Thomas cites efforts vs human trafficking in Eastern Visayas

MANILA, Philippines - US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. met the other day with Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, members of the Regional Inter-Agency Council on Anti-Trafficking and the Regional Task Force on Human Trafficking in Eastern Visayas to discuss plans to intensify the campaign against human trafficking in the region.

Thomas visited the province as part of the three-day “America in 3D” event, organized by the US embassy to showcase American culture, values and diplomacy efforts and promote American products and services in the Philippines.

In a briefing jointly organized by the Millennium Challenge Account-Philippines (MCA-P) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Thomas recognized the continuing efforts of the Tacloban City government, regional agencies and the Philippine government in general to combat human trafficking.

He urged local officials to intensify their work in the area of prosecution to send a strong signal to traffickers that they can go to jail if their complicity is proven.

Eastern Visayas, in particular, is a source and transit point of human trafficking in the Philippines.

MCA-P is working closely with anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) advocates both at the national and regional levels as outlined in a memorandum of agreement signed by the MCA-P and DSWD last Dec. 27.

In addition to forging partnerships with inter-agency councils and task forces at the national and regional levels, MCA-P will also undertake a dedicated education campaign in 15 towns in Samar and Eastern Samar with the help of the Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT) as part of the Secondary National Roads Development project. 

This human trafficking initiative in a road project is the first in the Philippines and will commence in April.