The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) escorted back home 24 Filipinos who are victims of human trafficking after they were saved by the authorities from being sent to Malaysia. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Coast Guard) PCG Station Isabela personnel assisted the Department of Social Welfare and...
Senators on Wednesday expressed elation over the signing into law of Republic Act 11862 which amends the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, saying it is an important and much-needed victory for women, children, and all victims of human trafficking. One significant reform under the law is the...
President Duterte has signed a law criminalizing the deployment of those below 24 years old to work domestically abroad as part of the government's protection of Filipinos against more ways of human trafficking​. Republic Act (RA) No. 11862, which amended several provisions of RA 9208, now...
Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday hailed the filing of graft charges against the 43 Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials who are involved in the so-called “pastillas scam” or bribery scandal that allowed the illegal entry of Chinese citizens in the country. Hontiveros said she is...
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Sixteen female victims of trafficking were rescued by authorities at Bongao seaport in Taw-Tawi province on Saturday, April 23. According to the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NavForWeM) report, the victims were on board MV Kristel Jane 3 when they were rescued by NavForWeM...
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Friday, Feb. 25, that it has stopped 688 human trafficking victims from leaving the country last year at international ports. Likewise, it deferred the departure of more than 13,000 passengers, many of whom were believed illegally recruited by labor syndicates....
The Philippines has played a leading role in a high-level meeting with United Nations (UN) member states where they reached a consensus to intensify efforts on the non-punishment principle of human trafficking victims. Ambassador Enrique Manalo (Photo courtesy of the New York PM/DFA) Ambassador...
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. believes that human trafficking will only end with "the traffickers and enablers" in governments. DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. (Screengrab from DFA Facebook Page) Speaking at the high-level meeting of the General Assembly for the Appraisal of the...
Austria continues to stand with the Philippines against human trafficking by launching a year-long campaign to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation starting this month. (Photo courtesy of the Austrian Embassy Manila) The Austrian Embassy in Manila will launch the "We Stand As One:...
A total of 367 distressed and undocumented Filipinos from the Middle East have finally made it home to the Philippines via a sweeper flight mounted by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) over the weekend. Filipino repatriates from Lebanon, Syria, and Bahrain undergo health protocol upon their...
Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers halted six alleged human trafficking victims from boarding a plane to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City, reports reaching the Manila Bulletin said Sunday, August 8. (File photo/ MANILA BULLETIN) In a...
Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) rights defender and advocate Susan "Toots" Ople raised concern Wednesday, July 28 over human traffickers' potential preying on stranded Filipino workers abroad. Susan Ople speaks during a July 28, 2021 virtual press briefing (Screengrab from Zoom meeting) In a virtual...
