No Prostitution Day

A day of abstaining from buying women or children for sexual purposes and accessing clubs that serves this kind of entertainment was celebrated last October 5, 2018 in connection to the International No Prostitution Day.

The event was organized by Talikala, a non-government organization (NGO) based in Davao city that rescues and helps trafficked and prostituted women to improve their quality of life.

Talikala Executive Director Jeanette Laurel-Ampog said the organization aims to increase awareness of the public on the worsening cases of prostitution in Davao City.

Ampog said that instead of utilizing the women or the children, customers should instead help them to leave this situation.

Accordingly, prostituted women in the city who are registered in the City Health Office (CHO) received free medical consultation and contraceptives.

This is in compliance with the Women's Development Code, affording women working in the entertainment industry “free medical routine check-up and medicines if needed.”

With the increasing number of victims being prostituted, Ampog called the government and other stakeholders to create solution to address difficult situation of the victims and help them have a reformed life. This, she said, can be done by providing education, employment, and livelihood.

"We have conducted assembly, consultations, and activities for women and children who are into prostitution and spreading our campaign that these women are not products for trade," Ampog said.

Ampog also said prostitution cases in the city has continued to increase because this kind of livelihood serves as the "survival option" of some women and children to send themselves to school, to sustain their needs or to help their families. /

"We have conducted assembly, consultations, and activities for women and children who are into prostitution and spreading our campaign that these women are not products for trade” Jeanette Laurel-Ampog Talikala Executive Director