PCW urges women to be wary of sugar daddy pages

The Philippine Commission on Women on Tuesday warned Filipino women against online “sugar daddy” pages that offer financial assistance in exchange for companionship.

In Maki Pulido’s report on “24 Oras,” the PCW said women were resorting to these pages after the COVID-19 pandemic took away their livelihoods.

“May mga pages looking for sugar daddy, P15,000 parang nakakaakit for people kaya na kailangan ng cash. Parang ads kumbaga,” Honey Castro, PCW affairs and information resource management division chief, said.

Castro warned that signing on these pages could lead to abuse, blackmail, or even prostitution.

“Baka lang nae-exploit na rin ‘yong vulnerabilities ng mga kababaihan na nangangailangan ng pera, lalo na ‘yong kabataan, ‘yong younger women natin. Kapag ganoon ang relationship na pinasok ng isang babae, nandito na ‘yong umpisa pa lang, mayroon ng imbalance kumbaga. Mas makapangyarihan siyempre ‘yong may pera,” she said.

Further, the PCW said it would coordinate with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking on measures that could be taken against these platforms.

Individuals who want to report incidents of abuse may contact the PCW at (632) 8735-1645 and (632) 8736-5249.

In a Stand For Truth report in November, online luxury dating website “Sugarbook” said there are over 83,000 “sugar babies” in the Philippines, majority of whom were in Metro Manila.

Several Filipinos had been duped by “sugar daddies” they met on a Facebook group bearing the popular website’s name.

Among them were Maricel, Gretchen, and Aileen, who said they turned to “sugar dating”—a relationship between a wealthy older person and a younger partner in need of financial support—due to money problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic. — DVM, GMA News