By FRANCK DICK ROSETE
Bulatlat.com
CAGAYAN DE ORO — Anti-human trafficking groups revealed an estimated 859,000 individuals from the vulnerable sectors in the country became victims of what they called “modern slavery” despite the progress in anti-human trafficking efforts by the Philippine government and stakeholders.
Free the Slaves and Balaod Mindanaw launched its two-page infographic document, citing data from various international organizations’ reports in an online forum on Wednesday, December 11. The groups believed that the fact sheet enables the public to become more aware about the country’s human trafficking situation that needs to be addressed, particularly on child and forced labor, sexual trafficking, online abuse, and overseas exploitation, among others.
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Citing various data, Ritz Lee Santos III, executive director of Balaod Mindanaw, said the Philippines remains a global hotspot for online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), where the increase in cases was recorded during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the high internet usage and economic instability.
“Children are often coerced by trusted family members into live streaming abuse, with 90 percent of cases occurring on platforms like Facebook,” Santos said in the same online forum.
Although there was no exact number of cases presented, the Situation of Children Philippines, a child rights monitoring platform, noted there was a 264.6 percent increase in OSAEC-related incidents in 2020 from the number of reported incidents in 2019.
In 2023, the Philippine police rescued a total of 119 OSAEC victims. This is lower compared to the 163 rescued victims in 2022.
For the third quarter of 2024, the Northern Mindanao region—covering the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, and the two highly urbanized cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan—has the highest OSAEC victims rescued in Mindanao with 19 individuals.
One of the notable cases reported by the media here was the arrest of a 27-year-old mother in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental province, in April this year for allegedly exploiting her minor children through selling some sort of recorded and live sexual shows to foreign nationals using online messaging platforms. Three children aged one, six, and eight were rescued during the arrest.
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The concerned groups also highlighted reports on child labor and trafficking, emphasizing that approximately 50,000 Filipino children are forced to work in hazardous industries, such as agriculture, mining, and garbage scavenging, among others.
In 2023, the country tallied 47 forced labor prosecutions according to a US-based report released this year.
A brief report on sexual trafficking, overseas exploitation, and online scams was also cited in the discussion.
What needs to be done?
The Free the Slaves and Balaod Mindanaw stressed that combating modern slavery requires “focused and sustained actions across multiple levels.”
Among their recommendations is the need for comprehensive support for survivors, especially the provision of assistance in psychosocial, education, healthcare, and livelihood for them to have a fresh start. This includes support for survivor-led programs in order for the victims to be empowered.
“Survivors’ voices must shape our anti-trafficking efforts. Funding survivor-led initiatives empowers those most affected to create meaningful change,” Santos said.
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The groups also recommended having a centralized data system, which is vital in improving coordination between line agencies to have a seamless response to human trafficking. Personnel from law enforcement agencies, they added, should also have specialized training, particularly on the “trauma-informed care approach.”
They also underscored the critical role of local leaders in raising awareness and mobilizing the community to prevent any forms of modern slavery.
Kuldeep Singh Chauhan, Free the Slaves’ regional director for Asia, said since last year, the organization has launched similar fact sheets of modern slavery in Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Cambodia. (RVO)
