MEComposing

I recently saw an episode of IMBESTIGADOR where they featured sex workers 'plying their wares' near places of worship.

Of course, it was all kinds of offensive and shocking... i'm just not sure though if these people moved there because Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has deprived them of their usual haunting places (Rizal Avenue and Baywalk, for example, which, when former Mayor Atienza revived and beautified became watering holes for pimps, pros and perverts).

Anyway... male sex workers/prostitutes now haunt the area around Redemptorist Church, that Shrine in Baclaran that never closes. Just zero in on someone who's standing alone for a while. Yes, at least they don't have the nerve yet to actually pretend to pray inside while waiting for prospective customers... almost always gay guys who'd ask if they're waiting for someone, would they like to grab a bite, etc.

Another place of worship serving as a backdrop to such meat-selling is the Remedios Church in Malate. The M.O. here is slightly less crude, since it involves guys with cars who will pretend to park around the Remedios Circle, who will then be met by barkers (pimps) and asked what they want. The driver can just tell the barker his budget, after which the barker will let girls in that budget range parade in front of the car (all dressed in street clothes really, so it isn't that obvious) so the driver can choose.

And it is kinda sad that prostitution is the only 'profession' where female flesh really sells higher (oh, modelling is another one pala)... because girls at Remedios can easily fetch P1,500 while offers being made to the men at Redemptorist can be as low as P200.

And where's the police in this, you ask? Probably texting their textmates and waiting to collect their 'tongs' before the sun rises.

*~*

Another proof that sex remains a driving force in our tourism industry:

Hubs and his colleagues were drinking and dining around 2 months ago at Baywalk when they were approached by Koreans (in their 20s) and asked outright where to get girls and K-I-K-I (yeah, whoever instructed them could be nothing but boorish).