Iloilo City cracks down on prostitution dens disguised as massage clinics

Iloilo City is cracking down on prostitution dens disguised as massage clinics, with an ordinance regulating the operation of such clinics and spas.

The city council approved the measure that provides rules on the operation of such establishments, GMA Iloilo reported.

The measure stemmed from complaints of alleged prostitution as "extra service" in some massage establishments.

Under the ordinance, masseurs are to wear scrub suits and not "provocative" outfits.

Violators face a fine of P500 to P1,000 – and a prison term of up to 30 days on the first offense.

Earlier this year, local officials in Iloilo City looked into an alleged "prosti-tuition" racket where students financially hard up resort to prostitution to pay their tuition.

A professor of the West Visayas State University's College of Communication described the situation as "survival sex."

"Survival sex... Kung iisipin mo, survival (para) mabuhay pero sa pamamagitan ng sex," Professor Ma. Rosario Victoria "Cherry" de Guzman said.

But the GMA Iloilo report said some resort to the racket just to earn extra money for things like mobile phone load.

De Guzman said she got much of her information from taxi drivers in the city. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News