Wombs for Hire
A rising trend with over 10,000 surrogacies a year
Surrogacy is a growing industry in the Philippines, with thousands of women turning to it as a way out of poverty. But with little protections in place, many find themselves trapped in precarious situations.
In the Philippines, women are turning to surrogacy to survive. “I knew nothing about surrogacy,”says Gloria, a young mother. “It occurred to me that this could be a way I can make a living and support myself.” She found a ‘handler’ through Facebook and was promised $6,000—until the intended parents backed out, leaving her with nothing. Though surrogacy is taboo in this predominantly Catholic nation, demand is rising, and some clinics exploit legal loopholes to keep operating. “It’s become the commodification of the womb,” argues human rights lawyer Elizabeth Aguiling-Pangalangan, warning of the deep inequality between surrogates and their wealthy clients.
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