humantrafficking.org | philippines

8/4/2015 HumanTrafficking.org | Philippines

http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/philippines 1/8

Emailthispage

HowYouCanHelp|AboutUs|ContactUs|Search

A WEB RESOURCE FOR COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Youarehere:HomePhilippines

PhilippinesTheSituation

ThePhilippinesisasourceand,toamuchlesserextent,adestinationandtransitcountryformen,women,andchildrenwhoaresubjectedtosextraffickingandforcedlabor.

SourceTheILOestimatesthatonemillionFilipinomenandwomenmigrateabroadeachyearforworkopportunities,

andthat10millionFilipinoscurrentlyliveandworkabroad.1Asignificantnumberofthesemigrantsaresubjectedtoconditionsofforcedlaborinfactories,atconstructionsites,onfishingvessels,onagriculturalplantations,andasdomesticworkersinAsiaandincreasinglythroughouttheMiddleEast.Filipinowomenindomesticservitudeabroadfacerapeandviolentphysicalandsexualabuse.SkilledFilipinomigrantworkers,suchasengineersandnurses,havealsobeensubjectedtoconditionsofinvoluntaryservitude.WomenweretraffickedintothecommercialsexindustryincountriessuchasMalaysia,Singapore,HongKong,SouthKorea,

andJapanandinvariousMiddleEasterncountries.2

InthePhilippines,traffickers,inpartnershipwithorganizedcrimesyndicatesandcomplicitlawenforcementofficers,regularlyoperatethroughfraudulentrecruitmentagenciesandpracticestotrafficmigrants.Traffickersuselocalrecruiterssenttovillagesandurbanneighborhoodstorecruitfamilyandfriends,oftenmasqueradingasrepresentativesofgovernmentregisteredemploymentagencies.Thesefraudulentrecruitmentpracticesandtheinstitutionalizedpracticeofpayingrecruitmentfeesoftenleaveworkersvulnerabletoforcedlabor,debtbondage,andcommercialsexualexploitation.Therewerereportsin2010thatillicitrecruitersincreasedtheiruseofstudent,intern,andexchangeprogramvisastocircumventthePhilippinesgovernmentandreceiving

countriesregulatoryframeworksforforeignworkers.3

TransitTherearereportsthatorganizedcrimesyndicateshavebeenheavilyinvolvedinthecommercialsexindustry,andthatinternationalsyndicatestransitedvictimsfrommainlandChinathroughthePhilippinestothirdcountry

destinations.4

DestinationThePhilippinesisadestinationcountryforasmallnumberofwomenwhoaretraffickedfromthePeoples

RepublicofChina,SouthKorea,RussiaandEasternEuropeforcommercialsexualexploitation.5

InternalTraffickingInternaltraffickingofmen,women,andchildrenalsoremainsasignificantprobleminthePhilippines.PeoplearetraffickedfromruralareastourbancentersincludingManila,Cebu,thecityofAngeles,andincreasinglyto

citiesinMindanao,aswellaswithinurbanareas.6

Menaresubjectedtoforcedlaboranddebtbondageintheagriculture,fishing,andmaritimeindustries.Womenandchildrenaretraffickedwithinthecountryforforcedlaborasdomesticworkersandsmallscalefactory

workers,forforcedbegging,andforexploitationinthecommercialsexindustry.Filipinomigrantworkers(bothdomesticallyandabroad)whobecometraffickingvictimsareoftensubjecttoviolence,threats,inhumaneliving



conditions,nonpaymentofsalaries,andwithholdingoftravelandidentitydocuments.7

Althoughprostitutionisillegal,hundredsofvictimsaresubjectedtoforcedprostitutioneachdayinwellknown

andhighlyvisiblebusinessestablishmentsthatcatertobothdomesticandforeigndemandforcommercialsex

acts.8ChildsextourisminparticularremainsaseriousprobleminthePhilippines,withsextouristscomingfromNortheastAsia,Australia,NewZealand,Europe,andNorthAmericatoengageinthecommercialsexual

exploitationofchildren.9

ChildlaborisacommonprobleminthePhilippines.Onegovernmentreportestimatesthatthereweremore

than2.2millionworkingchildrenages15to17inthecountryin2009.Themajorityofthesechildrenworkas

laborersandunskilledworkers,andareoftenexposedtohazardousworkingenvironmentsinindustriessuchas

mining,fishing,pyrotechnicproduction,domesticservice,garbagescavenging,andagriculture,especiallysugar

caneplantations.Asignificantnumberofchildrenarealsoemployedintheinformalsectoroftheurban

economyasdomesticworkersorasunpaidfamilyworkersinruralagriculturalareas.NGOandgovernment

officialsreportedcasesin2010inwhichfamilymemberssoldchildrentoemployersfordomesticlabororsexual

exploitation.10

ChildrenarealsovulnerabletovariousmilitarygroupsinthePhilippines.TheMoroIslamicLiberationFront

(MILF),aseparatistgroup,andtheNewPeoplesArmy(NPA)havebeenidentifiedbytheUnitedNationsas

amongtheworldspersistentperpetratorsofviolationsagainstchildreninarmedconflict,includingforcing

childrenintoservice.During2010,therewerecontinuedreportstotheUnitedNationsthattheAbuSayyaf

Grouptargetedchildrenforconscriptionasbothcombatantsandnoncombatants.11

Causes

ThereareanumberofhighriskfactorsinthePhilippinesthatcancontributetohumantrafficking.These

include:

ConflictbetweenMILFandtheArmedForcesofthePhilippines(AFP)leftbetween128,000and160,000

vulnerableindividualsdisplacedin201012

Poverty,populationgrowth,anddependencyburdenshaveleadsomeparentstoseechildlaborasa

meanstocopewithmeagerfamilyincomes.13Pervasiveandpersistentpoverty,especiallyinruralareas,highunemploymentandunderemploymentand

constraintstosmallandmediumenterprisesgrowthareafewofthechallengesfacingtheFilipinolabor

forcethathaveleadmanytomigrateforwork.14Presenceofalargeinformaleconomy,estimatedtobebetween4080%ofFilipinoworkers,whoarefor

themostpartnotregisteredorrecordedinofficialstatisticsandarebeyondthereachofsocialprotection

andlaborlegislation.15Anestimated900,000undocumentedFilipinos,mostlybasedinMindanao,whoselackofofficial

documentationcontributestothepopulationsvulnerabilitytotrafficking.16

Anestablishedorganizedcrimenetworkthatplaysupontheabovefactorsandfraudulentlyrecruits

personsforjobsthatareinrealityforcedlaborsituations.17Persistentlawenforcementofficialscomplicityinhumantraffickingandcorruptionatalllevelsof

governmentthatenablestraffickerstoprosper.18

ThePhilippineGovernment

ThePhilippineGovernmentwasplacedinTier2inthe2011U.S.DepartmentofStatesTraffickingin

PersonsReportfornotfullycomplyingwiththeTraffickingVictimsProtectionActsminimumstandardsforthe

eliminationoftraffickingbutmakingsignificanteffortstodoso.

ThePhilippinescriminallyprohibitsbothsexandlabortraffickingthroughits2003AntiTraffickinginPersons

Act,whichprescribespenaltiesuptolifeinprison.Thelawallowsprivateprosecutors,includingNGOs,tofile



lawsuitsagainsttraffickers.During2010,thePhilippineDepartmentofJusticeandSupremeCourtissued

directivestoexpeditethedispositionofbackloggedtraffickingcasesandconvicted25traffickingoffenders.19

Inthecaseofchildlabor,theDepartmentofLaborandEmployment(DOLE)issuednewregulationsin2009thatfacilitatetheimmediateclosureofestablishmentssuspectedofusingchildrenforcommercialsexacts,withcourthearingstodeterminethevalidityofthecomplainttobeheldatalatertime.Between2009and2010DOLEorderedtheclosureof22establishmentsforallegedlyprostitutingminors.Trialsinthesecasesare

ongoing.20

Additionally,authoritiesmadenotableeffortsin2010toaddresstraffickingrelatedcorruption,andseveralcriminalcasesagainstPhilippineofficialswereinitiatedandremainongoing.Thegovernmentenactednumerousmeasuresandpoliciesaimedatimprovinginstitutionalresponses,includingincreasedtrainingofjudicial,lawenforcement,anddiplomaticofficialsontraffickingissuesthecreationandfundingofantitraffickingtask

forcesinairports,seaports,regions,andlocalitiesandanincreaseindedicatedstafftocombating

trafficking.21

However,thereremainsasubstantialbacklogintraffickingcasespendinginPhilippinecourtsalackofvigorouseffortstopursuecriminalprosecutionoflabortraffickers,includinglaborrecruitmentcompaniesinvolvedinthetraffickingofmigrantworkersabroadrampantcorruptionatalllevelsthatenablestraffickersandundermineseffortstocombattraffickingandunevenandinsufficienteffortstoidentifyandadequatelyprotectvictimsof

traffickingparticularlythosewhoareassistingwithprosecutions.22

ProsecutionDuring2011,thegovernmentconvicted25traffickingoffendersin19casescomparedwithninetraffickers

convictedinsixcasesduringthepreviousyearincludingthefirsteverconvictionofalabortraffickerwhosoldtwowomenintodomesticservitudeinMalaysia.Thelabortraffickerwassentencedto28yearsimprisonment

andfinedover$28,000.Sentencesfortheother24convictedoffendersrangedfromsixyearstolife

imprisonment.Philippinecourtshave338pendingorongoingtraffickingcases.23

In2010,theDepartmentofJusticeorderedprosecutorstomaketraffickingcasesapriority,designating36prosecutorstovariousnational,regional,andairporttaskforcestoworkonantitraffickingcases.Thistaskforcemodelensuresthatprosecutorsassistlawenforcementinbuildingcasesagainstsuspectedtraffickingoffenders.Thegovernmentalsoranamandatorytrainingsessionontraffickingforover400judgesand

expandedantitraffickingtrainingeffortstoseveralhundredpoliceandlawenforcementofficers,inpartnershipwithNGOsandforeigndonors.However,NGOsreportedthatdespitethetrainingstherecontinuestobealackofunderstandingoftraffickingandtheantitraffickinglawamongmanyjudges,prosecutors,socialservice

workers,andlawenforcementofficials.24

Widespreadcorruptionandaninefficientjudicialsystemcontinuetoposeveryseriouschallengestothesuccessfulprosecutionoftraffickingcases.Throughout2010,therewerereportsthatofficialsandpoliceinanti

traffickingunitsandagenciespermittedtraffickerstoescapeduringraidsconductedfakeraidsinordertoextortbribesfromtraffickersandvictimsandacceptedpaymentsorsexualservicesfromestablishments

knownfortraffickingwomenandchildren.During2010,thegovernmentbegantotakestepstoidentifyandprosecuteofficialscomplicitinsuchabuses,filingcriminalcasesagainsteightofficialsandadministrativecasesagainstanadditional21officials(noneofthecaseshadbeenconcludedasoftheendofthe2010reporting

period).25

ProtectionThePhilippineGovernmentcontinuestooperate42temporarysheltersforvictimsofalltypesofabuse,andstaysatthesheltersareatthevictimsdiscretion.However,thecapacitytoprovidevictimprotectionservicesremainsverylimited,duetoinsufficientfundingfromthegovernment.Additionally,throughthePhilippinesOverseasLaborOffices,thegovernmentprovidesemergencyshelter,medicalcare,andlegalassistanceto



Filipinotraffickingvictimsinseveralcountries,includingtheUAE,Kuwait,SaudiArabia,Qatar,Jordan,

Singapore,andMalaysia.26

Thegovernmentencouragesvictimstoassistintheinvestigationandprosecutionoftheirtraffickers,butthe

governmentsseriouslackofvictimandwitnessprotection,exacerbatedbyalengthytrialprocessandfearof

retaliationbytraffickers,causesmanyvictimstodeclineorwithdrawcooperation.During2010,the

DepartmentofJusticeonlyassistedthreetraffickingvictimspursuecases.27

Prevention

ThePhilippineGovernmentsupportsanarrayofpreventionactivities.During2010,thegovernmentincreased

trainingandpublicawarenesscampaignsontraffickingforjudicialofficials,lawenforcementpersonnel,local

governmentunits,andcivilsocietygroups.Thegovernmentconductedpreemploymentseminarsforover

100,000prospectiveandoutboundoverseasforeignworkers.Italsoheldtrainingseminarsfordiplomatsand

embassypersonnelinSoutheastAsia,theMiddleEast,andNorthAfricaonvictimidentification,reportingof

traffickingcases,victimcenteredinterviewtechniques,andoptionsforfilingtraffickingcasesagainsttraffickers

inthedestinationcountriesorinthePhilippines.28

InDecember2010,thePhilippineCongressappropriated$550,000inthe2011nationalbudgettofund,forthe

firsttime,theInterAgencyCouncilAgainstTrafficking(ICAT)andtheDepartmentofSocialWelfareand

Developmentsantitraffickingprograms.Withthis,ICATwasabletosignificantlyincreasestaffingatitsNinoy

AquinoInternationalAirportantitraffickingtaskforce,whichnowoperates24hoursperday,sevendaysper

week.Thegovernmentalsoestablishedfourregionalantitraffickingtaskforcesconsistingofprosecutors,law

enforcementagents,socialworkers,andNGOsintraffickinghotspotsaroundthecountryandlaunchedanew

24hournationwideantitraffickinghotlinedesignedtorespondtocrisiscallsfromvictims.29

InAugust2010,theBureauofImmigrationinstitutednewscreeningguidelinesforportsofexit,leadingtothe

interceptionofover28,000passengersidentifiedaspotentialvictimsoftrafficking,duetotheirlackofproper

documentationandindicatorsofhighriskforillegalrecruitmentandtrafficking.Over900caseswerereferred

ontogovernmententitiesforfurtherinvestigation.30

InternationalCooperation

ThePhilippineGovernmentworkswithinternationalNGOsandforeigngovernmentstocombathumantrafficking

inthePhilippinesandofFilipinomigrantsabroad.31

Recommendations

TheU.S.DepartmentofStaterecommendsthatthePhilippinegovernmentenactthefollowingmeasuresinits

2011TIPReport:

Sustaintheintensifiedefforttoinvestigate,prosecute,andconvicteffectivelyanincreasednumberofboth

laborandsextraffickingoffendersinvolvedinthetraffickingofFilipinosbothwithinthecountryand

abroad

ContinuetofundandstrengthentheInterAgencyCouncilAgainstTraffickingandprovidefulltimestaffing

andmanagementfortheIACATSecretariat

Addressthesignificantbacklogoftraffickingcasesbydevelopingmechanismstotrackandmonitorthe

statusofcasesfiledwiththeDepartmentofJusticeandthoseundertrialinthecourts

Strictlyenforceanticorruptionlawsandexpediteadjudicationofcasesfiledbytheregionalantitrafficking

taskforces

Conductimmediateandrigorousinvestigationsofcomplaintsoftraffickingcomplicitybygovernment

officialsandensureaccountabilityforleadersthatfailtoaddresstraffickingrelatedcorruptionwithintheir

areasofjurisdiction

Strengthenantitraffickingtrainingforpolicerecruits,lineofficers,andpoliceinvestigators

Makeeffortstoimprovecollaborationbetweenvictimserviceorganizationsandlawenforcementauthorities

withregardstolawenforcementoperations



Increasevictimshelterresourcestoexpandthegovernmentsheltersystemtoassistagreaternumberof

traffickingvictims,includingmalevictimsofbothsexandlabortrafficking

IncreasefundingfortheDepartmentofJusticesprogramfortheprotectionofwitnessesandentryof

traffickingvictimsintotheprogram

Increaseeffortstoidentifytraffickingvictimsindestinationcountriesandtopursuecriminalinvestigation

andprosecutionoftheirtraffickersand

Developandimplementprogramsaimedatreducingdemandforcommercialsexacts.32

__________________________

1ILO:LabourMigrationinthePhilippines22011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport

32011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport42010USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport52009USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport

62011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport72011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport

82011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport2010USDepartmentofStateHumanRightsReport



122010USDepartmentofStateHumanRightsReport13ILO:ChildLaborinthePhilippines

14ILO:EmploymentPromotioninthePhilippines15ILO:InformalEconomyinthePhilippines

162011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport172011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport182011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport192011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport

202010USDepartmentofStateHumanRightsReport212011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport222011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport232011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport242011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport252011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport262011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport272011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport282011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport292011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport302011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport312011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport322011USDepartmentofStateTraffickinginPersonsReport



Relatedpagesonthissite[viewall]

VisayanSugarDistrictVowsanEndtoChildLaborPractice

ImmigrationOperativesonGuardforHumanTraffickinginthePhilippines

TraffickingofFilipinasinSingapore

EffortsvsExploitationinthePhilippines

NBIRescues40fromTraffickingRinginManila,Philippines

StrategiestoImproveResponsetoTraffickinginPersonsDevelopedinthePhilippines

AdvocatesUniteforImplementationofAntitraffickingLawinEasternVisayas,thePhilippines

TwoFilipinasTriedforTraffickinginHongKong

TwoFilipinasTriedforHumanTraffickinginHongKong

MoroccoCenterofTraffickingofFilipinostoEurope

Relatedexternallinks[viewall]

TheHumanTraffickingProject

VisayanForumFoundation

CoalitionAgainstTraffickinginWomenAsiaPacific

AsiaACTs:SoutheastAsiaCampaignonAntiChildTrafficking

PhilippinesGovernment

AgenciesLaws

ActionPlans/Initiatives

NongovernmentalOrganizations

InternationalOrganizations

BestPractices

RecentUpdates

Events

UpcomingArchive

Resources



Search

Searchtheentiretyofthesiteforresourcesorupdates.

Search

Inquiry Corner

Weareheretoassistyouwithresearchrequestsorinquiriesabouthumantrafficking.Clickhereto

contactus!

Newsletter

Signupforourmonthlynewslettertostayuptodatewithnewsandeventsfromaroundtheworld.

Linking Needs with Resources Campaign

Clickheretofindoutmore.

EastAsia&Pacific[]

Australia

Burma

Cambodia

China

EastTimor

HongKongSAR

Indonesia

Japan

LaoPDR

Malaysia

Mongolia

NewZealand

Philippines

Singapore

SouthKorea

Taiwan

Thailand

UnitedStatesofAmerica

Vietnam

OtherRegions

WhatIsHumanTrafficking?

CombatTrafficking

RelatedIssues

Resources

Publications

RelatedLinks



CapacityBuildingToolsOnlineConferenceCenterNGOCornerGovernmentCornerAcademicCorner

RecentUpdatesNews&UpdatesEvents

Newsletter

InitiativesRegional/EastAsia&PacificInternational

20012006AcademyforEducationalDevelopment.AllRightsReserved.

PrivacyPolicyandDisclaimer SubscribeviaRSS

humantrafficking.org | philippines

Documents