Unshackled; Eliminating Human Trafficking in the Philippines

Slavery is the vilest act that fundamentally demeans human dignity. It has been in existence since before the dark ages and has persisted to date. Now, we call it "human trafficking" which sounds less incensing but does not make it any less cruel. Whichever the case, human trafficking flourishes in impoverished countries, including the Philippines. The poorer the country, the more vulnerable it is to slavery.

Traffickers exploit the poor simply because they do not matter in the eyes of society and the government. They are easy to overlook due to their status in society. A missing beggar will not really be missed. A ravished prostitute will never make the headlines. The reality is that poor people receive lesser attention than those with deep assets and astounding clout. Aside from election-related political propaganda, Filipinos living in poverty rarely receive attention or aid. In trafficking, the poor are the perfect victim, so to speak, which is why they can be easily snagged from our country through illegal recruitment and migration. They naively expect greener pastures for themselves and their families in a foreign country only to be completely shackled, dominated and, eventually, condemned as soon as they land their feet.

In the Philippines, young mothers are found to have quickly sold their new born child for a few scraps just so they can survive. Young women, some barely of legal age, are auctioned off to the highest bidders in underground sex markets both locally and internationally. Child pornography remains rampant especially in the digital platform as there are reportedly hundreds of minor victims in online sexual abuse. Aside from sexual abuse, child labor consented to by their own parents to pay off debt bondages is an on-going concern. Tourists are known for visiting the Philippines for the so-called "sex tourism" which has children as the main attraction. These are just some of the consequences of slavery, which will persist as long as poverty exists.

It is still worth mentioning that there are laws and enforcement measures that mitigate the effects of slavery. The Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012, or Republic Act No. 10364, serves as the primary legal weapon against trafficking. This law created the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) which is instrumental in detecting and prosecuting traffickers. Notably, IACAT has maintained a Tier 1 ranking in the U.S.​ Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report for nine consecutive years. This ranking signifies that the Philippines fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) was established in late-December 2021 and includes direct provisions to investigate illegal recruitment and human trafficking cases of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). The Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP) offers support to victim-survivors of trafficking, Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC), and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM).

While these laws and measures are indeed effective and helpful, none of them serves to uplift poor people from the poverty line. Like curing cancer, a problem of this magnitude can be best addressed when the core or origin of it is identified and subsequently eliminated. All other procedures are mere band aid solutions that can cure but does not in any way prevent trafficking. The main focus should be to eliminate the core problem - poverty. As long as there are poor people, there will be slavery. Other countries are successful in curbing poverty which greatly reduced the occurrence of human trafficking.

​China is the most obvious example. Despite its controversial geopolitical strategies (i.e., West Philippine Sea), China has made great progress in poverty alleviation. It has taken a staggering 850 million people out of poverty between 1981 and 2013​. China's poverty alleviation efforts include setting up assistance funds and scholarship programs for individuals in need. Additionally, the Chinese government implemented a poverty alleviation policy in 2015, achieving total poverty alleviation in rural areas by 2020. That was just a short span of five (5) years. Given its girth in population, China's success in poverty reduction has contributed to a significant decrease in the global rate of poverty.

Indonesia also saw large numbers of people lifted out of poverty between 2012 and 2017. Other countries that have halved their global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) values within 15 years include Cambodia, Congo, Honduras, India, Morocco, and Serbia. Even the super over-populated state, India, experienced a considerable reduction in poverty, with 415 million people exiting poverty in just 15 years. Brazil has taken steps to reduce poverty and income inequality through programs such as the Bolsa Familia Program (Family Grant Program) and Continuous Cash Benefit.

In the west, Canada has implemented programs like the Guaranteed Income Supplement for low-income senior citizens and the National Housing Strategy for affordable housing. In 2017, the Guaranteed Income Supplement assisted nearly 2 million people. Denmark, which is known for its low crime rate, has a social welfare system that provides benefits to the unemployed, disabled, and elderly, ensuring good health and low infant mortality rates, as well as free education.

The Philippines can definitely take a page or two from these countries that have had success in lowering poverty by adopting effective and responsive measures. Laws and practical experience should go hand in hand to solve this perennial issue. As Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. once said "the soul of the law is experience". Why not emulate the experiences of these global success stories into our laws and policies so we can finally rid a lot of families from poverty? This may probably be the only way to eliminate human trafficking once and for all.