NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING SET ON SEPT. 20
Press Release
Dept. of Justice
September 19, 2006
The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), in partnership with international development organizations, will be leading national and international participants in the first national anti-trafficking in persons conference on September 20-22, 2006 at the Manila Pavillion Hotel.
Vice-President Noli de Castro, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, Asia Foundation Country Director Dr. Steven Rood and UNICEF Senior Program Officer Colin Davis are expected to deliver their anti-trafficking messages on Sept. 20.
Some 200 anti-trafficking advocates and experts from around the country and from abroad are expected to exchange ideas and insights on best practices in the prevention of human trafficking, as well as in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases and in the recovery and reintegration of trafficked persons. Specifically, the conference aims to assess the country’s program against trafficking in persons and come up with a short term countrywide strategic plan of action.
Trafficking in persons is a growing problem. Unofficial estimates provide that around 300,000 to 400,000 women and 60,000 to 100,000 children are trafficked annually in the Philippines. According to data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), around 380 trafficked persons, mostly from Luzon, were assisted at the end of 2005, while the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported 224 repatriated and recovered victims from various countries, mostly from Malaysia, Hongkong and Brunei. As of the end of 2005, the Department of Justice reported 114 compliants were received by prosecutors, most of which are pending preliminary investigation while others are pending trial.
Trafficking in persons is penalized under the Republic Act 9208, which is known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003. The Philippines was dropped out of the US Human Trafficking Watch List in June 2006 due to landmark convictions against traffickers secured by prosecutors in the cities of Zamboanga and Quezon.
The conference is being supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Asia Foundation, Plan Philippines and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
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