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Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Ifugao lawmaker to probe 'child prosti' report
By Harley F. Palangchao
IFUGAO Rep. Solomon Chungalao admitted Sunday that some villagers, especially students, have been receiving negative and unwanted criticism following reports of alarming child prostitution in the province.
But while he stressed that he is not in the position to deny or confirm the reported existence of the child flesh trade, Chungalao said he would immediately conduct a formal investigation on the veracity of the report initially released by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Ifugao.
The representative said that the problem could have been immediately addressed rather than bringing the issue to the press, adding that villagers of Ifugao, especially the college students, started receiving negative and unwanted criticism from their classmates or from other people who knew they are natives of the province.
He added that his main concern now is the negative implication of the report to the people of Ifugao and its tourism industry.
"The report, purportedly released by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), was very damaging to our pride and dignity as people of Ifugao."
"We don't deserve this kind of publicity treatment considering the fact that the Ifugaos brought fame to the country. Is this the kind of reward we deserve?" Chungalao stressed.
Suspecting that Ifugao was singled out over the issue of flesh trade, Chungalao claimed that sex trafficking is happening in almost all of the provinces in the country and is even more alarming in highly urbanized cities.
As such, he appealed to members of the Baguio media not to further sensationalize the story, pending the formal investigation he would initiate.
He explained that he would seek an audience with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, PIA and Ifugao Provincial Health Office to explain the basis of such report.
Over the weekend, college students from Ifugao requested Chungalao to coordinate with national and local officials for the speedy resolution of reported child prostitution in the country's favorite tourist destination.
Angered and dismayed over the report, the students vehemently denied that child prostitution has already reached critical levels, saying that they never heard of the flesh trade, much more on reports that "sex can be paid for (a) measly P30 or a few rounds of beer."
The students pointed out "if there are clandestine prostitution practices, these could be isolated cases, which should have been immediately acted upon by local authorities instead of reporting it to the media."
They also brushed off reports that poverty was the main culprit, considering that every Ifugao family eats three square meals a day. Ifugao culture also has high regards on the sanctity of sex, they claimed.
The students admitted they have already experienced mixed feelings of anger, shame and anxiety over the report, adding that it has gravely affected the Ifugao pride in them, which has been nurtured even by their ancestors.
Last week, Gov. Teddy Baguilat Jr. ordered the Provincial Police Office to determine the presence of possible prostitution rings following reports of increasing number of child prostitutes plying various towns of the province.
He described the reported flesh trade involving minors as "alarming," adding that authorities already nabbed nine of them. All were later found positive of sexually transmitted diseases (STD).
"We need to rehabilitate them before we send them back to their respective municipalities. We don't treat them as criminals," Baguilat said earlier.
The governor, who chairs the Provincial Task Force Against Gender Violence (PTFAGV), also confirmed PIA's report that these minor prostitutes are found in various establishments in Lagawe, Banaue, Kiangan and Lamut.
(July 14, 2003 issue)
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