Leyte Creates Anti-trafficking Task Force

Tacloban City (PNA) –- The Leyte provincial board passed an ordinance creating the Provincial Inter-Agency Committee against Trafficking in Persons and Violence Against Women and Children.

The ordinance authored by Board Members Deborah Bertulfo and Mimietta Bagulaya seeks to “eliminate trafficking in persons and mitigate pressures for involuntary migration and the servitude of persons to ensure their recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration.”

Vice Gov. Carlo Loreto said the provincial legislators join the national government in giving highest priority to the enactment of measure and development of programs that promotes human dignity, protect the people from violence and exploitation.

“We underscore the commitment of the state to safeguarding the dignity of women and their children while guaranteeing full respect of their human rights and to protect them from violence and threats to their personal safety and security,” Loreto said.

The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act passed in 2003 provides strong mandates and direction to relevant government agencies and stakeholders to immediate address human trafficking and Violence Against Women and their Children.

Loreto said that organizing counterpart committees at the provincial level are seen as imperative and timely to connect to the local government units, policies and laws, a modest contribution to the Philippine government’s efforts towards broadening participation and accountability.

The committee based on the ordinance will be chaired the governor and co-chaired by the chairperson of the Committee on Women and Children in the provincial board.

Members include the provincial legal officer, social welfare and development officer, planning and development officer, health officer, public employment officer, schools superintendent, civil service commission, prosecutor. (PNA) JMC/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA