05 June 2015 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will conduct a Workshop on Anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) from June 06 to 07 in Tagaytay for its personnel in the Home Office.

Over 130 participants are expected to participate in the TIP workshop including Assistance to Nationals (ATN) officers, heads and personnel of DFA Offices, and Foreign Service Officers (FSOs). The workshop will focus on the discussion of the following topics: Philippine perspectives on TIP, Philippine Government action against TIP, and protecting the vulnerable sectors.

The workshop aims to enable the participants to correctly identify different types of trafficking situations and to render appropriate assistance to the victims. Anti-TIP measures and steps to combat trafficking will likewise be shared, focusing on the best practices in recruitment to protect vulnerable migrants especially women.

In his message to the participants in the workshop convened in Vienna, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said, “Trafficking in Persons is modern-day slavery. It is an insidious crime that targets the most vulnerable members of society and robs them of their inherent dignity.”

The roster of speakers is composed of experts from the DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, DFA-Office of Middle East and African Affairs, DFA-Office of Personnel and Administrative Services, Department of Justice, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Labor and Employment. Representatives from the Embassy of the United States and the Australian Federal Police will also serve as resource persons.

This is a culminating workshop following the success of the training programs for Foreign Service Posts in Europe, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East and African regions last 2014. END