Philippine News Digest 44
November 30 - December 03, 2002
Contents:
Asia marks World Aids Day amid warnings of epidemic
Six minors rescued from prostitution
Raising awareness about sex tourism in Mexico
Asia
marks World Aids Day amid warnings of epidemic
Countries across Asia commemorated World Aids Day with events
to raise awareness of the disease amid warnings that the number of people
with HIV/AIDS in China and India will reach epidemic levels. Outside of
the sub-Saharan Africa, the AIDS epidemic in Asia threatens to become the
largest in the world. The United Nations has estimated that at the end of
2001, 6.6 million people throughout Asia were living with HIV/AIDS,
including about 1 million infected that year. The actual number of people
with HIV/AIDS may be higher than this figure considering that most of
those infected are unaware that they are carrier of the virus unless they
undergo medical check-up when severe symptoms have already appeared. In
the Philippines, the PREDA Foundation organized a motorcade rally December
1 attended by youth advocates that passed through the streets of the red
light district in the Zambales area. Fr. Shay Cullen addressed the event
galvanizing the youth into action to disseminate information regarding the
disease and to express tolerance and compassion toward people with
HIV/AIDS who often suffer discrimination because of their illness. Source:
Associated Press and correspondent report in the Philippine Daily
Inquirer, 3 December 2002.
Six minors
rescued from prostitution
Six young girls, aged 13 to 17,
were rescued from a prostitution den November 28 in Angeles City through
combined efforts by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the PREDA
Foundation. Initial interview with the children reveals that they have
been recruited to work in the city from the provinces. The recruiter
promised to provide them with decent jobs but ended up dancing in the
bars. At present, they are undergoing therapy and rehabilitation in the
PREDA Children's Center. Source:
Correspondent report, 2 December 2002.
Raising awareness about sex tourism in
Mexico
An estimated 16,000 child prostitutes are found in Mexican
tourist destinations and border cities. In response, ECPAT-USA and
Arizonans for the Protection of Children asked the US government to post
signs along the US-Mexico border informing travelers about US laws against
the commercial sexual exploitation. The law makes it a crime, punishable
in the United States by up to ten years in prison, for traveling abroad to
have sex with a child. The US House of Representative recently passed
legislation strengthening the law. Source: ECPAT-USA
News, November 2002.
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