Pinoys seeking jobs abroad falling prey to slavery — US

WASHINGTON — Many Filipinos are at risk of falling prey to modern-day slavery due to a strong tradition of seeking better jobs outside the country, the US State Department said Wednesday.

The State Department, in its annual report on trafficking in persons, said Filipino women are trafficked to destinations across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America. They are lured abroad with false promises of legitimate employment, and then sexually exploited when they reach their destinations.

The sexual exploitation of Filipino children through pornography, the Internet and sex tourism is also a growing concern, the report said.

About 3,000 Filipinos are forced by poverty, lack of jobs or low wages to leave the country every day in search of better opportunities elsewhere, according to statistics from the Department of Labor.

An estimated eight million Filipinos work or live abroad and remit up to $8 billion annually.

The State Department report said the Philippine government is among 75 countries that do not fully comply with the minimum standards to eliminate trafficking, but is making significant efforts to do so. The government recognizes that trafficking is a problem and has been engaged internationally for a number of years to combat it, the report said.

Among the other countries making significant efforts to fight trafficking are China, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand.

It said a 2002 agreement between the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia to work cooperatively on transnational crime, specifically for police work to combat trafficking of persons, is potentially a step forward.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell urged all countries to strengthen their efforts to stamp out "modern-day slavery."

He warned that countries "turning a blind eye to trafficking in persons" could be subject to certain sanctions, notably the withholding of non-humanitarian and non-trade-related assistance, if their anti-trafficking efforts do not significantly improve by Oct. 1 this year.

A recent US estimate indicates that between 800,000 and 900,000 people are trafficked across international borders worldwide annually. Between 18,000 and 20,000 of those victims are trafficked into the United States.

A total of 116 countries found to have a significant number of trafficking victims are identified in the report. Fifteen of the 116 countries — among them Burma and North Korea — have not taken action at all to stop trafficking.

Another 26 countries were described as complying fully with anti-trafficking standards, which include punishing traffickers and intensive efforts to eliminate the problem. These include Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan.

"All of us can and must do better in this struggle for human liberty and dignity," he said, presenting what he said was the most comprehensive report on the efforts of governments worldwide to combat the trafficking of persons.

The report details US and international efforts to end trafficking in persons, to protect and help victims, and prosecute those who treat people like commodities or keep them in slave-like conditions.

The report lauded Manila’s efforts in preventing and protecting Filipinos from being victims of modern-day slavers, but said the government could improve upon its record in prosecuting traffickers.

The Philippines has a comprehensive anti-trafficking law but the number of arrests and prosecutions of traffickers is small in comparison to the scope of the problem, according to the report.

Available data on prosecutions are incomplete, but reports indicate that there were 18 arrests, one conviction and 29 trafficking establishments closed from April 2002 to March 2003, the report said. There also were 13 arrests of child pornography producers.

Philippine officials have made commendable efforts to control the "mail-order bride" businesses through increased monitoring, it said.

Government officials also conduct information campaigns on child labor and sexual exploitation for the hotel industry and other tourism-related businesses. They also oversee pre-departure sessions with overseas contract workers to warn them about trafficking.

Given years of experience with trafficking cases, many Filipino officials have developed an understanding of the issue and how to assist trafficking victims, the State Department report said.

The government’s "Half-Way Home" program works with non-government organizations to repatriate victims and provide them temporary shelter, transportation, counseling and financial assistance, it added.