Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. believes that human trafficking will only end with "the traffickers and enablers" in governments.
Speaking at the high-level meeting of the General Assembly for the Appraisal of the United Nations (UN) Global Plan of Action to Combat Human Trafficking on Nov. 22, Locsin emphasized that despite its pervasiveness, trafficking "remains a hidden crime because societies are complicit."
"Human trafficking will only end with the traffickers and enablers in government," he said as he called for the protection of victims rather than punishing them for "acts they are made to commit."
"Trafficking in persons is antithetical to humanity. It treats humans not as fellows but trades them as chattel," he said.
The top Philippine diplomat further said that globalization has only made the practice more wicked with the progression of technology, communication, financial transactions and transport, adding that unlike regular commerce, human trafficking thrives in failing economies, especially conflict-riven countries and in the current pandemic.
Locsin also stressed that societies with wider rich-poor gaps have more cases of sex trafficking, noting that for every 10 victims, five are women and two are girls, mostly migrants.
"No one wants to be treated like an animal but that is a long and tall order," he said.
The Philippines, he said, is a "labour‑sending country of mostly women, but most victims are not Filipinos,” adding that the country has put in place protections and has consistently ranked in Tier 1 of the United States Trafficking in Persons Report.
Locsin also conveyed his call for an increase in the extra-budgetary resources for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Inter-agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons.
During the high-level meeting, the assembly agreed to take action on the grave concern that the COVID‑19 pandemic has exacerbated existing situations of vulnerability to trafficking in persons.
They also agreed to address other pressing issues, including a commitment to carry out appropriate measures to facilitate access to justice and protections for victims.