With perpetrators of human trafficking ready to prey on vulnerable citizens, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) aims to beef up its Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP) with a funding support of Php24 million for 2025, an agency official said on Wednesday (May 7).
For the first quarter of this year alone, 813 victims of this heinous crime have been
served by the agency, according to DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene
Dumlao.
“Ang human trafficking ay isang heinous crime at karaniwang biktima nito ay ang mga mahihirap at bulnerable nating mga kababayan. Bagamat isinusulong natin ang kampanya to end human trafficking, ay atin ding pinaghahandaan na mabigyan ng sapat na tulong ang mga biktima sa pamamagitan ng RRPTP program natin,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao explained.
The DSWD’s RRPTP ensures adequate services for the recovery and reintegration of trafficked victim-survivors to their families and communities. The program utilizes a multi-sectoral approach to address the psychosocial, social, and economic needs of the clients who have fallen victim to the crime.
The DSWD spokesperson said interventions are also provided to the families of the victim as well as to the communities to which they will be reintegrated.
“Community systems are improved to ensure that the victims will recover properly and that other members of the community will not fall into the trap of the perpetrators,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out.
Cases of human trafficking include forced labor, sexual exploitation, prostitution, slavery, adoption, pornography, organ trafficking, child trafficking, and forced servitude, among others.
“Sa ilalim ng RRPTP ay mayroon tayong economic reintegration services kung saan nagbibigay tayo ng financial and non-material assistance para magkaroon sila [biktima] ng economic independence at i-build up ang kanilang self-confidence. Alam naman natin na nag-uugat sa kagustuhang mapaunlad ang kabuhayan ang pangunahing dahilan kung bakit may mga nabibiktima ng human trafficking,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
Also under the program, human trafficking victims who have ongoing court cases are given transportation, board and lodging, and food assistance; as well as financial support to cover other incidental expenses as they attend court hearings.
As part of the comprehensive intervention, the Department also refers the victims to appropriate partner-stakeholders which can further provide them with additional support.
Witnesses of human trafficking cases are also included as beneficiaries of the program.
The DSWD spokesperson reminded the public to exercise caution in dealing with people offering opportunities that are too good to be true, either locally or internationally.
“Kapag may mga nag-aalok ng trabaho o other opportunities, i-double check sa mga opisina ng gobyerno kung ito ay lehitimo. Kung mayroon kayong alam na gumagawa ng ganitong krimen o mayroon kayong kilala na nabiktima, maaaring ipagbigay alam sa ating Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Helpline 1343 Action Line. Sama-sama po nating labanan ang human trafficking,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said. (GDVF)