In My Own Words - Ron Centeno

a collection of thoughts and sentiments...in my own words

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4/03/2009

The Oldest Profession

Written by Ron Centeno

When batches of young girls are pimped nightly to the visiting American forces in Bicol, such illicit act draws no surprises. I mean that without degradation to our women. More than ever, the blame should be directed to whom it is due. And for good reason, these girls, given their very own plight of desperate living condition, prostituting themselves is a no-brainer, hence; accusing fingers should not be pointed against them.

Recall how many of our women were drawn into this so-called oldest profession in the world when the neon lights were still brightly illuminated at the Subic Naval Base and Clark Air Base. Back then, whorehouses around the bases were commonplace. Literally, the streets were littered with pimps and their cohorts whose bodies were meant to be sold. And because it required no academic degree to provide a rapid and successive pleasure to the salivating Yankee sailors who were eager to pay, hooking was, by all means, a necessary evil. It was easy money. Indeed, for decades and long after the bases were padlocked by our Congress, whoring has become a way of life for our women whose commodity for trade was their very own soul.

While the truth is demeaning to admit, the fact remains that, like a broken record, the word poverty has been abused to become the intransigent rationality of why some of our women are driven to pimping to this date.

During my visit to Manila a year ago, prostitution has been well in-place. I’ve seen first-hand, for example, how young women strategically position themselves inside and outside a Brazilian bar and café in Greenbelt, Makati, in hopes for libidinous ‘expats’ or other foreign nationals seeking an overnight gratification. That bar and café, unfortunately, was just one of the many venues where flesh trading happens indiscriminately.

If it is any consolation to our Filipino women in the same business, prostitution, of course, knows no boundaries. I’ve been to some places across the globe including the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Hong Kong, China, Mexico, and here in the U. S., and for good reason, prostitution in these countries is embedded in their culture with the trimmings of legalities. Amsterdam’s red district and Las Vegas being a ‘sin city’ are only two of these classic examples where prostitution is protected by no less than the state authorities.

Pointing out the validity of prostitution in these advanced countries, however, is not meant to provide an urging to some of our Filipino women to follow suit. The intent is to reaffirm our time immemorial supposition that, indeed, prostitution is our known oldest profession. Even Mary Magdalene will amen to that.

In the eyes of Senator Pangilinan, however, prostitution is non-negotiable. It must be stopped once and for all. And in reference to the girls catered to the American forces who are in the country to provide humanitarian aid for the depressed areas, the lawmaker said, “This needs to be investigated and exposed. This is condemnable. We worked so hard to get rid of prostitution and clean up our reputation when the US military bases finally left our shores. The Philippines is not a whorehouse for US soldiers.”

Without question, the task the Senator wants to put forward the issue on prostitution is gargantuan in the highest order. No matter how we want Sen. Pangilinan to succeed in his crusade to fight such menace, the rate of its success is virtually nil.

And while economic disease in the country has found no cure as of yet, I wouldn’t be surprised if more batches of young girls would find their way into the laps of visiting American forces who are set to pound their ‘tools’.

23 Your Thoughts/Comments Here::

escape said...

"Pointing out the validity of prostitution in these advanced countries, however, is not meant to provide an urging to some of our Filipino women to follow suit." >>> very well said ron. what's sad is when others take advantage of poverty for this.

Xprosaic said...

No matter how someone tries to stop this, it will never work. Mahirap at talagang malabo ito sugpuin. It takes two to tango at habang may naghahanap eh may nagpapagamit diba?! Ang solusyon na lang, bigyan ng identification o pagpapatunay na ang nagbibigay aliw ay nasa wastong gulang at walang nakakahawang sakit na maaari nitong maipasa sa kanyang naka***. Kung tutuusin ito na kasi ang pinakamadaling gawin ng isang taong nangangailangan ng pera. Hindi dahil sa pabor akong may prostitution kundi dahil alam kong kailanman ay di matitigil ang ganitong profession. If they cannot do it publicly, they can still do it dicreetly... So why bother, after all buhay naman nila yun at malamang eh ayaw nilang pinagsasabihan sila lalo pa't wala kang maibigay na alternative sa 'easy money' na nakukuha nila... protektahan mo na lang ang mga maaari nilang mahawaan kung sakaling meron man...

EngrMoks said...

Good PM pareng ron...nawala ka yata ng ilang araw...busy? kaw na lang tol di nakakakuha ng award sa blog ko..check mo na lang yung blogsite ko to accept it...dont worry it was not a tag awards.

congrats!

HalfCrazy said...

For some reason, this layout loads to slow for me lol! Sorry if I haven't been around for a while. Yung Fall of A Dictator kasi ako naka follow, nalimutan ko tong isang blog mo! Sorry!

I'm not angry at these prostitutes. People say they should find a better job, there must be something better out there. That's very easy to say but hard to do. We can't blame the others if they chose to be in the 'business'. Of course they don't want it, they just have to do it. I just really hope they don't get molested by their 'customers'.

I don't know about that place in Greenbelt. I have no idea actually that Prostitution is laganap there too.

This is a very thought-provoking post, a job well done again, Ron!

I see Prostitutes a lot in Malate.

Jackie said...

This is a very insightful, interesting and well written argument Ron. Sadly, I agree with you. We can legislate all we want but I don't personally believe prostitution would disappear even if poverty did.

This too I believe to be a fact, some women simply enjoy making their living this way. For those that do then it will continue forever and always just as it has always existed.

Great post!
~Jackie

David Funk said...

Well thought out as always. Your objectiveness is unmatched even on the most delicate of subjects like this.

I know that in some U.S. states such as Arizona, women have used prostitution to pay for their college education. I'm not sure if the laws for that have changed there.

Nonetheless, I agree with what Shinade said in that some women enjoy this way of living and that it won't ever completely go away. Sad, but true unfortunately.

I do agree with what you're saying here. Even if they passed laws for it, some will always find loopholes in them to continue on with this practice.

Nice post as always buddy!

NJ Abad said...

Well written and a very astute post!

I personally believe that legislation cannot do anything about this issue. Might help in a way for public image but will persist and exist more in bounds at the underground.

This oldest profession will always be here to stay - whether there's global crisis or not. As long as there are end users, there will always be service providers. It will continue, as it existed for generations.

The Pope said...

Prostitution is a crime against morality and its ironic that sex trade flourishes in a predominant Catholic nation, a symbol of cultural and moral decline.

While the government forbids prostitution in general, local government units is issuing municipal health permits to women working in bars and entertainment clubs and massage parlors - certificate f cleanliness for what purpose? Government blindly allows prostitution because "THEY" themselves are patronizing the sex trade, I am sure everyone agrees with me.

There would be no prostitution without market demand, there would be no industrialization of sex without commodity consumption.

Why has prostitution been allowed to continue? The answer is simple: MEN.

Truly a great post, worth reading.

maxiVelasco said...

another good topic here, Ron!

whatever way we look at this issue, there's no right reason to get into such a "career". there are so many women/teenagers who are chained into the reality of poverty. and yet, they don't engage into such a thing. they try to find some better ways to at least survive.

i personally know some women who aren't really poor. their parents even send them to these very expensive schools and yet they decide to get into prostitution just because they are not satisfied with the life they have... they want more. something i can't really comprehend.

anyway, nice post again, Ron!

gillboard said...

not to mention New Zealand. prostitution is legal there as well.. in fact you can ask for a receipt from them if you decide to use their services... hehehe

just want to lighten this up... masyadong seryoso usapan niyo...

john said...

as long as there is poverty no one can stop prostitution, our law makers and politicians must come up with a solution that is feasible not impossible, like or instance measures to lessen poverty in this country, jobs and education...if poverty is eradicated there will be no prostitution..

Rick (Ratty) said...

This seems like fast and easy money for some women. If they need the money, it seems even easier. There will always be women who want the money, and men who want the prostitutes. None of them seem to understand that fast and easy almost never means good.

twinks said...

No government or any politician can delete prostitution. I'm not blaming those women nor judging them either. Whatever reasons they have for engaging in such act, I know for sure it is not all because of poverty. I only feel sorry to those young teens who are forced into prostitution. I guess, as long as there are people who are willing to pay for a quick service, then there will always be prostitution. Instead of blaming people and pointing fingers, I reckon what the government should do is make sure the these women are disease free and create programs that would help these women and give them decent work.

great post. ^_^

maxiVelasco said...

hello Ron! here again. thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.

i have already left my views on this topic days ago.

just want to say that i love the picture here. i don't mean "love" as i like prostitution but the way it pictured the whole of this oldest profession makes the photo talk by itself.

have a great day, Ron!

kcatwoman said...

i believe that cleaning or removing prostitution here is ,like you said, a gargantuan task for the senator. but it must be done so that women wont have an option to do this kind of a job.thanks for this beautiful post!

Anonymous said...

"there's no right reason to get into such a "career". there are so many women/teenagers who are chained into the reality of poverty. and yet, they don't engage into such a thing. they try to find some better ways to at least survive."

Why does everyone assume this is such a 'wrong' profession? If it was regulated properly (ie: Taking out the pimps and letting the girls keep all the money) then it would be a valid way to make a living. It's all you religious nuts who make it so 'bad'.

"as long as there is poverty no one can stop prostitution" ... "if poverty is eradicated there will be no prostitution..

You're an idiot.

Poverty increases prostitution, but it's not the cause. The 'cause', and you make it sound like a disease, is as simple as market forces. Where there's demand, there will be a supply.

Stop looking on it as a problem and start looking on it as an opportunity. Forget your primitive superstitions (religion) and approach the problem with logic and common sense.

maxiVelasoc said...

hmm. ouch. anonymous here seems to be angry at me. well.. i respect his or her opinion. how i wish that he could have at least respect mine. this isn't a debate forumn i guess but an opportunity to express each anybody's opinion.

am i an idiot? maybe... but honestly, i am not a very religious person at all. he should have at least looked into that before assuming that i am a religious fanatic.

well, i myself have gone through so much poverty especially when we discovered that my youngest brother was suffering from leukemia. most of the family's income went to his meds and treatments which almost was the reason for me to stop finishing my college education. but well, i never thought of selling myself just to get money. i somehow managed to finish college by working part time on a family friend's farm especially during the holidays and vacations.

anyway, i won't be explaining too much to mr./ms. anonymous here. not worth doing so i guess. i believe that no matter how much i explain my part, he'll still call me an idiot.

Anonymous said...

Each and everyone of us has the right to voice out his/her own perception about prostitution. I don't see any problem with what Maxi said and I don't get it :)) why MS. Anonymous seem to be so affected. lolz

Anyway, for me prostitution is not a career. It's the choice they made.

Ron Centeno said...

To Mr/Miss Anonymous, I sincerely respect your opinion and sentiments. We are all mature people here and I really am against name calling. The thing is if you would like to use those words it would have been fair if you would have shown your real name and not hide behind your words. Thank you though for dropping by and expressing yourself. I hope next time you can use a name or a link where we can get back to you.

To Maxi, I'm sorry that you had to go through this my dear friend but I and your other blogger friends know that you are not what Mr. or Miss anonymous says you are.

Forgetful Princess said...

I agree with you ron .

(To Maxi, I'm sorry that you had to go through this my dear friend but I and your other blogger friends know that you are not what Mr. or Miss anonymous says you are.)

To anonymous, come out in the open. Why hide your name. You are so brave to attacked someone and call her an idiot but you don't have the guts to put your name :-)

David Funk said...

I'm with you Ron and Tammy on this.

I'll say this to the anonymous commenter. No matter what gender you are, it takes a lot of guts to attack a woman behind a computer, doesn't it?

I share my exact sentiments that Ron said, Maxi. However, I will say this shows how much we all value you in the blogging community.

As one of my best friends from Sporting News once said, let's kick dirt over the crap the anonymous commenter left and move on! LOL!

Ron Centeno said...

Yes Boss 'D I definitely agree time to move on, if not we can finish the fight in the ring. You'll definitely find me cheering on Maxi's side! I'll even be her waterboy! LOL!

MaxiVelasco said...

thank you Ron, Tamz, 'D and my other blogger friends who has shown their "what i refer to as moral support" to me. i am deeply touch...

i am more than okey now. having so many great friends, why must i feel bad? feeling bad was just my first normal reaction. but now, i am back on my feet... jumping around. hehe.

again, thenk you all for making me feel great once more.

i am moving on because of all of you. thanks from the bottom of my heart.

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