INITIATIVES TO COMBAT PROSTITUTION
Proper Implementation of Law
Republic Act No. 9208
Section 10. Penalties and Sanctions. - The following penalties and sanctions are hereby established for the offenses enumerated in this Act:
(a) Any person found guilty of committing any of the acts enumerated in Section 4 shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of twenty (20) years and a fine of not less than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) but not more than Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00);
(c) Any person found guilty of qualified trafficking under Section 6 shall suffer the penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of not less than Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00) but not more than Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00);
Unfortunately, this law is not being followed by some authorities particularly in our target community. According to SPO2 Rosalito Hinabay, only a fine of 50php is collected to any pimp or prostitute caught. Thus, the number of prostitute and pimp increases due to the little fine.
There must be a proper implementation of this law to prevent the increasing rate of prostitution and to slowly evaporate syndicates. Primarily, it is the government’s responsibility to strictly implement laws; it is their responsibility to conduct investigations to every sector of the country whether or not, such laws are being followed. Let’s site the case of Davao as an example. Davao is noted as a crime free city essentially because they have a strict implementation of law. If Davao has succeeded, there is a great possibility that Cebu too, particularly Brgy. Kamagayan, shall succeed, if and only if there is a strict implementation of law.
What we are stressing out is that the sanctions noted in the RA 6208 should be strictly followed by the people in authority in Barangay Kamagayan. If the barangay officials would strictly implement the sanctions noted in the RA 9208, there’s a greater possibility that the increasing rate of prostitution would lessen since it is already in human’s nature to be afraid of heavy penalties especially that it is evident that women cross the threshold of prostitution due to poverty. They would be able to contemplate that being sanctioned with such penalties is more of a burden than having a decent job.
• Promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary for the effective implementation.
• Monitor and oversee the strict implementation
• Direct other agencies to immediately respond to the problems
Proper Dissemination of Law
To have a proper implementation of law, proper dissemination must also be done in order to prevent prostitution or human trafficking. Authorities must be properly acquainted with the different laws that need to be implemented especially in the case of prostitution.
Schools should also take part in disseminating information especially that some women engage in prostitution are students. They should include such in their curriculum in order for students to somehow be alarmed and inculcated with regards to the cons of such act. Though school administrations are not responsible for the students personal life, still they are ought to guide the students to the right path especially that this issue involves dignity and respect among women.
• Coordinate the conduct of massive information dissemination and campaign on the existence of the law and the various issues and problems attendant to trafficking through the LGUs, concerned agencies and NGOs.
Sufficient Facilities of NGO’s
SECTION 16. PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS. - THE GOVERNMENT SHALL ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT PREVENTIVE, PROTECTIVE AND REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS FOR TRAFFICKED PERSONS. FOR THIS PURPOSE, THE FOLLOWING AGENCIES ARE HEREBY MANDATED TO IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS;
(B) DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT (DSWD) - SHALL IMPLEMENT REHABILITATIVE AND PROTECTIVE PROGRAMS FOR TRAFFICKED PERSONS. IT SHALL PROVIDE COUNSELING AND TEMPORARY SHELTER TO TRAFFICKED PERSONS AND DEVELOP A SYSTEM FOR ACCREDITATION AMONG NGOS FOR PURPOSES OF ESTABLISHING CENTERS AND PROGRAMS FOR INTERVENTION IN VARIOUS LEVELS OF THE COMMUNITY.
(G) PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP) - SHALL BE THE PRIMARY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO UNDERTAKE SURVEILLANCE, INVESTIGATION AND ARREST OF INDIVIDUALS OR PERSONS SUSPECTED TO BE ENGAGED IN TRAFFICKING. IT SHALL CLOSELY COORDINATE WITH VARIOUS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO SECURE CONCERTED EFFORTS FOR EFFECTIVE INVESTIGATION AND APPREHENSION OF SUSPECTED TRAFFICKERS. IT SHALL ALSO ESTABLISH A SYSTEM TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS AND CALLS TO ASSIST TRAFFICKED PERSONS AND CONDUCT RESCUE OPERATIONS.
(J) LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUS) - SHALL MONITOR AND DOCUMENT CASES OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN THEIR AREAS OF JURISDICTION, EFFECT THE CANCELLATION OF LICENSES OF ESTABLISHMENTS WHICH VIOLATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT AND ENSURE EFFECTIVE PROSECUTION OF SUCH CASES.
Most women engaged in prostitution are handed over to DSWD. Unfortunately, as quoted by Señior Chief Inspector Chyrel Boniao, DSWD is having a problem with regards to facilities(shelter) which lead to the escape and going back to the used lifestyle of some detainees. Higher Officials must give attention to this problem. It is stated under Section 16 that DSWD is ought to provide temporary shelter and develop a system for accreditation among NGOs for intervention in various levels of the community. It is the responsibility of the government to reach and help out to organizations principally if it’s for the common good.
Proper allotment of the people’s money (tax) should be achieved.
Programs
“Pagpukaw sa Obligasyon sa mga Ginikanan Project”
Family is the basic unit of the society; basically everything starts within the family. Due to poverty, some women are engaged in this kind of job. In the case of the individual we’ve interviewed, “Anna” (not her real name) her parents are not aware that she and her sister are engaged in this filthy job. They are not even aware that “Anna” started engaging in this job when she was still in 17 years of age. To prevent this kind of situation parents must be exposed to programs that would make them aware of their responsibilities as parents. They should set as examples for their children, that despite of poverty, dignity and self-respect shouldn’t be used as exchange coupons towards inhalation of development.
“Diversion Project”
The primary objective is to qualitatively conduct Prostitution Diversion Project (PDP). The inquiry aimed to attain a hermeneutic phenomenological understanding of the project by collecting the plural voices of the stakeholders involved in the PDP. Another objective is to contribute to the body of literature on “restorative justice”, and the role of social work within prostitution diversion programs.
A program that would radically change the way organizations would conduct enforcement on street level prostitution particularly in Barangay Kamagayan. Conventional approaches to enforcement have had little impact on the crime of prostitution and have been a constant drain on manpower and resources from NGO’s, due to a revolving door between jail, probation, and the only life they know on the streets. Instead of viewing prostitutes as criminals, such organizations would approach them as victims, bringing resources and services from a large cross section of organizations into the streets where the prostitutes work.
“Operation Second Chance”
Aside from poverty, most women engage in prostitution due to their feeling of being outcasts in the society. Furthermore, they don’t tend to change due to their way of thinking that they already are “used” and wouldn’t be accepted by the society.
The operation second chance project aims to make victims of prostitution feel that they are accepted and will always be accepted for as long as they are willing to amend their ways. To make them reflect that every individual has the right to change. To make them contemplate that there are various ways/solution to fight against poverty. That money should be gained through honest sweats and not just for an hour of “pleasure”.
Organizations responsible for the diversion of prostitutes should coordinate with companies that can give these women jobs and scholarships. Hand to hand, we can make a development, however development starts with our own selves, and what we’ve developed should be shared to others. Together, we can make a big step of development for the world we live in.
• Coordinate the programs and projects of the various member agencies to effectively address the issues and problems attendant to trafficking in persons.
• Direct other agencies to immediately respond to the problems brought to their attention and report to the council on action taken.
• Free legal services which shall include information about the victim’s rights and the procedure for filing complaints, claiming compensation and such other legal remedies available to them.
• Medical or Psychological services.
• Livelihood and skills training
• Educational assistance to a trafficked child
• Sustained supervision and follow through mechanism that will track the progress of recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration of the prostitutes should also be adopted and carried out.
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