On tackling the issues of Human Trafficking in the Philippines.

Human trafficking is a major problem that is felt worldwide, with criminal syndicates profiting worldwide at an estimated $150 billion annually, it tells us that there will be criminal organizations that will continue engaging in trafficking. But what exactly is human trafficking?

Human Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of people through force, fraud, or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit. Men, women, and children of all ages and from all backgrounds can become victims of this crime, which occurs in every region of the world. The traffickers often use violence or fraudulent employment agencies and fake promises of education and job opportunities to trick and coerce their victims. They would often use force to prevent victims from seeking help from law enforcement and to perform manual labor or sexual acts and the victims lose their freedom and rights in the process. They look for people who are susceptible for a variety of reasons, including psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, lack of a social safety net, natural disasters, or political instability.

The trauma caused by the traffickers can be so great that many may not identify themselves as victims or ask for help, even in highly public settings.

Human trafficking is a growing problem in the Philippines, with poverty and a lack of options many are tricked by illegal recruiters of a better life only to be exploited. All over the country, many have been forced into human trafficking especially sex trafficking allured by the hope of a better life by illegal recruiters. In the immediate aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, thousands of people were traveling in and out of the worst-hit regions. This chaotic movement of people, along with the breakdown of infrastructure, exposed women and children to trafficking and sexual exploitation through prostitution, rape, and assault. The United Nations Population Fund estimated that 5,000 women were victims of sexual violence in the month following the storm. In a country that has long struggled to stop human trafficking – an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 people, mostly women, and children are trafficked for sex and labor each year – climate change is having long-term effects that make it easier for human traffickers to operate and more difficult for its opponents to respond. There are also cases of those who wish to work overseas only to be illegally recruited and forced into manual labor with little pay and left with few options to return back into the Philippines.

Philippine law enforcement reportedly identified 1,443 victims of trafficking, the vast majority of whom were sex trafficking victims, compared with 2,953 victims in 2018. The IACAT Sea/Air Task Forces identified 2,500 potential trafficking victims through operations or deferred departures (820 in 2018). The BI Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) identified and referred 337 potential victims of trafficking and 92 potential victims of illegal recruitment to IACAT task forces (286 in 2018). The DFA foreign missions, primarily in the Middle East and Asia, identified 6,772 potential Filipino trafficking victims (2,591 in the preceding period). The vast majority of these victims reported experiencing forced labor and/or illegal recruitment; fewer than 25 were victims of sex trafficking. The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Action line against Human Trafficking received 3,377 calls, and it identified and assisted nine labor trafficking victims, including one minor. Although these figures were only those that were confirmed by our authorities last 2020, many are certain that the real figures that the government has yet to discover are much higher than the presented data.

Last September 21, 2021, two women who were apprehended by the Philippine National Police were arrested after rescuing two of the victims. The police will further investigate if this is connected to a much larger crime syndicate. And in Olongapo city over 15 females were rescued and 6 of them were minors as well. They also arrested 4 suspected human traffickers that were nabbed in two separate operations; the police were tipped that women were being illegally recruited and forced into sexual exploitation.

In order to fight against human traffickers, the organization is known as the Anti-Trafficking OFW Movement or ATOM. The organization was established seven years ago by Mam. Marissa del Mar and was even endorsed by our beloved president, Rodrigo Roa Duterete during the event at Sofitel. This was Mam. Marissa’s opening speech “ I too will not allow abuse, corruption, and oppression of our fellow Filipinos, let us fight against this modern-day slavery, let us stop human trafficking, with the full support of our president together we will win this battle.” President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is also in full support of ATOM. ATOM is a partner organization of OFW One Filipino Worldwide Partylist.

The movement has already helped multiple OFW who were illegally recruited and is also involved in multiple charity works and is supported not only by the masses but by several media personalities and esteemed politicians such as our president, Mr Rodrigo Duterte.

With your help, the battle against human trafficking and illegal recruiters will give us a stronger fighting chance by voting OFW One Filipinos Worldwide Partylist to be in Congress. We can ensure and tighten as well secure the lives of our very own kababayan and prevent them from being turned into modern-day slaves. Even now as we speak there are those who are being used and abused by human traffickers and we hope to prevent it from happening with your help.