Probe into human trafficking in disaster-hit areas sought

MANILA, Philippines - Two partylist legislators have urged their colleagues to probe into the alleged trafficking of women in disaster-hit areas in the country.

Via House Resolution 780, Gabriela partylist Reps. Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmi de Jesus asked the House Committees on Women and Gender Equality, and Welfare of Children to investigate reports that trafficking of women and children are rampant in the disaster-stricken areas.

"Almost the entire population of the affected area of typhoon Yolanda, especially women and children, remain vulnerable to unscrupulous organized criminals among them human traffickers preying on the victims’ deplorable conditions," Ilagan said.

"Women and children who survive the typhoon Yolanda and other disasters need to be protected from further exploitative and traumatic experiences such as human trafficking and other forms of violence," she added.

She said there was no awareness campaign, no warning from the local government units and other responsible government institutions against syndicates and individuals who will exploit survivors of calamities and disasters and traffic people for slavery and or prostitution.

"Awareness campaign is necessary to protect the people and ensure their vigilance against trafficking," Ilagan said.

"To prevent trafficking, it is necessary to ensure self-sufficiency through livelihood programs and sustainable jobs, housing subsidy, if not housing services, to prevent people from being exploited or from falling prey sex trafficking and slavery," Ilagan added.

Ilagan cited a report of the Center for Women's Resources that human trafficking cases almost always follow after natural or man-made calamities to provide for the needs of the victims' own devastated families as the first documented cases of "palit-bigas" and "palit-sardinas" prostitution occurred in Zambales evacuation centers after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

For her part, De Jesus said there is an urgent need to adopt policies and measures to ensure the needs of the women and children-victims, and make those responsible for the human trafficking cases accountable for their criminal acts.

"The country's reputation in the international community was already tainted because of the government's lack of action to resolve human trafficking cases as the 2013 US State Department described the Philippines as a source country, and to a much lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor," De Jesus said.