Ditched by father and land

Published in Der Tagesspiegel among others, 5.7.2014

As generations of US-American soldiers were stationed at Clark Airbase in Northern Philippines, the neighbouring town Olongapo emerged as the “sin city” for sex. With the introduction of white American soldiers to the Clark base, the prostitution industry boomed. As a result, there was a rise in interracial births: American fathers and Filipino mothers. The offspring resulting from this union were born with lighter skin than their neighbours, which became a cultural symbol and indicator of being the progeny of a sex worker. My colleague, Javier Sauras, and I visited Clark and Olongapo to meet the stigmatised offspring, dubbed Amerasians, only to discover that the US military’s return after over two decades of absence continues to increase exploitation and discrimination.

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© Javier Sauras

© Javier Sauras

As generations of US-American soldiers were stationed at Clark Airbase in Northern Philippines, the neighbouring town Olongapo emerged as the “sin city” for sex. With the introduction of white American soldiers to the Clark base, the prostitution industry boomed. As a result, there was a rise in interracial births: American fathers and Filipino mothers. The offspring resulting from this union were born with lighter skin than their neighbours, which became a cultural symbol and indicator of being the progeny of a sex worker. My colleague, Javier Sauras, and I visited Clark and Olongapo to meet the stigmatised offspring, dubbed Amerasians, only to discover that the US military’s return after over two decades of absence continues to increase exploitation and discrimination.

Read the story as published in: