The Interagency Task Force on Women and Children, which was formed to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable sectors in the province, met again on Monday, June 5, in the Governor’s Conference Room of the provincial capitol building to discuss proactive measures to prevent and strengthen the fight against illegal recruitment activities and human trafficking in Palawan.
Recent reports have shed light on the alarming number of Palaweños falling victim to human trafficking and being transported to neighboring countries.
Laywer Mary Joy Ordaneza-Cascara of the Provincial Legal Office (PLO), emphasized the need to shift attention from rescue operations to bolstering prevention strategies, as this approach provides a more effective means of safeguarding Palaweños from exploitation.
“Hindi lang natin tinulungan or na-rescue ang ilan nating mga kababayan, nagbigay din tayo ng mga support from the Provincial Government, livelihood projects para sila ay makapagsimula, but we must not focus on the rescue, mas maganda pa rin ang preventions,” Cascara explained.
In line with this objective, the task force members unanimously agreed to draft a resolution that focuses on prevention and monitoring. This resolution aims to strengthen coordination and expedite actions against human trafficking by ensuring that each agency plays an active role in implementing preventive measures and closely monitoring potential trafficking cases.
