Abstract:
The Philippine justice system is meant to correct and redress forms of injustices against the most
vulnerable groups in the country. However, with the legalization of acts penalizing sex workers, the
justice system takes part in normalizing police harassment through brutal raid and rescue operations,
intimate searches, and incarceration. Such an act is already in full swing amid the intensifying state
militarism in the Philippines, wherein billions of money are allocated for the defense budget annually
while other sectors meant to promote the welfare of people are underfunded.
Under the scope of this qualitative analysis, a sociological neo-institutionalism perspective would be
utilized in the analysis of the existing laws and policies regarding sex work. It will also be valuable in
determining its consequences to key stakeholders. Instead of focusing on the normative client-seller
relationship, the researcher is to explore the influence of the criminal justice system on the stigmatization
of sex work and the prevailing violence against them. Using sociological institutionalism would then
allow the researchers to see not only the rules and procedures of the institutions responsible for the
creation and implementation of policies regarding sex workers but also the institution’s identity and
motivation. And in doing so, it also determines how the meanings dispensed by those institutions
influence individuals.
However, in order to make the analysis viable, the research proposed to devise a data collection tool that
is transparent, non-exploitative, and participatory. Two methods will be used to triangulate the data
gathered: (1) A semi-structured interview with NGOs, CSOs, and community leaders who are handling
sex work-related cases; and (2) Analysis of existing laws and policies on sex work using a policy toolkit
which is developed by the researchers. Moreover, purposeful sampling was employed to select 5
participants from the NGOs to form the research sample. In the end, this qualitative study aims to provide
a list of policy recommendations or a policy brief to government agencies and NGOs, which shall address
the demands of sex workers. Research findings, then, will be instrumental in determining the content of
the policies.
