US Recognizes PH Gains Vs Human Trafficking
30 June 2018 – The Philippines today vowed to intensify efforts to go after human traffickers as it welcomed its third consecutive Tier 1 status in the latest Trafficking In Persons Report released by the State Department on Thursday.
“The 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report that placed the Philippines in Tier 1 for the third consecutive year goes to show that the Duterte Administration is doing the right thing,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said in a statement.
The Secretary said the report, which was issued by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington, D.C., validates the effectiveness of the holistic and aggressive approach taken by the Duterte Administration to eliminate human trafficking in the country.
“This affirmation strengthens our resolve to protect our people from trafficking by institutionalizing preventive measures, protecting vulnerable groups, and bringing the traffickers and their accomplices to justice,” Secretary Cayetano said.
According to him, the Philippines will continue to accord the highest priority to efforts to fight trafficking in persons in cooperation with the United States and the rest of the international community.
Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez said the State Department retained the Tier 1 status for the Philippines in recognition of the serious and sustained efforts of the Duterte Administration to address human trafficking in the country.
According to the envoy, the report cited among others, the conviction of human traffickers and the effective coordination, identification, referral and provision of services to trafficking victims.
Ambassador Romualdez said the report also mentioned efforts to prevent trafficking of Filipino migrant workers; assist trafficking victims abroad; and implement procedures to reduce backlog of trafficking cases in court.
"Being in Tier 1 for three consecutive years validates the effectiveness of our victim-centered and multi-agency approach to address human trafficking," Ambassador Romualdez said.
"It also speaks to the determination of the Philippine Government to uphold and protect human rights,” the Ambassador added.
The report, which the State Department has been releasing annually since 2001, is mandated by the US Congress under Public Law 106-386, otherwise known as “Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000.”
The TVPA identifies minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking applicable to the government of a country of origin, transit, or destination for victims of severe forms of trafficking.
There are four tier placements signifying level of compliance with TVPA standards, namely, Tier 1 (full compliance); Tier 2 (no full compliance but making significant efforts to comply with standards); Tier 2 Watchlist (no full compliance and absolute number of victims increasing); and Tier 3 (no full compliance, no significant efforts to comply). END