Voting 23-0, the Senate unanimously approved on third and final reading the bill strengthening the Philippines’ law against human trafficking or Republic Act No. 10363, also known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, said the proposed law, Senate Bill No. 2449, is dedicated to Filipinos who are victims of trafficking abroad and in the offshore gaming industry in the country or the so-called Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), including underground online groups in social media.

“I am grateful to contribute to an important milestone in the protection of women, children and other victims of trafficking,” Hontiveros said during the Senate’s hybrid plenary session.

Once signed into law, law enforcers would have access to additional tools and mechanisms for pursuing human traffickers, particularly when trafficking is done through the Internet and digital platforms.

The bill primarily also seeks to hold Internet intermediaries accountable should their infrastructure or platforms be used for human trafficking.

Social media networks, as well as financial and e-commerce intermediaries who knowingly use allow their platforms for human trafficking activities are also bound to face penalties under the proposed law.

Likewise, the measure seeks to address human trafficking by explicitly prohibiting the tampering of passports, birth certificates, and travel clearances. It also seeks to increase protection to victims of trafficking, including Filipino victims overseas.

The bill also introduces as an additional aggravating circumstance when the crime is committed during a crisis, a public health concern such as a pandemic, a disaster, a humanitarian conflict or emergency situation, or when the trafficked person is a survivor of the same.

Furthermore, Hontiveros said the measure increases the responsibilities of local government units (LGUs) in providing recovery and reintegration support for the victims and their families.

The senator said this would be consistent with the planned devolution of anti-trafficking programs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to LGUs.