DFA Consular Office in La Union Participates in RIACAT-VAWC
Members and stakeholders of RIACAT-VAWC attend the 3rd Quarter Meeting, hosted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development – Field Office 1 to discuss relevant issues concerning Anti-Trafficking in Persons, Child Pornography and Violence against Women and their Children. (DFA CO in La Union)
LA UNION 25 October 2019 – As part of the Department’s support in upholding the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, and the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, the Department of Foreign Affairs Consular Office in La Union, represented by its Assistance to National (ATN) Officer Michael John C. Angeles, participated in the 3rd Quarter Meeting of the Regional Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking – Violence Against Women and their Children (RIACAT-VAWC) held on 16 October 2019 at the Conference Hall of Max’s Restaurant in San Fernando City.
The meeting, presided by Ms. Leliani Bolivar on behalf of Regional Director Marcelo Nicomedes Castillo of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1, was attended by representatives of various government agencies to discuss the agenda carried over from the previous meeting.
Ms. Bolivar discussed the renaming of RIACAT-VAWC to RIACAT-CP-VAWC to incorporate the subject of Child Pornography into the group’s mandate. The members and the stakeholders of RIACAT-VAWC found it fitting to rename the group to show its support against the proliferation of child pornography in the country, specifically in Region 1.
ATN Officer Angeles highlighted the accomplishments of the DFA in repatriating 106 distressed OFWs from the UAE last 12 October 2019; around 5,000 of which have been repatriated since January 2019. He also cited Kuwait PE’s Embassy-Assisted Repatriation Program (EARP), where 300 OFWs from Kuwait have been repatriated since January of this year. He also reiterated the Department’s warning against human trafficking. END