Irony (Hacienda Luisita Inc. vs. Pampanga's Red Light District)

As the basic masses integration (BMI) part of the 3rd UP System-wide Alliance of Student Publications and Writers' Organizations (SOLIDARIDAD) Congress, the delegation went to Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac to visit the people in the picket line. The workers and farmers of the Hacienda Luisita Incorporated (HLI) are still standing, despite the food and financial crises brought to the picketers' families by the months-long strike that they held. They are still standing despite the violent dispersals that they have encountered. They are still standing despite the carnages and tears. They are still standing, by their principles. Yet what they ask for is plain and simple, and just just, the Cojuangcos ignobly would not give. All protests fall on deaf ears, as we say.

We all know the story. The farmers earn an average of P9.50 a week. It's not even enough to buy a pack of sugar that they produce right there in HLI, not mentioning all the deception that the HLI has done to them all these years. And sure we do not want to go to the topic of land use, land conversion, land grants, land grabs, land ownership, or just land. The most of what the workers and farmers ask for is a fair pay, and maybe a fair game. But the game in HLI has not been fair for three decades now. Like any other slave-master game, the masters win.

There's another game that's been cooking up there in Pampanga. This time, I guess, everyone thinks they all win. That's what they think.

We all know the story here, too. We've heard all about the flesh market in Clark. Back in 2001 when we went to Clark, I've seen Joes with Magdalenas. All colors of Joes, while some were Kims and Nakamuras. And of course, just one shade of Magdalena.

I have been to red light districts before -- Where girls were literally ordered.

I have been to red light districts before. There's even a small red-light "district" here in Caloocan that I pass by when I go home from any place Quezon City. I have even been inside a beer house where the girls only wore skimpy bikinis and thongs. Where girls dance around almost butt-naked. Where girls were literally ordered.

"I'll have one SMB, one sisig and one girl."

"SMB, sisig and girl on table 4!"

But this one in Clark is unlike any other red light district that I've been to all my life. No sir! It was thered light district, it is in Fields Avenue. Or should I say, it is Fields Avenue? It was blocks after blocks of red lights, and blue and green and yellow too. It's like the ones that we see in the movies. The clubs are averaging two floors each. But the fa§ades are massive. I've seen Las Vegas-themed clubs, Mexican-themed, Roman, Greek, complete with columns and ornamentations, at least two gold-painted concrete cement pharaohs and maybe a sphinx. Neon lights, loud sounds, all colors of Joes, Kims, Nakamuras, Chans, and even Juans.

It was a sight to see, really. I was in awe for the first few strides. Then another attraction that I only see in the movies (again) caught my attention -- the girls. In uniform pink bikinis, in rainbow-colored tube tops, and micro-mini skirts. In all kinds of undershirts and underwears. Suddenly, I thought I was in Florida and not in Nevada anymore. But there was no white sand, no water. And the girls were wearing go-go boots, platform shoes, stilettos.

This was definitely a flesh market. It was out of control. Oh no, actually, it was under control -- it's legal. The girls had IDs pinned on their bras. There were police bikes to see if everything's in order. Well, how could a business this loud and vulgar that occupied two, three blocks of Clark be illegal? It's so legal, it even had this street sign-like post in one corner that pointed where a certain club was located.

We went inside one club. I was dumbfounded to see around 10 girls wearing printed bikinis in a small rounded stage in front. The stage was ledged with a bar table where customers could sit down while watching the fish swim. And they could even touch it if they wanted. We asked the Mama San if we could talk to one of the dancers. She gave us Joy. I remembered her name perfectly. Joy.

Joy said all girls who work in the clubs of Fields Avenue were legal, otherwise, the police would get them, and they could not enter the bars. There were two types of jobs for the girls -- a dancer, or a waitress. But both could be ordered.

"I'll have one SMB, one sisig and one girl."
"SMB, sisig and girl on table 4!"

This is how it all works there: Most clubs are owned by foreigners, mostly Joes than Kims and Nakamuras, which explains why most customers are Joes -- they are friends with the owners. Some clubs do not allow Filipinos inside. Though it's a blatant bigotry, Juan would have a smaller selection of where he could waste his money and support this legal prostitution. So that's okay, I guess. But being the hardheaded Pinoys that we have always been, selection would not matter to answer earthly calls. Anyway, all clubs do not impose entrance fees. The girls and the clubs get 50-50 share of a customer's fee to a "take-home". That's the difference when what you take home is alive, the Chickenjoy never asked for a 50% commission from Jollibee. You get the girl tonight and you pay Mama San tonight, 1 kilo peso down, man. The girl has the option to go back to the club, or stay with the customer. The customer has the option to give "tip", or not. With tip or without, one customer equals P500. One customer every night in a week, excluding Sunday gives the girl 3K! And she still gets her monthly salary from the club for simply being a dancer, or a waitress. That explains why the girls sell flesh. And it's legal, remember?

To be a legal prostitute here, oops sorry, female sex worker (FSW), rather, to be a legal FSW, one should be 18 years old who has the guts to go to one club and apply for the position carrying an original or photocopy of her Birth Certificate. No educational background required. One must pass a short interview regarding a few bits on family background and a little English. If one has passed the interview and has a "pleasing personality", she would have to go to, guess where! The NSO! To register, of course. Then some 600 pesos and one gets her ID which I guess contains a picture, a name of employee and club, and a control number, probably pretty much like the ones in the back of limited edition Barbie Dolls issued by Mattel. Then she is ready to go.

And oh, if that's not enough, girls get this regular "hygiene check up" to see if they have acquired some disease. That's fair. And to see if they have been good girls the past week and still have their virginity. We know that story too. Virgins are more "sellable".

You got the irony there? In Hacienda Luisita, what the protesters are asking is that to give them what is due to them. Give them what they earn. It's not even illegal or wrong. But they never got it. While in Fields Avenue, the businessmen asked for something and they got it -- a big red light district, street signs to make sure customers get to The Haven, police for security, and legalized prostitution. And its legality makes it look right. What an irony.


June 01, 2005 | 9:21 PM