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Writer's picturemia juan
Jun 16, 202012 min read

Human Trafficking In The Philippines




Welcome to the MJ Project channel. I am MJ, your host, podcaster and vlogger.


This the first episode of our Tuesday Traffic series where I will be talking about a subject I am passionate about and I advocate for: the fight against Human Trafficking.


When I decided to start this podcast and a vlog, I said it was about time I talk about this topic which I have been so quiet about all these years. I never really thought my voice would matter. But now that I have this platform, I will be able to give awareness to this cause.


PART 1


Have you seen a guy, sometimes an old guy, at a beach resort or a tourist spot, holding hands with a local girl who looks no more than 13 or 15 years old? Did it make you feel weird? Did you think that there might be something wrong about this picture? Your gut feeling might be telling you something, that something sinister is happening. That foreign old guy might be a child molester. And the child might be trafficked by a syndicate to that molester. 


If you feel there might be something wrong with that picture, you should report it immediately to the authorities as a human trafficking crime.


What is human trafficking?


Based on Meriam Webset dictionary it describes human trafficking as an organized criminal activity in which human beings are treated as possessions to be controlled and exploited.


According to Wikipedia, human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery or commercial sexual exploitation. This may include mail order brides forced into marriage, or the harvesting of organs, including surrogacy and ovary removal. This types of crime can occur within a country or trans-nationally. Human trafficking is the trade in people, especially women and children, and does not necessarily involve the movement of the person from one place to another.


In the Philippines, being a third world country, we are susceptible to such crimes. Our women and children are at a great risk of being tarfficked, and they have been for many years. Our citizens are vulnerable to human trafficking crimes such as forced prostitution, forced labour or slavery, debt bondage, child sex trafficking and other forms of horendous crimes. In a country where we live from paycheck to paycheck, people tend to do anything and everything just to be able to provide and feed their families. Most of our people are left helpless and clueless in recognizing when they are already being abused and harmed.


To help and protect our people, the Philippine government passed the Anti Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, a law against human trafficking, sex tourism, sex slavery and chil prostitution. In 2017 the US state department office which monitor and combat trafficking in persons had placed our country in tier 1 or fully compliant with minimum standard of the US Trafficking victims protection act.


PART 2


The Philippines is a country with more than 7000 islands. Most of these islands are far from the modern city we have in Metro Manila. They are mostly provinces with poor citizens usually working for big corporations. Citizens in these islands or areas are highly vulnerable to abuse, organized syndicates, and victims of human trafficking and other crimes.


Our government has identified problem areas in the country with high rate of human trafficking crimes. These areas are as follows:


  • Puerto Galera

    • Is a beautiful island beach resort that is just 3 hours away from Manila

    • A favorite place for child molesters

    • I have personally been here several times and I have seen warning signs and posters all over the island reminding people to report to authorities when they see old foreign men with underage girls or boys

  • Angeles and Olongapo City / Pampanga province

    • The city used to be the home to Clark Air Base, a major United States Military facility.

    • I have personally been here and have seen a long stretch of bars and brothels

    • It is notorious for offering kids for sex

    • It is one of the largest sex tourist destination in the world

    • Subic Bay in Olongapo City is a former US Naval Base and an investigation was made because children as young as 4 years old is offered to child molestors

  • Metro Manila

    • Being the capital city of the Philippines, a lot of people are being forced into labor in the city

    • Most of those who I see every holidays are the dark skinned locals from the provinces. Apologies because I honestly do not know what province they come from therefore I don’t know how to properly call them But if you’re from manila, you know who I am talking about. And they only ask alms during the holidays. Because syndicates bring them to manila. I just feel so much for these poor people. 

    • And I am so sad that this happens every year and DSWD does not do anything about it

  • Pagsanjan

    • Is known for trafficking young boys for homosexual predators

  • Pasay

    • Home to our International Airports, Pasay is known to traffic kids as young asn 14 years old to foreign child molestors

  • Makati

    • This area is Famous for their red light districts and thousands of foreign tourists

    • A number of kids are also reported to being kidnapped in Makati for foreign sex trade

  • Davao City

    • Davao is famous for its beautiful beaches and is a known tourist spot

    • Children as young as 10 years old are reported to being trafficked to foreigners in Davao

    • It is also one of the top 5 areas for child prostitution and sex tourism

  • Cebu

    • In 2001, an estimated 10,000 girls were trafficked into sex slavery in Cebu City, Philippines.

    • Cebu is a destination of international and domestic trafficking of children from ages 11 to 17 years old

  • Lucena City

    • Lucena ports have been identified as transit points used by big syndicates in transporting women and children from remote areas of Quezon province to prostitution dens in other parts of the country


PART 3


Human trafficking is not just one single crime. Human trafficking is like an umbrella that branches out to other different and more specific types of crime.


The different types of human trafficking crimes are as follows:

  1. Trafficking of children

    1. This Involves the recruitment, transportation, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of children for the purpose of exploitation.

  2. Sex trafficking

    1. This happens when Women and children are forced into prostitution

  3. Forced Marriage

    1. This is where one more both parties are married without their consent

  4. Labour trafficking

    1. Happens when people are employed against their will with threat of punishment and death

    2. This includes all forms of slavery

  5. Trafficking for organ trade

    1. This happens when any individual is kidnapped by large syndicate groups and their organs are harvested and sold in the black market

  6. Sex tourism

    1. This happens when people travel to locations for the purpose of sex

    2. Most of these individuals are Foriegn child molestors who travel to our country to have sex with children

  7. Mail order bride

    1. Happens when a woman lists herself in catalogs and is selected by a man for marriage

  8. Debt bondage

    1. This happens when a person is forced into labour due to a debt owed

    2. Most of the time, the debt increases over time

    3. The person in debt is removed of his or her freedom until the debt is paid


I will be discussing each type of the crimes I mentioned into more detail on another episide of Tuesday Traffic. Stay tuned for announcements.


Now that we are familiar to the different types of crime that falls under human trafficking, I’d like you to know the people who are vulnerable in falling victim to such crimes.


((Who Are Vulnerable To Human Trafficking))

  • Those people who are desperately looking for work because they would do everything to provide for their families

  • Children from poor families because they can easily be kidnapped and trafficked for any purpose, may it be sex trafficked, for sex tourism, or organ harvesting

  • Single women who live on their own or not with family because most are easily brainwashed to believing they are in a relationship, when in fact they will be placed in prostitution dens to be sexually trafficked

  • Women who are desperate to be able to provide for their family because they would do anything and everything for their family no matter the cost

  • Women who travel alone or foreigners because they are in a strange place without knowledge of how to ask for help from authorities. They may also have problems commuting due to language barriers


Knowing who are vulnerable is not enough. We also need to look for signs that may indicate that a human trafficking rime is happening.


((Signs of Human Trafficking))

  1. If the person cannot leave or quit their current work to find another job

    1. If someone you know mentions that they would like to quit but are helpless in terms of leaving their work, try to dig in deeper and they might be being forced into labour or slavery

    2. In the Philippines, this usually happens to our OFWs who have been tricked by “agencies” or “handlers” promising them good and safe work placements

  2. They do not have control of their wages and their finances

    1. If someone mentions that they are unable to get their wages on time, or have not received any salary for months on end, this may also be a sign that they are being forced into labour or bonded to debt they cannot repay

    2. Same for number 1, most people vulnerable here in our country are our OFWs who are victims of fake “agencies”

  3. Showing signs of physical and mental abuse

    1. This one might be hard to notice, but if you see changes in personality or physical appearance, try to talk to that person alone and find out if someone is abusing them

  4. Are accompanied anywhere by someone who speaks for them or allows others to speak for them when addressed directly

    1. When you meet someone who seems to never be left alone at anytime

    2. When you talk to them, their companion is always the one speaking on their behalf

    3. This may be a clear sign that they are being controlled by their companion and may need immediate help 

    4. In the Philippines, most brothels do not allow their “workers” to mingle with other people unless accompanied by their pimps. They also cannot leave their dens unless it is time for them to “work”

  5. Appears to be fearful of or under the control of another person

    1. This may be In connection with number 4, when someone is in control of them

  6. When someone is unfamiliar with neighborhood where they live or work

    1. When you meet someone who does not seem to belong

    2. When that person does not know where they are or how they got there

    3. This may be a sign that they have been kidnapped from their homes and brought to this place for forced labour or prostitution

  7. Are not working in the job originally promised to them

    1. This usually happens to individuals who look for work abroad

    2. Their “handlers” or “agencies” might have forced them into work different from what was promised to them

  8. Lacking identification, passport or other travel documents, or do not have control over their documentation

    1. In connection to number 7, these individuals are compelled to continue working in their jobs because their “handlers” or agencies” are holding on to their passports and other documents until these “handlers” and “agencies” are paid

  9. Are unable to freely contact their friends and family

    1. If someone you know, a family or a friend, is known to be working for someone and they have not contacted you for a very long time, they might be kidnapped or trafficked to syndicates

  10. Have restricted freedom or movement

    1. If someone you know is unable to freely leave their place of work or their home, this may mean that they are being trafficked, abused or forced into slavery

  11. Are a juvenile engaged in commercial sex act

    1. If you happen to be in a place with bars and brothels, you might notice young girls or boys. 

    2. As long as you think they look like kids, no matter what they are wearing to try and pass as an adult, there is no harm to report such suspitions to the authority

    3. You might be able to help or rescue these kids

  12. Are threatened or afraid of being handed over to authorities

    1. If someone you know is being abused, but are scared to report it to the police, it might be because their lives, or life of their families are being threatened

    2. You might want to help them by being the one to report to the authorities 


Now that we know who are vulnerable and what signs to look for, you might be wondering why the victims don’t try to escape or report their abusers. Here are some of the reasons why, that you may be able to understand their situation.


((Why It Is Hard To Report Human Trafficking Cases))

  1. They are not aware that they are already being trafficked

    1. Most victims of human trafficking does not know or understand that they are already being trafficked

    2. Most of them usually feel like this is the card they are dealt with

    3. Since most victims come from poor background, they are not educated enough that such abuse or actions are already a crime being committed against them

  2. Are threatened that if they tell anyone, they or their families will be hurt

    1. As of any criminal or abuser, their number threat to their victims is more harm to come to them, or worst, to their families

    2. This leaves them afraid and helpless

  3. They are being brainwashed by their traffickers

    1. Most human trafficking crimes are done by huge organized syndicates that are experts in brainwashing their victims into believing that they deserve what is happening to them

    2. Some are made to think that they are part of a family and that the abuse is normal

  4. They do not know who to trust

    1. Most syndicates are backed up by the police, politicians or other powerful people. The victims are told about this and they end up not knowing who to turn to

    2. Most of them no longer know who are the bad guys from the good guys

  5. They do not know how to ask for help or where to go

    1. Some victims of human trafficking are kidnapped and brought to other places which are far away from their home

    2. They do not know where to go or what place is safe

    3. If they do want to report to the police, there is a big chance they are brought to places far away from any authorities 

  6. Are not familiar with laws or language where they are

    1. For those huge organized syndicates, they usually bring their victims from third wolrd countries to 1st world countries such as europe to US

    2. Most of them do not know the language and are lost in translation

    3. The harder it is for them to find help

  7. Fear of deportation

    1. People from third world countries try to find work illegally in first world countries

    2. They usually would do anything not to deported because their work is the only thing that is able to provide a good life for the family they left at their home country

  8. Are already addicted to drugs

    1. This usually is the case for victims of sex trafficking

    2. The victims are drugged day in and day out so men can continue to rape them all day long

    3. Some of the victims get addicted to the drugs

    4. Some of them also sometimes prefer to be drugged so as to numb themselves of the rape and abuse

  9. Are in debt to their traffickers

    1. Some syndicates would reach out a helping hand to their would be victims

    2. Once in debted, the abusers will then start abusing their victims 

    3. The victims will then have the mindset that they will only be free of the abuse omce the debt is paid

    4. Some of them feel like they deserve it because they owe a debt to their abuser



PART 4


Knowing the crime, knowing who the possible victims are, knowing what signs to look for, is not enought if we do not report it to the proper authorities.


If you, our listener, thinks that you are a victim of human trafficking and you do not know if reporting to the police is safe, you can contact the following agencies:


PHILIPPINES


Reporting (Inter-Agency Council Against Human Trafficking)

  • IACAT - 1343 for Metro Manila - (02) 1343 for outside MM

  • Website - www.1343actionline.ph

  • Email - 1343actionline@cfo.gov.ph


USA

  • US Institute Against Human Trafficking - +1 813 895 3390

  • National Human Trafficking Hotline - +1 888 373 7888







EUROPE

PART 5 (closing)


On the next episode of Tuesday Traffic, I will talk about the Philippine Anti Trafficking Act Of 2003. 


Thank you everyone for your time and for listening. I hope you learned something from our Tuesday Traffic episode. If you witness any of the crimes being committed, do not hesitate to report to your local authorities. If you are listening from outside the Philippines, please do research on the contact details for other anti human trafficking groups. 


If you would like to see a transcript of this episode, head on to my blog at www.themjprojectph.com


I will post my links and other important link in the caption.


Again, thank you. Keep listening, keep watching, and keep safe. Goodnight.



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