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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DSWD aids over 1,400 trafficking survivors in first half of 2025

DSWD aids over 1,400 trafficking survivors in first half of 2025

Published Sep 14, 2025 01:17 pm
(DSWD PHOTO)
(DSWD PHOTO)
More than 1,400 victim-survivors of human trafficking received help from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the first half of 2025 through its Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP).
The program, which began in 2022, provides comprehensive assistance to trafficking survivors through rescue, recovery, rehabilitation, and eventual reintegration with their families and communities.
“Ang DSWD ay kasama sa tinatawag na Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (The DSWD is part of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking or IACAT). By virtue of Republic Act 11860 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking Act of 2022, minandato ng batas ang DSWD para magkaroon ng programa, kaya ipinanganak ang RRPTP (the law mandated the DSWD to have a program, and that is how the RRPTP was created),” Director Alfrey Gulla of the Protective Services Bureau (PSB) said in a radio interview, Saturday, Sept. 13.
The DSWD, which co-chairs IACAT with the Department of Justice (DOJ), explained that trafficking remains a pressing issue both locally and internationally. 
“Unknown to many, human trafficking happens at the domestic and international levels. This crime in person has different elements like illegal recruitment, debt bondage, slavery, sexual exploitation, organ removal and forced labor,” Gulla said.
He stressed that the RRPTP is not just about immediate rescue. 
“It’s a comprehensive program, I say comprehensive because ito ay ginagamitan ng case management approach (it uses a case management approach). Gusto ko lang po i-highlight yung proceso, from rescue to recovery to reintegration (I just want to highlight the process, from rescue to recovery to reintegration) because that’s how the program works,” he added.
According to him, social workers are at the core of the program. 
“I would like to highlight also na ang puso ng RRPTP ay ang ating mga social workers (the heart of the RRPTP are our social workers) dahil bago pa ma-rescue, nandiyan na ang ating mga social workers (because even before the rescue, our social workers are already there). Sa case management process, nakadepende yan sa assessment ng ating social workers (In the case management process, everything depends on the assessment of our social workers),” he pointed out.
The agency said services include psychosocial, medical, legal, transportation, livelihood, and educational support, as well as temporary shelter. For returning Filipinos, the DSWD operates a processing hub at the airport called Tahanan Inyong Pag-asa, while local governments handle domestic cases.
Gulla underscored that the DSWD continues to monitor survivors even after reintegration. 
From 2022 to 2024, more than 6,000 victim-survivors nationwide were served by the program, the DSWD said.
The agency urged the public to take part in the fight against trafficking. 
“Huwag po tayong matakot magsumbong kung meron tayong naobserbahan or nadinig na reports ng trafficking (Let us not be afraid to report if we observe or hear reports of trafficking). Meron tayong hotline, yung 1343 hotline, they can dial that (We have the 1343 hotline, they can dial that),” Gulla appealed.
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