VP Binay assures Pinoys of PHL-US drive vs human trafficking

The Philippines and the United States are working closely to fight human trafficking, Vice President Jejomar Binay assured US-based Filipinos this week. Binay, the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers’ (OFW) Concerns, gave the assurance at a dinner meeting with the Filipino community in Washington D.C. "I have always maintained that our overseas Filipinos deserve the full attention of the Philippine government, particularly the agencies tasked to protect their welfare. We take the responsibility of ensuring the well-being of all our OFWs seriously," he said in a news release posted on the Office of the Vice President website. He said Manila is closely working with the U.S. State, Justice and Labor departments in the campaign against human trafficking. During his US visit, Binay is scheduled to meet with Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, head of the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. The two officials are set to discuss joint efforts to fight human trafficking. Binay said his government is thankful to the US government for its help in placing the Philippines on Tier 2 of the US State Department’s 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report. He said this is a recognition that Manila “is making significant efforts to bring [the country] into compliance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards." In its 2010 human trafficking report, the US State Department retained the Philippines on Tier 2 watch list rank, indicating that the country “does not fully comply with, but is making significant efforts to meet" the agency’s standards. (See: Philippines remains on US human trafficking watch list) Justice Secretary Leila de Lima earlier said the Philippines has to settle more human trafficking cases by February 2011, or the US could pull out some $250 million in aid to the country’s fight against the illegal trade of human beings. (See: RP in danger of losing $250-M US aid vs trafficking) Binay, however, maintained the Philippine government is committed to put in place needed reforms and policies to add teeth to the anti-human trafficking drive. He noted that the country’s labor migration management system is considered as the model among labor-source countries. “We have an established system for licensing and regulation of persons and entities engaged in the recruitment and deployment of Filipino workers. We also have a program for assisting OFWs prior to and during employment, and upon return to the Philippines," he said. "There is definitely room for improvement and we welcome assistance from the US government in this matter," he added. Binay also said that in the US, 34 victims of human trafficking and labor abuse are currently being assisted by the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., NGO groups and a Filipino-American immigration lawyer. Likewise, the Philippine Embassy and the American Federation of Teachers are closely monitoring the development of the civil suit and labor cases filed by 350 Filipino teachers in Louisiana against their Philippine and US recruiters, members of the school board, and the law firm that facilitated the processing of their visas. Binay is on a one-week official visit to the US. He was invited to speak before World Bank officials and representatives on disaster and risk management and urban development. He is also scheduled to pay courtesy visits to Senate President Pro-Tempore Daniel Inouye, Senator John Kerry, chairman of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and Senator James Henry Webb, chairman of Senate Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs.—With Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV