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Marcos orders gov't to beef up efforts vs human trafficking: DOJ

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Departing passengers queue before the immigration counters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on July 4, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/08/26/20230704-naia-3-immigration-counters-md-9.jpg"/><figcaption>Departing passengers queue before the immigration counters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on July 4, 2023. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has ordered government agencies to intensify their efforts against human trafficking, the justice department said Saturday. </p><p>Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano said this is needed to keep the Philippines&#x27; Tier 1 from the 4-tier system of the US State Department on the countries&#x27; efforts to combat trafficking. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/17/23/ph-meets-us-standards-to-rid-human-trafficking-anew-bi">PH meets US standards to rid human trafficking anew: BI</a></li></ul><p>&quot;While Tier 1 is the highest ranking, it does not mean that a country has no human trafficking problem or that it is doing enough to address the crime,&quot; the US State Department <a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-trafficking-in-persons-report/">earlier said</a> in its 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/23/23/iacat-revises-departure-guidelines-for-pinoys-traveling-overseas">IACAT revises departure guidelines for Pinoys traveling overseas</a></li></ul><p>“In fact, he has given specific instructions to maintain our Tier 1 ranking. That means he will support all the facets and all the programs that the IACAT has already put in place and he would like to enhance those programs,&quot; Clavano said in a news forum in Quezon City. </p><p>“Although we have already been given the Tier 1 ranking for 2022, we felt we could further enhance our own operations against human trafficking,” he added.</p><p>The President has also been given a report on the human rights situation in the country, as this was expected to be tackled during the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Indonesia next month. </p><p>“Yes. We have given the President a situationer previously on the area of human trafficking and he understands very clearly the depth and how wide-spread this problem is,” said the justice official. </p><p>The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) will implement in September a revised departure protocols for Filipinos traveling overseas, in a bid to clarify what documents departing passengers should bring to satisfy Immigration officers on the lookout for potential trafficking victims.</p><p>This comes months after complaints surfaced of missed flights due to lengthy interviews with immigration officers, some of whom reportedly asked for a yearbook or graduation photo.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/25/23/bi-new-travel-guidelines-clarification-of-existing-rules">BI: New travel guidelines &#x27;clarification&#x27; of existing rules</a></li></ul><p>The Bureau of Immigration said the guidelines issued by the IACAT would not require additional requirements for departing tourists, despite concerns from Filipino travelers. </p><p>Clavano noted that the revised protocols would help keep the country&#x27;s Tier 1 ranking. The justice department is also working with its Southeast Asian neighbors to fight human trafficking. </p><p>Among the hotspots include Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, he said. </p><p>“We have to understand that our population is a very migratory population. Around 10 percent of our population seeks to travel abroad and find their opportunities abroad and this is very specific to our country as opposed or as compared to other countries who have job opportunities where they are,&quot; he said. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2774287" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Justice Spokesperson Mico Clavano said this is needed to keep the Philippines' Tier 1 from the 4-tier system of the US State Department on the countries' efforts to combat trafficking. 

Marcos orders gov't to beef up efforts vs human trafficking: DOJ

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Marcos orders gov't to beef up efforts vs human trafficking: DOJ

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 26, 2023 04:59 PM PHT

|

Updated August 27, 2023 10:10 AM PHT

Read More:

human trafficking

Mico Clavano

DOJ

Department of Justice

IACAT

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