Filipinas For Sale

I borrowed the title of the forum I, and thirteen of my colleagues, attended on 15 October 2008, at the Seminar Hall right in the centre of Quezon Memorial Circle. The place is a stone's throw away from the office.

So what was the forum all about? It's about the sad plight of women recruited as overseas workers, when in fact they do not go abroad for employment but for prostitution. Sponsored by women's rights advocate, Gabriela, the forum actually had for its speakers two Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who have experienced this different, but sick, kind of recruitment. It was timely, really, my attendance at the said forum as the day before, a client came and narrated exactly the same circumstances of recruitment and what actually happens once the recruit goes abroad. Under the pretext of being hired as an entertainer, these Filipinas are actually being pimped, in the truest sense of the word. What's sadder is the fact that the recruiting is done by fellow Filipinas. But the saddest, I think, is the fact that the recruiters ask the recruits to shell out big sums of money to allegedly facilitate their employment. With promises of a greener pastures and the chance to alleviate their families from poverty, these poor recruits go to great lengths to come up with the desired sum, even agreeing to loans with outrageously usurious interests.

Once they reach their destination, the girls are housed in an apartment which turns out to be a brothel. And there, they are up for grabs; mind you, no protection, sexually or otherwise.

During the entire forum, I did the easiest thing that could be done: listen and sympathize. I haven't yet picked a placard and lobbied at every government agency. I haven't yet sent the pledge card of the Purple Rose Campaign. It's probably next to impossible that I join Gabriela. But I am aware of sex trafficking; and I try to do whatever I can to help, albeit within the confines of my own world. I sincerely hope that by blogging this, more people are made aware of this biting reality, and do what I couldn't - take an active part in helping trafficked women and children.

Please visit the Gabriela site and help in whatever activities they come up with for the protection of women and children.

P.S. For more pictures on the forum, click here.

Reaching Out, and Giving Back

In school, I was taught to give back to the less fortunate whatever I could to help alleviate their poverty. To make the 'giving back' more fun, the administrators opted for a Fund Drive - the section which could provide the highest number of goodies will receive a prize. It's not really the prize that drove my schoolmates to rummage for their old, but usable, clothes, nor ransack their magazine rack for old newspapers, nor even to plead to their parents to donate a sack of rice (which, by the way, could give the section more points), but the fact that that particular section will be recognized as the most generous. So, I was oriented with an outreach that merely required the giving of whatever stuff the less fortunate might need. The more stuff, the merrier they'll be.

Come 5 October 2008, a friend of my cousin (whom I consider a good friend too) invited me to a whole different outreach: it involves kids, and it involves me. The outreach I attended was sponsored by CCF (I apologize a hundred times for not knowing what this acronym stands for), a Bible-sharing group. The kids were those less fortunate kids from their barangay (a small community of people), but other members of the CCF likewise brought with them their younger siblings. So it was heart-warming to see these kids from both ends of the wealth spectrum being brought together to enjoy something which transcends social status - the Zoo, and Jollibee, the famous local fastfood chain.

My kid's name was John Paul, and he got so much energy, I had a hard time keeping up with him. But it was all fun, and I enjoyed playing nanny for the day; although by the end of the morning, I was on the verge of giving up, not because I didn't like what I was doing but because it was pretty tiring what I did.

Everybody was asked to assemble at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the barangay, then a bus took us to Manila Zoo. I vaguely remember having visited this zoo when I was a kid, but I explored the zoo like it was my first time. I didn't get to explore much though, what with a hyperactive kid in tow. I plan to go back, if only to explore the place at my leisure. About a few minutes before lunch, we were whisked off to Jollibee, CCP Branch. It was a delightful lunch, being tired and hungry. After we were fed and watered, the kids had lots of fun with the parlor games, and the appearance of Jollibee himself. I have to admit I was kinda delighted with his honor's presence (hahaha!).

The outreach was fun, and fulfilling. It wasn't only giving back; it was truly reaching out, as well. I can't wait for the follow-up come December.

P.S. More pictures are posted here.