It institutes policies to eliminate and punish human trafficking, especially women and children, establishing the necessary institutional mechanisms for the protection and support of trafficked persons.
It aims "to promote human dignity, protect the people from any threat of violence and exploitation, and mitigate pressures for involuntary migration and servitude of persons, not only to support trafficked persons but more importantly, to ensure their recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration into the mainstream of society."
R.A. 9208 made the Philippines one of the few Asian countries in Asia that have enacted an anti-trafficking legislation. The law establishes an Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), first chaired by Raul M. Gonzalez, and composed of government agencies, non-government organizations and other civic organizations for the effective formulation of a comprehensive and integrated program to prevent and suppress the trafficking in persons.
In support to this, the Children's Welfare Code of Davao City states;
“Section 8. Child Trafficking. Any person who shall engage in trading and dealing with children including, but not limited to, the act of buying and selling of a child for money, or for any other consideration, or barter, shall suffer the penalty as prescribed in Article IV of the Republic Act No. 7610.
Section 9. Attempt to Commit Child Trafficking. There is an attempt to commit child trafficking under section 6 of this ordinance:
a) When a child below 15 years old travels alone to or from Davao City without valid reason therefore and without clearance issued by the Davao City Special Office for Children’s Concerns (DCSOCC) or written permit or justification from the child’s parents or legal guardians;
Thus, the Local Ordinance stipulates that those traveling minors who are 15 years old and below should provide a Travel permit (clearance) issued by the City Social Services and development Office (CSSDO in lieu of the DCSOCC); this is a local policy instituted to curb trafficking.
In our fight to combat Trafficking in Persons, the City even have the DCIACAT (Davao City Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking) and the RIACAT (Regional Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking). To date, municipalities has also formed their MIACATs.
An NGO (Non Government Organization) is also combating this "modern day slavery" phenomenon by establishing safe houses in major seaports along with its partner the Philippine Ports Authority. The safe houses serve as a safe haven for trafficked victims wherein Rights-Based, Child Protection and Participation Approach and Gender-Sensitive Policies are instituted. The Halfway Houses are duly accredited by the DSWD.
The safe house is a Temporary Shelter that provides Informational Assistance, accepts Referral of Cases, installed Hotline Counseling and recognizes that Outreaches, Training and Advocacy are indispensable mechanisms in our goal to empower all stakeholders in battling these traffickers who demeans and disregards human rights and human dignity.
The Halfway House accepts referrals from the Port Partners and Anti-Trafficking Networks . In Davao City, the traveling minors and/or traveling individuals who have bogus/inappropriate/lacking document and or trafficked individuals are referred to the safehouse for sheltering and safekeeping wherein they are provided with Information, Counseling and Life Skills Enhancement Activities.
Trafficked victims are forced into slave-like conditions, they have no choice when they are trafficked, they are caught in the web of individuals who take advantage of people who are finding work for economic subsistence. They are lured, deceieved, and manipulated.
The Visayan Forum Foundation, as an NGO helps in providing services, protection, and provide information to women and children stranded in the port. In general VF has the high hope that the intervention of the different individual and stakeholder groups in the port community could contribute positively in the fight against trafficking in persons. Let me tell you, when you see someone putting their head inside a Lion's mouth, would you walk away or pull that person to safety? Because what we do, is save people, intervene, empower them to make the right choices, and uphold human rights at all cost! THAT IS DEVELOPMENTAL WORK! NGO workers have been rallying for the welfare of the marginalized, the poor, and the oppressed let us not be incompetent in our understanding of our contribution to the protection of our fellow humans!
Its time we take a stand and join our WAR AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING!
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