VP Binay sees higher PHL rating in human trafficking fight

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday expressed confidence that the Philippines will soon achieve a Tier 1 status in the global campaign against human trafficking. In a speech at the 5th Social Watch Global Assembly in Quezon City on Tuesday, Binay said achieving Tier 1 status is possible when the Philippine government conducts more efficient probe and prosecution of both labor and sex trafficking offenders, including government officials. “The country’s modest achievements allow us to believe that we could achieve Tier 1 status at the soonest possible time. To that end, we are committed to upgrade our efficiencies in investigating, prosecuting both labor and sex trafficking offenders, including government officials involved," said Binay in his speech. Migration issues are among the topics of the workshops of the Social Watch Global Assembly from July 11 to 13. Over 100 delegates from 60 countries represent women groups, human rights activists, and others are attending the assembly with the theme “Claiming Democracy: Accountability For Social And Economic Justice." Improved status Binay, head of the Task Force OFW and Presidential Adviser on OFW concerns, noted that the Philippines was recently upgraded from "Tier 2 watch list" status to "Tier 2" by the United States’ Department of State. Human trafficking is the illegal trade in human beings for forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation. According to the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report of the US State Department, although the Philippines "still does not fully comply with minimum standards to eliminate trafficking, Manila is making significant efforts to do so." According to the US report, those under Tier 1 category are "countries whose governments fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards." Those under the "Tier 2 Watch List" are countries whose governments do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards but are making significant efforts to comply with those standards. On the other hand, those under the Tier 2 category are "countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards." Victories against human trafficking “Our gains in the OFW front have been adequately reported. But our small victories against human trafficking probably require repeating. We gave that task the highest priority, and less than one year later, the US State Department upgraded the status of the Philippines in its 2011 global trafficking in persons report," Binay noted. “Democracy is meaningless unless and until our fellow Filipinos get their due. Economic and social justice must make all of us active contributors to the social order, and co-owners of the national economy," Binay said. "The change promised by the Aquino administration must not only benefit all Filipinos. At the end of the day, it must make them agents of change themselves," he added. Binay also noted that the US report recognized the Philippine government's efforts to prosecute and convict trafficking offenders and raise public awareness on trafficking. The US State Department noted that "during the year, the Philippine Department of Justice and Supreme Court issued directives to expedite the disposition of backlogged trafficking cases." "The (Philippine) government convicted 25 trafficking offenders – an increase from nine convictions in the previous year – including two convictions in cases involving forced labor, the Philippines’ first-ever labor trafficking convictions," the report said. "The government enacted numerous measures and policies to improve institutional responses to human trafficking for this year and in future years, such as increased training of judicial, law enforcement, and diplomatic officials on trafficking issues; the creation and funding of anti-trafficking task forces in airports, seaports, regions, and localities; and an increase in dedicated staff to combating trafficking," the report added. 2011 US trafficking report The 2011 US trafficking in persons report said the Philippines "is a source country and, to a much lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women, and children who are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor." The US State Department noted that a significant number of Filipinos who migrate abroad for work become victims of "involuntary servitude" in factories, at construction sites, on fishing vessels, on agricultural plantations, and as domestic workers. "A significant number of women in domestic servitude abroad also face rape and violent physical and sexual abuse," the report said. Recommendations for the Philippines Some of the US State Department recommended actions for the Philippines to improve its handling of human trafficking cases are: