|
Manila: A special commission has taken its drive against human trafficking to the grassroots level in a bid to make potential victims aware of the legal processes involved in working in another country.
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has launched an education drive in Metro Manila suburbs and the provinces to prevent Philippine nationals from being victimised by human traffickers.
Pro-active stance
Initially, the CFO sought the cooperation of village and town officials in Metro Manila suburbs like Caloocan City. These officials will be given seminars and be made aware of the modus operandi of human traffickers.
CFO officials say that instead of addressing concerns of human trafficking victims on a case by case basis, they have taken a pro-active stance on mitigating the incidence of human trafficking. "CFO wants people to be better-informed on the realities of migration so they will be able to make decision better before finally deciding to migrate to other countries," a CFO official said.
Based on the latest records of the CFO, there are now around 8.72 million Filipinos abroad.
Of these, there are 77 cases of human trafficking which are currently being handled by the CFO and around 160 victims have been helped through repatriation.
CFO staff led by Rodrigo Garcia emphasised the need for future migrants to link with their office for the proper process in applying for an immigrant visa.
They also warned people not to get into business transactions through the internet, especially when it comes to payments and contract signing.
|
