Poverty, lack of options, and dangerous jobs

“Some people are just very greedy. In a place where you can get away with crime for profit, it will continue. Traffickers are smart in Cebu and they get away with it. The pimps and the brothels make a lot of money.”

Thus explained Matt As-pegren of the International Justice Mission why trafficking continues even in affluent societies. Abject poverty obviously is the main reason why so many people—particularly women and children—are trafficked for prostitution and forced labor, but it isn’t the only one.

The International Justice Mission’s Cebu office focuses on rescue and rehabilitation of victims, but recently the organization set up a Job Readiness Training Curriculum following its realization that the victims’ lack of education and job experience often sends them back to prostitution. Most victims are young women—often minors—from rural areas who think that they are being recruited for jobs as domestic helpers, waitresses or the like, only to find themselves being forced to have sex with strangers. The Job Readiness Training Curriculum was developed to help former victims acquire skills that are in demand by legitimate business establishments in Cebu. Aside from offering this training to their clients (the former victims), IJM looks for job placements.

Lack of skills and job opportunities, I believe, is also the main reason why we have so many “envelopemental” journalists.

Politically incorrect as it may be to say this but the media practitioners who get killed in the Philippines are mostly, but not all, practicing this type of journalism. They often work for politicians—they are paid to praise their boss and attack his political foes. Others are freelancers and engage in so-called AC-DC journalism (attack, collect; defend, collect).

Journalists who write for provincial newspapers are usually paid per article that is published. They might submit five articles but if only one is accepted that’s what they get paid for. Their newspapers or radio stations have limited number of vehicles if any, so the reporter has to commute. This makes it tempting to ask the news source to provide transportation. Asking for load is also a common practice.

It is easy to condemn journalists who make a living this way, as media ethics are clearly violated. However, at the end of the day, these media practitioners, including the “AC-DC” radio commentators, are people too. They need to make a living. They have families, children, old parents. Had these journalists been equipped with better education and had society been able to offer decent jobs with security of tenure and benefits, they might have chosen a different occupation altogether.

Poverty and lack of options drive thousands of Filipinos into exploitative and dangerous jobs and situations. Around the world, millions of people are victims of poverty. The devastating earthquake that hit Haiti recently was another disaster hitting this hard-tried nation. In 2009, the country ranked number 149 of 182 countries in the United Nations’ Human Development Index.The Philippines ranked 105th. Most Haitians live on $2 or less a day with about 80 percent of the population living in poverty (Wikipedia). Life expectancy is 61 years compared to 71.6 years in the Philippines. Haiti’s history is one long narration of foreign exploitation and intervention, rebellions, coups, and corrupt and ruthless leaders.

A Philippine military contingent is presently in Haiti as UN peace keeping force. Headed by Lt. Col. Lope Dagoy of Philippine Army, the contingent was recently recognized by the UN for its accomplishments. This isn’t surprising considering that Lt. Col. Dagoy eliminated the threat of the New People’s Army in Leyte, especially in Ormoc City where the NPA was supporting illegal fishing and carrying out assassinations, during his stint as battalion commander a few years back. Dagoy who hails from Glan, Sarangani, was one of last year’s Ten Outstanding Philippine Soldiers. Some of his men are still missing after the earthquake.

Compared to Haiti, the Philippines is blessed. Yes, the poverty and lack of options and education that plague the country increase the vulnerability of especially women and children and drive them into prostitution and other exploitative situations. But the real sad part is that others take advantage of this. As Matt Aspegren of IJM pointed out: Pimps and brothels make a lot of money.

The misfortune of some is the fortune of those who suffer poverty of heart and mind. –MARIT STINUS-REMONDE, Manila Times

opinion@manilatimes.net