The Role of the US Military Forces in the Existence of the Prostitution Industry in the Philippines - Essay Example

Reaction Paper US military presence in the Philippines is both directly and indirectly responsible for the sustenance of prostitution in the Philippines. The US military forces not only directly played a role in the existence of the prostitution industry in the Philippines by taking sexual services from the Filipino prostitutes, but also indirectly paved way for the industry’s existence by making the country culturally and economically dependent upon prostitution. Presently, the Filipino Amerasian children are discriminated against in the Philippines which is contrary to the popular belief that the Filipino Amerasian children live prosperous lives in the Philippines since the country does not have anti-American sentiment.

Whether or not a country nurtures anti-American sentiment provides no guarantee that its citizens would not be discriminated against if they look like Americans. The Filipino Amerasian children are socially outcast as they are identified with their American lineage instead of the Filipino lineage. The government of the US assumes moral responsibility to help the Filipino Amerasian children and provide them with the opportunity to migrate to the US. This can be achieved by preferring them on immigration services.

Realization of any plans made in this regard requires joint cooperation of the Filipino people, the local governments of the Philippines, and the government of the US. It is noteworthy that the problem is not addressed just by providing these children with a way to reach the US; these children also need to be linked to their biological American fathers which is another challenge after the children reach the US. In order for the children to sue their fathers for child support, they need to know their fathers.

Enforcement of child support is a matter primarily taken care of by state. Unfortunately, most states do not enforce the child-support payments ordered by court effectively. This imparts the need for providing these children with the opportunity to pursue redress at the federal level. It is just as important to address the issue at the source as it is to address it at the level of effects. American soldiers are still stationed overseas. It is important to see what steps the government of the US has taken to ensure that such biracial children with lost American fathers are not born to another nation like they were born to the Filipinos.

Either the government should place a ban on the American soldiers having sexual intercourse with the local people or prostitutes of the host countries and subject the law-breakers to serious penalties and heavy fines or the government should take responsibility for any child born to any woman in the host country right from the point of birth, because it is easier to locate the father when the child is new-born rather than when the child reaches adolescence or adulthood. The right to sue the responsible American fathers for child support and provision should be extended to the affected mothers in the host countries.

The issue of sexual intercourse between American soldiers and citizens of the host country should be properly regulated considering all aspects of the possibility and effects.