The war vs human trafficking gains ground

Last Tuesday I was in Manila to attend the Commitment Week against Trafficking in Persons organized by the Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc. (VFFI) and sponsored by USAID with the theme “Forging Partnerships and innovating solutions to end trafficking of Filipinos” held at the Crowne Plaza in Galleria along EDSA. Indeed the fight against human trafficking has snowballed not only here in the Philippines, but it has become a global war and like what we wrote last week, even CNN has come up with a feature on human trafficking dubbed “Freedom Project.”

On hand to open the forum was Ms. Cecilia Flores Oebanda, president of the Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc. (VFFI). Mrs. Oebanda’s story is a very interesting one because during the Marcos years, she went underground in Iloilo and was caught and jailed for four years. She was one of the political prisoners who were released by the Cory administration together with CPP/NDF/NPA Chairman Jose Maria “Joma” Sison. But unlike Joma, who continued his armed struggle against our government, Mrs. Oebanda changed tactics and fought for the protection of women’s rights.

It was 20 years ago that Mrs. Oebanda founded the Visayan Forum Foundation where she focused on the protection and justice for trafficked women and children and the development of domestic workers called Kasambahays, another noble endeavor. Her organization operated several safe houses and crisis centers along seaports and airports, something that government social agencies should have done, but failed miserably to do so.

Because of her tireless effort, in 2005, she was recognized by the Anti-Slavery International with the Anti-Slavery Award. In March 2007, the UK government as one of the “Modern-Day Abolitionists in the celebration of the Bicentenary of the Abolition of Slave Trade Act, while the US State Department named her as one of its Heroes Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery in its 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report. In Cebu, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) gave the Visayan Forum Foundation a Triennial Award for Institution Category. Not bad for a former Communist rebel huh?

No doubt VFFI has been in the forefront in the fight vs. Human Trafficking long before R.A. 9208 a.k.a. The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 was enacted into a law. This is why the forum last Tuesday was graced by the top personalities in the government led no less than Department of Justice (DoJ) Sec. Leila de Lima and my good friend DoJ Undersecretary Hon. Jose Vicente “Jovy” Salazar who chairs the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT).

Human trafficking is without doubt modern day slavery. Traffickers are persons who prey on the weak and the poor, luring them with false promises of a better life. Today over 2.5 million live in inhumane conditions the majority of whom live in the Asia and Pacific. Trafficking after all has become a very lucrative US$31.6 billion industry affecting some 161 countries. Of this figure 1.2 million are children who are trafficked every year and this is happening right in our country not just by foreigners, but Filipinos as well. 

Look at any sleazy bar and you are looking at the face of the victims of Human Trafficking! Indeed, the most vulnerable victims of modern day slavery are women, especially young girls whose parents more often than not “sell” them to modern slave masters. Perhaps the Local Government Units (LGU’s) should join this fight to reduce the number of bars operating in the metropolis. Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat has the honor and distinction to have gotten the first conviction on R.A. 9208 and now he has five convictions on record. LGU’s should follow his example.

One of the speakers during the forum was his Excellency Rod Smith Ambassador of Australia to the Philippines who gave his country’s commitment to support our country’s effort to combat Human Trafficking. US Amb. Harry K. Thomas, Jr. also spoke before the group making also his nation’s commitment to fight Human Trafficking, later he spoke in Tagalog, but with American slang saying, “Like you, I ask myself… how many more sons and daughters will be trapped into this? How many more will be deceived into prostitution where they are indelibly scarred? I say enough is enough… Tama na, Sobra Na! Labanan natin lahat ang Human Trafficking.”

Amb. Thomas thanked DoJ Sec. Lilia de Lima for doubling the convictions of person involved in Human Trafficking, but he said, “More needs to be done. The US Gov’t will continue to support the PH government including NGOs to raise public awareness and improve on what we’re doing. He added that we have to renew and invigor our commitment to combat Human Trafficking…but we have to do more! The task is daunting, but it can be done! In his speech, Veep Jejomar Binay said about the fight vs. Human Trafficking “If other nations have done it, there is no reason why we can’t do it.” 

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