PHL seeks Canada support vs human trafficking

The Philippines has asked for Canada's help in curbing human trafficking incidents and deepen partnership on human rights protection. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Albert del Rosario made the call during the meeting between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Canada. “(We need) a strong framework for cooperation on human rights to ensure that the benefits of the promotion and protection of human rights are felt by all the peoples of ASEAN," a DFA news release quoted del Rosario as saying. He noted the Philippines as ASEAN’s lead shepherd on trafficking in persons (TIP) up to 2012. “ASEAN has long way to go in its efforts to combat human trafficking and Canada could play a big role in this endeavor by assisting us to strengthen our collective and individual capacities to end this modern-day form of slavery," he said. The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), through its list of high-priority programs and activities, has opened avenues to explore human rights in the ASEAN context. Del Rosario said that in the Philippines’ case, it has placed anti-human trafficking as one of its priorities and its resolve has led to its upgrade from Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 2 in the State Department’s 2011 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. “But this campaign requires a united response from the international community because human trafficking is a scourge that transcends national boundaries," he said. Meanwhile, del Rosario also thanked Canada for its “strong assistance in formulating the ASEAN Action Plan 2010-2015 to implement the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER). - VVP, GMA News . x