A total of three human trafficking cases were noted in the third quarter of this year, report from the Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Trafficking – Violence Against Women and Children (RIACAT-VAWC) revealed.

The DSWD – led RIACAT-VAWC is strongly advocating against the issue on trafficking, especially that Region Eight is one of the pilot regions in the implementation of the Department’s Recovery and Re-integration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP). Said program is a social technology project of the Department which begun in 2011.

It is meant to ensure better program access and intensify the delivery of comprehensive services for trafficked persons. Asther Lucero, focal person of the program, stated that this project provides a fast – tracked support to trafficked persons along social and economic re-integration through the comprehensive package of services. For the quarter, she reported that there were also three human trafficking victim – survivors and their families who were given livelihood assistance. Another three survivors with ongoing cases filed in court received Php 3,000.00 each as support for their transportation and food expenses while attending court hearings.

She further bared that the local government units of Calbayog City and Biliran, Biliran were provided fund augmentation for their existing programs and services for traffic victims, specifically for advocacy and educational assistance. Continuous advocacy efforts are being pursued by the RIACAT-VAWC by way of fora and orientations. July saw the holding of for a in 11 barangays of Tinambacan District. The participants were barangay officials and some community folks.

The inter-agency committee also conducted a training for implementers on Protocol on Rescue and Investigation of Human Trafficking cases on September 25-27, 2012. Participants were selected police officers, health officers, and social workers of Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, and Leyte provinces.

DSWD Regional Director Leticia Diokno, meanwhile, called on local chief executives to create a local committee on anti-trafficking and VAWC at the provincial, city, and municipal levels. She emphasized the reasons why the need for organizing, stating among others, to establish a functional parallel structure and system at the local level which will monitor and oversee implementation of the provisions of Republic Act 9208 (VAWC Act) and Republic Act 9262 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act).