Half a million women, kids fall prey to trafficking

Some 300,000 to 400,000 Filipino women and 60,000 to 100,000 Filipino children fall prey to human trafficking every year, according to a 2005 US human rights report.

A 2004 US trafficking in persons study showed 600,000 to 800,000 men, women, and children were victims of human smuggling syndicates worldwide.

Republic Act 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act defines human trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer or harboring, or receipt of persons with or without the victim’s consent or knowledge, within or across national borders for the purpose of exploitation, prostitution, forced labor, slavery, and the likes.

To help solve the problem, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport has created Task Force Against Trafficking (TFAT).

The unit will use the country’s premiere airport as a chokepoint to fight human trafficking syndicates. Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Alfonso Cusi said the task force, which he will head, will coordinate with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, which was created after the passage of RA 9208 four years ago.

The TFAT will also team up with the National Inter-Agency Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons, headed by Assistant Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras III, as well as the Department of Justice (DOJ) through Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Severino Gana Jr., he added.

Cusi said TFAT was formed with the help of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which pledged support for the country’s fight against human trafficking with funds, equipment, and training.

"We have to be really hard on them," he said.

Cusi said TFAT will be comprised of law enforcement personnel from at least 11 government agencies operating within the country’s premiere airport.

"We view our participation in this Task Force as a moral and social obligation on our part, rather than a duty that we must carry out," he said.

"We believe that we are responsible for the welfare of every Filipino kababayan who passes through NAIA and every national who passes by our airport."

During the launching of TFAT, United States Ambassador Kristie Kenney, who was the guest of honor, said human smuggling should be fought through prevention, protection, and prosecution.

"The battle against human trafficking is a high priority for the US government and the American people," she said.

"The American people are proud to assist in the development of the NAIA-TFAT. The multi-agency task force being created at the NAIA is an excellent and useful tool that emulates the multi-pronged attack needed for success against traffickers." – Michael Punongbayan