this engagement she is able to educate the public and able to support her needs in school. She is also one of the grantees of the educational assistance program of Talikala Inc. Despite Andi’s experience in prostitution, she is willing to change and continue her dreams to finish her studies. She actively joins activities in Talikala and submits herself to therapeutic and counseling sessions. Support from the family is also a big help for to achieve her goals. Gossips did not affect Nikki’s education. She disclosed that her class adviser asked “pakgirl ka Nikki?” [are you a pakgirl (slang of fuck girl), Nicole? Her neighbors spread gossips about her when they learned she sells her body in prostitution. Nikki ignored the rumors and kept her silence even if some neighbors tried to bully her. Many of the respondents joined Talikala’s campaigns, counseling sessions, food items, and hygiene kit. They are received support from the DSWD. These supports are both long term and short term that address the most urgent concerns. CONCLUSION The stories of women and children who are trafficked and forced into prostitution are stories of poverty and desperation. Their parents’ sources of income are irregular, working as tricycle drivers, plumbers, laundry, and laborers. These jobs could not support the entire household even to basic needs like food and education of young children. Young women resort to prostitution whenever they need money to buy school projects or provide food for the family. They will then contact their “friend” to find them customers. The data disproves the common perception that recruiters are strangers. Recruiters are someone they know who take advantage of their dire economic situations. They are their friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. The popularity of social media has provided a new venue for recruiters and possible recruits to meet and interact. This needs to be further studied and how this condition operates in the local context particularly in Davao Region. 18