Research

As the national university, we champion and support innovative research that addresses the country’s most pressing challenges.

26 May 2026

A notation system for teaching arnis strikes and movements has been developed

The indigenous martial art of arnis is recognized as the national sport of the Philippines. Known regionally as eskrima, kali,...

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25 May 2026

In the works of Jun Cruz Reyes, the figure and persona of the “palaboy” serve as a Filipino counterpart to the Western concept of the flâneur

Renowned Filipino writer Jun Cruz Reyes is a traveler, and so are many of his characters. This paper closely reads...

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19 May 2026

The use of technology had a negative psychological impact on nurse educators, whether digital natives or digital immigrants, particularly in relation to stress

Technostress is a modern adaptation issue resulting from the difficulty of adapting to technological use. Integrating technology in teaching and...

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15 May 2026

Study examines where and when marine mammals were stranded in the Philippines over an 18-year period

When marine mammals become stranded, these events can provide important information about their health, population changes, biodiversity, and where they...

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30 Apr 2026

Research explores extensions to the Fibonacci and Lucas sequences

If you observe nature, objects, such as pinecones, pineapples, and sunflowers, have a spiral-like structure. Often, these spiral patterns can...

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29 Apr 2026

Correctional officers address incarcerated persons with dignifying language but often revert to stigmatizing labels in private staff discussions

Language profoundly shapes perceptions, particularly within the confines of prisons. This study, which analyzed data from the Scandinavian Prison Project...

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28 Apr 2026

Study looks at how scientists have been able to extract nanocellulose from banana peel, turning waste into something useful

Banana peels (BP) are often thrown away as waste, but they actually contain valuable natural fibers called nanocellulose (NC). These...

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27 Apr 2026

Yerba buena has a wide range of potential health benefits, including antibacterial, pain relieving, and anticancer properties

Yerba buena (Mentha × villosa Huds., family Lamiaceae) is one of the ten herbal medicines endorsed by the Department of...

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24 Apr 2026

Social media, especially when guided by healthcare professionals, can be a powerful tool for patient education and emotional support

Thyroid conditions affect millions of people worldwide and can greatly affect daily life. Since managing these conditions usually takes a...

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22 Apr 2026

Men are likely to practice yoga when they are supported and encouraged by their family, friends, and partners

Despite the growing popularity of yoga, men remain underrepresented in yoga classes and activities. This research aimed to investigate the...

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21 Apr 2026

Areas of the Abra River watershed, particularly near human settlements, show signs of declining ecological health

The Abra River Basin and its associated watershed is one of the 18 major river systems in the country, flowing...

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17 Apr 2026

A community health club has seen improvements in the number of members with hypertension but not in those with diabetes

From 2013 to 2021, the UP Manila Community Health and Development Program partnered with the province of Cavite and its...

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Research

This study explores how gay, bisexual, and transgender (GBT) people in the Philippines make money by creating and selling sexual content online. The researcher interviewed 20 Filipino GBT sex workers to understand why they chose this work, what benefits and challenges they face, and how they navigate different online platforms.

The workers had various motivations beyond just needing money. Many saw their work as a form of self-expression and a way to challenge conservative Filipino attitudes about sexuality and gender. They felt empowered by showcasing non-heterosexual relationships and bodies, essentially saying “there’s more to sex than what society typically shows.”

The benefits included financial independence, flexible schedules, and creative control over their content. Many could support their families or pay for education. They used platforms like Twitter for marketing and specialized sites like Just for Fans and Telegram for selling content.

However, they faced significant challenges. Online platforms often ban their accounts without clear explanations, cutting off their income. They experienced harassment and discrimination from banks and payment processors, and had to constantly worry about being “outed” to family or employers. Being both sex workers and LGBTI+ individuals meant facing double stigma in conservative Philippine society.

The research reveals how these workers creatively navigate restrictive digital platforms and social attitudes while building communities and expressing their identities. It shows that online sex work isn’t simply exploitative or empowering—it’s complex, involving both opportunities and serious risks for marginalized communities trying to earn a living and find acceptance.

This research fills a crucial gap by examining Filipino GBT digital sex workers, moving beyond the Western-centric focus dominating sex work scholarship. The study reveals how workers navigate intersecting systems of surveillance—platform algorithms, Catholic moral frameworks, and state criminalization—while developing sophisticated resistance strategies.

The findings challenge binary exploitation/empowerment narratives by showing how digital sex work serves multiple purposes: economic survival, queer identity expression, and political resistance to cisheteronormative norms. Workers strategically use different platforms, with sex worker-owned sites like Just for Fans offering more stability than mainstream platforms.

Practically, the research exposes how unclear content policies and discriminatory financial systems harm marginalized communities, providing evidence for more equitable platform governance. Theoretically, it advances understanding of how Foucauldian power relations operate in digital spaces, where surveillance creates both constraint and new forms of agency.

The study contributes valuable insights across digital labor studies, queer theory, and postcolonial technology research while centering previously marginalized voices.

Author: Jonalou S. Labor (College of Media and Communication, University of the Philippines Diliman)

Read the full paper: https://doi.org/10.1080/09718524.2025.2503559