Groups unite against human trafficking

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the diplomatic community and the press witnessed the official partnership of Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc., the Ombudsman, the Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC) and the International Justice Mission (IJM) to intensify the war against human trafficking in the Philippines.

The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) verified the groups’ commitment to step up current anti-human trafficking initiatives through their combined efforts and expertise. A significant number of Filipino women, children and men go abroad in the hopes of giving their families a better future, only to be subjected to forced labor. Women and children, in particular, are trafficked abroad for commercial sexual exploitation.

Shown in photo are (seated, from left) Carmela Andal Castro (IJM), Tanodbayan Merceditas Gutierrez, Cecilia Flores-Oebanda (Visayan Forum) and Carlos Medina (AHRC). Witnessing the event were Netherlands Ambassador Robert Brinks, Michael Kilfoyle (Australian Federal Police), Usec. Ricardo Blancaflor (Department of Justice), and Leslie Bassett (Charge d’Affaires, US Embassy).