HUMAN TRAFFICKING STILL ALARMING IN PHILIPPINES

MANILA, Philippines - Vice-President Jejomar Binay, chairman emeritus of the Inter-Agency Council Against Human Trafficking (IACAT) dentifying a major cause of human trafficking are, Poverty, ignorance, and crime provide the mix that breeds the modern plague. So long as these three things exist, the problem (of human trafficking) will remain (in the Philippines).

Although the Philippines was removed from Tier 2 Watchlist in the report of the Global Trafficking in 2012, the Philippines remains a source, destination and transit country of human trafficking, Binay warned.

“Men, women and children continue to be subjected to forced labour in factories, construction sites, fishing vessels, agricultural plantations, mines, quarries, and private homes, where many trafficked women and girls suffer sexual abuse, rape and physical violence,” he added.

If the Philippines land in the Tier 3 Watch List, it would mean the withholding of US non-humanitarian assistance amounting to $250 million to the country’s campaign.

Without Binay giving details of poverty alleviation meant to stop human trafficking, recent developments have also shown that the campaign against human trafficking has remained strong.

In 2010, world boxing champion, congressman Manny Pacquiao joined the crusade against human trafficking.

He called for strong legislation and a “budget allocation for an all-out war against human trafficking”.

• “I sympathise with the victims of human trafficking (that target overseas Filipino workers or OFWs). Somehow, I am also an OFW because I train and earn money abroad,” he explained.
• Despite their growing number, non-government organisations have been encountering “alarming levels” of human trafficking cases, revealed Susan Ople of the Blas Ople Policy Centre.
• Even the beleaguered 22 year-old Visayan Forum has continued its campaign against human trafficking despite the investigation of its head, Cecilia Flores-Oebanda for alleged misuse of P210 million of funds from the USAID.

Source: Agency