FUND LACK HAMPERS DRIVE
Efforts vs. HT ‘Active’ But No Budget

By Carla N. Cañet

Efforts to curb human trafficking in Bacolod City are active but it lacks the necessary funds, said Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Sang-guniang Panlungsod Chairperson on Women and Gender and Vice Chair of the Bacolod Inter-Agency Council against trafficking.

She felt bad when the Philippines was again included in the expanded US human trafficking watch list of countries suspected of not doing enough to combat the illegal migration of people.

She said, “I am sad because in 2007, I was even one of the speakers in the convening of the national inter-agency council against trafficking called by the Department of Justice. And I shared the fact that in Bacolod, I authored an Ordinance, re-enforcing RA 9208 or the Trafficking in Persons Act.”

She added that there was already a time when the country was removed from the watchlist. But the national government became lax and the City Government of Bacolod has no funds for her Ordinance. The Gender and Development (GAD) has no fund. It was cut off since last year.

She had a series of trainings relative to RA 9208 even up to the “Barangay Tanod” level.

“We continued our efforts and programs against human trafficking. We have hotline posters in the seaports. We will also establish ‘Task Force Pantalan’. We have trainings tied up with the Visayan Forum. They have rescued more victims. But because of the Confidentiality Clause of the law, they could not report it publicly or to the media,” Sigue said.

They have cases filed in court but are still pending. They closely monitor fly-by-night recruiters and head hunters.
This came about after the US State Department in its ninth Trafficking in Persons report, included 52 countries in their list. Most of these countries are from Asia, Africa and the Middle East regions.

Trafficking has a broad global impact as well as it weakens legitimate economies, fuels violence, threatens pub health and safety, shatters families, and shreds the social fabric that is necessary for progress.*