Tomorrow, July 30, the international community will mark the annual celebration of World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

The United Nations General Assembly established this yearly observance in December 2013 to raise awareness and protect victims’ rights. This year’s global theme, “Trapped behind the scam,” highlights a growing form of exploitation in which victims are forced into industrial-scale online fraud operations. The day reminds us that human trafficking is not a distant problem. It is a present-day evil that preys on the vulnerable in our communities and across borders.

Many have often heard this word but may not understand its meaning. Here it is: human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons through force, fraud, coercion, abduction, deception, or abuse of power for exploitation. The latter includes sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery-like practices, servitude, or the removal of organs. It is modern-day slavery that strips people of their freedom and dignity.

This annual celebration remains relevant. After all, the scale of this crime remains staggering. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2024, detected trafficking victims rose by 25 percent in 2022 compared with pre-pandemic 2019 levels.

Here is the alarming information: children now account for 38 percent of detected victims—a 31 percent increase—while women and girls continue to make up 61 percent of those identified.

The International Organization for Migration reports that more than 125,000 victims have been officially identified worldwide, including nearly 30,000 children. However, observers say the true number may be far higher due to underreporting. Forced labor has overtaken sexual exploitation in some regions, and online scam operations have become a major new frontier for traffickers.

The good news is that the Philippine Government has made significant strides in this fight.

For the tenth consecutive year, the country retained its Tier 1 ranking in the U.S. Department of State’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report—the highest rating, meaning we fully meet minimum standards for eliminating trafficking.

This Tier 1 status helps us strengthen global partnerships, attract international support, and reinforce public confidence in our anti-trafficking efforts.

For this, we join our countrymen in congratulating the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Their performance is truly laudable.

Based on the latest reports, law enforcement agencies investigated 500 cases in the latest reporting period, up from 417 the year before. Prosecutions and convictions increased, with many traffickers receiving substantial prison sentences. The government banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) licenses that had been misused as covers for scam compounds.

The same report shows that, as the IACAT continues to coordinate our national efforts, the DSWD has handled 2,476 reported trafficking cases in 2025 and successfully reunited 1,200 survivors with their families.

Through the Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons, thousands have received shelter, counselling, medical care, education support, and livelihood assistance.

We believe much more needs to be done. From the local government perspective, we need stronger prevention programs in vulnerable communities, faster and more victim-centered investigations, and expanded mental health and long-term reintegration services.

From the national viewpoint, we need tighter international cooperation to dismantle transnational networks—especially those operating scam compounds in neighboring countries.

At the end of the day, every sector has a role. We must educate children about the dangers of online recruitment and false job offers. We must strengthen barangay-level vigilance and reporting mechanisms. We can work together to amplify awareness and support survivors without stigma.

Let us face it: the fight against this modern-day evil requires our highest level of collaboration. Let us not forget that human trafficking shatters people’s dreams for a better life and steals their hope for a brighter future. It tears families apart and leaves communities poorer, more fearful, and less trusting.

On this World Day against Trafficking in Persons, let us renew our commitment to collaborate in this fight.

Together, we can build a society where every person’s dignity is sacred, and every child grows up safe.

(The author is a Doctor of Medicine, an entrepreneur and the mayor of Antipolo City, former Rizal governor, and DENR assistant secretary, LLDA general manager. Email: [email protected])