Rising number of STD among youngsters alarms Lucena execs

LUCENA CITY, Philippines – Health officials here have expressed alarm over the rising number of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) among youngsters, an official of the Lucena City Health Office said Friday.

“As of July we already had 31 cases, mostly walk-in patients as young as 12 and 13 years old,” Dr. Vincent Martinez, assistant city health officer said in an interview aired over dwCT-FM broadcasting from nearby Tayabas City.

He said the number of STD cases for the current year has surpassed the average number of victims for the past five years.

Martinez disclosed that what also alarmed local health officials was the attitude of the victims.

“When we asked the victims who were their sex partners, they just said they didn’t. Nakatuwaan lang ng barkada [The gang did it just for fun]. Pinilahan [The whole gang had sex with a common partner]. And for the victims, their STD is not a serious matter, just a joke,” Martinez said.

He also disclosed that most cases of infection by the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) which causes the dreaded acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) involved ordinary people.

“These known HIV cases in the city were not sex workers but ordinary people. We could not provide the exact figures because we believe that there are more unreported cases,” Martinez said.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer interviewed a number of students in private high schools here who said that hiring a prostitute for a “one night stand for the boys” was vas as easy as renting a computer unit for video games.

“If you have the money, getting a sexy bitch to serve as mentor on the world of sex is quite easy. The ‘prosti’ even allows a group to have sex with her, one by one. But not all members use her. Others were afraid of ‘tulo’ (a kind of STD),” said one student, who asked not to be identified by name.

The informant also asked that the name of his school be withheld.

He said the price of the sexual service depends on the number of “users” and the “appearance and age” of the sex worker.

“But it is cheaper by the dozens. We’re four and paid P500 each. We brought the ‘prosti’ the vacant house of one of the gang members. It’s fun and educational. We all enjoye the experience,” he said with a grin.

Regular bar habitués interviewed by the Inquirer said the proliferation of night joints and seedy inns inside the city proper also helped in the spread of STD.

“Young sex workers, most of them students or pretending to be students, often transact business inside the bars which serve as their hangouts. Once a deal is made – from a few hundreds to a couple of thousand pesos, it depends on the ‘quality of the wares’ – a ready inn for a couple of hours is just a couple of blocks away,” said a college student who often goes on Friday-evening “gimmicks” in popular bars here.

Last year, a multi-sectoral “AIDS candlelight memorial” was held here to honor and remember Filipinos who died from the AIDS pandemic across the globe.

The memorial is a yearly celebration that takes place in over 3,000 communities in 85 countries, to honor and remember the people lost to AIDS, to support people living with HIV, and to defend those who are not infected with HIV and AIDS. –Delfin Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon