PH gets ‘Tier 1’ classification in latest US human trafficking report

July 3 ------ The Philippines is in the “Tier 1” classification in the fight against human trafficking in the United States’ Department of State 2021 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) said on Friday, July2. “Tier 1” classification is for countries which fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), a comprehensive federal law in the US.

Deputy Executive Director Yvette T. Coronel of IACAT – a Department of Justice (DOJ)-led council – said that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken himself revealed the Philippines’ classification in the TIP report during a virtual event held Thursday, July 1, that assessed the anti-trafficking efforts made by 188 governments including the US. “The TIP Report states that the Government of the Philippines fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and continues to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, even during the onset of the global pandemic,” Coronel said.

She said the report cited that “the Philippines prosecuted more traffickers than the previous reporting period, including significantly more defendants charged with using child soldiers and sentencing the majority of convicted traffickers to significant terms of imprisonment.” “It also highlighted the Philippine government’s efforts on improving prosecutions by increasing the number of prosecutors assigned to anti-trafficking task forces as well as providing more protection to victims by opening a specialized shelter and one-stop service center in Manila,” she added. She noted that the TIP report recommended that the Philippines “further improve its counter-trafficking response, such as strengthening the capacity of local government units to provide reintegration services for trafficking survivors, including trauma-informed care, job training, and in-country employment.”

Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra, IACAT chairperson, assured that the Philippines will “continue to aspire to improve our responses and to recalibrate our efforts to address the recommendations proposed in the 2021 US TIP Report, starting with the promising amendments to legislation in order to address the current gaps.” “IACAT will likewise be further strengthened as an institution by increasing the capacities of our personnel in order to serve the public better,” he said. For her part, DOJ Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, IACAT undersecretary-in-charge, cited that the country will “continue to enhance and strengthen mutual coordination, collaboration and cross-border relationship with other jurisdictions.” “We must educate the public on issues of concern and mobilize political will and resources to mitigate the impending risks and to further explore issues of particular relevance in the current forms of human trafficking, especially on child trafficking and online sexual exploitation of children,” Villar added.

Source: mb.com.ph