Legarda praises PH for keeping its Tier 1 status vs. human trafficking

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda lauded the Philippines’ retention of its Tier 1 ranking in the fight against human trafficking.

Legarda, co-sponsor and author of Republic Act No. 9208, or Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, says the country should maintain and strengthen its measures to prevent future cases.

“Lubos akong nagpapasalamat sa ating pamahalaan na patuloy na nagtataguyod ng mga programa at patakarang nagsasawata sa paglaganap ng human trafficking sa bansa, na sumisira sa kinabukasan ng marami nating kababayan,” she said.

“We must ensure we put an end to this crime so that no fellow citizen will be exploited by nefarious parties,” Legarda added.

In the latest edition of the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report released by the US Department of State, the Philippines was recognized as one of the 30 countries given the highest rating.

The Philippines met the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking under America’s Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, having been elevated to the Tier 1 placement since 2016.

During the launch, Ambassador-at-Large Cindy Dyer, head of the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, praised the Philippines and neighboring Indonesia for working to “assist trafficking victims lured by cybercrime syndicates into cyber scam operations.”

“To help curtail the scourge of human trafficking, we must continue to find ways to alleviate the effects of poverty on our less fortunate countrymen,” remarked Legarda.

“It is our mission to help the country by crafting relevant measures to help improve the lives of every Filipino,” she concluded.

RA 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, is the primary law that punishes various forms of human trafficking. It offers legal protection to trafficked persons by ensuring them that they will not be punished for their role in human trafficking.

Legarda is also the principal sponsor and co-author of RA 10364, the expanded version of the aforementioned law. (end)