NEWSFLASH

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FOREIGNERS CONTINUE SEX TOURS IN ANGELES CITY

Manila, Nov. 2, 1997 - Angeles City may no longer be a popular sex-tour destination for Filipinos, but it continues to attract sex-starved foreigners, according to a report by Manila Newsfeatures and Commentaries published by the Philippine Journal today.

The article quotes the Filipino lobby group Coalition Against Trafficking in Women which revealed that about 13,000 Australian tourists visit Angeles City yearly on special sex tours. The CATW claims that most Australian national who visit the country for sexual purposes are pedophiles.

Against this backdrop, the Philippines and Australia have signed a memorandum of agreement to combat pedophilia and other serious crimes. The Philippines signed a similar agreement with Great Britain last August.

Under the agreement, signatory countries will share information on suspected pedophiles and help rehabilitate the victims. The visa rules for Filipino minors seeking travel to Australia unescorted have been tightened.

The UNICEF reports that there are about 60,000 child prostitutes in the country, mostly in the tourist spots of: Boracay, Puerto Galera, Pagsanjan, Cebu, Davao, Cotabato and Cagayan de Oro. In Luzon's urban cities, they proliferate in Metro Manila, Angeles City and Olongapo.

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