Councilors urged to help fight human trafficking

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale has called on the city and municipal councilors in Central Visayas to get involved in the campaign against human trafficking.

"Lawmaking may not be enough to arrest human trafficking. But at least a difference can be made if there is a deterrent that serves as a warning for those who will trifle with women's and children's rights," Magpale addressed the members of the Philippine Councilors League-Region VII during its general assembly.

According to Magpale, there are about 60,000 to 100,000 children and 300,000 to 400,000 women who fall victims to trafficking annually in the Philippines.

"Sadly, most of the children trafficked are girls to be sexually exploited and the figures, I suppose, do not include incidents that are not reported to authorities or to media which may be even be higher," she said.

Magpale said that human trafficking is a trend that is taking an atrocious phenomenal proportion wherein many among the poorest of the poor are victimized by syndicates whose greed for money at the expense of the vulnerable women and children seems endless.

In depressed areas, Magpale said, where almost all residents are poor, temptation is high for women who wish to earn a living for self or family survival.

"Their interest to work for money always burns as a strong desire and with it, they are considered most vulnerable to any offer for a job to the extent of not checking about the pitfalls of what is being offered to them," she added.

In her speech, Magpale also cited some cases of human trafficking in Cebu and how the victims were rescued and put the perpetrators behind bars.

She said that the Provincial Women's Council has 140 active cases and that it has clients every weekly.

These clients, Magpale said, were victims of rape, abduction, domestic abuse, child abuse, and human trafficking, which are growing in numbers. — (FREEMAN)