11 December 2015 – The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah held an orientation/seminar on Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons for its officers and staff on December 03.
The seminar was conducted by Atty. Robert L. Larga, Director IV of the Licensing and Regulation Office, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) together with Atty. Celso J. Hernandez, Jr., OIC of the Legal Assistance Division, also from the POEA. They were at the Kingdom to check the condition and status of female wards at the Migrant Workers Office Filipino Resource Center (MWOFRC) and document cases of illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons.
Atty. Jainal T. Rasul, Jr., POLO Labor Attache, welcomed and introduced the two resource speakers. In her inspirational message, Consul Germinia V. Aguilar-Usudan, Acting Head of Post, thanked Atty. Larga and Hernandez for their generosity in sharing their knowledge to the Consulate General personnel. She also underlined the importance of the seminar, which provides Consulate General personnel an opportunity to upgrade their skills and familiarity on the subject as they discharge their respective daily duties and responsibilities.
Atty. Hernandez discussed illegal recruitment and its prohibited acts, as well as the process for referral and filing of cases. On his part, Atty. Larga shared with the attendees the labour dimensions of trafficking in persons. The half-day seminar was capped with an open forum, where participants engaged in a lively dialogue on their learnings and questions arising from the seminar. Attendees also received Certificates of Participation.
The Consulate General’s initiative to conduct orientation/seminar on illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons coincided with the International Day against Trafficking being celebrated every 12th of December. END