DSWD to step up services to trafficking victims

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will step up its assistance and services to human trafficking victims, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said yesterday.

Soliman said the DSWD would deploy social workers at international airports to assist human trafficking victims by giving them shelter, psychological care and counseling and access to legal services.

Soliman said the move would guarantee the maintenance of the Tier 2 ranking of the Philippines and to move towards achieving Tier 1 status in the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

The Philippines has been upgraded to Tier 2 in the 2011 US State Department Trafficking in Persons report released recently.

The DSWD, on the other hand, serves as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT).

“The upgrading to Tier 2 showcases the government’s commitment to protect its people from trafficking, which spurred the DSWD to intensify its Recovery and Reintegration program for Trafficked Persons to ensure that they are given the assistance they need,” Soliman said.

The DSWD’s Recovery and Reintegration program for Trafficked Persons is a comprehensive package of programs and services which enhances the psychosocial, social and economic needs of the clients.

In addition, Soliman said the DSWD and non-government organizations-run centers nationwide will provide temporary shelter to deportees, repatriates and other displaced persons while processing is underway for their eventual return to their respective places of origin.

Soliman though admitted much remains to be done.

“We will continue to work closely with other members of the IACAT as and NGOs who have been actively working to curb trafficking in the Philippines,” she said.

The TIP report classifies each country into one of three tiers based on the extent of government action to combat trafficking, with Tier 1 being the highest rank.

In 2010, the Philippines was classified as Tier 2 Watchlist, and landing in Tier 2 Watchlist for two consecutive years would have automatically resulted to a Tier 3 ranking.

“This would have caused the withdrawal of non-humanitarian, non-trade-related foreign assistance to the country,” Soliman said.

The TIP report acknowledged the significant efforts of the Philippine government to combat trafficking in persons, with almost 200 percent increase in convictions of traffickers.

The watchlist removal has also removed the immediate threat of sanctions against the Philippines, but indicated that work needs to continue against human trafficking.