How do the children of sex tourists from the Philippines live

Like many Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines has a reputation as a country attractive to sex tourists. Of course, this is not such a Mecca of debauchery as Thai Pattaya, but the figures are impressive: 800 thousand men, women and, sadly, children are employed in the local sex services industry. And this is despite the fact that prostitution is not legalized in the country.

The provision of intimate services can always be called by another word: "specialists in communication with guests" work in clubs and bars. If the "specialist" turns out to be female, "communication" often gets continued in the form of an unplanned pregnancy. A generation of kids is growing up in the country who have never seen their vacation dads.

The Philippines' reputation as an erotic travel destination was a consequence of the American military presence in the country during and after World War II. It was then that numerous bars with "go-go" appeared near military bases. Both then and now, sex services were served under the sauce of the "entertainment industry". Prostitution is illegal in the Philippines.

In the photo: Ten-year-old Kevin and his 24-year-old mother Rochelle on the threshold of a nine—square-meter hut, in which Rochelle's father also lives in addition to them. Kevin's father is an Australian, Rochelle met him at the age of 14.

The young man, who introduced himself as Peter, spent only two nights in the Philippines (both with Rochelle), and then left. When she wrote to him that she was pregnant, he blacklisted her email address. She never saw him again.

City, Philippines, May 2015. Kevin sweeps the yard near the cabin.

According to the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, more than 15,000 men from Australia come to Angeles City, the country's most famous sex spot, every year. Here you can also meet residents of South Korea, Taiwan, China, the USA, as well as Europeans. The main points of sex tourism, except for Angeles, are Manila, Cebu City, Sabic Bay and Pasay City.

34-year-old Susan with her children (she has two sons and a daughter). The father of her seven-year-old daughter Francine is Thomas Marshall, he is an Australian and met Susan when she worked as a dancer in one of the local bars. The woman remembers that the cavalier was "cute and bald", he was clearly over 60.

He sent money transfers to Susan twice when she announced that she was pregnant (each transfer is 300 Australian dollars, which in terms of American currency is about 220). Then, before Francine was born, the man cut the connection.

City, Philippines, May 2015. Francine is outside her house.

"Red Light Street" in Angeles City. The workers of bars and clubs in Angeles City often come from poor peasant areas of the country. They earn an average of two and a half dollars an hour working as waitresses and dancers.

Janice, 29, and her three-year-old daughter Diane, who is bottle-feeding a baby born to a 50-year-old British tourist.

A garbage dump in the poorest quarter of the city.

The Las Vegas bar on the "red light street" is the place where it all started: the institution was built for the soldiers of the Clark US military base.

Half-brother and sister: eight-year-old Renz and three-year-old Mika. The boy's father is Norwegian, the girl's father is a local resident.

29-year-old Kimberly and six-year-old Seth at their hut, where 16 other people live. The boy's father is an American, from whom I haven't heard a word.

Seth is at his house.

Angeles City, Philippines, May 2015. Children play at their homes.

The father of three-year-old Tristan is an Australian living in the USA, and his 29-year-old mother Jennifer is a local. They met in a bar. Now, however, Jennifer has opened an Internet cafe.

Jennifer, Tristan, his half-sister Fiona and their cousin are looking at a photo of Tristan's father on a tablet. Jennifer found the picture on social networks.

In fairness, it should be noted that not all romantically minded men come to the Philippines with frivolous intentions. Someone is really looking for a life mate here.

Filipino wives are considered very "high-quality" among English-speaking grooms: cute, friendly, well-mannered and, importantly, they speak excellent English and adhere to the Christian faith. So if an oriental beauty goes hand in hand with an elderly European, do not immediately think unkindly about her: perhaps this is another "postal bride".