Magdalena

My post is not enough if I will tackle about the current problems Philippines is facing now. I will concentrate on “lesser evil problems” on my future posts but somehow they are related in many angles. I want to post this in my native language to express fully how I feel to this sensitive topic but I can’t.

Magdalena… babaeng mababa ang lipad… GRO… pokpok… prosti… puta… I know the difference… do you? Nobody will be happy if someone calls you these words. These are bad words.

What is a GRO? Guest Relation Officer are women (or men depends on the business) working at night in night clubs, KTV, Videoke bar, pubhouse and other entertainment establishments. Mostly, they have nightly allowance and commissions on the ladies drink the customer will give them. Their job description is to entertain customers. Easy money to young ladies but hard to older women. 18 years and above only.

Let me share the things I know how GRO fall in this kind of work. You never know how many hardships they’ve experienced. They looked pretty, lovely, fabulous and happy at night but most people didn’t know what they’ve gone through. I admit, at first, I also looked at them the same way as other people do, a makasalanan sinner. Until, I get to know some of them.

Rape victim. I may sound like a telenobela, some of them are rape victims. Some were raped by their own relatives, some by their own father.  Some are stow away from their province to get rid of their abusive relative. Without any relatives, credentials and money in their pockets.

Wife of convicts. Raising a family as a single parent is hard. Working alone in the province with many children tried her luck in Manila, worked as a housemaid. But her salary is not enough for the family, still pretty at her age she worked as a GRO to send money for her kids in the province.

Single Parent. Boyfriend left when she get pregnant, the guy is already married. She is afraid to go home to her parents. She is in Manila to study but end up as a GRO for her baby.

Student. She works at night at go to school in the morning. It is obvious that her family in the province can’t afford her studies. Some graduated and some are not. Some got decent jobs afterwards and work abroad.

Teen. Would you believe there are some parents pushing their daughter/son to work early for their family? Parents know the nature of their child’s job. Its sad but its the reality.

These are just some of the reasons I know. There are bad girls but I rather talked about some who don’t have any choices. Kapit sa patalim as they say but its not forever. They should save their earnings, prepare for the future and don’t forget why they are in this kind of work. GRO do come and go and its impossible to stay in the job forever.

They fell in love and get hurt. They were betrayed by their own flesh and blood. They were victims of poverty. And yet society continued victimizing them.

social issues GRO

Related posts:

1. No One Is Above The Law