Monday, August 13, 2007 City steps up efforts against traffickers
THE local inter-agency council against trafficking in persons (TIP) in Bacolod recently discussed strategies to further enhance its rescue and surveillance operations against TIP punishable under Republic Act No. 9208.
Bacolod Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, author of City Ordinance No. 385 which created the Bacolod Anti-Trafficking in Persons Committee (ATPC) in 2005 said.
The strategies include strengthening the coordination among the agencies, conducting intensive skills training and capability-building especially on legal knowledge of RA 9208 and other related laws such as Republic Act No. 9231 or the Worst Forms of Child Labor Law, Batapa-Sigue said.
The ATPC, which is chaired by the city mayor, has for its members the City Council Committees on Women and Gender, Children and Family, Social Services, and Labor and Management.
It also includes the City Health Officer, the Office of the City Legal Officer, City Social Welfare and Development Officer, Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), Bacolod City Prosecution Office, Bacolod City Gender and Development Council (BC-GAD), and the Liga Ng Mga Barangay.
Representing the private sector is Visayan Forum Foundation, a non-government organization working against trafficking in persons, which is also a member of the regional inter-agency council against TIP chaired by the regional office of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Batapa-Sigue has a pending amendatory ordinance proposing the inclusion of the Department of Education, Commission on Human Rights and representative from the overseas workers or their families to the ATPC.
