Lapu-Lapu to help trafficking victims

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Paz Radaza instructed the City Welfare Services to assess the needs of families of the fisherfolk who fell victims to "human trafficking" in a fishing expedition to the seawaters off Balabac Island in Palawan last December.

After the Cebu provincial government announced it will extend assistance to the victims, Radaza said the city will also take care of the needs of the fishermen and will look for companies and barangays to help them continue their lives after the alleged employment abuse in the sea.

There were a total of 76 fishermen rescued; 50 of them came from Bohol while the 26 were from Cebu.

Among the 26 Cebuano victims, 23 of them were residents of the island barangays of Lapu-Lapu City, two men were Cordova natives while one came from Tuburan town.

Their ages ranged from 19 to 59 years old.

According to Radaza, among the Lapu-Lapu victims, one came from mainland in Sitio Soong, Barangay Mactan and the rest were from the island barangays of Santa Rosa, Sabang, Tungasan, Talima, Baring and Tinggo.

Radaza met the fishermen on Thursday together with CWS after the “muro-ami” victims and their legal counsel filed a complaint before the Lapu-Lapu City Hall of Justice. The camps discussed through a closed-door meeting in the mayor’s conference room.

The rescued fishermen were recruited around October 2014 and were given P 7,000 as advance pay and another P8,000 in November before the men’s departed for  Palawan.

Balabac Island is the southernmost island of the Palawan province, only about 50 kilometres  north from Sabah, Malaysia, across the Balabac Strait.

Fishermen were allegedly forced to work in bad weather, mauled and were given limited food supply for more than a month.

The victims were reported to have escaped through tearing the fish nets so they be allowed to go to the shore for repair.

After the successful plan, the fishermen went to the mountains and asked help from a priest who coordinated with Palawan provincial government.

The Inter-agency Council Against Trafficking and the Province of Cebu filed human trafficking charges and forced labor against boat operator Ramir Noval and the ship’s captain named “Boy” who are based in Lapu-Lapu City.

Radaza said she has advised the CWS to provide relief goods to the fishermen’s families,  consumable for two weeks, and will consider potential jobs to five to the victims.

"The city will help find jobs for at least one member of each family, among i-recommend kay daghan man ngari  sa MEPZ (Mactan Export Processing Zone) nga mga bakante,” Radaza said.

Alternative trainings for livelihood will also be provided, according to the mayor, adding they would talk to the barangay captains so that they too can give aid to the victims in a form of livelihood.

Radaza said she heard rumors before that the fishermen in Olango would receive advance payment from fishing vessel owners and would work for longer hours in out-of-town fishing trips. (FREEMAN)