What about the Legalization of Prostitution in the Philippines?

I had to transfer from one bus to another in commuting back and forth the Regional Health Unit where I had my most recent duty. As my first bus slowed down as it approached the terminal where I had to ride the next bus, I had a glimpse of a karaoke bar. It was one of the multitudes of Karaoke bars that line that street. Stood in front were more than a dozen girls in skimpy attire. A lady in her early forties was clearly visible as she talks with a mob of more or less than twenty Korean men. The age of the guys ranges from early forties to as young as early twenty years old. I saw the two youngest men exchanging conversation with uncertainty in their faces, which they passed into giggles.

The other day, as my girl groupmates made some finishing touches on our scrapbook (a requirement of our CI), I opened an unattended drawer. There I saw some pictures and Bio-Data-like papers accompanied by pink Identification Cards. As the description on the cards tells it, the women’s age were from 18 to 25. Majority are 19 years old. Their job description; as they are euphemistically called, GRO-Guest Relation Officers, my Clinical Instructor prefers the term Commercial Sex Workers.

The accompanying pink IDs are, as I learned, necessary to the establishments where the girls work. Just as how a normal restaurant have to maintain the cleanliness of its building and the foods it serves to get their sanitary permit, a Karaoke Bar has to ensure the “cleanliness” of the GROs it “serves” also- in short they have to make sure that all their girls are free from any Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Here comes our job or at least the Thursday-to-Saturday group. You see, the RHU has a specific program at a specific day of the week. Every Monday is day for General Check ups, every Tuesday is for pregnant women, and Wednesday is for immunization, while the Pap smear sked falls on Thursday. I belong to Monday to Wednesday group so I do not have the chance to do any of the pap smear of the ladies.

Hanzel asked me the same questions I asked our CI when I showed him what I found. Isn’t prostitution illegal here in the Philippines? What is the use of raids if a Government sector extends its program to something that is “illegal”? Aren’t we tolerating something that is “illegal”? Our CI answered me saying that the fact that prostitution persists alarms the health sector, especially with the issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Whatever “legal” issues surrounding the infamous “industry” is beyond our concern, what are important are the women’s health and its possible effect to the community.

Which made me think; can’t we just legalize prostitution here in the Philippines? Wouldn’t legalizing it extends the program to a higher degree and could prevent the abuse and exploitation of women and the minors? However, isn’t prostitution in itself a kind of exploitation?

I still teeter on the verge of agreeing and opposing to this subject.

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When the second bus I rode finally moved to escape the bus terminal, it has once again treaded the same street where I saw the Korean men. This time, I saw them walking away from the Karaoke bar exchanging dialogues and probably jokes, which they all returned with a wave of laughter. I found myself smiling; I guess I still do have some biases on this matter.

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