Underage prostitutes?

EXTREME poverty must be sweeping wide in some areas in the Philippines that drive some underage girls into the practice of the oldest profession in the world -- prostitution.

According to a TV news story in the American continent, young girls in their tender age of 14 and 15 have been charging foreigner-tourists the amount of P1,500 to perform sex. It was not mentioned that these practices are taking place in Metro Manila and nearby cities but surely is happening in the former American bases like Subic and in Angeles city. This is truly disturbing.

Of course we knew for a fact that prostitution is anywhere, especially in big cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, which is abundant but having minors involved in this business is just terrible. This is definitely outrageous, really a crime that is so shameful and unacceptable.

I condemn the hardest way the parents of these girls for their lack of responsibility in the handling of their children. This thing cannot happen if the parents are concerned so much of their children. There should be strict discipline in the home and watching closely the children twenty fours a day.

These underage girls belong to the secondary schools. They should be watched especially the time frame of their studies as well as the time when they are supposed to be at home. Where are the parents? I even supposed they allow these girls to make money the easy way to help support the family.

A house can never be a home unless the parents are doing their best to take care of their children. Otherwise, the kids should be taken away from them and let the parents rot in jail for negligence and irresponsibility.

I call the attention of our leaders, especially the legislators, to draft laws that will punish harshly the parents of the girls who engage in prostitution at an early age.

Prostitution is always illegal regardless of age of women and with more reason that people should be punished thoroughly including the men who make use of these girls. We do not need foreigners to come to our country to enjoy the wrong hospitality of our young girls. They also deserve to be deported within twenty four hours.

If there are matters that we should take care of, with so much love, understanding and kindness, it should be our children. They represent us. They are the future leaders of our country. They are the sources of our pride and honor. They will take care of us when we get old and dying, they are the love and glory in the family. We must preserve them and make them peace and God-loving at all times. And when we fail on this endeavor unreasonably, we parents should be punished.

My heart bleeds to hear such a terrible newscast. I wanted to cry. I was hurt. I pity the little girls.

In my case, I worked hard to love my kids. I gave them discipline, education, undying affection and assurance of their future. I take them personally to school and fetch them in the afternoon. I watch them closely even when they are asleep. I never allow them to set aside things without good reasons. Always there were times for them to play, to go to movies, to go to picnic, to go to church, to attend parties with their friends provided that I am around to look at them and enjoy their growth. I only have five children and I even wished I had more, so I have more sources of joy and honor.