Filipina e-tours

Matchmaking in cyberspace, sometimes referred to as Internet dating, is definitely a growing, brisk online business. In fact, Internet giants have cashed in on it – and are making huge money every passing day from people who want to meet complete strangers in the World Wide Web for a romantic relationship.

Take, for example, the popular search engine Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com), which has prominently advertised in the past several months its matchmaking services not only in its "index" or front page (also called "main page"). It even annoyed Netizens who use its free, Web-based electronic mail (e-mail) service by not only placing its dragging graphic matchmaking ads at Yahoo! Mail’s main page, but even making it "pop up" whenever it confirms every e-mail sent.

Similarly joining the money-making bandwagon of Internet dating is Lycos (www.lycos.com) – now called TerraLycos after it merged with the Spanish and Portuguese Internet access and content provider, Terra Networks, in late 2000. Not so many cyber-months ago, the multi-brand network took over the operations of the dating site Matchmaker (www.matchmaker.com).

Kiss (www.kiss.com), one of the pioneers in Internet dating, claims: "On (the) average, more than 6,000 people join (the website’s services) everyday, (thus) making it the fastest growing romance, matchmaking and dating site on the Net."

It adds that the site has an "average (of) 300 to 400 new members every hour" and they are all coming from "every race, age group and religion" across the globe.

Membership in these dating sites requires payments, mostly via online credit card transaction.

Although the owners of these websites profit from people who are looking for their "special someone" via the Net, their services can still be regarded as decent and respectable, aside from the fact that most of the men and women who engage their services come from decent and well-to-do backgrounds (their credit cards alone can obviously speak for that).

The other side of matchmaking

But the online business of matchmaking obviously goes out of bounds when tours are actually organized in order for a group of men to physically meet with complete strangers from the opposite sex, from whom they could supposedly pick their "lifetime partners."

Yes, such tours are taking place. With all the technological advances spawned by the Internet, they are now being promoted and organized through the World Wide Web.

And the Philippines is one of the most advertised and one of the most favorite destinations for these matchmaking tours.

It could well be said that websites organizing matchmaking tours are immensely contributing to the country’s tourism industry. But instead of promoting Philippine tourist and historical spots, these sites advertise Filipino women as the country’s main attractions.

Because of this, even the militant women’s rights group, Gabriela, suspects that matchmaking tours are actually "sex tours" that are simply among the many rackets employed in the illicit business of prostitution and the international trafficking in women. In fact, it is very much similar to the online mail-order bride scheme which NetWorks earlier exposed.

But unlike the "e-mail-order bride" scheme, matchmaking tours could be described as, well, "more interactive," even as some e-mail-order bride sites, like Filipinawife.com and Filipinalady.com, both owned by the Florida-based online firm The Davis Place, also actually organize similar tours to the country.

Fully booked

Despite kidnapping threats to foreigners in the country – with the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf still holding an American missionary couple hostage, and the Pentagon kidnap-for-ransom gang obviously stalking its next prey – all the matchmaking tour sites insist that "now is the best time of your life (to visit) the beautiful Philippines."

Not even the lingering threat of terrorists belonging to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda international network striking again using commercial airplanes as deadly weapons similar to the 9-11 attack on US soil, would compel these online firms to close shop. Filipinogirlstours.com (www.filipinogirlstours.com), one of the numerous websites organizing matchmaking tours to the country, claims that "now is a good time to meet girls in the Philippines."

The owner of the website, one Carl Blackman who lists his postal address as "Filipino Girls Tours, 44 Morrow Farm Rd, Asheville NC 28804," even says that its January 2002 tour is already "full." Filipinogirlstours.com’s next tour will be late this year.

Giving assurance that all is well in the country, Blackman says, "I will meet each man at the airport and take him back... You are most likely safer in the Philippines then (sic) back in the States."

Blackman says he "or my Cebu police officer friend" will always be available throughout the tour for any form of assistance.

The Filipinogirlstours.com owner also has a home in the Queen City of the South, as he claims that "I have a past tour customer living in my Cebu home and he is having no problems at all."

Actually, the website came under scrutiny late last year after the online news service, Phil E-News, cited it for allegedly promoting "sex tours" in Cebu.

But the site owner vehemently denies the allegation, claiming, "We have even taken an American man to court for his mistreatment of a Filipina here in America."

According to him, "We have girls listed on our site who are family members of people... in Cebu, and we live right next to a government office in Cebu."

Aside from Cebu, Filipinogirlstours.com also organizes matchmaking tours to Cagayan de Oro City.

More tours

Another website organizing a similar tour to Cebu early this year is Asian Sun Tours (www.angelfire.com/biz2/asiansun/), which says that those who joined its Jan. 31 trip "would receive in addition to your free breakfast everyday lunch and dinner at no extra charge." Asian Sun Tours actually conducts monthly matchmaking tours to Cebu, except in December.

The Australia-based JM Introductions, on the other hand, regularly organizes four- to seven-day "introduction tours" for Australian men to Bohol. Its website (www.afsd.com.au/jm/home.html), owned by Mal O’Keeffe, is being hosted by the Australian Financial Services Directory.

O’Keeffe is married to Judith, a Filipina whom he met in July 1998 through another introduction service.

Another site, Philippine Tours with Ladies of the Philippines (www.ladiesofthephilippines.com), promotes Davao City, Cebu and Metro Manila as destinations for its matchmaking tours. Its next scheduled tour, which the website dubs as "Paradise Island Tour," will be on May 7, and those who will join the trip will stay in the country for two weeks.

There are actually other similar websites, even as new ones are currently being put up such as My Filipina Lass Connection (www.myfilipina-lass-connection.com). The owner of Myfilipina-lass-connection.com clearly states that it is "a Philippine travel tour company for marriage-minded men to Filipina ladies." It describes the Philippines as "Paradise Reborned (sic)."

Stiff competition

Unlike the matchmaking services of the likes of Yahoo!, TerraLycos and Kiss, these matchmaking tour websites fiercely compete with each other.

Asian Sun Tours, for example, has accused a competitor of plagiarism. "This person who operates this other website has outrightly stolen much of the text from the author of this website," say the owners of Asian Sun Tours. "He had inserted some original copy of his own and made a feeble attempt to change a few words here and there of the text he copied from us."

The owners of Asian Sun Tours, however, did not identify the culprit.

JM Introductions, meanwhile, cautions: "Be careful with the Internet introduction service that supplies a photograph and details of a lady. Sometimes the photograph was taken when she was much younger and she may not be truthful about her age and other details of her life."

The website claims that it "offers you the opportunity to meet the ladies in person before you start communicating (when you are back) abroad."

Asian Sun Tours informs its customers about the mechanics of its matchmaking service.

On Day One, its "tourists" will first be allowed to relax and have dinner. "This will be followed by an orientation on what will take place in the following days," explains the site. "We will familiarize you with local customs, etiquette, and some basics on Filipinos and their country."

Obviously not wanting to prolong the excitement of its customers, Asian Sun Tours says that on that same evening, "we will have our first reception where you will meet the first group of your new women friends."

The "introduction reception" will be for a four- to five-day period.

"We may skip a day between receptions to give you a chance to enjoy some time with some of the women you have already met," the site says.

"The reception take(s) place either in a private reception or (in a) function room in the hotel (where the customers are billeted) or in a restaurant."

"The atmosphere is informal and relaxed," it says. "These receptions are designed for you to meet every woman you are interested in." Then, customers can invite any of the women who have caught their fancy to a date.

"Remember, Cebu City is known for its fantastic nightlife," Asian Sun Tours says. "There are so many places to go and things to do in Cebu City... You and your special lady friend will be using this time to get to know each other."

Asian Sun Tours says, "We will be at your disposal for anything you need. Whenever you are ready, we will help you with any other paper work that needs to be done for any visa application."

Why the Philippines

Like other similar websites, Asian Sun Tours explains that one basic reason why it chose the country for its matchmaking tours is because "Filipinos are mostly bilinguals," having learned "English from an early age in school."

"The women you will meet will speak good English," it says, attributing this to "the tremendous amount of American influence (on the Philippines) over the past 100 years."

It criticizes other websites which organize matchmaking tours to South America, other Asian countries and Eastern Europe, where, it says, only a "few of the women you will meet speak English."

"Even though many of these tour companies say they will provide interpreters, this is only on (a) limited basis, usually (during) the initial introduction," it adds. "One tour company advises you to bring an electronic bilingual dictionary with you. Can you imagine trying to form a relationship like this?"

The owners of Asian Sun Tours claim that they "do not advertise or solicit" women who engage their services.

"These women ask to be included in our services," they say. "They learn (about) us through word of mouth from friends, relatives and acquaintances."

But then again, as nearly all the owners of the matchmaking tour websites admit to marrying Filipinas whom they met through similar schemes, it is obvious that those who engage their services are either related to or are acquaintances of their wives.

In the case of Blackman, the owner of Filipinogirlstours.com, it appears that his "police officer friend" in Cebu is also involved in this scheme, since Blackman himself admits that the Filipino law enforcer will also be lending assistance to foreigners who will join his matchmaking tours.

Angeles2.com (www.angeles2.com), which also promotes Angeles City in Pampanga as a tourist destination, is rather more frank on who are actually the women involved in such tours.

In its "Traveler’s Glossary" page, Angeles2.com says "club girls," also known as "guest relations officers" or GROs, "are usually available as tour guides." Angeles City is well-known for its bars along Fields Avenue in Barangay Balibago, just outside the southeastern perimeter fence of the former US Clark Air Base, which is now a special economic zone.

In fact, the bars and motels in Barangay Balibago are the main attractions of another website, Balibago.com (www.balibago.com), while the bar girls of Angeles City are among those being promoted by JadeCool (www.jadecool.com), which promotes Asian bar girls.

Tour prices and discounts

The matchmaking tour rates vary. Payments can be made either through online credit card transaction, check, bank-to-bank money transfers and money order.

Asian Sun Tours charges from $975 to $2,459. It requires every customer to pay $240 as "deposit" 45 days before a scheduled departure.

The online firm offers a $100 discount if a customer makes the payment 60 days in advance, and another $100 discount for every referral made. Those who wish to be included in the "tour video" get another $50 discount.

The Australia-based JM Introductions, which organizes tours to Bohol, charges A$2,500 for every customer who joins its seven-day tour, and A$2,000 for a four-day tour. Non-Australian men, on the other hand, are charged US$2,800 for a seven-day tour, and US$1,400 for a four-day tour.

On the other hand, LadiesofthePhilippines.com charges each customer between $1,400 and $3,000, depending on the destination – Manila, Cebu or Davao. It requires a "non-refundable" deposit of $400, and full payment 25 days before departure.

To attract more customers, all these matchmaking tour websites entice foreign men to "take advantage" of the country’s dollar exchange rate, which is currently a little more than P51 to the dollar.

Flawed tourism

Women’s rights groups are not at all happy with companies organizing such matchmaking tours.

"While the tourism program gives income to the government, on the other hand, it creates and expands permanent structures which make prostitution an enticing option for women despaired by extreme poverty," says Gabriela, adding that such tours degrade and exploit Filipino women.

"The use of women’s bodies as commodity for profit, for pleasure and sexual satisfaction happens in brothels and sex dens," says Gabriela in its website. "Beerhouses, clubs, massage parlors and karaoke bars, which flourish in places intended for tourism, have become fronts for prostitution."

It is now apparent that Filipino women are now not only known globally as domestic helpers, mail-order brides and e-mail-order brides. They are even "tourist attractions," and in the words of Filipino feminists, "a thing for others’ use."