Into the lion's den

Into the lion's den


Posted 11:03pm (Mla time) Feb 21, 2005
By Rina Jimenez-David
Inquirer News Service



Editor's Note: Published on page A13 of the February 22, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer


IN 2001, after nearly a decade of steadily decreasing numbers of young Filipino women deployed as "overseas performing artists" or OPAs, there was a sudden and significant increase in the number of women working as entertainers abroad, especially in Japan. According to a position paper recently issued by 10 NGOs working on the issues of migrant women, the increase occurred alongside what had become in effect the deregulation of the overseas entertainment sector through DOLE Department Order No. 10 and the lowering of the minimum age requirement to 18.

"Under a deregulated policy environment, the deployment of entertainers flourished with Philippine government data registering a record number of Filipina entertainers deployed to Japan in 2003," the NGOs said in the statement. "In recent years, charges of corruption also hounded Philippine government officials and the (formal and informal) overseas entertainment industry involved in the testing, certification and deployment of Filipina entertainers."

It's clear then that the Philippine government has only itself to blame for the ongoing "crisis" over the Japanese government's new and tighter policies on migrant workers. Under pressure from the international community, Japan announced more than a month ago new policies that signaled its intention to seriously crack down on illegal workers within its borders and institute more stringent requirements for the issuance of working visas.

With hundreds of thousands of workers, most of them women, expected to be adversely affected by Japan's move, the government now finds itself trapped between the loud and intensive lobbying of the OPA industry, and its own advocacy on the issue of trafficking and its previous policy track to drastically reduce the number of women leaving abroad to work as entertainers.

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THE HISTORY of the overseas performing artist industry is itself a story of how our country's economic fortunes and flip-flopping polices have conspired to bring us to the current situation. Our government now finds itself in the embarrassing position of having to beg a foreign government to postpone, if not rescind, a policy that was adopted partly out of our own well-intentioned advocacy. I wouldn't blame the Japanese for their confusion over what we Filipinos really want them to do about our "Japayukis."

Here's how the NGO's recall the "OPA story."

"Filipino entertainers-musicians, singers and band members-were renowned in Asia in the 1950s and 1960s for their talent and musicality. With the economic boom in Japan, entertainment became more and more oriented towards pleasing the Japanese sarariman (white-collar worker) who worked very hard for the economic success of their companies. In the 1970s, corporate incentives for Japanese workers and professionals included trips abroad that became 'sex tours' which created a huge scandal in many countries like Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines and Thailand. The public outcry resulted in the decline of the sex tours. Soon after, however, the policy of importing Filipinas in massive numbers for the Japanese male-oriented entertainment market was introduced, with the Philippine government itself systematizing and institutionalizing the deployment of Filipinas to Japan. (In fairness, though, Japanese authorities could also be said to have conspired in this trade, though largely by looking the other way.-RJD)

"In 1981, Japan modified its requirement for the issuance of entertainers' visa (minimum two-year work experience) and allowed the entry of Filipino entertainers without the minimum work experience as long as the Philippine government certified them. Thus was born the 'Blue Card,' which later on evolved into the 'Yellow and White Cards,' the 'Artist Record Book,' and finally, the 'Artist Accreditation Card...'

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"IN 1991, the mysterious death of Maricris Sioson, a 20-year-old Filipina entertainer in Japan, drew attention to the plight of Filipina entertainers and the risks involved and problems inherent in Japan's entertainment industry. The advocacy campaigns mounted by migrant and women's NGOs prompted the Philippine government to enforce regulations (such as a minimum age requirement of 23 years for the deployment of entertainers) despite protest from the overseas entertainment industry. Similar cases of mysterious deaths and disappearances...and growing concern for the welfare and protection of Filipina entertainers in Japan prompted the Philippine government to institutionalize the Artist Record Book (ARB) system in 1994 with the objective of providing preparation for Japan-bound entertainers to enhance their protection from abuse and exploitation.

"These policy developments resulted in a significant decrease in the number of Filipina entertainers deployed to Japan but reports of abuse and exploitation of Filipino women continued.

"In 1996, the Philippine government lowered the minimum age requirement for the deployment of entertainers to 21 years old as well as mandated the overseas entertainment industry to establish welfare programs and operationalize welfare and monitoring centers to strengthen on-site protection for Filipina entertainers in Japan. This did not stop the labor and sexual abuse and exploitation experienced by Filipina entertainers from (taking place) which comes mainly from the institutionalized abuse and exploitation that has become part and parcel of the adult entertainment industry in Japan."

And despite our loud protestations of distress and concern, we not only made it easier for even more young women to enter the lion's den, we are even protesting the entry of a lion tamer. Shame!