Reaction to “Modern day slavery”

The following is an email written in response to one of the articles of our columnist Atty. Josephus Jimenez.

Dear Joseph,

I applaud your article in today’s “Phil Star” newspaper, which I read daily online to remain aware of happenings there. I am an Australian man who has a Filipina fiancée living in Baybay, Leyte. I simply love the Philippines and it is my intention to live in Cebu from late 2021, when I retire. I love all of the people, the culture and I also support the hard line approach upon the out-of-control drug problem, which is a worldwide epidemic nurtured by inhumane criminals. I support President Duterte!

Which takes me to the subject of your posted article “Modern day slavery”. This is not only in the Middle East, but is also happening in Singapore and other parts of Asia, where girls are promised jobs, income, and conditions. But when they arrive, their passports are taken, phones removed so no contact can be made. Then they are often subjected to “abusive training” before being transported over a border into another country or region, away from where their last reported arrival may have registered. Basically, they no longer exist. They are disposable commodities. Not only Filipinas, but mostly other countries are also sources of female slaves as well. There is a huge market for young beautiful women. Why does the world look on and do nothing? How can governments pretend that it is not happening?

I can’t change the world. But what I do is to rescue a few poor Filipinas and put them through college and support their poor families. At any one time I may have four students, and at last count maybe six or seven families living off my wages. As long as they are honest, hardworking, and diligent in their studies I remain their guardian. I try to keep these young innocent ladies out of the bars that also frequent the system there. Yes, there. There is slavery going on there in Manila, where thousands of young women are trafficked for the sex trade to foreigners. I believe that only when women rule the country will any of this be stopped. Education is the key to this ceaseless abuse of women. I am not rich, just a humble government health law officer, but I do what I can to help and rescue the lucky few.

I have never ever written a reply to a news article before. Why bother? But I read your words and tears came to my eyes. Thank you, sir, for being another good man in this world of wickedness and shame. Where people are used and abused for pleasure, simply because of the power of money. I wish I could buy you a beer for standing up and saying the truth. The Philippines must stop supplying slaves to the world! Education of the children and poor is the answer.

Fondest regards,

Craig Darby

QLD Australia