Lay groups to drum up awareness vs human trafficking

MANILA, Philippines - Up to 300,000 Filipinos, mostly women and children, have been victims of human trafficking in the country.

With this alarming statistic, three major religious organizations are set to launch a forum and movement against the crime to drum up awareness on the perils of the illegal activity in the country.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) and Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) have set Sept. 5 for the “Freedom Forum 2013: The multi-sectoral gathering against human trafficking.”

The event marks the first step in an ecumenical partnership between the CBCP, NCCP and PCEC. It would be held at the Christ’s Commission Fellowship (CCF) along Ortigas Avenue in Pasig City.

The religious groups would also launch on Thursday the Philippine Interfaith Movement Against Human Trafficking that would push for advocacy, care for victims, and cooperation with concerned government agencies and their international counterparts.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, chairman of CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace, said that human trafficking is considered second to drug trafficking in the world.

He also expressed concern that human trafficking continues to be a big problem in the country as about 100,000 to 300,000 Filipinos, mostly women and children, have been victimized by human traffickers.

Human rights agency International Justice Mission (IJM), meanwhile, praised the CBCP, NCCP and PCEC for making a strong commitment to fight human trafficking in the Philippines.

IJM national director Andrey Sawchenko said that while human trafficking in the Philippines continues to persist, there has been a big improvement in addressing the problem.

“I think the Philippines is improving... If you look at the situation 10 years ago the Philippines did not have a law. In 2013, the Philippines has the fruits of the Anti-Human Trafficking Law and it is one of the strongest laws in the world,” Sawchenko said.

He has observed, however, that the law has not been fully implemented yet as the Philippines is identified as a source, transit point and destination of human trafficking activities.