ILOILO City – The number of commercial sex workers in this southern city has dwindled, according to the city government’s Task Force on Morals and Values Formation (TFMVF).
From an estimated 250 last year, the task force recorded a 60 percent drop this year or 181 commercial sex workers.
One of the factors for the drop was the closure of several nightclubs due to business slowdown, according to task force chief George Duron.
He traced the business slowdown to the mandatory closure of establishments dispensing alcoholic beverages by 2 a.m.
This policy was imposed beginning December 2017 to maintain peace and order.
“Sa mga nightclubs gamay na gid ang mga tawo,” said Duron.
This subsequent drop in customers drove commercial sex workers – most of whom were not residents of Iloilo, according to the task force chief – to move elsewhere.
“Indi na lucrative sa mga commercial sex workers. Siyempre mangita sila iban nga lugar,” said Duron.
It is only during special events when there’s an observable surge in their number, he revealed, such as during the Dinagyang Festival.
Most commercial sex workers here were from Cebu, Metro Manila, even as far as Zamboanga, said Duron.
A “change in lifestyle” of the Ilonggos may have also contributed to the dwindling number of these workers, he further theorized.
Now, most people stay away from sleazy joints and have found better ways to spend the night such as dining out with friends in fancy restaurants and singing in videoke bars like those at the Smallville Complex in Mandurriao district, or even taking a stroll at the Iloilo Esplanade, said Duron./PN
Active na mga ilonggo sa sports like marami nakong nakikita bike and run at maganda nga iyon