MANILA, Philippines – Sugar dating has long been associated with young women getting into relationships with older men in exchange for a lifestyle filled with luxury goods.

But in recent years, sugar relationships have evolved into different set-ups where even intimacy is a pre-requisite.

A two-part Rappler series also found that most Filipino sugar babies use their allowances – an average of P52,000 a month – for basic necessities, including education and housing. Women taking part in these relationships are also fighting the unequal power dynamics by asserting their boundaries.

On Thursday, January 25, Rappler senior desk editor Chito dela Vega sits down with the writer of the series, multimedia reporter Michelle Abad, to discuss the realities of sugar dating in the Philippines, what it takes to be a sugar baby, and how they protect themselves.

What led to the changing landscape in sugar dating? What makes a “fruitful” sugar dating relationship?

Read the two reports below.

– Rappler.com

Watch other Newsbreak Chats episode this 2024:

• Martin Romualdez’s expanding power