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WHAT had
begun as a lonely fight is now a war on human
trafficking with a host of allied groups that includes
government agencies, civil-society groups, foreign
countries and multinational companies, whose
representatives signed a covenant in Manila on Tuesday.
Representatives of the Office of the Ombudsman,
Department of Justice, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA),
Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), software
company Microsoft Philippines, global employment
services specialist Manpower Inc., international public
relations firm OgilvyOne Worldwide and media outfit
Probe Productions signed the covenant with Visayan Forum
Foundation Inc. president Ma. Cecilia Flores-Oebanda and
US Ambassador Kristie Kenney.
The War
Against Human Trafficking campaign seeks to create
massive social awareness to prevent trafficking, both at
the supply and demand sides, by getting communities and
institutions to work together to attack the “existing
culture of deceit and abuse perpetuated by traffickers.”
The
campaign seeks to “sustain ownership and accountability”
of the major stakeholders in the effort—especially the
government—to address the root causes and symptoms of
human trafficking. It also aims to mobilize
public-private collaboration by enlisting the aid and
support of private firms, especially sea, air and land
transport companies, as well as private groups and
individuals.
The
Philippines is one of the leading sources of migrant
labor in the world since the 1970s, creating an economy
heavily dependent on 8 million overseas workers.
The dark
side of this culture of migration, Oebanda said, “Is
that thousands of these migrant [workers] are
trafficked, lured by promises of a better life in the
urban centers [of the Philippines] and abroad.”
“These
traffickers, together with their corrupt cohorts, have
mastered the art of deception, coercion and fraud, with
machinery to successfully exploit people’s
vulnerabilities. This is a criminal offense under
Republic Act 9208, or the Antitrafficking in Persons
Act,” Oebanda said.
“We
cannot allow our women and our children to be snatched
from under our noses,” Oebanda said.
“We are
in the fight of our lives,” Kenney said. “Human
trafficking is a crime that doesn’t recognize borders
and preys on the innocent. It is the third most
lucrative crime in the world.”
Human
trafficking, she added, “is just such an important
issue, especially for Filipinos, who are a global and
mobile society, which makes you especially vulnerable to
trafficking.”
The US
government has invested around $2 million for
antitrafficking efforts, including the construction of
halfway houses for rescued trafficking victims, funding
for their livelihood training and therapy for
reintegration into society, Kenney said.
Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez admitted that the Office
of the Ombudsman has yet to convict public officials and
employees believed to be involved in human trafficking
in the Philippines, but said, “We will get there
[because] trafficking is closely linked to corruption
and we, at the Office of the Ombudsman, aim to solve
trafficking from its corruption aspect.”
Gutierrez said her agency set up Target, or Tanod Bayan
Against Government Officials and Employees Involved in
Trafficking program. She added they are “now prosecuting
human trafficking cases,” although she declined to give
details.
“We will
fight the war on all fronts and I will personally do
everything in my power as Tanodbayan [Ombudsman] to run
after government officials and employees involved in
human trafficking.”
Foreign
Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Affairs Esteban
Conejos Jr. recalled late-night phone calls that
signaled rescue missions for trafficked Filipinos in the
Malaysian state of Sabah.
“Those
calls were the ones that got through and which enabled
us to help those trafficking victims. Together, we can
do much more than just rescue—we can stop trafficking at
the source.”
Through
Step Up (Stop Trafficking and Exploitation of People
through Unlimited Potential) program, Microsoft Phils.
has invested a total of around P11 million for a
computer literacy and competency training to victims of
human trafficking through the Visayan Forum and its
affiliate organizations. Mae Rivero-Moreno, in charge of
Step Up, said Microsoft will continue to provide funding
for Visayan Forum’s efforts.
Microsoft Phils. president Raphael Rollan said, “Two
years ago, this was one program where we, at Microsoft,
felt we could make a difference.” He said the company
will work to increase awareness about human trafficking
among its employees, migrant Filipino workers and
communities by giving employees at least two days off to
spend with the Visayan Forum to help trafficking
victims.
In the
next few weeks, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL)
will train its ground and cabin crew staff to identify
and report possible human-trafficking incidents, PAL
Foundation executive director Ma. Carmen Sarmiento said
in an interview.
“We are
serious about helping to stop trafficking in persons and
PAL will not be a party to such a crime unwittingly.”
Personnel of the PPA, MIAA and land transport terminals
nationwide will be given the same training by the
Visayan Forum. |
