Anti-human trafficking campaign beefed up

MANILA, Philippines - Government officials and representatives of civil society agreed to intensify efforts against human trafficking and strengthen the collaboration between the two sectors.

Senators Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Pia Cayetano pledged to help strengthen the anti-human trafficking law, while neophyte Rep. Manny Pacquiao vowed to ensure the allocation of resources to the anti-trafficking efforts.

“I am with you in this fight even if it takes us to the streets,” Pacquiao said in Filipino.  

Visayan Forum’s Cecilia Flores-Oebanda, who gave a presentation on the US Department of State 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report, stressed the importance of addressing the human trafficking situation in the country.

“Human trafficking is a global menace that violates human dignity and destroys lives. We need to consolidate and increase our anti-human trafficking efforts to ensure the well being and secure the safety of our women and children from this modern day slavery,” Flores-Oebanda said.

The Philippines was placed in the Tier 2 Watch List in the 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report. This is the second year in a row that the Philippines has received this ranking.

The country is at risk of losing $250 million in non-humanitarian aid unless there is significant progress in anti-trafficking initiatives.

Organized by the Visayan Forum Foundation Inc., Association of Child Caring Agencies of the Philippines, Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy and with the support of the US Agency for International Development, the event served as a venue for the participants to express concern on the worsening state of human trafficking in the Philippines.

Representatives of civil society included those from Aboitiz Transport System, International Justice Mission, PAL Foundation, Bicol Muslim Islamic Information, Child Fund Philippines, Fil-Imam Foundation, and Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. Representatives of the British and US embassies and USAID were also present.

Other attendees included Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary Alicia Bala; Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos, former immigration commissioner Marcelino Libanan; Ernest Maceda, chief political officer of Vice President Jejomar Binay; and Zamboanga City first district Rep. Maria Isabella Climaco.

For additional details on the campaign against human trafficking, contact the Policy Center of the Visayan Forum at (02) 709-0711 or (02) 709-0573 or log on to www.visayanforum.org.