NEGROS Occidental – Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said trafficking of individuals is not just a crime but a form of slavery and a serious violation of human rights.
The country should endeavor to eradicate sex trafficking, involuntary servitude, forced labor, child soldiers, child trafficking, child labor, and even debt bondage which are forms of abuse, Lacson said during the regional culmination program of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon on July 28.
“Trafficking has no borders and thrives on the vulnerabilities of people. It is a threat that undermines the basic foundations of human decency,” he added.
According to the governor, technology, digitalization, and the internet have made modern life easier and faster, but they also opened up another venue and manner of abuse, particularly to vulnerable Filipino children.
He noted that based on United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) research, the Philippines has become one of the world’s hotspots for live stream sexual abuse.
“With this grim picture in consideration, I would like to take this opportunity to urge everyone to be more aware and vigilant, parents, siblings, guardians, friends, and all sectors, agencies, and stakeholders, for it is only through our united and collective vigilance that we can effectively help eradicate this menace in our midst,” Lacson said.
The regional culmination program was participated in by government employees, representatives from national government agencies, non-government organizations, and other stakeholders.
This year’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons has the theme “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind.” (PIA)/PN
