The bugaw

A young Canadian woman, a wife and mother, came here to the Philippines, hoping to help the Filipino children who were trapped in the terrible industry of prostitution.

She had a degree in Social Work, from a Canadian University. She knew the basic facts: that prostitution was earning billions for countries like Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines; that 70 percent of Filipino families are living under the poverty line, so that Filipina girls were strongly tempted to take any work that would enable their families to survive; and that cybersex was a booming business in this country.

She was good looking, friendly, very personable. She worked her way into one of the big beautiful private homes, where the internet service was going on. She was accepted as a friend, because somehow they got the idea that she was supplying the cameras, the lights, the sound – all the equipment.

She settled in a chair alongside a very sexy woman who was a little overweight, was wearing too much make-up, and was chewing gum. The woman turned to her and said – very friendly, very talkative - "I’m Rosa." She patted the shoulder of the little girl sitting next to her and said: "I’m her bugaw!"

The Canadian woman had been around long enough to know that a bugaw was a big girl, or an old woman, who managed the child prostitutes. They found the children, persuaded their families to let them go; and then taught them what they should do to please their customer.

The bugaw was the "middle woman", between the syndicate and the prostitute. Usually the syndicate supplied the customers, but if on a given day the syndicate had no sex tours, no organized body of customers, then the bugaw found customers for her children.

The bugaw said to our Canadian woman: "My girl Luisa is next…. What’s your name?" Our friend said: "Rebecca…/ my name is Rebecca." Of course, this was not her name. But she went on: "Your little girl Luisa is next. What will she do?"

Rosa shifted in her chair, and sat up straight, smiling. She was proud of this. She said: "Oh, she’ll do anything! She has been working with me for two full years! She’s real game!"

Rebecca said, wondering: "What do you mean – ‘working with you’? " Rosa said cheerfully, very satisfied with herself: "Going out with customers. . . . to their hotel rooms. . . . or to motels. . . . Her picture is in all the brochures!"

Rebecca said: "Brochures?" Rosa answered, a little impatient with Rebecca’s ignorance: "The ones gotten out by the syndicate. Advertizing the children! Luisa is a favorite."

Rebecca was a little stunned. She said: "But she is only a baby!…. How old is she?" Luisa looked up at her and volunteered: "Eight!"

Rebecca said to Rosa: "She has been a professional prostitute since she was six?" Rosa said, casually, as if it happened every day: "Well, it really started when she was five. She was raped, in her own home…. It wasn’t her father…. It was some nutty relative…. so the family was willing to give her to me. They know that I take good care of all my kids!"

Rebecca said: "You have many children. . . . . working with you?" Rosa smiled: "I’m the favorite bugaw in our whole squatter area. With me, the kids make money. For instance, this internet thing. . . . .Do you know how much Luisa earns? P5,000 a day! P5,000!" Luisa said: "Rosa keeps P1,000 and she gives P4,000 to my Mama"

Rosa followed this, swiftly: "Yes! That’s it! I only take 20 percent. That’s why they like me. . . . .The other bugaw takes 40 percent, 50 percent, 60 percent . . . . .But me – I’m their friend!"

"Do the parents let the children go?"

Rosa laughed. "Let them go? They are jealous of each other! They want their own kid to work every day!" And Luisa added: "They need the money."

When they were preparing Luisa, Rebecca saw with her eyes what happened. Before the camera, she was told to undress, to take off all her clothes. She did this simply, innocently, until she was stark naked. Rebecca could see the TV monitor. The camera zoomed in on the poor child, concentrating on her genitals.

Later, Rebecca asked Luisa: "When they do that, aren’t you embarrassed? Do you cry?" The poor kid said: "Oh, the pictures are alright. . . . .The pictures don’t hurt. . . . ."

Rebecca, much later, went to one of the government shelters where the rescued children were kept. She discovered that almost all of those children are released after a day or so. They are returned to the families from which they came. They go back to the same squatter area, where the bugaws are waiting for them. They go back to the wolves.

Rebecca realized then that what this country needs are more shelters like Nazareth Growth Home, conducted by the Third World Movement Against the Exploitation of Women. There the children live, and are kept safe. They are sent to school. They are taught simple, strong values. They are taught to pray.

Her reflection was: "the ones who should be arrested are the bugaws and the members of the syndicate! This business of human trafficking is protected by the police, very often, and by the military! It is organized by legal officials who have a position of power in the government!"

She said: "Even if you save 30 children today, the bugaw will come up with thirty more, tomorrow!. . . . .And if you don’t arrest the organizers, the big business men who are making money out of this. . . . .human trafficking will go on forever!"

Of course, this whole terrible business is just another result of our deep basic problem: lack of integrity, selfishness, greed, graft and corruption.

But we can not just complain, and blame it on evil men. We have to take a positive attitude toward life! We have to act! We have to attack the problem ourselves, doing the best we can!

The first step is to make all of our good people aware of what is really going on. The fact that prostitution earns billions every year means nothing! Just one child is worth more than that!

It must start in the heart of each one of us: the conviction that the treasure of this nation is: our children. The realization that the Filipina girl is the eighth wonder of the world. The determination to protect our women, at all costs!

We start with this: if a child, or a girl, or a young woman is trapped in this industry, and wants to get out of it. . . . .

On Smart, text: "Rescue at 326"

On Globe, text: "Rescue1 at 2978"

We do have good people, like Rebecca, who love our children, and want to help, with all their heart. We have Filipinas who have consecrated their lives to this! We have good honest business men who are willing to share, even from their need, to save our children.

And God is with us. These are his children, as much as ours. We will solve this thing! With God, we can not lose!