ILOILO City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Western Visayas wants to ensure that protection desks for women and children across airports and seaports are functional.
Regional Director Arwin Razo said they want to enhance safety as the region sees a surge in tourist arrivals during the holiday season, particularly following the resumption of Iloilo-Hong Kong flights on October 27.
Razo emphasized the need for fully operational support desks in key entry and exit points to provide a safe space for women and children.
“We are experiencing an influx of tourists currently. Let us check on airports and seaports to ensure that there are functional desks for women and children to go to when they need protection,” he said during the flag-raising ceremony on November 4, coinciding with the agency’s launch of Children’s Month celebrations.
This directive aligns with recent efforts by the Regional Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking (RIACAT) in Western Visayas, which inaugurated the Anti-Trafficking in Persons (ATIP) Help Desk at the Iloilo Airport on October 23.
The event, aimed at reinforcing the region’s anti-human trafficking stance, was led by the Regional Anti-Trafficking Task Force VI (RATTF6) under the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
Agencies such as the Bureau of Immigration, Philippine National Police, Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Transport, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the DSWD Field Office VI were also present, alongside airport security personnel.
The ATIP Help Desk is designed to bring essential government services closer to the public, providing a comprehensive support system for victims and survivors of human trafficking, including confidential counseling, legal assistance, and access to temporary housing.
This initiative also marked the launch of the Iloilo International Airport Task Force (IIATF), established to streamline inter-agency coordination and strengthen the referral process for at-risk individuals.
Over recent months, IIATF has conducted training sessions for its member agencies and airport personnel to equip them with the necessary skills for handling cases of human trafficking.
Human trafficking remains a severe issue nationwide, often referred to as modern-day slavery, affecting thousands through sex trafficking, forced labor, and organ trafficking. Locally, many victims suffer in silence.
The ATIP Help Desk, operated by IIATF, became operational on October 27, in conjunction with the re-opening of international flights at Iloilo Airport, marking a significant step in addressing this pressing concern./PN
