By SAMMY JULIAN
Manila News Bureau Chief
MANILA – The Philippines, being a source country and, to a lesser extent, a destination and transit country for sex trafficking and forced labor, remained at Tier 2 of the US Department of State’s 2014 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.
The TIP report, released by US Secretary of State John Kerry over the weekend in a ceremony at the State Department in Washington DC, noted that the Philippines made significant efforts to combat trafficking.
However, the Philippine government does not yet fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, he stressed.
According to the most comprehensive report on governmental efforts worldwide to combat human trafficking, the US government commended efforts by the Philippines to implement anti-trafficking laws and policies nationwide and noted that funding for the Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) nearly doubled to the equivalent of approximately $2.4 million dollars in 2013.
The report also recognized Philippine government’s efforts to prevent the trafficking of overseas workers, proactively identify and rescue victims exploited within the country, and convict 31 trafficking offenders compared to 25 during the previous year.
The report urged the Philippines to ensure victims had access to shelter and protection services that address the specific needs of trafficking.
Given the increase in the number of rescued male victims during the reporting period, the Philippine government was urged to provide adequate protection for this growing vulnerable population and improve awareness among government officials of the vulnerability of men and boys to trafficking.
The Philippines was also asked to consider continuous trials to decrease the burden lengthy trials place on victims, increase efforts to hold government officials criminally accountable for trafficking, and develop and implement programs aimed at reducing the demand for commercial sex acts, including child sex tourism.
In a statement, the US Embassy in Manila said the US government remains a committed partner with the Philippines in addressing human trafficking.
The embassy said US law enforcement officials work with Philippine counterparts to enhance coordination and cooperation on trafficking crimes that cross borders as demonstrated by Operation Endeavor that dismantled a global international criminal group that was using children in the Philippines.
“Our government is working with the Philippine government to create broad based economic growth to help prevent situations that enable trafficking, strengthen the prosecution of those who perpetuate this form of modern-day slavery, and protect victims of trafficking,” it declared./PN
