11 December 2014 – In a sustained effort to inform and empower the Filipino Community in Turkey, the Philippine Embassy in Ankara, in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) held a follow-up event on December 10 to the Pilot Workshop on Trafficking in Persons hosted by the Embassy in April 2014.

Two sessions and an open forum on ‘Preventing Human Trafficking’ led by Philippine Consul General Robert Ferrer and IOM’s trafficking in persons expert, Ms. Anastacia Saglam, were offered to the community.  Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez also called on the “Bagong Bayani”, the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their community to have an open mind and accept new paradigms as issues on human trafficking were discussed.  Teamwork among the Embassy, Turkish authorities such as the police, the Directorate General for Migration, international organizations, and the Embassy-instituted community ‘barangay system’ was emphasized, in that every trafficking issue is multi-dimensional, complex and unique, necessitating cooperation between not just one or two but several stakeholders, not just the Embassy.

Consul General Ferrer jumpstarted the lecture on “human trafficking” by differentiating “what is trafficking” versus “illegal recruitment”.  The international Organization for Migration (IOM) office in Turkey sent a representative, Ms. Anastacia Saglam as resource speaker, who discussed the Turkish Government’s actions, including the 157 hotline for trafficked victims.  She also joined the Ambassador and Consul General Ferrer in an open forum and question and answer portion on “preventing trafficking in persons”. This gave attendees the opportunity to raise many issues on their current working conditions in Turkey.  

Significantly, the event was an opportunity for several trafficking victims who were in the audience to come forward and tell their story. END