a colony." The policies enforced tended to foster the

exploitation and impoverishment of the colonial subjects. Eventually, poverty became the

permanent characteristic of the working class who largely comprised the Philippine

population during the colonial eras. (Dery, 1991)

Manila by the nineteenth century was already teeming with vagrants, vagabond, and

displaced persons. In colonial times it was the only place attractive enough for the
xxxvi
impoverished and displaced persons to flock to. People sought jobs in Manila's hemp

presses, cigar factories, and other business establishments. The cigar factories

aloneemployed more than twenty thousand workers, mostly women. Those who failed to

get employment in the factories became labradora, lavandera, costurera,domicilla, or

tindera. Many of them became prostitutes as manifested in the courtrecords of the period.

Other factors accentuated the growth of prostitution during colonial times. Spanish

legalization of gambling as a source of revenue added to the inhabitants' demoralization. In

many cases, it was a major reason for men made destitute by gambling to induce their

wives or women friends to engage in prostitution or to commit crimes. (Dery, 1991)

According to Dery during the Spanish colonial period, Philippine society considers it

"mal costumbre" (bad manners) for a woman to go out of her home without a companion

especially at night since only cheap women do so. Society's worst opprobrium is reserved

for the prostitutes. This can be seen in the various names given to them. Their appearance

at night gave them the sobriquet Dama de noche (women of the night). They were also

called mujeres libres or mujeres publicas (free or public women), mujerzuela (cheap

women), or kalapating mababa ang lipad. At the extreme, they were called ramera (whore),

puta or prostitufa (prostitute), vagamunda (vagabond), or inducumentada, the last name to

indicate that they did not pay their cedula personal to avoid arrest and imprisonment. (Dery,

1991)

The last years of Spanish rule saw the rise and spread of prostitution due to the

influx of thousands of Spanish soldiers brought from Spain to crush the revolution in the

Philippines. The coming of the Americans finally entrenched the profession in the country.

The establishment of American rule in the Philippines exacerbated theprostitution problem

in the country. The presence of thousands of soldiers presented a golden opportunity for

enterprising local and foreign entrepreneurs and prostitutes. They followed in the wake of
xxxvii
the soldiers selling goods and services. The American soldiers needed most are liquor and

women. As a result, Manila's streets became scenes of brawls among drunken soldiers.

(Dery, 1991)

Clearly, the policies enforced by both Spanish and American colonial authorities

were intended not to suppress the profession and its practitioners. They could never be

suppressed, because the roots of prostitution in the Philippines are much deeper. They

strike deeply into the socioeconomic fiber of Philippine society. Colonial society remained

unwavering in its treatment and regard of prostitution and those who were reduced to this

degraded way of life. The colonial authorities' lack of attitude towards them, as shown by

the measures they adopted, only highlighted the lack of official concern for the prostitutes.

(Dery, 1991)

According to Women’s Legal Bureau Inc., prostitution is the performance of sexual

acts solely for the purpose of material gain. Persons prostitute themselves when they grant

sexual favors to others in exchange or money, gifts or other payments and in doing so use

their bodies as commodities. (Women’s Legal Bureau, Inc. 1999)

According to Dr. Lyn Murphy, professor and the Director of Professional

Development at University of Maryland, prostitution involves the exchange of sexual

services for economic compensation in the form of money or needed resources such as

housing or food. (Murphy, 2007) While the legal definition of prostitution in the United States

typically refers to an individual‟s physical contact with another person or other persons that

is sexual in nature conducted in exchange for monetary compensation or other things of

value. (Tomura, 2009) Like other market setting, in prostitution, it demands, creates and

supply. Usually, men buy sex while women offer it. Therefore, prostitution is considered

normal and inevitable. (Farley and Butler, 2012)

xxxviii
 B. Types of Prostitution

Katherine Sinson’s study on legalization of prostitution through the Philippine

perspective shows that there are various types of prostitution (1) Street prostitution wherein

the client solicits along the street, park or other public places. (2) Brothel prostitution

wherein a brothel is a premise explicitly dedicated to providing sex. (3) Escort prostitution

wherein client contacts sex workers by phone or via hotel staffs. It is the type of prostitution,

which is relatively expensive because of the service provided at the client’s home or home

room. (4) Club, pub, bar, karaoke bar, dance hall wherein clients solicited alcohol vending

venues and serviced on site or elsewhere. (5) Transport (ship, truck, train), sex workers

may board vehicles to service the crew, pick up clients or passengers at stations and

terminals. (6) Other methods of solicitation through various media, including notice board

and newspaper advertisements, „sex worker catalogues‟ and internet via virtual brothels.

(Sinson, 2009) A distinction necessary to delineate the phenomenon of prostitution is that

between “street prostitution” and prostitution in special places. Prostitution in special places

means the so-called profession are recognized and accepted by most societies such as lap

dancers, night club “entertainers”, hostess, etc. (Talnar and Himcinschi, 2012)

II. Legal Approaches

xxxix
 According to International Approaches to Decriminalizing or Legalizing Prostitution, a

study made by the Crime and Justice Research Centre in New Zealand, there are several

types of legislative approaches to prostitution: 1) criminalization 2) legalization 3)

decriminalization 4) unregulated regimes

Criminalization seeks to reduce or eliminate the sex industry and is supported by

those who are opposed to prostitution on moral, religious or feminist grounds. Jurisdictions

that have criminalized prostitution subdivide into two groups:

1.1 Prohibitionist – where all forms of prostitution are unacceptable and therefore

illegal. This is the approach taken in most states of the USA and countries in the Middle

East.

1.2 Abolitionist – a modified form of prohibition which allows the sale of sex, but

bans all related activities (e.g. Soliciting, brothel keeping, and procurement). Making these

related activities illegal effectively criminalizes prostitution as it is virtually impossible to

carry out prostitution without contravening one law or another. The abolitionist approach

often focuses on eliminating or reducing the negative impacts of prostitution. It is one

currently operating in countries such as England and Canada. Sweden is the only country

so far to criminalize the buyers of sex rather than sex workers. Then aim was to end

prostitution, rather than regulate it – since it was viewed as violence against women and a

barrier to gender equality. Norway and Finland are now considering this approach.

Legalization is where prostitution is controlled by government and is legal onlyunder

certain state specified conditions. The underlying premise is that prostitution is necessary

for a stable social order, but should nonetheless be subject to controls to protect public

order and health. Some jurisdictions opt for legalization as a means to reduce crimes

associated with prostitution. Key indicators of legalized regimes are prostitution-specific

controls and conditions specified by the state. These can include licensing, registration, and
xl
mandatory health checks. Prostitution has been legalized in countries such as the

Netherlands, Germany, Iceland, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Greece, Turkey, Senegal,

the USA state of Nevada, and many Australian states (Victoria, Queensland, ACT and

Northern Territory).

Decriminalization involved repeal of all laws against prostitution, or the removal of

provisions that criminalized all aspects of prostitution. In decriminalized regimes, however, a

distinction is made between voluntary prostitution and that involving either force and

coercion or child prostitution, the latter remaining criminal. The key difference between

legalization and decriminalization is that with the latter there are no prostitutes-specific

regulations imposed by the state. Rather, regulation of the industry is predominantly through

existing „ordinary‟ statutes and regulations covering employment and health, for instance.

Unregulated regimes are regimes where some jurisdictions in prostitution are entirely

unregulated. A review of 27 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia found

this was the case in eleven of them. There are no reforms intended or legislative recognition

of prostitution as either legal or illegal. (Mossman, 2007)

In the case of the Philippines, prostitution is criminalized. Article 202 of the Revised

Penal Code by RA 10158 provides:

“Article 202. Prostitutes; Penalty – For the purpose of this article, women who, for

money or profit, habitually indulge in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct, are deemed

to be prostitutes. Any person found guilty of any of the offenses covered by this article shall

be punished by arresto menor or a fine not exceeding 200 pesos, and in case of recidivism,

by arresto mayor in its medium period to prision correctional in its minimum period or a fine

ranging from 200 to 2,000 pesos, or both, in the discretion of the court.”

Notably, the above provision focuses law enforcement and legal sanctions

exclusively on the prostituted women while letting the customers and the pimps go
xli
unscathed. (Philippine Commissionon Women, 2013) Philippine society steeped in old

patriarchal thinking that women who are sexually violated “invited” the violations that were

done to them. Numerous legislators, government officials and law enforcers maintain the

thinking that women are to be blamed for the sexual violence, such as trafficking into

prostitution that they have suffered. (Coalition against Trafficking in Women Asia-Pacific,

2010)

Thailand has had three main legal statutes directly related to prostitution: 1) The

Contagious Disease Prevention Act of 1908, the act did not make prostitution illegal and

was only intended to control the public order and health effects of prostitution. The law was

abolished after the Prostitution Suppression Act was passed. 2) The Prostitution

Suppression Act of 1960 which is still in force, the intention was to suppress prostitution

through making it an illegal activity. Under the act, prostitutes and anyone else who is

involved in arranging or profiting from the act are liable for punishment. However, the

customer is not liable to punishment. The Entertainment Places Act of 1966 is designedto

control the operations of establishments which endanger the morals of the community. The

act also provides for the Social Welfare Department in Thailand to send prostitutes to

rehabilitation centers where they receive occupational training. (Boonchalaksi and Guest,

1994)

Besides these three Acts, it was stated in the Penal Code of 1956 that persons who

are convicted of procuring persons for prostitution or profiteering from prostitution can be

jailed and fined. Like in the Philippines, women in prostitution are convicted as well.

(Boonchalaksi and Guest, 1994) According to Sandra Neuman in her recent study of female

prostitution in Thailand, it seems as if though prostitution is illegal in Thailand, the

government efforts to curb it are weak. It is shown from their unofficial efforts to indirectly

promote prostitution, the police, military and government officials are also involved in the
xlii
sex trade, which really makes it a dilemma and discrepancy in the society. (Neuman, 2012)

III. Cause of Entry

Poverty is one of the main reasons why most Filipinas compel with the prostitution

work. Other than that depressed economy had resulted in a condition of seamless increase

of prostitution. It provides those involved in this profession a considerable amount of income

to support their families as well as supply a steady flow of remittances from urban to rural

areas or from prostitutes working overseas. Women have been tricked into prostitution with

guarantees of decent job opportunities in the city or abroad or have been kidnapped and

then forced to work as prostitutes. Family expectations and problems are common factors

why many enter the prostitutionbusiness. Women, inparticular, are pressured to pay for their

sibling’s education or support a sick family member. Other aspects such as dysfunctional

families or constant abuse from parents have lead adolescents to leave their homes and are

attracted by the easy profits from prostitution. (Dery, 1991)

IV. Current Status of Prostitution in Philippines

In the 1998 study by the International Labor Organization, it was estimated that there

were at least 400,000 – 500,000 prostituted persons in the Philippines. In 2004, the number

of exploited in prostitution alone reached 600,000 and it ballooned to 800,000 in 2005. In a

xliii
2009 study, there were around 800,000 prostituted persons in thePhilippines. Prostitution

may be now the country’s 4th largest source of GNP according to the study of the

Psychological Trauma Program of University of the Philippines. (Philippine Commission on

Women, 2013)

Therefore, more voices are being raised to suggest for the country that prostitution

be accepted as commerce, a legitimate work for women and a valid means for economic

survival or empowerment. (Hofmann, 1997) In some countries of the contemporary world,

the debates on prostitution are now more intense than ever, the opinions being pro and

against this phenomenon which demonstrates a way of living for many people. (Talnar and

Himcinschi, 2012) A lot of non-governmental organizations are now working for women’s

right to better their conditions in prostitution. According toAnnabel Fan, an American lawyer

who made a research trip to Thailand, non-governmental organizations are concerned

about women as how they work as prostitutes, how they perform sexual acts, feign sexual

enjoyment and how to endure all kinds of bodily violation during sex. There is not a lot of

alternatives being offered, but rather to maintain the system. (Raymond, 1998)

Pro-prostitution advocates as such posit that women have the right to prostitute

themselves. This is understood as the individual’s right to engage in a consensual

commercial sexual transaction. The issue of consent of “personal choice politics” rests on a

western liberal understanding of human rights that elevates individual will and choice above

all other human values and above notions of the common good. (Hofmann, 1997)

In a study conducted by Dr. Lourdes A. Molding-Portus, which is

entitled“Streetwalkers of Cubao” depicts how Women in Prostitution (WIP) interact with their

customers, pimps, hotel managers, police officers, live-in-partners, relatives, NGO staff and

fellow WIP in their day-to-day living. The Women in Prostitution pertains to the particular

streetwalkers who are members of SINAG (Sigaw ng Angking Lakas ng Kababaihan sa

xliv
Lansangan). The study emphasizes how communication contributes to the exploitation of

WIP on one hand and to their empowerment on the other hand. The study seeks to inform

institutions such as governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations in order to

help formulate programs for the betterment of WIP. (Muldong-Portus, 2005)

The researcher resorted to a system of triangulation using: 1) Focus interviews with

the WIP 2) Focus group discussion with officers and members of SINAG 3) A validation

conference with the community organization of SINAG in order to re-check the constructed

data. The generated conclusions of the study imply that communication through negotiation

plays a vital role in the lives of WIP. The survival of their profession rests on their ability to

communicate with persons whom they encounter on a day-to-day basis. Hence, the WIP

may succeed or fail in the negotiation process, but it doesn‟t change the fact that they

remain in an oppressed and exploited state. This stems from the fact that they are

commodified and treated items for sale. Furthermore, proponents and benefactors should

aim more relevant programs that assess the needs of WIP. (Muldong-Portus, 2005)

V. Prostitution is Violence Against Women

In Sheila Jeffrey’s book called The Idea of Prostitution is concerned with ways of

thinking about prostitution. The aim is to explain how feminist thinking on prostitution has

become so polarized at the end of the twentieth century. Some are defining men’s use of

women in prostitution as a form of sexual violence, there are others who seek to normalize

and legitimize “sex work” as a reasonable job for a woman. In the late nineteenth and early

twentieth century’s, feminist attitudes were much more homogenous. The feminist

determination to end prostitution was strong and internationally united in this period.

(Jeffreys, 1997)

Feminists from a variety of countries and organizations sought a convention to

xlv
outlaw the traffic in women, a campaign which resulted in a new Convention Against

theTraffic in Persons in 1949. Since the late 1960s, radical feminist theories have analyzed

prostitution uncompromisingly as the ultimate in the reduction of women to sexual objects

which can be bought and sold, into a sexual slavery that lies at the root of prostitution and

forms the foundation of women’s oppression. But in the last two decades the ideas of many

feminists about prostitution have changed. (Jeffreys, 1997)

Some representatives of prostitute’s rights groups have even argued that prostitution

represents sexual liberation for women. The language of work, choice and sex has also

been adopted by some feminist theorists and academics who profess to have been

convinced by the arguments of pro-prostitution activists. They imply that prostitution is a

form of beneficence given to women. It will enable them to exercise their free will and

assure them the “right to prostitute”. Though radical feminists and anti-violence feminists

continue to maintain that prostitution is a crime against women, it has become increasingly

difficult to express the view that prostitution must be brought to an end. (Jeffreys, 1997)

According to Jeffrey’s, men’s behavior in choosing to use women in prostitution is

socially constructed out of men’s dominance and women’s subordination. An “idea of

prostitution” needs to exist in the heads of individual man to enable them to conceive of

buying women for sex. This is idea that women exist to be so used, that it is possible and

appropriate way to use her. (Jeffreys, 1997)

The Idea of Prostitution is conceived as a contribution to the process of transforming

the way that prostitution is thought about. Jeffreys argues that prostitution is a form of male

sexual violence against women, consistent in its effects upon theabused women with other

forms of violence. Moreover, Jeffreys suggested that the most useful way to combat the

international industry of sexual exploitation is to fight prostitution as a violation of women’s

human rights. This approach will target men who abuse women and those who profit from
xlvi
this abuse while decriminalizing and giving practical support to the women who have been

abused. (Jeffreys, 1997)

Human rights activists and feminists argue that it may be characterized as an

expression of sexual freedom or as a form of labor, but reality shows it bears a much closer

relationship to gender-based violence especially the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation

among women. (Leidholdt, 2003) Prostitution has much in common with other kinds of

violence against women, what incest in the family, prostitution is to the community. Incest,

sexual harassment, verbal abuse, stalking, rape, battering and torture are points on a

continuum of violence all of which regularly in prostitution. (Farley and Butler, 2013)

Studies show an extraordinary high number of prostituted women are subjected to

rape throughout the period they are prostituted. They also describe the act of being

prostituted as rape-like sex acts that are unwanted, violating and assaultive. (Leidholdt,

2003) The exchange of money in prostitution serves to transform what are actually sexual

harassment, sexual abuse, and sexual violence into a job known as commercial sex work, a

job performed primarily by racially and economically advantaged women in the so-called

first and third worlds, and by overwhelming numbers of women and children who have been

victims of childhood sexual abuse. (Raymond, 1998)

According to Dorchen Leidholdt, co-executive Director of Coalition Against

Trafficking in Women, on her Journal of Trauma and Practice, it is well established that

sexual abuse is a precondition for prostitution. Studies reveal that between 55-90% of

prostituted women have histories of childhood abuse. (Leidholdt, 2003) Studies show that

early experiences of childhood sexual abuse provide training in emotional distancing which

can be re-enacted during the sexual activities with the clients. As stated by many women,

early childhood sexual abuse makes it easier to engage in prostitution. (Murphy, 2007)

Prostitution exists squarely within cultures of gender-based inequality. Feminists

xlvii
intend that prostitution is a paradigmatic expression of male domination of women. Far from

being gender-neutral, prostitution is tendered to the hilt. The buyers are men whose goal is

their sexual pleasures. (Leidholdt, 2003) Philippine Commission on Women stated that

prostitution thrives in Philippine society because of gender inequality and lack of respect for

women’s rights. It is clearly manifested on the false notion that women are inferior, sexual

objects and commodities while men are superior, decision-makers and owners of

properties. (Philippine Commission on Women, 2013) In Thailand, the view that men are

sexual predators and that their sexual appetites must be satisfied if the virtue of “good”

women is to be protected. This is reflected in comments made by male respondents in a

study in rural Thailand. For example, a Thai senior police official argued that sex crimes

would increase if brothels were banned. He was quoted saying“the rate of rapes and other

sex-related crimes might sky rocket if these men find no place to satisfy their sexual

desires. (Boonchalaksi and Guest, 1994)

Women have a lower position assigned to them by Buddhism, which is the

foundation forming social, cultural and spiritual life in Thailand. Based on that, male

Buddhist Thais are supposed to join the Buddhist monkhood while this opportunity is not

given to women because of their lack of karma. Although by entering prostitution, a woman

can use the income as a means to support the family. Therefore, earning merit and climb

the karmic ladder and might be reborn as a man. (Neuman, 2012) Women’s role in Thai

society also helps explain the supply of women available to work in the sex industry. A

number of researchers have drawn attention to the deeply-rooted cultural expectation that

Thai daughters contribute in any way they can to support their parents. (Boonchalaksi and

Guest, 1994) According to the deep rooted Buddhist concept of BunKhun “debts of merit”,

the children owe their parents not only respect and gratitude, but they should also give them

assistance with money and labor. Entering prostitution can fulfill traditional obligations of
xlviii
being providers and dutiful daughters who can create a tolerance for getting work and

justified option by her family. (Neuman, 2012)

According to “Prostitution in Five Countries” a study conducted in five countries,

including Thailand, the nature of the relationship between a man and a woman he buys is

that, the woman gives up the right to say no since she is paid. Whatever the man wants, the

man gets. (Farley and Butler, 2013) Hence, women in prostitution may be used in any way

the buyer desires exposing them to breach of rights, coercion and sexual violence. (Bennett

and Manderson, 2003) Women survivors in the Philippines like those of WHISPER (Women

Hurt in Systems of Prostitution Engaged in Revolt) in the United States have known the acts

of prostitution as intrusive, unwanted and often overtlyviolent sex that women endure. In

fact, the work of prostitution, mostly consists of submitting or carrying out the client’s sexual

demands. (Hofmann, 1997)

The treatment of women in prostitution as commodities draws effects on their

personhood since they are experiencing physical abuse and psychological abuse. (Bennett

and Manderson, 2003) Researches proved that women in prostitution had clinically seen

symptoms of disassociation. A primary function of dissociation is to handle the

overwhelming fear, pain and to deal with systematized cruelty that is experienced during

prostitution. (Farley and Butler, 2012) “Prostitution in Five countries” shows that physical

harm of sexual exploitation is at least equaled by psychological harm; it wreaks suicidal

feelings, clinical depression, dissociative disorders and post traumatic stress disorder.

(Leidholdt, 2011) Bias, indifference, social isolation is most common social attitudes

towards women in prostitution without attempting to understand the phenomenon of

prostitution beyond appearance. (Talnar and Himcinschi. 2012)

xlix
VI. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific

Non-state actors such as non-governmental organizations have developed to

provide practical support to women affected by such acts of violence. Their role has been

critical, especially in poorer nations and communities where few government resources

have been dedicated to addressing the prevention or consequences of violation against

women. (Bennett and Manderson, 2003) One of the most prominent organizations which

fight violence against women and trafficking is a Coalition against Trafficking in Women

Asia – Pacific, a human-rights based agency which adheres to developmental initiatives in

accordance to international human rights standards which is directed towards the promotion

and protection of women’s right towards over-all goal of gender equality. Essentially, it

incorporates the principles, norms and standards of the international human rights

instruments that promote gender equality, particularly, CEDAW. (Balanon and Barrameda,

2007)

The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women is

an international document which lists the rights of all girls and women. It is an international

agreement which adheres to bring equality between girls/women and boy/men. CEDAW

says all discrimination against girls and women must end. (United Nations Children's Fund,

2011) Coalition against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific initiatives focused on promoting

women’s human rights and assisting victims of trafficking, prostitution and all forms of male

violence against women and girls. Its chapter in the Philippines has the largest membership

in the region compared to other member countries in Asia. (Balanon and Barrameda, 2007)

A. Organization Overview

The First Global Conference Against Trafficking in Women, attended by over 500

women from different countries in New York in October 1988, launched the CATW. In 1989,

l
the Coalition was granted Category II Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic

and Social Council.The Expert Group Meeting on Sexual Exploitation sponsored by the

UNESCO Division of Human Rights and the CATW was held at the Penn State University,

Pennsylvania, USA on April 1991. The meeting produced the Penn State Report, which

contained a draft of the proposed Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Sexual

Exploitation. In April 1993, the “Conference on Women Empowering Women: A Human

Rights Conference on Trafficking in Asian Women” held in Manila, Philippines gave birth to

the CATW – Asia Pacific. On June 26-29, 1998, CATW convened a regional meeting in

Dhaka, Bangladesh, with the theme: Organizing Against Sexual Exploitation”. The was

attended by 104 participants from all over Asia, coming from the NGOs directly working on

trafficking, as well as international organizations and governments. An international

conference on “Organizing and Strategizing Against Sexual Exploitation” was held in

January, 1999 also in Dhaka. This was attended by 250 participants from Asia, North

America, Latin America, Europe and Africa. It reaffirmed the common perspectives on

sexual exploitation, especially of women and children. Over the years, the Coalition in

partnership with its networks, initiated programs to promote women’s human rights and

assists victims of trafficking, prostitution, and all forms of violence against women in the

Asia-Pacific region.

B. Vision-Mission

To promote awareness of women’s human rights and initiate action against

global sexual exploitation and violence against women, particularly

prostitution and trafficking;

To lobby against sexual exploitation in all its forms in appropriate UN bodies

and other international fora, as well as regional levels;

li

To promote research on the causes, patterns and impact of prostitution and

trafficking women;

To help promote international solidarity and cooperation to combat sexual

exploitation.

To support survivors of trafficking, prostitution and other forms of sexual

exploitation

C. Programs and Policies

In an evaluation report made by Balanon and Barrameda, Coalition against

Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific has four main programs which seek to protect women:

1) Policy Advocacy, Campaigns and Networking Programs 2) Education, Training and

Organizational Development Programs 3) Research, Documentation and Publication

Program 4) Empowerment of Survivors. (Balanon and Barrameda, 2007) However, this

study focuses only on the program which empowers the survivors. To fully serve the

survivors, CATW-AP initiated the pilot project, Support Program for the Empowerment of

Survivors, which was conceptualized as a re-integration program that provides a

comprehensive package of services. The Support Program for theempowerment of

survivors is a comprehensive package of services that responds to the needs of survivors in

all aspects of empowering them. This support system is translated into a matrix of services

that respond to the particular needs of survivors that include: 1) counseling 2) legal

assistance 3) education and scholarships 4) health services 5) livelihood services 6) training

services 7) referrals to job placement agencies and 8) repatriation and rescue services.

(Balanon and Barrameda, 2007)

According to Coalition against Trafficking in Women report, survivors of prostitution

have been ravaged by the sex industry. The trauma that they have suffered cannot be

lii
trivialized by calling prostitution “sex work”. They assert that punishing the buyers and

businesses that profit from it is imperative in addressing the patriarchal institution of

prostitution. Australia and New Zealand are proud of their anti-trafficking programs, but their

states have either legalized or decriminalized the sex industry, thereby increasing the

demand. They challenge social movements to make prostitution a central issue. They

challenge anti-globalization and peace activists not only to combat trafficking, but also

prostitution and the global sex industry. Survivors and feminists in CATW-AP resolve to

continue their work in supporting the empowerment of prostituted women and children and

in advocating for alternatives. They will continue to challenge all attempts by governments

to make prostitution a profitable market sector. (Coalition Against Trafficking in Women,

2006)

VII. Synthesis

In Graham Scambler and Annette Scrambler’s book about Re-thinking Prostitution

Purchasing Sex in the 1990’s similarities in this study is that it intends to inform

andstimulate debate and perhaps “rethink” prostitution as sex work or a form of violence

against women. Its difference is that the book discussed six major theoretical perspectives

while this study only focuses on feminist perspective.

In Luis Derry’s journal of Philippine Studies, which entitled Prostitution in Colonial

Manila only depicts the historical accounts of prostitution during the Spanish and American

colonial period. This study includes discussion of historical background of prostitution in the

Philippines but it doesn’t emphasize the effects of colonial policies among women and

prostitutes particularly.

The International Approaches to Decriminalizing or Legalizing Prostitution, a study

made by the Crime and Justice Research Centre in New Zealand elaborates the legal
liii
approaches in prostitution by different states, this study adopted the approach of what is the

legal status of prostitution in the Philippines but it doesn’t include other types of legal

frameworks.

Dr. Lourdes A. Muldong-Portus research among Women in Prostitution in Cubao is

similar to this study since it has a feminist approach in prostitution. Women in Prostitution

(WIP) are considered as oppressed and dehumanized by their perpetrators. The difference

is that, the study greatly emphasizes the negotiation or communication process of

WIP.Faye G. Balanon and Teresita V. Barrameda’s evaluation program of the Coalition

Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific used a feminist analysis in addressing

prostitution and trafficking. The evaluators adopted the rights based programmingframework

and women’s rights developmental approach framework. Meanwhile, this study uses a

Marxist-feminist theoretical framework.

liv
 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

This chapter describes the research methodology and procedure, the

instruments and techniques that were used in gathering the data.

Research Design

The researchers used descriptive, historical, documentary, and qualitative approach

of research.

This descriptive research includes fact-finding inquiries of different kinds. The major

purpose of this descriptive research was to discover the state of affairs and its existence in

the present. The main characteristic of this method was that the researcher had no control

over the variables; he/she could only report what had happened or what was happening.

(Young, 2011)

Historical research like documents, remains, etc. to study events or ideas of the

past, including the philosophy of persons and groups at any remote point of time. (Young,

2011)

On the other hand, documentary research refers to the analysis of documents that

contains information about the phenomenon we studied (Bailey, 1994). Thedocumentary

research method was used in investigating and categorizing physical sources, most

commonly written documents, private or public domain (Payne andPayne, 2004) It is

important for the ethnographer, to provide a “rich vein for analysis”(Hammersley and

Atkinson, 1995).

Qualitative research is concerned with a quality of information. Qualitative methods

attempts to gain understanding of the underlying reasons and motivations for actions and
lv
establish how people interpreted their experiences and the world around them. It had also

provided insights into the setting of a problem, generating ideas and/or hypotheses. (Center

for Local Economic Strategies-CLES, 2011)

Participants of the Study

The participants of the study were limited to five members in the field of prostitution,

including one expert from the Coalition against Trafficking in Women Asia-Pacific, and five

survivors of prostitution rescued by the CATW-AP in the Philippines.

All of the women rescued by the organization were involved with the field of

Prostitution for a reasonable amount of time.

Date Gathering Procedures

The researchers conducted in-depth interviews, in order to have a loaded and

deeper discussion between the researchers and the participants of the study.

Permission was sought from the participants who were the five women rescued from

prostitution and one expert from the Coalition against Trafficking in Women Asia-Pacific.

The researchers used robotfoto, dendogram, and repertory grid for the gathering,

presentation, and analysis of data.

Robotfoto was used for the profiling of the participants of the study. Dendogram is a

qualitative tool that was used to categorize significant statements in preparation for data

analysis. (Silvermann, 2010) Repertory Grid is a data analysis tool for qualitative inquiry

which was used to facilitate the warm analyses. (Silvermann, 2010)

The researchers had recorded in-depth interview using voice recording. The voice

recording interviews were deleted after the presentation and analysis of data.

CHAPTER 4
lvi
 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

This chapter introduces and analyzes the data accumulated from the focused group

discussion with the survivors of Bagong Kamalayan and an in-depth interview with the

officer-in-charge of Coalition against Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific.

The researchers interviewed five members of Bagong Kamalayan who willingly

volunteered to be interviewed despite of the sensitivity of the topic. The focused group

discussion was conducted in an informal and semi-structured manner. The researchers

used creative interview wherein a different set of pictures wereshown to the respondents.

The photographs served as guide topics wherein the respondents shared their experiences

based on what they saw on the pictures. The researchers also conducted an in-depth

interview with the Education, Training and Organizational Development Officer of Coalition

against Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific. Out of the three main staffs of the coalition,

only one granted the researchers an interview due to their respective hectic schedules.

The interviews were held on January 27, 2014 at Room 202 Philippine National

Bank Building, Matalino Street Diliman Village, Quezon City.

lvii
Q1. What is Prostitution?

1.1 Ano po yung nagtulak sa inyo para pumasok sa prostitusyon?

“Ayun, kapos sa pang gastos kaya napadpad ako sa ganun. Second year

Highschool lang ang natapos ko kaya walang makuhang maganda-gandang

trabaho. Sa financial kasi, mahirap. Kung nakapag-aral di sana abogada na

ako ngayon.” (A1)

“Ako impluwensya ng kaibigan. Syempre, wala rin kasing pang gastos. Tulad

nyan bayaran ng bahay, tubig, ilaw.” (A2)

”Ang pinaka rason ko kung bakit ako pumasok kasi gusto ko ng company.

Lumayas ako sa amin, 16 years old ako nun kasi na-rape ako pero ayaw

akong paniwalaan samin. Galing probinsya, pumunta ako ng Maynila wala

akong kakilala. Tapos nakilala ko si Mommy Cora (bugaw) dun sa Quiapo.

Dun na nagsimula. Kahit hindi ko sila kaano-ano, dun ko nakita sa lugar na

yun yung mga kaparehas ko ng pinagdaanan. Dun ako nakakita ng kaibigan

at kausap. (A3)

“Mukhang pera nanay ko eh. Pinag-trabaho ako agad.” (A4)

“Pera. Kadalasan nasa kalsada din ako dati kasi ayaw ko sa bahay,

binubugbog ako ng asawa ko.” (A5)

1.2 Ilang taon po kayo namalagi sa Prostitusyon?

“12 years.” (A1)

“5 years.” (A2)

“8-10 years.” (A3)

“10 years.” (A4)

lviii
 “10 years.” (A5)

1.3 Sa street po kayo pumupwesto? Never po kayo sa bar?

“Sa street kami, dun sa Cubao. Hindi kami sa beerhouse. Nakapasok ako sa

Beer house pero waitress lang ako dun, walang ano.” (A1)

“Ay ako nag-waitress ako sa club. Tapos pag may customer at kailangan ng

babae, nag-te-table na din ako.” (A2)

“Takot ako sa mga bar dati kasi naisip ko, bakit kaya sumasayaw yung mga

babae dyan? Bakit kailangan nilang makipag-inuman? Pero nung nangyari na

sa akin. Ay magiging ganito rin pala ako. Naintindihan ko rin kung paano.

Pero hindi masaya dyan. Kahit malakas kita mo? lahat ng gusto mo mabibili

mo, hindi ka pa rin magiging masaya. Lahat ng paghihirap ko, kumbaga

naiisip ko pa rin na sana magkaroon ng hustisya yung nangyari sa akin.” (A3)

“Dati napasok ako, katu-katulong lang sa bar. Pagkatapos ng trabaho,

inuman. Eh hinipuan ako ng amo ko, sinampal ko. Nainis ako eh! Sabi nya

inom lang tapos hinipuan ako. Yun pala, mas matindi pa dadanasin ko

ngayon. (A5)

1.4 Sino po naging mga customer ninyo?

“Ay mga customer ko mga gwapo.” (A1)

“Marami. May mga pari, mga pastor.” (A2)

“Lahat naging customer ko, mula sa construction worker pati mga

estudyante.” (A3)

1.5 Namimili po ba kayo ng customer or tumatanggi po ba kayo sa iba?

lix
 “Customer ang namimili sa amin. Pero pwede naman tumanggi.” (A1)

“Kung ayaw mo, hindi naman sila namimilit. Pero kung kami naman ang

nangangailangan at ayaw nila sa amin, kami naman ang namimilit.” (A2)

“Minsan diba wala rin tayo karapatan mamili pag kailangang kailangan.” (A4)

“Pero kasi pag yung customer, astig tapos malaking mama. Mukhang

nananakit. Parang hindi ko kaya to. Umaayaw kami.” (A4)

“Mahirap din kasi yung kahit kanino saka bigla ka lang sasama? Patay ka.

Marami kasi sa amin. May pinapatay.” (A5)

1.6 Naniniwala po ba kayo na kung walang prostitusyon ay mas tataas ang rate ng

rape crimes dahil sa sexual urges ng lalaki?

“Yun ang dapat nating kwestyunin kasi ang sinasabi naming sa mga lalaki,

tao o aso? Saan ba sya nagmumula? Dun pa rin yan sa thinking na they are

entitled to use women’s body para pag parausan. Oo aminin natin bilang

babae, tayo rin ay nagkakaron ng sexual urge, syempre lahat ng tao may

libog. Pero syempre may control yan, may tamang oras at tamang lugar para

dyan. Mas importante na dapat may respeto tayo para sa isa’t-isa. Yun talaga

ang argument ng marami na kapag na illegal ang prostitusyon, mag i-i-spike

up ang rape kasi ang tingin namin sa prostitusyon ay paid rape eh. Kailangan

talagang kwestyunin yung mga lalaki kung bakit may ganyan kayong

thinking? Bakit may ganyan kayong mentality na may right kayo at meron

kayong privilege para gumamit ng mga babae anytime na gustuhin nyo. Ang

tingin talaga ng mga lalaki sa babae ay sexual objects talaga at parausan. To

put it plainly, ang isang malaking katanungan sa mga lalaki ay ang utak nyo

ba ay nakasentro sa titi nyo at hindi kayo makapag-isip ng maayos? Tapos

lx
sasabihin pa nila, every 3 seconds? Or every 7 seconds sex ang iniisip nila.

Damn, wala na ba kayong ibang maisip sa buhay nyo kundi sex? So yung

ganung kaisipan, ganyan ba kababa yung tingin niyo sa sarili niyo? para yun

lang ang isipin niyo maya’t-maya. So yun kaya yung work namin sa Coalition

meron kaming young men’s camp na tinatawag. It’s a three day camp

magkakaroon nga dito sa NCR ng Camp sa May 16-18. Taon-taon naman

siya nangyayari. Nag-invite kami sa FEU, yung batch nila Tyron Mesario. So

sila three years ago sumali sila. Isa sa advocacy namin sa camp ay i-revisit

yung masculinity, kung paano ba tinitignan ng mga lalaki yung mascunility.

Paano ba sila pinalaki. Kasi hindi mo naman yun ma-a-address hangga’t

hindi mo uugatin yung problema kung paano sila pinalaki. So yun, kailangan

nating kwestyunin kapag may nagsabi ng ganun. Automatic agad yun sex

object ang tingin niya sa babae para anytime na gusto niya wala siyang

nakuhang babae na, parang lahat kasi ng bumibili ng babae kadalasan ayaw

ng girlfriend nila o kaya yung asawa nila ayaw ng wala condom dun na nag

hahanap sila ng ibang babae. Or kaya may nabasa sila sa mga pornographic

materials, nakita nila siyempre ikaw yung girlfriend, ikaw yung asawa

gagawin mo sakin yan. Syempre gagawin niya gusto niya i-try yung

napanood niya. Bibili siya ng babae sa prostitution para gawin yun. Kung

makakausap mo yuing mga babae, hindi mo ma-i-imagine yung mga kwento

nila na pinapagawa sa kanila ng mga customer at sa ibang pornographic

materials na very violent bago gamitin sinasaktan muna. Inuuntog sa bathtub,

kung anu-ano ang ginagawa. So ganun kalala, ang sabi nga namin siguro

pornography is the idea that leads to prostitution. Parang kung may theory

may practice. So siguro yung pornography siya yung theory that leads to
lxi
 prostitution diba. Pwede rin kasi tignan yung ganung anggulo Kasi

nagkakaroon sila ng maling idea ng sexuality at ng relationship na doon na

lang iikot. Eh very violent siya. Ang problema kasi ng pornography, violence

yan eh. Aminin natin yung nakikita sa mga porn bilang babae, di naman

talaga tayo nag-e-enjoy sa mga ganun eh yung ipapagawa. Sasabihin sayo i-

blow job mo ko. Sino ba naman ang mag-e-enjoy nun syempre marami

sayong ipapagawa na hindi naman dapat?” (B1)

1.7 Paano ninyo po maikukumpara yung prostitution sa Pilipinas at yung prostitution

sa Thailand?

“Sa Thailand kasi legal eh. Parang siya yung Red-Light District ng Asia. Pag

pupunta ka sa Phatpong, grabe yan. Pagpunta mo doon, lalo na pag lalaki ka

lalapit na sayo yung mga tao, aalukin ka. Meron silang menu na iaabot sayo.

Hindi lang mga babae ang nakalagay dun sa menu, meron din kung ano yung

pwede mong ipasok sa ari ng babae. Merong banana, merong ahas, para

siyang show. Ang graphical kasi masyado kung i-ku-kwento, halimbawa yung

saging ipapasok tapos ilalabas ng pwerta yung mga ganun para siyang show,

so ganun katindi. Tignan niyo kung gagawin pang legal yung prostition ang

dami-dami pang abuses ang magaganap. So nangyayari rin yan dito sa atin

may mga toro-toro dito satin, may mga live shows alam na natin yan. Tapos

harap-harapan din ang prostitusyon dito pero mas malala lang sa Thailand.

Kahit may kasama kang asawa, yung mga bugaw talgang aalukin ka at wala

silang pakialam sa kasama mo.Ang mahirap sa Thailand, ang lakas ng sex

workers doon. Kasi kami hindi namin tinatawag na sex work ang prostitution.

Women in prostitution at saka prostituted women para samin yan yung

lxii
politically correct term na gamitin. Kasi kapag yun ang ginamit na prostituted

women or prostitution ni-re-recognize mo na may nagdala sa kanila doon.

May push factor at merong mga taong kumikita sa kanila. Kapag sinabi mo

kasing sex work, parang ni-no-normalize mo na siya as work. At yung kahit

na yung labor group, halimbawa yung Alliance of Progressive Labor sinasabi

nila na hindi trabaho yan. Hindi namin i-re-recognize na trabaho yan bilang

isang union ng manggagawa. Ano ba ang definition ng trabaho? Ikaw bilang

tao ikaw ay uunlad meron kang mga benepisyo, meron kang opportunity.

Pero dito sa prostitution wala, wala kang pagunlad kahit kalusugan mo nag-

de-deteriorate ka bilang tao. So parang tinatawaran yung pagkatao mo,

talagang di siya trabaho. Kahit kami di namin ni-re-recognize bilang trabaho.

Ang lakas kasi ng sex workers group na illegalize na lang yan gawing

trabaho kasi halimbawa doon sa mga bansang legal ang prostitusyon, pag

lumapit ka sa gobyerno para mag tawag ng call for work or call for job

sinasabi nila bakit ka pa samin naghahanap ng trabaho eh nandyan naman

ang prostitusyon. Hindi mo na kailangan mag-aral doon ka na lang sa

prostitusyon. Ang tanong namin sa mga babae, gusto mo bang ganyan din

ang mangyari sa mga anak mo? Ang kalimitang sagot nila, syempre hindi.

Pag ganun ang tinanong mo, mapapa-isip sila na oo nga noh? Yung mga

anak ko at apo ko gusto ko bang mangyari sa kanila yung nangyari sakin?

Kasi yan ang nangyayari sa atin dito. Yun yung sinasabi nating second

generation prostitution, ibig sabihin nun ay isa sa membro ng pamilya na

nakakatandang babae pwedeng nanay niya pwedeng lola nya ay nasa

prostitusyon din. So may isa kaming intern dati na gumawa ng research

tungkol doon at may na-identify na meron nga. Isang mag-anak na yung mga
lxiii
 babae ay nasa prostitusyon, merong mag-kakapatid, mag-ina. So totoo

talaga siya na nakaka-apekto sa environment at sa conditioning pagiisip ng

isang tao. Malaking factor din talaga siya.” (B1)

For the first respondent (A1), she was encouraged to come intothe prostitution

industry because the moneyit was not sufficient to pay their expenses. She said, it is tough

to say that she won’t come back to the flesh trade, especially now that she’s the one paying

for the education of her children. Unlike before, her earnings are much higher compared

now that she’s not getting any younger. She admitted that she still go back and forth to her

previous work as being a prostitute, though she was a member of the organization already.

One of her aim was to have her own house because it is the one that she really needs and

her family. She emphasized that it is difficult to rent a house. On her part, she had a hard

time asking help from her own relatives that if she could steal, she will do it instead asking

for support from her relatives. As long as you are patient and ingenuity to life, you will not

get starve.

By showing her the icon of luxurious things, among of those she chooses the money

because it is her dream. She’s not into gadgets or any other material things. As long as you

have the money you can buy whatever you want. Material things will be broken and can no

longer be used. She also prioritizes the needs of her children instead of herself. Apparently,

it is perfectly fine for her not to have underwear because it has not been seen anyway, as

long as her kids will not be ignored. When she was younger, her mother was a gambler.

She was always brushed off by her mother and the one who’s taking care of her was her

elder sisters and brothers. Food has not been a problem forher, but she was depressingly

saying that the tender loving care of a mother is still different.

lxiv
She has been part of the club before and not the Beerhouse. She was proudly saying that

her customers are handsome and the customer has the right to choose whoever the woman

they want and not them because the customer will be the one paying for it. She unfolds that

they can refuse some customers because they are not the only person who’s with them

inside the room. If they declined for whatever the customer asked for them, they will be

maltreated. Some of them will gashed on the neck and put it under the bed. In this scenario,

if something happens to their co-prostitute, they will rescue and try to help immediately.

There are some customers that easy to fool with but nowadays they are smarter than

before. She went onto detail that she will agree politely to the customers just to have extra

payment, but when it comes to the real scenario, she would not do it. As long as they can

fool the customer, they will pursue it. According to her, it is crucial to make fond with the

people whom you really don’t know. There are customers that she didn’t like, but some

were comfortable to be with. Money has not been an issue for her to finally get stable with

the customers even though they were rich. If the customers will accept willingly her children,

there is a possibility that she would incorporate but nowadays, there is no man that will do

that. However, she was aghast at the same time because there are many people who have

been abducted by their stepfather and even their own father. So, she’s satisfied not to be

with these customers.

She has been adopted by the organization through the encouragement of the Kamalayan. If

she met the bagansya during her work hours, the organization will be the one to rescue her.

She was also a member of the catering services in the organization. Aside from that, she

confessed that she had been a smoker and not have been a drug addict or alcoholic. She

did not experience to put in jailed because of bagansya, some of her co-prostitutes but not

her. The organization has changed her through going to their community and attending

meetings. Showing to her the image of a free nature, she has a house in the province, but
lxv
she was more contented living here in Manila instead of going into the province because of

natural calamities.

Q2. What are the causes of violence and exploitation to the survivors of

prostitution in the Philippines during the period they were prostituted?

2.1 Naranasan ninyo na po bang mabugbog o masaktan ng isang customer? Kung

oo, paano po?

“Hindi naman.” (A1)

“Yung pananakit? Oo. Sinapak ako.” (A2)

“Nakaranas ako niyan. Pulis. Secret agent na pulis ng Caringal. Ang gusto

kasi nya, dun kami mag-sex sa ilalim ng hagdan dun mismo sa loob ng

kampo. Ang kapal ng mukha! Sabi ko, patayin mo na lang ako kesa ganunin

nya ako. Awa ng Diyos, buhay naman akong nakalabas sa kampo. Di man

nya ako ni-rape, feeling ko sobra pa sa rape yung ginawa nya sa akin. Pinilit

akong hubaran, kung anu-ano ginawa sakin.” (A3)

“Ako sinakal kasi nagpapadagdag ako ng bayad.” (A4)

“Hindi ko na kailangang lumayo. Sa asawa ko pa lang. Pamimigay ko na nga

asawa ko eh. Ipamimigay ko na. Mas maganda pa walang asawa kesa

hinahampas ka ng walis at ginagawa kang punching bag.” (A5)

2.2 Sa tingin ninyo po, bakit po ginaganun ang babae?

“Kasi may mga customer na sadista eh. Merong customer na kesyo bayad

ka, lahat ng posisyon gustong gawin. Tapos yung iba sasabihin. Ayaw mo

ah? Bigla kang sasapakin. Andyan yung nanakit. Paglalaruan ka. Marami

yan.” (A2)
lxvi
2.3 Sa tingin nyo po ba ang Pilipinas ay still under ng isang patriarchal society?

“Oo very patriarchal talaga yung society natin, male dominated talaga. Pwede

tayong mag count ng ilang success o kaya ay positive stories about

empowered women pero kulang na kulang pa siya. Makikita naman natin yan

sa araw-araw nating buhay, kung paano tayo nalilimitahan bilang babae at

kung paano yung mga lalake ay nag do-dominate. Kahit siguro saan tayo

pumunta, kahit sa trabaho, sa school may mga lalake talagang nagdidikta sa

mga relasyon lalung-lalo na kapag mag girlfriend/boyfriend. Didiktahan ka,

kahit dati walang nagdidikta sayo, kung ano ang gagawin mo ngayon meron

na at may mga limitations na. Sorry ha? May natatamaan ba? So totoo yan,

nakakadagdag din kasi ng pressure. Halimbawa, marami kasi sa mga college

students, dinadaan yung mga babae sa pressure. Ganito yung napag-

uusapan namin sa Camp, yung mga pang araw-araw na sexuality. Kasi yung

mga babae, dahil marami sa atin kulang pa sa affirmation. Pansin niyo

marami ang babaeng mababa ang self-confidence pero yung mga lalaki

medyo maangas ang dating. Nasa pagpapalaki yan sa atin, at kapag

nagsama ang dalawang yan kayang kaya paikutin ng lalake ang babae. Dahil

sa ganung need nating mga babae, kung paano tayo sinocialite.Yung iba

madaling takutin kasi. Sasabihin ng lalaki, pumayag namang makipag sex sa

akin yung girlfriend ko. Pero ang tanong, what transpires in between?

Sasabihin negotiation? Paanong klaseng negotiation? Sasabihin nung lalaki

hiwalayan kita pag di ka nakipag sex sa akin. Eh hindi ka pa ready. Anong

klaseng negotiation yun? So may ganun. Makikita mo sa mga decision point

na maaring nakapag-decision ka pero may mga factors na naka-apekto doon

lxvii
sa pag-di-decision mo. So anong real choice, anong real situation na meron

ka bilang babae? Kasi yung mga lalaki marami sa kanila nag-ko-collect lang

ng mga girlfriends. Yun ang sinasabi natin sa Reproductive Health Bill na ang

nag-di-decision palagi ang mga lalake. Laging sinasabi, oh magpills ka. Ang

tanong, bakit laging babae ang kailangan mag-adjust? Meron din naman

tayong mga methods na para sa mga lalaki. Hangga’t maaari pinag-uusapan

nilang dalawa yan at kung kailan sila mag-se-sex. Lalo na kapag mag-asawa

meron silang notion na kapag asawa ka na nila, obligation mo na magbigay

ng sex sa kanila tuwing gabi. Lalo naman yung mga prostituted women.

Marami dyan kasi naka-pangasawa ng customer. Kapag kinasal na sila, ang

notion nung asawa nila na pwede silang gamitin anytime. Kapag humindi ang

babae, sa kwento nila samin eh ang sinasabi sa kanila, dun ka naman galing

eh tapos ganun din naman ang ginagawa mo bakit sa asawa nag-iinarte na.

Yung mga ganun, kapag nagsabi ka ng no hindi nila tinatanggap. So sabi

naming sa mga lalaki, you should respect pag sinabi ng babae na no. Kapag

ikaw nga ay batang babae, at ikaw ay na-coerced para kang nabilog ng

boyfriend mo. Kapag sumama ka sa motel at kahit hubad na kayo dyan at

last minute, humindi ka dapat irespeto niya yun na ayaw mo at hindi ka ready.

Yung iba dahil hindi nila matanggap yung no, dun na nangyayari yung rape.

Kaya tayo merong marital rape kasi kapag humindi na yung asawa mo at

tinutuloy pa rin nila. Kasi feeling nila entitled sila at hindi na nila mapigilan.

Again, saan ba galing ang ganung kaisipan? Ang laging titignan ay ang root

cause.

lxviii
 For the second respondent (A2), she had a broken family and she takes in four

children now. She was a waitress before she becomes a prostitute in the club. If there’s a

customer hanging around, she’s the one trying to entertain those customers. She also

became a street prostitute in Cubao area, particularly in Art Theater along Aurora.

She was encouraged to get into the prostitution for the sake of basic needs and

most of all she was the one responsible paying for the education of her kids and on the

grounds that, sometimes it across on her mind to return in prostitution because earnings are

not sufficient. Sometimes, she could not control herself to return in prostitution. Aside from

that, she was also persuaded by her friend being a part of the prostitution industry.

According to A2, money is the ultimate tool, but not a materialistic type of person she was.

Instead, she was after with her children’s needs.

Surprisingly, she expounded that she had customers who are priest, and sometimes

students. Of course, she was after with the money and not with the physical appearances.

She elaborated that she’s very careful in choosing customers because a lot of bad

circumstances happened to them. She rationalized that some of her co-prostitute were

being killed; some were being strangled in the neck using the blanket and will try to bump

their head in the toilet bowl. She thinks that women have been violated because some of

the customers were sadist and asked to do any position they want. She further explained

that she was also being punched by some of her customers. Aside from that, she

manifested thoroughly that if they were being harassed inside of the room, they would just

knock on the door and they will be rescued until they can run outside of the apartelle. In this

case, she was proudly saying that each of them is incredibly united. Their co-prostitute will

assist them immediately no matter what happen.

lxix
When she was younger, she would try to escape from her mother to play outside, but when

her stepfather is around; she will ask to go home to take good care of the kids. She told us

that she had not experienced being a battered wife. The only problem that she faced with

her husband before was being alcoholic. She was selling silver as her earnings or business

in the organization aside from being a member of the catering services. She had regular

customers, some will return, but some would not. She admitted that she fooled some

customers in order to get a high income. If they can convince courageously not to use their

body, they will try, but if the customers are deciding to have sex with them, there’s nothing

that they can do about it. There are customers that would like to take care of them or have

them as their partner but they refused. She emphasized that she was only after with the

money and not being a partner of her customers. Being a member of the organization, she

was started to join with the rallies and other activities. She also attends seminars where

they can earned or whatever the organization had planned for them. Showing to her the

image of a free nature, she was reacting that it was easy to make money in Manila but it

was easier to earn in the province in a way that you can asked sweet potatoes and sardines

from your neighbors.

Q3. What are the effects of violence and exploitation to the survivors of

prostitution in Philippines during the period they are prostituted?

3.1 Ano po yung epekto nung nakaranas po kayo ng pananakit?

“Sa ibang babae talagang grabe, doon sa apartelle. Nilaslasan ng leeg.” (A1)

“Meron din nilagay sa ilalim ng kama. Meron sinusubsob sa bowl. Sinakal ng

kumot. Yun muntikan mamatay.” (A2)

lxx
 “Ako, pag nakakakita ako ng pulis naalala ko yung ginawa sa akin. Demonyo

talaga ang tingin ko sa mga yan. Maliban na lang pag nakita ng sarilingmata

ko na may ginagawa sila para sa kababaihan.” (A3)

3.2 Sa bisyo po? Hindi po ba karamihan na dumadanas ng mahihirap na pangyayari

sa buhay idinadaan sa bisyo?

“Ako sigarilyo lang.” (A1)

“Akin alak.” (A2)

“Ayan, sa akin dyan. Ilang beses na nalagay sa bingit ng kamatayan yung

buhay ko dahil sa shabu. Pinasok ko yan (drugs). Kasi kailangan ko eh pero

di ako nagbebenta, gumamit lang. Dati kasi, yung mga pulis pinapahawak sa

akin yan. Ginagawa akong taguan ng shabu, syempre pag hawak ko na

raratratin ko na. Minsan pinapamigay ko sa mga kaibigan ko, yari ako lagi

dun sa nagbigay sa akin. Pero never ko naranasan mag-benta.” (A3)

“Ako din nag-shabu. Inom. Yosi. Lahat yan.” (A5)

3.3 Sa mga nakasama ninyong survivors, halos lahat po ba sila nakaranas ng

violence?

“Oo, mula sa verbal abuses hanggang sa kamatayan. Marami sa kanilang

kasama ang namatay. Ang masakit nito kapag mayroon sa kanilang na-

ireport na patay, hindi na masyadong iniimbistigahan ng pulis. Pinapabayaan

na lang. Kasi marami sa kanila ay hindi alam ng mga kamag-anak nila na

nandito sila. Ang pangalan nila doon sa street ay iba sa pangalan nila sa

totoong buhay. Kahit i-announce mo yan sa TV na siya si ganyan o ganito

walang makakakilala. So yun hndi na na i-imbistigahan. Minsan, kaya lang

nagkakaroon ng imbestigasyon. Halimbawa, yung doon sa Maynila, kasi may

lxxi
serial killer na sunud-sunod na pinapatay yung mga babae. Yung mga ganun

nagkakaroon ng imbestigasyon kasi medyo maingay na yung issue. Pero

kung isa ka lang dyan, hindi ganun binibigyan ng importansya. Marami rin sa

kanila ang nakaranas ng tumakbong nakahubo’t-hubad palabas ng apartelle.

Kasi wala ka nang ibang choice, di mo na maiisip ang magsuot ng damit.

Buhay at kamatayan na yun mag da-damit ka pa ba?Tapos ang isa pa nating

problema dyan, yung problem ng power relation. Kaugnay siya doon sa

patriarchy. Sino ba talaga yung may power sa magkapareha? Sa situation ng

mga babae sa prostitution. Halimbawa, bibigyan mo sila ng condom. May

namimigay kasi ng condom, yung ibang HIV groups para maiwasan yung

HIV. Pero hindi mo siya pwedeng basta-basta ibigay ng hindi mo ina-address

yung power relation. Paano ka makikipag-negotiate kung hindi pantay yung

tingin niyo sa isat-isa? Laging mas mababa yung tingin ng lalake sa mga

babae. Halimbawa, may isang case may hawak siyang condom pinipilit niya

yung customer niya na magsuot ng condom. Ang iniisip nitong customer dahil

binayaran kita, wala kang karapatang mag-demand sakin ng kahit ano kasi

bayad ka. Nagalit siya at gun point pinalunok niya sa babae yung condom.

Kaya yung mga sinasabi naming sa mga nagtutulak ng legalization, anong

right ang sinasabi niyo? Wala kayo sa loob ng kwarto kapag nangyayari yan.

Hindi niyo alam gaano yung abusong nararanasan ng babae . Nandoon ba

kayo kapag nakikipag-haggle ng buhay at kamatayan yung mga babae? Diba

wala? Ang sinasabi nila kasi mas magkakaroon daw ng mga karapatan yung

mga babae kapag na-legalize ang prostitution. Eh bakit hindi pa nila bigyan

ng rights ngayon? Bakit kailangan pa-i-legalize? Yung ordinaryong mga tao

nga at ordinaryong mamamayan ni hindi nga mabigyan ng serbisyo? Sila pa

lxxii
kaya? Sasabihin niyo pang magkakaroon sila ng comprehensive services.

Tsaka ang tutok lang nila lagi ay reproductive organ eh na para bang yun na

lang ang mahalaga sa mga babae. Kaya ang sinasabi naming dapat

comprehensive shelf services din kasi marami sa kanila my TB, marami ang

may severe anemia hanggang sa may mga namatay na dahil sa leukemia

kasi lagi silang puyat. Walang sapat na nutrition. So hindi lang yung ari nila

hindi lang yung reproductive organ ang dapat chine-check ng gobyerno,

dapat buo. Physical pa nga lang, iba pa usapin yung mental or psychological

aspect nila bilang tao. Sa totoo lang may mga nababaliw dyan, lalo na doon

sa mga na-shelter naming. Sa dati naming shelter, 99% sa kanila victim ng

incest or childhood abuse. So malaking aspeto yun kung bakit nasira yung

kaisipan nila habang bata palang. Yung isa, habang ginagamit siya ng tiyuhin

niya at lolo niya sinasabihan siya ng mahal siya. So lumalaki siya iba yung

mind set niya kung ano yung pagmamahal na sinasabi. Na-distort yung idea

niya about love tapos hanggang sa napunta siya dyan sa cubao. Hindi man

nila yan ma-kwento ng Isang upuan pero sa pagtagal ng panahon malalaman

mo din. Tulad nung si Ate Mylene kanina, ngayon lang niya nakwento na

incest victim siya nung namatay yung tatay niya. Ang alam lang ng marami

nagka-anak siya sa pagkadalaga pero walang nakakaalam na yung anak niya

ay anak ng tatay nya. Nakwento lang niya nung namatay yung tatay niya two

years ago. Biruin mo yung ganung kahabang taon na kinikimkim niya. Eh

siya sobrang haba nang counseling na dinaanan niya pero hindi niya

mailabas sa sarili niya kasi andoon pa yung perpretrator. Sabi nung iba out of

resignation, resignation na lang sa pangyayari. Sasabihin nila, tutal ganito na

lang araw-araw ang ginagawa sakin ng tatay ko, ng tiyuhin ko, ng lolo ko eh
lxxiii
my nagrecuit sakin bibigyan aq ng 500 bakit hindi na lang yun ang pipiliin ko?

Well sa ganung sitwasyon, again choice ba talaga siya? Meron ba talaga

tayong choice? Choice siya sa dalawang bagay na naabuso tayo. Walang

totoong makaka-uplift sa kalagayan mo. Namili lang siya sa dalawang

masama. Sasabihin ng iba, yung mga babae naman na may mga choice

naman ang mga yan eh yan ang pinili nila edi bahala sila dyan. Anong choice

ang meron sila? Marami sa kanila ang nag-attempt na hindi yan all the way

sa kalsada several attempt na. Si A3 mga siyam na beses ata siya

nagpabalik balik sa street. Maghahanap sila ng trabaho contractual after six

months wala ka na namang trabaho. Ang laki ng nagagastos nila sa mga

requirements. Yung iba naman papasok na kasambahay. Anong mangyayri

kapag papasok na kasambahay? Pinapasok ng amo sa kwarto, ginagahasa,

binubogbog ng amo etc. Yung iba papasok na labandera. Magkano lang yung

kita hindi sumasapat sa mga binubuhay kaya naman sila nandyan kasisila

yung breadwinner ng pamilya. May binubuhay na anak sa pagkadalaga so

yun ano ba talaga yung choice na sinasabi natin? Kailangan din maging

maingat yung mga tao sa pagsasabi na may pagpipilian naman sila, bakit sila

nandyan.Pero kung i-we-weigh mo, hindi sila kagaya natin na nakapagaral

tayo. Meron tayong choice maghanap ng trabaho at the very least hindi man

yun yung gusto nating trabaho at least may disenteng trabaho na makukuha.

Pero sila, since hindi sila nakapag-aral. Maraming push factors. Another

thing, ito naman yung sa division ng mga children’s group at women’s group

na sana ma-break na siya. Kasi ang tinutulungan lang ng children’s group

mga bata, children’s prostitution or trafficked children. Ang sinasabi namin,

kung kakausapin nyo yan ilang taon siya nagsimula. minor sila nagsimula. Sa
lxxiv
 record naming, 9 yrs. old yung pinakabata na nasa prostitution nakuha siya

sa Davao, nang Lawig Duvay isang organization na member din ng Coalition.

So pabata ng pabata. Kasi ganun ang kalakaran dyan eh. Pag bata ka mas

in-demand ka. Matanda ka na dyan kapag 23 ka na, bababa yung value mo.

Pag bata ka, mas mataas ang value. Kapag titignan mo, maraming gimik ang

mga babae. Nagdadamit sila pang studyante para maka-attract ng maraming

customers. May mga ganun. Ang sasabihin, oh sino yung bago? sino yung

bata? Yun yung sasabihin sa street. Sino ba yung bagong salita dyan? At

may naghahanap din ng mga buntis. Yun yung mga special na hinahanap

nila. Kahit buntis nag-o-offer din ng services dahil sa pangangailangan. Kung

hindi man sex, blow job. Ang blow job nag ra-renge ng 50 to 100 pesos. Ang

sinasabi ng mga kababaihan na nagawa yun ang mga nakaka-afford nun ay

yung mga construction workers. Siyempre, malalayo yun sa pamilya tapos

hindi pa naliligo sabi nila. Sobrang masusuka ka daw talaga. Wala silang

ibang magagawa kasi wala silang ibang pagkukunan eh.” (B1)

3.4 Ano po sa tingin nyo ang nagiging effect ng violence sa mga babae na nasa

prostitution?

“Siguro yung isang epekto nun ay yung normalization. Hindi na nila ma-

distinguish kung itong ginagawa sa kanila ay abuse o hindi. Kaya yun yung

kailangan ipa-intindi. Kailangan ng pasensya kasi. kahit ako, for example

kung wala ako dito, yung mga simpleng unwanted touches, unwanted

remarks, tatanggapin ko lang siya kasi parang nakasanayan ko na siya

normal na sa akin. De-sensitize na ako. So yun yung akala kasi nila kapag

lxxv
 binubugbog sila nang asaawa nila kapag nagseselos, pagmamahal pa rin.

Kailangan nating basagin yung ganung pag iisip. So yun yung pinaka-

malaking epekto sa kanila at yun yung pinakamasakit. Kasi paano mo i-a-

address sa sarili mo yung problema eh hindi mo na siya nakikitang problema.

Dahil araw-araw na siyang nangyayari sa buhay mo, normal na siyang

nangyayari. Sa relasyon, kahit tayo. Yung mga hindi natin nakikitang mali

kung hindi natin iaaddress. Mananatili siyang mali at ganun kalalim kapag

nagsimula na yung counseling nila, psychological treatment, makikita niyo

yung gaano kalalim yung abuses na naranasan nila na hindi nila alam na

ganun kalalim yun sa kanila.

For the third respondent (A3), ran away from home when she was only 16 years old.

She only finished third year high school since she was forced to stop her studies when she

was raped. At a very young age, she was sexually abused twice. When she was 9 years

old, she was abused by her own cousin and when she was 16, she was abused by her

friend. The second time she was sexually violated, she ran away from home. No one looked

for her, for her own family condemned her for being pregnant at an early age. Even her

mother did not believe that she was raped by her friend. Instead, her mother accused her

provoking a guy that’s why she got pregnant.

She went to Manila carrying a 7 month old baby in her tummy. When she got to

Manila, she knew no one until she met “Mommy Cora” in Quiapo. Later on, she discovered

Mommy Cora is a pimp though she never knew what a “pimp” was. She even asked herself

why some girls are dancing almost naked in a place where Mommy Cora brought her. It did

not take so long when her ignorant and innocent mind finally understood how the flesh trade

lxxvi
works. She was pregnant, then when she started getting paid by customers for sex. She

entered prostitution not because of the typical reason like poverty and money. She entered

prostitution because she seeks companionship.

When she was still a prostitute, she experienced being with all kinds of men, but the worst

and most unforgettable experience was when she had a police as a customer. It was a

police officer of Camp Caringal, she was forced to take her clothes off and have sex with

him under the stairs. She told him no, just kill her instead, but she’ll never have sex with

him. Even though she wasn’t raped, she felt so violated because of what he did to her.

From then on, she got traumatized seeing police enforcers, except when she sees a police

enforcer who do something good to protect women. During her days in the flesh trade, she

got into drugs, alcohol and even went to jail due to the vagrancy law back then.

While being rescued in “bagansya” she met the members of CATW-AP wherein they were

the ones who bailed them out. The Coalition against Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific

became A3’s way to change her life leaving prostitution for good. Being under the Bagong

Kamalayan, she understood the value of her womanhood. The Coalition made her

understand her rights as a woman and today she’s the one helping and persuading the

streetwalkers in Cubao to leave the prostitution industry.

The Coalition also provided her opportunities to be a good cook, today she heads

the catering service of Bagong Kamalayan. She’s one of the most active in organizing

activities for the survivors and she also help her co-members in filing cases of violence

against women perpetrated by customers or even the survivors’ own husbands. A3 also

wants to finish her studies and take up journalism. According to her, age wouldn’t be a

reason to stop learning. Only in the Coalition she felt what to have a family, it’s a good

feeling, to have people like the other survivors helped her and now she’s the one helping

them.
lxxvii
 Q4. What are the current international protocols regarding prostitution that

protects the victims of prostitution in the Philippines?

4.1 Sa tingin nyo po ba nagagampanan ng Philippine government yung responsibility

nila sa pagprotekta ng karapatan ng mga kababaihan?

“Hindi naman natin maitatanggi na may effort ang government. Pero ang

problem natin, maaaring maayos sa papel, maayos sa mataas na libel ng

usapin pero pag dating sa baba, wala talaga. Kung tatanungin mo ang mga

babae kung paano sila tinatrato tuwing lalapit sila sa DSWD. Bago pa lang

lumapit sa DSWD katakut-takot na away pa yan kasi very insensitive kung

paano nila kausapin yung mga babae. Sasabihin, eh ginusto nyo naman kaya

kayo nandyan pero hindi nila nakikita yung ugat ng problema kung bakit

nandoon sa prostitusyon yung babae. Tapos sa prostituted women meron

tayong mga pink cards na nakukuha sa mga hygiene clinics, pero ang tanong

naming sa gobyerno anong klaseng solution yan? Para kanino ba yang

solution na yan? Para sa mga babae o para sa mga customers na

tumatangkilik sa prostitusyon? Para masabing eto yung malilinis na babae,

yung mga walang sakit, Kasi kung pupunta kayo sa mga bars, may mga

babae na naka I.D. sila para masabi na eto malinis. Naalala niyo ba yung

kaso ni Nicole? Kung paano nag react yung Philippine government? Ngayon

maingat na yung mga sundalong Amerikano na magpapasok sa mga bar

kaya ang nangyayari babae na mismo sa kanila. Kung titignan mo, makikita

mo dun yung kawalan ng ngipin ng gobyerno, so kulang na kulang talaga.

Hindi mo maramdaman yung concern.” (B1)

lxxviii
4.2 Sa tingin nyo po ba may posibilidad na maipasa yung batas na nagpro-protekta

sa mga prostituted women at nagkukulong sa mga customer at mga bugaw?

“For thirteen years, pumasok kasi ako dito four years pa lang ko. Pagkapasa

nung Anti-Trafficking Law, ipinasok na agad ng Coalition yung Anti-

Prostitution Bill. Yung Anti-Prostitution Bill it has been languishing in the

Congress and in the Senate for thirteen years. Basically, ang laman nung bill

ay yun, hindi makukulong yung mga prostituted women instead ang

makukulong ay yung mga customers na tumatangkilik sa prostitusyon at yung

mga bugaw. Yun sana, ang hopefully na maipasa. Ngayong taon meron ng

limang bill, 3 sa Congress 2 sa Senate. Maraming bansa ganyan na ang

ginagawa, pinoprotektahan yun biktima at ang pinaparusahan ay yung mga

bumibili, yung mga bugaw at yung mga may-ari ng establishments. Meron

naman mga bansa na nag-legalize ng prostitusyon na kadalasan nag-fail

dahil lalong lumawak pa yung abuse na nararanasan ng women dahil nga

legalize ang prostitusyon na umaabot sa may napapatay. Mas lumala talaga.”

(B1)

4.3 Ano po sa tingin niyo yung international protocol na sinusunod ng Philippines for

protecting women’s rights?

“Ay marami. Meron tayong CEDAW, yung binigay ko sa inyo anjan. Meron

din tayon UN Protocol in Trafficking. Actually naka-pattern yung Anti-

Traficking Law natin dun sa Swedish model at tsaka doon sa UN Anti-

Trafficking Protocol. So doon naka patong yun, yun ung sinusundan nung

batas natin. Yung Prostitution Bill natin naka in-line siya sa Trafficking Law

natin at sa iba pang International instrument. Sana maipasa din, ang tagal
lxxix
 nga eh 13 years na. Mag kaka-batch yan, magbabarkada yan kasama ng

Reproductive Health Bill, nahuli pa nga ata yung Discrimination Bill hanggang

ngayon bill pa rin siya. So naiwan na siya. Kasi ang nagiging problema namin

na Senate saka sa Congress, majority may mga scholars sila. Sila mismo

nagreregaluhan sila niyan ng mga babae. Ang daming records at pictures na

nakukuha sila mismo nasa bar yan. Kahit si **** may mga pictures na nasa

bar yan. Kahit si ****, off the record. Yun yung problema natin kung kaya hindi

siya maipasa-pasa kasi yung majority ay gumagamit ng babae sa

prostitusyon. At yung plain work ng mga lalake na sinasabi nila, hindi naman

mabubuhay yan. Hindi ba sila mabubuhay kung walang ginagamit na babae

sa prostitusyon” (B1)

For the fourth respondent (A4), she is a single mother with four kids from four

different men. She got into prostitution because her mother wants her to work as early as

possible. Therefore, she only finished first year high school and didn’t have any good

childhood memories at all. During the period she was prostituted, she experienced being

choked by a customer because she was asking for an extra pay. A4 fought the customer,

but she was still beaten mercilessly. She also tried using drugs and being jailed because of

bagansya. She became a member if Bagong Kamalayan because of A3, who persuaded

her to join the organization. According to A4, being part of the organization she had

attended many trainings and that was the key to her empowerment. All the knowledge

about her rights as a woman was given to her. She’s carrying that knowledge, even if she’s

outside the organization. She uses it not only for herself but for other women as well who

needs her help. Today, she has a business of selling corns and currently looking for a

husband.
lxxx
 Q5. What are the current initiatives done by CATW-AP in the Philippines to

transform the lives of survivors of prostitution?

5.1 Paano po kayo naging kabahagi ng CATW-AP?

“Dahil kay A3. Sila ang pumupunta dun sa pwesto namin tapos hinikayat nila

kaming sumali para maging member ng Kamalayan.” (A1)

“Ganun din. Dahil kay A3.” (A2)

“Kay ano rin. Kay A3.” (A4)

“Kasama ako sa mga narescue nila A3 sa bagansya.” (A5)

5.2 Ano po yung mga programa ng CATW-AP na masasabi nyong nakatulong po sa

inyo?

“Nung nabagansya kami, ni-rescuhan nila kami. Sila agad ang unang

tinawagan namin. Tapos sumasama kami sa mga meeting tulad nito para

mapag-usapan ano bang meron para sa kinabukasan namin.” (A1)

“Sumasama kami sa mga rally tapos mga activities dito kagaya ngayon, pag-

mi-meetingan yung mga bago at pwedeng pagkakitaan namin.” (A2)

“Dati po kasi, may canteen kami kaso nagsarado yun. Kasi dati walang nag-

ma-manage. Kagaya ko, kulang pa ako sa kaalaman. So kahit pinagawan

kami ng CATW-AP ng canteen, hindi po siya lumago. So ngayon, ang

binibigyan naming alternatibo ay yung catering. Sa ngayon po, okay na po

kami masasarap na kami magluto. Hindi katulad dati sa canteen may

binabayaran kaming pwesto tapos hindi pa kami nakapag-aral sa pagluluto.

Kaya nalugi, hindi nag-click. Isa pa po ay yung coop. Sa coop din namin, para

po sa member ng Kamalayan. Halimbawa po yung hulog nila sa isang linggo

lxxxi
 o isang buwan. Bahala na po sila dun pero sa meeting naming ngayon ay

paguusapan kung para saan yung pag-iimpok para hindi masayang.” (A3)

5.3 Paano nakatulong yung organization para baguhin po kayo?

“Ang aral na natutunan ko sa CATW-AP, hindi naman siguro yun na, kahit

kailangan ko ng pera wala ka ng balak magbago. Siguro naman kung kaya

mo naman pagkasyahin, kung magkano lang yung kinikita mo. Magagawan

mo ng paraan kung gusto mo diba?” (A1)

“Siguro sa akin, unang-una yung pagbabago, sa sarili ko mismo yun eh. Yung

pag welcome, pagmamahal at pagtanggap sa akin ng CATW-AP ang hindi

matutumbasan. Unlike nung nasa Quiapo ako, may mga kaibigan nga ako

palagi namang may kapalit. Lagi kang inu-utangan o ako yung nag-

kakautang. Dito sa Kamalayan, iba yung pag-tanggap na naramdaman ko.”

(A3)

“Sa akin naman, maraming trainings dati na binigay sa amin. Na-empower

ako nun, lahat ng hindi ko nalalaman sa karapatan ko bilang babae natutunan

ko. Dala-dala ko yan, pati sa labas ng organization. Nagamit ko yun para sa

sarili ko, pati na rin sa ibang kasamahan ko.” (A4)

“Ngayon, bukod sa pag-tulong nila sa akin sa pagpapakulong ng asawa ko,

binibigyan din ako ng kapwa member ko ng mga damit kasi nga nasalanta din

kami ng bagyo nung nakaraan.” (A5)

5.4 Paano ninyo na-motivate yung mga survivors na iwan ang prostitusyon?

“Yung approach kasi na ginagawa ng Coalition, hindi pinipilit at hindi

sinasabihan yung mga babae ng direkta na umalis na sa prostitusyon. So ang

lxxxii
 ginagawa ng Coalition, unti-unting ine-empower yung mga babae para makita

nila na itong mga ganitong bagay ay paglabag sa iyong karapatan at hindi

dapat ito nangyayari sa lipunan. Para sila mismo, sila ang mag de-desisyon

kung paano sila aalis. Yung motivation kasama rin sa ginagawa naming.

Kaya sila nandoon dahil sa pera. Ang alternative kasi dyan, kasabay nung

empowerment and awareness training ay yung panawagan sa gobyerno na

magkaroon ng disenteng trabaho ang mga babaeng nasa prostitusyon. Isa pa

ay yung pag-assist ng Coalition para makakuha sila ng financial assistance at

iba pang tulong or training para sila ay ma-capacitate, para sila ay

magkaroon ng sariling hanap buhay. Yun halos sabay-sabay na ginagawa

kasi hindi pwedeng isang intervention langang gagawin mo, hindi yun

sasapat para makaalis sila doon kasi mahabang proseso din.” (B1)

5.5 Ano pong mga tulong at suporta ang natatanggap ng mga babae mula sa

CATW-AP?

“Unang support na binibigay ng CATW-AP ay syempre yung building of trust

nila sa organization. Kailangan maramdaman nila na may kasama sila at may

sumusuporta sa kanila. Unang-una kasi dyan lagi silang hinuhuli sa

bagansya, so ang ginagawa ng Bagong Kamalayan at ng Coalition, tuwing

mahuhuli yung mga babae sa kalsada at sa bagansya kahit madaling araw

magte-text yung mga babae na nandito po kami sa kulungan at agad naman

kaming tatakbo para tulungan at ilabas yung mga babae sa kulungan. Yung

vagrancy naman kasi, pwede mo siyang i-argue na hindi na dapat ginagamit

yang Vagrancy Act dahil meron ng Anti-Trafficking Act. Yung Trafficking Act

kasi ang tinitignan niya yung mga babae as victims, hindi sila criminal at
lxxxiii
masyado ng matagal yung Vagrancy Act. Isang form ng support din, kasi sa

presinto dun nangyayari yung mas maraming abuses. Ang itatanong sa

kanila in bed or in jail? So napakaraming babae lalo na yung mga walang

anak, okay lang sa kanila na magtagal sa kulungan kasi may pagkain

ganyan. Ang problema lang ay ginagamit sila ng mga pulis kapalit ng

kalayaan nila. Yung ibang may mga anak naman na naiwan sa kalsada, sa

takot na mawala yung mga naiwan nilang anak sa labas pumapayag na sila

na in bed para makalabas agad at makuha na yung anak nila. May mga kaso

kasing nawalan na rin ng anak. Kaugnay nun, dati may 25 women kami na

nakasuhan tapos nailabas namin through legal procedures. Kapag may

nagsasampa sa kanila ng kaso, halimbawa yung isa sa kanila nag sampa ng

physical abuse laban sa isang pulis, sinuportahan naming kaso napagod din

yung babae sa sobrang bagal ng sistema natin. Tapos naupuan din namin

yung sa mediation niya kaso hindi ganun ka-sensitive yung nag me-mediate

so napagod yung survivor na ilaban yung kaso. Hindi naman naming mapilit

na ituloy mo kasi andito naman kami tutulungan ka namin. Pero pag may

mga ganung legal assistance, lahat ng kailangan nila kami yung nagpe-

prepare. Kahit anong kaso yan mula sa Vagrancy, Physical

Abuse,Trafficking, yung mga witness nila kami ang nagpe-prepare. Tapos

ang iba pang supports, yung pag punta sa streets weekly na ginagawa. Dun

kasi, nagkakaroon ng healing conversations o peer education. Sila-sila nag-

uusap, dyan na yung may mag-oopen na eto binugbog na naman ako ng

asawa ko, kalalaya lang binugbog nanaman ako. O kaya yung pera na dapat

sa mga anak ko, kinuha ng asawa ko. Yung mga ganung klase ng in

solidarity na na-ibabahagi nila sa kasamahan nila. Hindi namin siya tinatawag

lxxxiv
 na Counseling kasi yung DSWD naglabas ng memo na may mga licensed

lang na pwedeng mag-counseling. Kung susundin naming yun, hindi kami

licensed since hindi naman kami psychologists. So ang ginagamit naming

term ay healing conversations with the women, hindi namin pwede tawaging

counseling at mate-technical kami dun. Next, ay yung pag encourage namin

sa kanila na magtayo ng cooperative. Yung man from Heaven Cooperative

na ang objective ay mula sa unti-unti nilang kinikita every week kung

magkano lang yung kaya mong ihulog para makapag-ipon. So yun, meron

silang parang passbook na hinahawakan then in six months or in one year

pwede silang mag-loan dun sa cooperative na sila-sila rin yung miyembro.

Marami ng nakapag-loan yung iba ginagamit para makapag simula ng

negosyo o kaya kung may negosyo sila pandagdag sa puhunan. Isa pang

kinaganda nung cooperative, yung pinagsama-samang capital shares ng mga

members ay na-ipambili ng mga gamit para catering service. Every month

may dalawang catering na contractual at yung kinikita nila dun pinaghahati

hatian nila at the end of the year sa bawat isang member. Another support ay

yung training mula sa gender sensitivity hanggang sa leadership training,

doon natututo silang magsalita para sa sarili nila. Yung iba kaya na nila mag-

argue sa pulis kapag may mga kaso sila. Isa pa ay yung paglakad nung mga

papers ng mga women, marami sa kanila walang I.D. maraming walang Birth

Certificate, nilalakad namin yun. Dun pa lang mahabang proseso na.” (B1)

5.6 Ano pa po yung sa tingin nyong pwede pang ma-improve sa programs ng

CATW-AP para sa mas ikabubuti ng mga survivors?

lxxxv
“Yung sa ikakaganda siguro, pinakamaganda talaga kung mapapasa yung

Anti-Prostitution Bill sa programs namin. Kasi comprehensive siya, nakalatag

lahat doon yung services na dapat ibigay ng gobyerno sa mga kababihan.

Nakalatag na doon, tapos yung isa din kasi isa sa mga programs namin kaso

kulang siya by donation. Meron kaming scholarship na binibigay sa mga

babae. Marami sa kanila ang nakapag tapos na ng High School. Kaso wala

pang nakapagtapos ng college kasi yung mag ka-college namin dapat,

tinamaan ng TB. So umuwi siya ng Bicol para mag-pagaling. So yun sana

magtuloy-tuloy yung Scholarship Program. We have nothing against

vocational courses at yung mga trainings Ang binibigay kasi sa kanila yung

pag-mamanicurista, hindi naman naming tinatawaran yun since magagamit

din naman nila yun. Marami kasing Livelihood Training na medyo hindi

realistic. Halimbawa, bibigyan mo sila ng ganitong training wala naman silang

puhunan. Kung may puhunan sila, sinong market nila? Hindi naman nila

pinag-aralan yun eh na ito bibigyan natin kasi dito tayo kikita. So hindi siya

feasible. Sana kung ano yung mga opportunities na makuha naming bilang

tao sana maabot din nila para kung matapos sila, pantay yung opportunities

na makukuha nila sa nakukuha natin kasi nakapag-aral din sila

nakapagtapos. Eh ang dami nga sa ating nakapag-tapos wala naming

trabaho di lalo pa sila. Kaya yun sana ang advocacy namin na maibalik sila

sa formal education. Maraming pumasa sa ALS or yung Alternative Learning

System. Yung iba nakapasa pero hindi pa ma-release tulad nung sabi ko

kulang yung requirements, walang Birth Certificate. Yung iba hindi binibigyan

kasi hindi nila alam kung saan sila galing. Yung isa naming member from

Cebu kambal sila nagkahiwalay sila ng kambal niya, ang nag-traffick sa

lxxxvi
kanila ay yung nanay nila so bata palang hindi niya alam kung saan siya

galling hindi niya kilala ang tatay niya. Nung tinatanong sila imposibleng hindi

mo kilala ang tatay mo, eh bata palang nandito na sila sa Manila. Yung

programs na sana maayos pa, yung mga survivors na ti-ne-train namin doon

sa HURIDOCS o Human Rights Documentation System. Sila na mismo. May

sarili naman silang laptop yung mga survivors dito. Yung mga kaso ng

abuses and trafficking, prostitution yung mga kaso ng mga prostituted women

sila na yung mag-eencode para may data base sila ng mga kaso so sana

mag tuluy-tuloy din yun para kasing way of ano din yun eh Re-claiming or

Technological, Technological Activism din para sa kanila kasi marami din sa

kanila ang nasa cyber sex prostitution. Sana makita nila na itong technology

na ito ay hindi ginagamit para ma-abuse tayo. Ginagamit siya sa ibang bagay

gaya nga nung data base nila.So that we can empower them. Yung sa

Education Program naming kailangan paigtingin kasi yun yung ginagamit

namin para unti-unti mapaalis sila sa prostitusyon at ma-uplift din sila at

tuluyang makalabas sa sistema ng prostitusyon. Pero ang tanong ng iba,

bakit may mga mayayaman? High class prostitution. Kung makaka-

encounter kayo ng nasa high class prostitution, sasabihin hindi naman nila

kailangan yun eh. Bakit sila nandyan? May mga factors din dyan na ganun

katindi yung capitalism and yung consumerism. Ganun kalakas na pressure

para sumabay sa mga gadgets ganyan, pagkatapos yung iba yung isa

naming nakausap. Neglected siya sa family so feeling niya nakakakuha siya

ng attention sa mga lalaking nagiging customer niya. Again, nandun siya sa

emotional at psychological aspect. Hindi man ecomonic factor ang nagtulak

sa kanya pero yung social background with in psychological and emotional

lxxxvii
 aspects niya bilang babae, yun naman ang tinatamaan nun. Sabi ko nga,

bilang isang tao napaka importante sa atin nung affirmation. Kapag yun ang

nawala, at hindi mo siya nakukuha sa mga immediate people, sa

surroundings mo like sa family, etc. Mag-hahanap at mag-hahanap ka. Yung

iba nagkakaroon ng maling notion, sabi nila nakukuha nila yung ganung

attention sa mga nagiging customer sabi nila. Feeling nila may nag-

papahalaga sa kanila in that specific time na yun at nabanggit ko din kanina

marami sa kanila ay sexually abused nung bata sila. Nawawala na kasi yung

ganung image sa kanila, kapag bata palang sexually abuse ka na parang

feeling nila wala ng mawawala sakin madumi na ko. Ganun naman ang tingin

natin sa mga babaeng porket hindi na virgin madumi ng babae. Kaya diba?

Ang lakas at ang taas ng premium sa atin kapag virgin pa yung isang tao

ganyan tapos pag nalaman na hindi na virgin ay wala na yan, laspag na yan,

hindi na virgin. Sa ganun, bumababa ang tingin ng tao sa kanyang sarili. So

para sa kanya wala ng mawawala sakin. Nagiging out of resignation na

ganun na lang ang ginagawa niya sa sarili niya. Kahit anong uri pa ng

prostitusyon yan, kung uugatin mo may pinang-gagalingan talaga yung bawat

mga babae dyan” (B1)

5.7 Gaano kahalaga yung role ng CATW-AP sa pag transform at sa pag-empower

ng mga survivors?

“Sa totoo lang, yung Coalition ay support system lamang. Like yung gasgas

na term sa catalyst or yung nagpapabilis ng change, parang ganun kami.

lxxxviii
 Kasi sa mismong sarili nila mang-gagaling yung pagbabago. Ang

kahalagahan namin, nagkakaroon sila ng support system habang nandun pa

sila. Yung pagkapit nila sa buhay, may pinang-hahawakan pa silang totoo at

may pag-asa pa. Feeling namin, yun na lang yung ma-ko-contribute namin

yung maisip nila na possibleng maaalis tayo dito kasi may mga taong

gagabay sa atin, may mga taong mag-a-assist sa atin. Hindi lang kami, hindi

lang CATW-AP, hindi lang Bagong Kamalayan pero bawat organisasyon na

tumutulong sa mga prostituted women ay napakahalaga. Para kasi sa iba,

dead end na yung prostitution, para sa kanila dun na sila tatanda at

mamatay. Pero iba pa rin yung impact nung simpleng pag punta mo sa street,

yung mgay nakakausap sila, yung may nahihingan sila ng tulong. Malaking

bagay na yun para panghawakan, na may matatakbuhan ka at may mas

magandang buhay na naghihintay sa akin sa oras na makalabas ako dito.

Tulungan, tulungan sa sarili, kami piipilitin namin baguhin yung mga maling

sistema ng lipunan at sila unti-unti nilang ibabangon yng sarili nila. Importante

din na ma-develop yung sisterhood para nakakapag-rely sila sa isa’t-isa at sa

amin dahil lahat tayong babae may common experiences. Mula sa common

experiences na yun, dun naming binubuo yung sisterhood.” (B1)

For the fifth respondent (A5), has been recently rescued by CATW-AP during

bagansya. She entered prostitution due to poverty. She only reached grade five so she has

no other option to look for a better job. Today, she and her family only sleep on the

sidewalks because their house was wrecked by the typhoon. Originally, she has four kids

but now she only had three because one of her kids died. Her husband beats her every day;
lxxxix
she said if she could only give her husband to another woman she would. Even though she

has been beaten, she still thinks twice if she would file a case against her husband. Her co-

members in the Bagong Kamalayan jokes about her being a “martyr wife” and she’s just

waiting for her own death if she won’t file a case against her husband. During the period she

was prostituted, she experienced being harassed by a customer too many times. She said,

her life is threatened when she’s with her husband. Her life is threatened too when she’s

with any other man (customers). It’s always a matter of life and death for her. She was also

into drugs when she was in the flesh trade and was put into jail because she was involved

in a brawl against her co-prostitute. Today, being a member of CATW-AP, the benefits that

matters to A5 is the food and clothes she gets from the Coalition. Her co-members give her

clothes most of the time and she attends to meetings in order to learn some alternatives on

how she will get extra income.

Chapter 5

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This paper attempted to discover the life history of prostituted and survived

women on Coalition against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific. To achieve this objective,
xc
the researchers employed the qualitative approach of research. This research method

provided a more in-depth analysis of the prostitution scenario on the Philippine industry.

Summary of Findings

1. The long and arduous transformation of the lives of survivors is a step-by-step process.

2. The initiative to change must come within the survivors and by personal choice.

3. The main initiatives raised by CATW-AP are the following:

a. Legal Assistance (Processing of birth certificates; Filing cases against
perpetrators)
b. Economic Assistance (Catering Business; Man from Heaven Cooperative)
c. Education
d. Rescue services
e. Health services

4. The reasons why CATW-AP has not been quite effective in transforming the lives of
some survivors are the following:
a. Lack of financial assistance
b. Lack of media exposure (in terms of updating and organizing their respective
website; lack of local media exposure)

Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions were drawn:

CATW-AP’s programs are comprehensive and have addressed the various aspects

xci
of trafficking and prostitution, its prevention, protection of victims, prosecution of
perpetrators, and re-integration of survivors. However, there are still inefficiencies in their
programs because there are survivors who keep on coming back in prostitution.
The survivors are currently active participants in implementing a number of
campaigns such as advocating for the Anti-Prostitution Bill and projects such as Young
Men’s Camps. However, their participation can be expanded to planning, monitoring and
evaluation by equipping them with the necessary skills and capacities.

Recommendations

After drawing the conclusions of the study, the researchers hereby make the
following suggestions/recommendations:

1. Establish strong partnerships and empower the local government units to implement the
law and initiate prevention measures.
2. Empower the barangays to implement the project on their own.
3. Innovative strategies used in organizing Young Men’s Camps are effective in
empowering young men.
4. Building the capabilities of the survivors to organize their ranks in the organization.
5. Documenting the experience of CATW-AP in organizing and working
with survivor’s group.

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xcii
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APPENDIX A

ROBOTFOTO

Respondent No. 1
Name (optional): Elsa
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Years in Service: 12 years
Qualifications: Survivor Prostitute
Status: Married with 5 children
Educational Attainment: 2nd year High School
Respondent No. 2
Name (optional): Teresa
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Years in Service: 5 years
Qualifications: Survivor Prostitute
Status: Married with 4 children
nd
Educational Attainment: 2 year High School
Respondent No. 3
Name (optional): Gie
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Years in Service: 8-10 years
Qualifications: Survivor Prostitute
Status: Has a Live-in Partner with 2 children
rd
Educational Attainment: 3 year High School
Respondent No. 4
Name (optional): Princess
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Years in Service: 10 years
Qualifications: Survivor Prostitute
Status: Single Mother with Four Children
st
Educational Attainment: 1 year High School

xcv
Respondent No. 5
Name (optional): Mutya
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Years in Service: 10 years
Qualifications: Survivor Prostitute
Status: Married with 4 children (1 died)
Educational Attainment: Grade 5

Respondent No. 6
Name: Clydie Pasia
Age: Not Available
Gender: Female
Years in Service: 4 years
Qualification: Expert/ Education, Training and Organizational Development Officer of Coalition against
Trafficking in Women Asia – Pacific
Status: Single
Educational Attainment: Not Available

APPENDIX B

REPERTORY GRID

1.What is prostitution?

2. What are the causes of violence and exploitation to the survivors of prostitution in

Philippines during the period they are prostituted?

3. What are the effects of violence and exploitation to the survivors of prostitution in

Philippines during the period they are prostituted?

4. What are the current international protocols regarding prostitution that protects the

victims of prostitution in the Philippines?

5. What are the current initiatives done by the NGO’s in the Philippines to transform

the lives of survivors of prostitution?

6. What are the policies that can be recommended to CATW-AP in the Philippines to

empower the victims of prostitution?

xcvi
Questions
1. What is prostitution?
2. What are the causes of violence and
exploitation to the survivors of prostitution
in Philippines during the period they are
prostituted?
3. What are the effects of violence and
exploitation to the survivors of prostitution
in Philippines during the period they are
prostituted?
Significant Statements
A1: Kapos sa pang gastos kaya napadpad ako sa
ganun.
A2: Wala rin kasing pang gastos. Tulad nyan
bayaran ng bahay, tubig, ilaw.
A3: Hindi masaya dyan. Kahit malakas kita mo?
Lahat ng gusto mo mabibili mo, hindi ka pa rin
magiging masaya.
A4: Mukhang pera nanay ko eh. Pinagtrabaho ako
agad.
A5: Pera. Kadalasan nasa kalsada din ako dati kasi
ayaw ko sa bahay, binubugbog ako ng asawa ko.
B1: Ang tingin namin sa prostitusyon ay paid rape
eh.
Pornography is the idea that leads to prostitution.
Kung may theory may practice. So siguro yung
pornography siya yung theory that leads to
prostitution.
Hindi namin tinatawag na sex work ang prostitution.
A2: Kasi may mga customer na sadista eh. Merong
customer na kesyo bayad ka, lahat ng posisyon
gustong gawin. Tapos yung iba sasabihin. Ayaw
mo ah? Bigla kang sasapakin.
B1: Very patriarchal talaga yung society natin, male
dominated talaga.
Yung iba dahil hindi nila matanggap yung no ng
isang babae, dun na nangyayari yung rape. Kasi
feeling nila entitled sila at hindi na nila mapigilan.
Tapos ang isa pa nating problema dyan, yung
problem ng power relation. Kaugnay siya doon sa
patriarchy. Sino ba talaga yung may power
between men and women?
Kaya yung mga sinasabi namin sa mga nagtutulak
ng legalization, anong right ang sinasabi niyo?
Wala kayo sa loob ng kwarto kapag nangyayari
yan. Hindi niyo alam gaano yung abusong
nararanasan ng babae.
A1: Sa ibang babae talagang grabe, doon sa
apartelle. Nilaslasan ng leeg
A2: Meron din nilagay sa ilalim ng kama. Meron
sinusubsob sa bowl. Sinakal ng kumot. Yun
muntikan mamatay
A3: Ako, pag nakakakita ako ng pulis naalala ko
yung ginawa sa akin. Demonyo talaga ang tingin ko
sa mga yan.
B1: Mula sa verbal abuses hanggang sa
kamatayan. Marami sa kanilang kasama ang
namatay.
Marami rin sa kanila ang nakaranas ng tumakbong
nakahubot hubad palabas ng apartelle.
Marami sa prostituted women my TB, marami ang
xcvii

4. What are the current international protocols
regarding prostitution that protects the
victims of prostitution in the Philippines?
5. What are the current initiatives done by
CATW-AP in the Philippines to transform
the lives of survivors of prostitution?
may severe anemia hanggang sa may mga
namatay na dahil sa leukemia kasi lagi silang
puyat. Walang sapat na nutrition.
. Sa dati naming shelter, 99% ng prostituted
women ay victim ng incest or chidlhood abuse. So
malaking aspeto yun kung bakit nasira yung
kaisipan nila habang bata palang.
Siguro yung isang epekto nun ay yung
normalization. Hindi na nila ma-distingush kung
itong ginagawa sa kanila ay abuse o hindi. Kaya
yun yung kailangan ipaintindi.
B1: marami. Meron tayong CEDAW, yung binigay
ko sa inyo anjan. Meron din tayon UN protocol in
trafficking. Actually naka pattern yung Anti-
Traficking Law natin dun sa Swedish model at
tsaka doon sa UN Anti-Trafficking Protocol.
A1: Sumasama kami sa mga meeting tulad nito
para mapag-usapan ano bang meron para sa
kinabukasan namin.
A2: Sumasama kami sa mga rally tapos mga
activities dito kagaya ngayon, pag-mi-meetingan
yung mga bago at pwedeng pagkakitaan namin.
A3: Siguro sa akin, unang-una yung pagbabago, sa
sarili ko mismo yun eh. Yung pag welcome,
pagmamahal at pagtanggap sa akin ng CATW-AP
ang hindi matutumbasan.
A4: Maraming trainings dati na binigay sa amin.
Na-empower ako nun, lahat ng hindi ko nalalaman
sa karapatan ko bilang babae natutunan ko. Dala-
dala ko yan, pati sa labas ng organization. Nagamit
ko yun para sa sarili ko, pati na rin sa ibang
kasamahan ko.
A5: Yung tulong nila sa akin sa pagpapakulong ng
asawa ko.
B1: May 25 women kami na nakasuhan dati tapos
nailabas namin through legal procedures.
Yung pag punta sa streets weekly na ginagawa.
Dun kasi, nagkakaroon ng healing conversations o
peer education.
Ang advocacy namin na maibalik sila sa formal
education.
Man from heaven cooperative na ang objective ay
mula sa unti-unti nilang kinikita every week kung
magkano lang yung kaya mong ihulog para
makapagipon.
Yung programs na sana maayos pa, yung mga
survivors na ti-ne-train namin doon sa HURIDOCS
o human rights documentation system.
Tulungan, tulungan sa sarili, kami piipilitin namin
baguhin yung mga maling sistema ng lipunan at
sila unti-unti nilang ibabangon yng sarili nila.
Importante din na ma-develop yung sisterhood
para nakakapag-rely sila sa isa’t-isa at sa amin.
Lahat tayong mga babae may common
experiences. Mula sa common experiences nay un,
dun namin binubuo yung sisterhood.
xcviii
 APPENDIX C

DENDOGRAM

Year Events Themes

When the Spanish came they

chronicled some pre-existing
sexual practices by Filipinos
which they considered lewd,
vicious and perverse. They
observed that society did not
value either virginity or History
Pre-colonization period monogamous marriages. The
Spanish chroniclers wrote that
virginity was, in fact, believed to
be a hindrance to marriage and
that to reach the place of eternal
bliss, women must have lovers.
There were males who would
even offer their services for
initiating women to the sexual
act.
The Spaniards preached values
of virginity and chastity to the
"natives" or Filipinos and
condemned their immoral sexual
Spanish Period practices. However, they also
failed to live out what they History
preached. They carried out
sexual relations with native
women outside their marriage
resulting in the birth of many
Spanish mestizo children.

xcix
 The red-light district at the time
was the Gardenia Gardens in
Sampaloc, where young women
American Period were classed according price and
housed in different dwellings.
The first class house had
American and European women, History
the second class house had the
fresh rural natives and mestizas,
and the third-class house had
older prostitutes with a separate
display window showcasing
Japanese geishas.

Parents were forced to sell their

children, particularly young girls,
to Japanese soldiers and wealthy
Japanese Period Filipino collaborators. History
It was at this time that the
premier residential section of
Manila. Ermita was transformed
into a "sprawling Yoshiwara".

Soon after WWII, the Philippines

signed an agreement with the US
to provide for the Americans'
"unhampered use" of 23 military
facilities all over the country for
99 years.
History
The escalation of regional
conflicts in which the US
Post Colonization Period participated saw the influx of
weary American soldiers into the
bases and subsequent growth of
prostitution.

With the early termination of the

bases after the eruption of Mt.
Pinatubo the entertainment clubs
around these areas slowed down
but were later revived by resident
foreigners to tourists and local
men.

Republic Act No. 9208

An Act to institute policies to

eliminate trafficking in persons Customary
2003 especially women and children, International
establishing the necessary Law
institutional mechanisms for the
protection and support of

c
 trafficked persons, providing
penalties for its violations, and for
other purposed
The Republic Act No. 9710

Or The Magna Carta of Women

indicated that Physical, sexual,
and psychological violence
2009 occurring within the general Customary
community, including rape, International
sexual abuse, sexual Law
harassment, and intimidation at
work, in educational instistutions
and elsewhere trafficking in
women, and in prostitution.

Article 202 of the Revised Penal

Code by RA 10158-

2012 Law enforcement and legal Customary

sanctions exclusively on the International
prostituted women while letting Law
the customers and the pimps go
unscathed

ci
 APPENDIX D
TRANSCRIPTION OF INTERVIEWS
SURVIVORS

Researcher: First slide, pamilya. (Family pictures)

Gie: Meron po ako nyan, pero hindi ko feel. May pamilya ako ngayonpara lang may
masabing pamilyapero pamilya ko ang nagsira sa akin.
Elsa: Ganyan din po kami. (refers to the picture)
Researcher: Single mother po ba kayo?
Elsa: Hindi, may asawa rin ako.
Researcher: Si Ate Teresa?
Teresa: Meron din akong ganyang pamilya.
Researcher: Si ate Mutya, kayo po?
Mutya: Meron akong ganyan. Pwede ko ng ibigay.
Researcher: Meron po ba kayong pamilya ngayon ate Princess?
Princess: May anak po ako.
Gie: Pero wala siyang asawa.
Teresa: Single mother, puro panganay anak niya. (refers to ate Princess)
Researcher: Ilan po anak nyo ate Princess?
Princess: Apat po.
Researcher: Puro po babae?
Princess: Dalawang babae, dalawang lalaki.
Researcher: Si ate po? May anak po ba kayo? (refers to ate Elsa)
Elsa: Lima.
Researcher: May asawa po?
Elsa: Meron po.
Researcher: Si ate Gie po? May anak po ba kayo?

cii
Gie: Isang 19 years old saka isang 15 years old.
Researcher: May asawa po?
Gie: Meron.
Researcher: Ilan po ang anak nyo ate Mutya?
Mutya: Apat. Pero tatlo na lang ngayon, namatay na yung isa.
Researcher: Eto po, ano pong masasabi nyo rito? (Refers to the picture)
Gie: Yung gusto ko yung pinakauna, yung grupo kayo. Yung lahat kayo estudyante. Yan
ang buhay na gusto ko eh. Yung makapagaral. Kasi, bago pa man ako mag-ano... Nag-
aaral talaga ako, gusto ko maging journalism.
Researcher: Ano po bang natapos nyo?
Gie: Highschool lang. Pero ang natapos ko lang po ay 3rd year lang po.
Researcher: Bakit hindi po kayo nagpatuloy?
Gie: Magpapatuloy po sana ako nung last year pa, kaya lang... hindi kop ala siya kayang
pagsabayin gawa ng pag-aaskikaso ng mga kasama ko.
Researcher: So may balak pa po kayo bumalik sa eskwela?
Gie: Oo, kahit matanda na. Okay lang. (laughs)
Researcher: Si ate po? Si ate Elsa?
Elsa: Syempre po, lahat naman ng tao nangangarap na makapag-aral. Kaso lang kapos sa
pang gastos kaya ayan napadpad kami sa ganito.
Researcher: Pero nakatungtong din po kayo ng highschool?
Elsa: 2nd year lang.
Researcher: Kayo po ate? (refers to Ate Teresa)
Teresa: Ganun din, 2nd year highschool.
Researcher: Ganun din po ang reason nyo kung bat kayo nag-stop? Sa financial?
Teresa: Oo.
Elsa: Sa financial kasi mahirap, edi sana... Nag-abugada na ako ngayon.
Gie: Ay ako naman pop ala, nagaaral po ako noon. Na-rape po ako nung mga edad ko na
yun kaya tumigil po ako.
Researcher: Sino po?
Gie: Yung pinsan ko.
Researcher: Ilang taon po kayo nun?
Gie: 16. Pero that time, 9 years old pa lang ako... Ganyan na ang nangyayari sa akin.
Noong bata pa lang ako, nandyan na yung hipo-hipo hanggang sa nung 16 na ako, dun na
ciii
natuluyan. Tapos na-rape pa ulit ako nun ng kaibigan ko. Dun na ako nabuntis. Tapos
sinabi ko sa nanay ko yung nangyari, sabi ng nanay ko ang landi-landi ko daw. Sabi ko,
pano ak nagging malandi? Na-rape nga po ako. Tapos ang gusto nila, ipakasal na lang ako,
ganun kasi sa probinsya, kahit bata ka pa... Kahit 16 o 17 pwede ng makasal. Eh ang gusto
ko hustisya... Hindi naman nangyayari. Sabi ko, dito sa loob ng bahay, ganito rin yung
nangyayari? Tapos ginawa pa ulit sa akin ng isang tao. Anon g mangyayari sa akin? Tapos
pumunta na akong Manila. Wala akong kilala. Nakilala ko si Mommy Cora, yun na yun. Dun
sa Quiapo, nagkakakilala kami. Buntis na ako nun 7 months.
Researcher: Hindi nyo po pinatanggal?
Gie: Hindi. Yun na yung 19 years old kong anak ngayon.
Researcher: Kayo naman po ate Teresa? Meron naman po kayong masasayang karanasan
sa mga kaibigan nyo?
Teresa: Meron. Kaya nga ako napadpad sa Manila, gusto ako ipakasal ng step father ko sa
lalaking hindi ko gusto. Tumakas ako. Broken family kasi kami. Nanay ko nandito sa Manila.
Tatay ko, may babae tapos nagpunta sila sa Davao. Kinuha ako ng tatay ko sa nanay ko.
Dinala ako ng Davao, pinilit akong magpakasal. Mga 17 ako nun. Lumayas ako, sumama
ako sa recruiter papuntang Manila. Pero nahanap ko naman yung nanay ko pagdating kong
Manila.
Researcher: Paano po kayo napadpad sa prostitusyon?
Teresa: Sa kaibigan.
Researcher: Si ate Mutya po? Nakapag-aral din po kayo?
Mutya: Oo, Grade 5 lang.
Researcher: Ano po yung dahilan nyo bakit di po kayo nagpatuloy?
Mutya: Walang pera yung nanay ko.
Researcher: Si ate po? Si ate Princess?
Princess: 1st year highschool lang ako.
Researcher: Hindi na rin po kayo ngpatuloy?
Princess: Di na kailangan, mukhang pera kasi nanay ko eh.
Researcher: Ah... Gusto po kumita na kayo ng pera?
Princess: Oo.
Researcher: Pero gusto nyo pa rin po ipagpatuloy yung pag-aaral nyo?
Princess: Hindi na siguro, aanuhin ko na lang para sa mga anak ko.
Elsa: Oo, sa mga anak na lang babawi.
civ
Researcher: Next picture. (Childhood pictures)
Researcher: Yung childhood nyo, yung kabataan nyo po ba? Naging Masaya po ba kayo
dati?
Teresa: Oo naman. May karanasan kami nyan.
Gie: Wala.
Researcher: Si Ate Gie? Wala po?
Gie: Wala po. 9 years old pa lang po kasi ako lagi na ako kinukulong sa bahay.
Researcher: Naranasan nyo po yung trauma?
Gie: Oo, natakot akong tumabi kahit kanino. Lalo na sa lalaki.
Researhcer: Si Ate Teresa po?
Teresa: Oo naranasan ko din yan. Syempre, pag wala yung stepfather ko tumatakas ako
para makipaglaro.
Researcher: Kayo Ate Mutya?
Mutya: Nung bata pa ko wala po eh, hindi ko naranasan eh alangan.
Researcher: Si Ate Princess po? Nagkaroon po ba kayo ng masayang childhood?
Princess: Hindi siguro. Wala po.
Researcher: Tanong ko lang, paano po kayo na adopt o naging kabahagi ng CATWAP?
Kayo po ate Elsa?
Elsa: Dahil kay Gie. Sila ang pumupunta dun sa pwesto namin, hinihikayat nila kami para
maging bahagi sa kamalayan.
Researcher: Pero ano pa rin po kayo ng prostitute? o tumigil na po kayo?
Elsa: Dun pa rin. Pag oras na nababagansya kami, ni rerescue-han nila kami, kasi sila agad
ang tinatawagan namin.
Researcher: Ano po yung pinaka nag-encourage sa inyo para umalis?
Elsa: Hindi naman siguro yun na... Kahit kailangan mo ng pera wala ka na ring balaka
magbago. Siguro naman kung kaya mo naming pag kasyahin lang ang kinikita mo... Sa
loob ng isang araw, kung gusto mo lang... Siguro naman, kaya mo rin. Basta kung gusto
mo, magagawan mo ng parran diba? Pero kung talagang ano... Syempre, babalik ka pa rin
dyan. Kaya mahirap din magsalita ng tapos na magbabago ka na. Gustuhin mo mang
magbago, kaso lang kulang pa rin. Lalung-lalo na ngayon mahirap ang diskarte namin.
Nag-aaral pa mga anak namin. Di nga kami nagbago nung una. Nung wala pa kaming
pinapaaral malakas pa kaming kumita, kesa ngayong tumanda na kami. Kaya kailangan din
naming ng ano...
cv
Researcher: Hind nyo naman po naisipang bumalik?
Elsa: Ano kami, ganun-ganun din...
Teresa: Tulad nyan na bayaran ng bahay, tubig, ilaw.
Elsa: Pag oras na nagigipi, hindi mo rin masasabi na hindi mo na yun maiisipang gawin.
Researcher: Eh diba po may programs naman po yung CATW-AP? Yung sa canteen po?
Gie: Sa canteen kasi naming, nagsarado yun dahil dati walang nag ma-manage Kagaya ko,
kulang pa po talaga sa kaalaman. So kahit pinagawan sya ng CATW-AP, hindi po sya
lumago. So ngayon, ang binigay po naming alternatibo ay yung catering po. So ngayon po,
okay na po kami. Masarap na kaming magluto. Hindi katulad dati sa canteen na may
binabayaran na pwesto, tapos hindi pa kami nakapag-aral sa pagluluto. Kaya nalugi, hindi
nag-click.
Researcher: Lahat po kayo member nung catering na yun?
Gie: Yung canteen kasi dati, ang pinakaano nya ay member. Ibig sabihin member lang
talaga na survivor na nakalabas na sa prostitution. Pero sa catering po ngayon, ang
kagandahan ng catering, ay kahit sino pwede tawagin basta member ng Bagong
Kamalayan. Yung tinatawag na member ay yung nasa street po. At saka yung coop din
naming, para sa member din po. Halimbawa, nakapaghulog sila, kung magkano ang hulog
nila sa isang linggo o sa isang buwan bahala na po sila. Pero ang ano naming ngayon
(meeting) ay pag-uusapan kung para saan yung pag-iimpok para hindi masayang. Tapos
yun po may financial assistance galing DSWD. Na isa-isa po sa kanila ay nakakuha, siya
(refers to Teresa). Ano ginawa mo dun sa nakuha mo?
Teresa: Silver
Researcher: Ano pong silver?
Gie: Mga accessories. At siya naman (refers to Princess), nag-business ng mais. Nagtitinda
siya ng mais. Si Elsa naman nagstart siya sa maliit. Nagtitinda ng sigarilyo ganyan, sana
lumago. Kasi ang P10,000 kasi sa amin, hindi naman ganun ka-ano yun. Lalo na pag may
anak ka, kukulangin.
Elsa: Tapos kung yun lang ang aasahan mo, wala ring mangyayari. Bankrupt ka rin, lugi pa
rin. Lahat ng negosyo naming hindi nagki-click, kahit negosyo naming tilapia di nag-click.
Nabibilasa lang.
Researcher: Kayo po Ate Teresa, paano po kayo naging kabilang ng CATW-AP?
Teresa: Ganun din, dahil sa kanila. (refers to Gie)
Researcher: Kayo po Ate Mutya?
cvi
Gie: Nakita naming siya sa pag-re-rescue. (refers to Mutya)
Researcher: Si Ate Princess po?
Princess: Kay Gie din.
Researcher: May tanong po ako, meron po ba kayong karanasan nung pagkabata na
naging cause kung bakit kayo pumasok sa trabahong ganun po?
Gie: Ang pinaka rason kung bakit ako pumasok kasi guso ko ng company. Wala akong
pamilya na makaintindi sa akin tapos pinipilit pa ako sa bagay na hindi ko naman gusto.
Kahit hindi ko sila ka-ano ano (Mommy Cora) dun ko nakita sa lugar nay un yung mga
kaparehas ko ng pinagdaanan. Dun ako nakakita ng kaibigan at kausap.
Researcher: Next slide po, yung mga pangangailangan. (Basic needs)
Elsa: Yan kailangan naming yan, bahay. Yan ang pinaka ano naming. Mahirap
mangupahan.
Teresa: Kaya yun ang dahilan kung bakit kami pabalik-balik dun. May trabaho man mister
naming, kulang. Kesa mangutang ka sa mga kamag-anak mo, may masasabi pa. Kesyo
ganito nag-asawa ka pa. Di bale na kami ang maperwisyo wag lang yung kami ang ma-
memerwisyo.
Researcher: Kayo po Ate Mutya?
Mutya: Bahay talaga ang kailangan ko, dun lang ako natutulog sa bangketa.
Reseacher: Kayo Ate Princess?
Princess: Wala yung kailangan ko dyan eh.
Gie: Asawa kasi kailangan nya. (laughs)
Princess: Hindi. Bahay talaga kailangan ko. Sa karton lang din ako natutulog.
Researcher: Pero hindi naman poi to yung pinakarason kung bakit kayo pumasok sa
prostitution?
Gie: Para sa akin, kung yan lang ang rason pupunta na lang akosa bundok kasi maraming
makakain dun.
Elsa: Sa amin, maraming puno.
Gie: Dun mabubuhay kami dun.
Elsa: Kahit saan ka naman, basta gumawa ka ng paraan. Di ka naman mamatay sa gutom.
(Next slide: WANTS)
Gie: Ay yan ang pangarap ko ngayon.
Elsa: Ay yan ang pangarap ko, pera. Hindi ako mahilig sa mga alahas. Kasi ang pera, kahit
anong maisipan mo pwede mong bilhin. Eh yung mga gamit masisira lang, useless din.
cvii
Researcher: Kayo po Ate Teresa?
Teresa: Pera din.
Researcher: Hindi naman po kayo maluho?
Teresa: Ay hindi.
Elsa: Hindi kami maluho.
Teresa: Maluho kami sa mga anak lang.
Elsa: Kahit din na kami makabili ng panty. (laughs)
Researcher: Kayo po Ate Mutya ano po yung pinaka gusto nyo dito sa picture?
Mutya: Pera rin. Cellphone, di naman ako marunong nyan.
Researcher: Kayo po Ate Princess?
Princess: Pera din.
Researcher: Maluho ka ate Princess?
Princess: Hindi.
Elsa: Maluho siya sa pagkain.
Gie: Ako naman, hindi ako nahilig dyan. Nung nasa Cubao pa ako, kailangan ko talaga ng
pera. Kaya ang ginagawa ko talaga, kumuha ng pera. Pag wala kang pera, di kita
papansinin, pag mapera ka syempre lalambingin kita. Pero nung wala pa ako dun, hindi ko
naman naisip na kailangan ko ng pera.
(Next slide: Bars, clubs)
Researcher: Eto po, mga lugar po. Ano pong masasabi nyo?
Elsa: Starlights yan ah? (Starlights Cubao) Dating amo ko yan.
Gie: Ako takot ako dyan dati, kasi naisip ko bakit kaya sumasayaw yung mga babae dyan?
Bakit kailangan nilang makipag inuman? Pero nung nangyari na sa akin, ay magiging ganito
rin pala ko. Naiintindihan ko na siya ngayon. Pero hindi Masaya dyan. Kahit lahat ng gusto
mo mabibili mo, hindi ka pa rin magiging masaya. Sana yung paghihirap mo sa buhay mo,
kumbaga hanggang ngayon, naiisip ko pa rin yung sana magkaroon ng justice yung
nangyari sa akin.
Researcher: Kayo naman po Ate Teresa?
Teresa: Ganun din. Nakapasok din ako sa ganyan. Sa club, naging waitress ako tapos pag
may customer at kailangan ng babae, nag te-table din ako.
Researcher: Kayo po Ate Mutya?
Mutya: Dati kasi akong katulong. Tumigil ako,hinihipuan ako nung amo ko. Ginawa ko,
sinampal ko. Nainis ako eh! Yun pala mas matindi pa dadanasin ko ngayon.
cviii
Researcher: Kayo naman po Ate Princess:
Princess: Matagal na akong pumasok dyan. Five years kaso ayoko ng balikan. Hipo-hipo na
lang. Mas gusto ko yung trabaho ko ngayon.
Gie: Oh tapos nakaranas ka ng sapakin diba? Sinasapak ng customer.
Teresa: Bugbugin.
Gie: Tapos kung ano ipapagawa sayo pag di mo ginawa nako yari ka.
Researcher: Pero dumating po sa point na pumepwesto din po kayo sa street?
Elsa: Dun naman talaga kami eh. Hindi kami sa beerhouse.
Teresa: Dito kami sa Cubao.
Researcher: Never po kayo nag ano sa bar?
Elsa: Nakapasok din ako pero hindi talaga yung ano. Waitress lang talaga.
(Next slide: Men)
Gie: Nako ayan na ang mga naging customer.
Elsa: Ay mga customer ko, mga gwapo.
Gie: Ayan naging customer ko mula construction worker, lahat yan.
Teresa: Tapos may mga pari at pastor din.
Gie: Totoo. Lahat po yan. Mga estudyante.
Researcher: Pero hindi po pwedeng tumanggi noh?
Elsa: Pwede naman.
Teresa: Kung ayaw mo, hindi sila namimilit. Pero kung kami naman ang nangangailangan
at ayaw nila sa amin kami naman ang namimilit.
Researcher: Kasi halimbawa po sa presyuhan. Hindi nyo po gusto kasi mababa masyado.
Teresa: Oo, pero pag may isa pang mataas. Dun kami sa mataas. Tapos pag yung
customer, astig na malaking mama. Mukhang nanakit, parang di ko kaya to. Umaayaw
kami.
Researcher: So tumitingin po kayo sa appearance?
Teresa: Oo, hindi naman kami basta sumasama eh. Yung kahit kanino ka sasama? Patay
ka kaagad. Marami kasi sa amin may pinapatay.
Elsa: Dyan sa Apartelle, nilaslasan yung leeg.
Teresa: Nilagay sa ilalim ng kama. Meron sinubsob sa bowl. Sinakal ng kumot. Yun
muntikan mamatay.
Gie: Yung dahil sa ayaw gawin ng babae yung gusto ng lalaki. Kalimitan ganun.
Researcher: Sa tingin nyo po bakit ginaganun yung babae?
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Teresa: Kasi may mga customer na sadista eh. Merong customer na kesyo bayad ka lahat
ng posisyon gusto gawin. Tapos pag ayaw mo gawin andyan na yung mananakit.
Researcher: Pero wala naman po kayong karanasan pong ganun?
Teresa: Yung pananakit? Meron.
Mutya: Eto sinapak siya. (refers to Princess) Ayaw nya gawin yung pinapagawa, sinapak
siya. Kahit na yung mga babae kaya naman naming lumaban sa lalaki.
Researcher: Pero iba pa rin po pag lalaki eh.
Mutya: Syempre may hawak na kami na bente-nwebe.
Researcher: Ano po yun?
Elsa: Pamalo.
Teresa: Meron din nangyari na... Short ng babae tinangay tapos bra at panty. Pag ganun,
syempre magkakatabi-tabi(kwarto). Bukas ka ng pinto sabay sigaw uy yung ano ko
tinangay!
Researcher: So may kakilala naman po kayo sa loob ng apartelle?
Elsa: Oo, kilala namin.
Teresa: Oo, sila yung tumutulong sa amin. Halimabawa may customer na ayaw kang
palabasin... Ay hindi pwede, di pa tayo tapos. Pag ganun, dapat... Kumakatok kami. Pag
binuksan, saka na kami lalabas. Sa labas na ng apartelle dun na nagkakagulo. Syempre
kasamahan mo, kahit babae ka tutulong ka din.
Researcher: Nagkaron naman po ba kayo ng regular customer?
Elsa: Oo naman.
Teresa: Yun iba bumabalik yung iba ayaw na.
Elsa: Dati ang mga customer talaga naming, mga utu-uto. Ngayon hindi na sila nagpapauto.
Researcher: Sa anong paraan po nagpapauto?
Elsa: Yun kunyari, penge naman ako ng ganito, bibigyan ka. Pero pag nakaramdam na
niloloko sila nagiging sigurista na sila.
Teresa: Katulad ko, hingi ako ng dagdag, isang libo, limandaan, gagawin ko lahat tapos pag
andyan na, minsan hindi ginagawa. Kung kaya mo naman utuin yun customer, kung kaya
mo lambingin kung madadala sa lambing pero kung hindi mo kaya madaan sa lambing
magagawa mo talaga yun pinapagawa mo sa kanya.
Researcher: Pero meron po kayong customer na gusto na kaong kunin?
Elsa: Meron.
Mutya: Meron.
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Teresa: Meron yung susustentuhan ka.
Researcher: Bakit hindi po kayo sumama?
Elsa: Mahirap naman makisama sa hindi mo gusto. Iba talaga yung makisama ka sa taong
gusto mo talaga. Di naman yung purkit marami kang pera, sige lang. Dati hindi namin iniisip
yan dahil malakas ang Cubao.
Teresa: Pero sa panahon ngayon wala ng gaganyan sayo. Buy one take two? Buy one take
four? (laughs)
Elsa: Saka mahirap din, katulad ko may anak na kong babae.
Researcher: Sino pong walang ka-partner ngayon?
Elsa: Siya. (refers to Princess) Naghahanap siya ng asawa.
(Next slide: Violence Against Women)
Elsa: Yan nakaranas si Princess nyan.
Teresa: Ako yung sapak.
Elsa: Yuung sinakal siya (refers to Ate Princess) dahil sa dagdag.
Gie: Nakaranas ako nyan, pulis. Secret Agent ng pulis ng Caringal. Tapos gusto nya dun
kami mag sex sa ilalim ng hagdan dun mismo sa loob ng kampo. Kapal ng mukha. Sabi ko,
patayin mo na lang ako kesa ganunin nya ako. Awa ng diyos buhay naman akong
nakalabas ng kampo.
Researcher: Buti po walang masamang nangyari sa inyo?
Gie: Yun nga. Hindi man nya ko ni-rape pero pakiramdam ko sobra pa sa rape ginawa nya
sakin. Pinilit ka hubaran kung anu-ano ginagawa sayo. Lahat na langnaranasan ko sa
kanya. Kaya sobra kapag nakakakita ko ng pulis... Maliban na lang kung alam ko talaga na
may ginagawa na mabuti sa kababaihan.
Researcher: Nagkaroon po ba time na kapag nakakita kayo ng lalaki iba na pumapasok sa
isip nyo?
Gie: Ako oo, yun pakiramdam ko na demonyo yung mga lalake
Researcher: So hirap ng magtiwala po noh?
Gie: Pero ngayon may asawa ko, siya naman yun tingin nya sakin baligtad kami kaya yun
parang naintindihan ko na asawa ko kung bakit ganun ako sa kanya.
Elsa: Ako tingin ko sa kanila, pera to. (laughs) Pag may pera, ayun aalukin... Pag wala, ay
wala ka... (laughs) Syempre, titignan naming kung may pera.
Elsa: Kapag bumubukol ang bulsa yun pwede na

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Teresa: Pero kapag ibang bukol yun, takbo na at kapag bukol eh mahaba ay iba na yon!
(Laughs)
Researcher: Si Ate Mutya?
Mutya: Pamimigay ko na nga asawa ko eh. Kung pwede ipamigay na lang asawa ko,
papamigay ko na. Maganda pa walang asawa.
Researcher: Pero di naman kayo sinasaktan ng asawa nyo?
Mutya: Sinasaktan ako nun.
Researcher: Naranasan nyo po maging punching bag?
Mutya: Oo, kahit ano ginagawa sa akin. Hinahampas ako ng walis.
(Next slide: Vices)
Teresa: Akin alak.
Elsa: Akin sa sigarilyo. Alak wala ako nyan dati yung sa baba.
Mutya: Ako lahat yan naitry ko na lahat yan. Kahit makulong.
Researcher: Bakit po?
Mutya: Nanampal asko ng kasamahan ko rin.
Elsa: Kami nakulong sa bagansya.
Gie: Ayan, sa akin dyan. Ilang beses na nalagay sa bingit ng kamatayan yung buhay ko
dahil sa shabu. Pinasok ko yan (drugs). Kasi kailangan ko eh pero di ako nagbebenta,
gumamit lang.
Mutya: Oo, nagsha-shabu lang kami.
Gie: Dati kasi, yung mga pulis pinapahawak sa akin yan. Ginagawa akong taguan ng
shabu, syempre pag hawak ko na raratratin ko na. Minsan pinapamigay ko sa mga kaibigan
ko, yari ako lagi dun sa nagbigay sa akin. Pero never ko naranasan mag-benta.
Researcher: Nakulong na po ba kayo?
Gie: Ako pag nakulong sigro ako, mamatay ako. Bagansya oo, pero yung kulong? Naku.
Pero ngayon din na kami pumapayag na ma-bagansya yung mga kasamahan namin.
Pupuntahan agad naming para i-rescue.
(Next slide: Women Empowerment)
Researcher: Paano po nakatulong yung organization para baguhin po kayo?
Gie: Siguro sa akin unang-una, yung pag welcome at pagmamahal at pag tanggap sa akin
ng CATW-AP. Yung pagbabago kasi sa sarili ko yan eh hindi naman sa ibang tao yan.
Princess: Sa akin naman, maraming trainings dati na binigay sa amin. Na-empower ako
nun, lahat ng hindi ko nalalaman sa karapatan ko bilang babae natutunan ko. Dala-dala ko
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yan, pati sa labas ng organization. Nagamit ko yun para sa sarili ko, pati na rin sa ibang
kasamahan ko
Researcher: Si Ate Teresa po?
Teresa: Ganito din, sumasama kami pag may rally. Mga activities ditto kagaya ngayon may
meeting kung anong pwedeng pagkakitaan.
Elsa: Oo, kung anong mga plano para sa kinabukasan naming.
Mutya: Ako binibigyan nila ako ng mga damit.
Researcher: Masasabi nyo po bas a buhay nyo ngayon ay payapa? May kapayapaan po ba
kayo sa sarili nyo?
Gie: Ako masaya ako.
Elsa: Sa ngayon hindi pa siguro kasi mga anak ko nasa probinsya. Kaming dalawa ng
asawa ko naghahanap buhay para sa kinabukasan ng mga bata. Kaya paano kami
magkakaroon ng payapa eh hiwa-hiwalay kami.
Teresa: Ako naman Masaya. Magkakasama kami ng mga anak ko. Minsan Masaya, minsan
magulo.
Researcher: Kayo po Ate Princess? Masaya po ba kayo?
Elsa: Hindi siya masaya kasi wala siyang asawa. (laughs)
Researcher: Kayo po Ate Mutya?
Gie: Hindi siya masaya kasi binubugbog pa rin siya ng asawa niya.

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