MANILA: The Philippines has strengthened cooperation with Saudi Arabia in addressing human trafficking, authorities say, following a joint program in Manila on knowledge sharing.
The Philippines hosted this month a delegation from the Saudi National Committee on Combating Human Trafficking under a UN Office on Drugs and Crime knowledge exchange initiative to strengthen national capacities and cooperation in preventing, suppressing, and prosecuting trafficking in persons.
The Saudi experts participating in the program included representatives from justice, law enforcement, foreign affairs, labor, health, education, and human rights agencies.
“The study visit is expected to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and provide opportunities for both countries to exchange best practices in border management, victim protection, law enforcement, and anti-trafficking efforts,” the Philippine Bureau of Immigration said in a statement over the weekend.
“The BI is honored to share the Philippine model with our counterparts from Saudi Arabia as we continue working together to dismantle trafficking networks and protect vulnerable migrants.”
While the Philippines has one of the strongest anti-trafficking legal frameworks in Southeast Asia, the problem persists. Official data shows that each year about 1,000 victims are trafficked mainly to countries in the Middle East and wealthier parts of Asia — Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan — often through deceptive recruitment for jobs.
In recent months, hundreds of Filipinos have also been reported to have been lured to work at online scam compounds run by criminal groups in Myanmar and Cambodia.
The true number of trafficking cases in the country is believed to be higher as many go unreported or victims are never identified.
The knowledge exchange program with Saudi officials included demonstrations in identifying, intercepting, and referring potential trafficking victims at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the Philippines’ main gateway, and case management systems and protection for victims and survivors at the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.
The program aimed at “enhancing collective efforts toward the prevention of trafficking, the protection of victim-survivors, and the effective prosecution of offenders in accordance with international standards,” the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development said.
“The visit reaffirmed the shared commitment of the participating institutions to strengthen international cooperation in addressing trafficking in persons.”
