Saturday, August 21, 2004 DSWD steps up measures against child traffickers By Aurea A. Gerundio
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is strengthening the protection of children by imposing stricter rules to prevent child trafficking.
Social Welfare Sec. Dinky Soliman said this in an ambush interview with reporters at the Grand Men Seng Hotel, where she attended the performance evaluation of DSWD regional directors from Regions 9, 10, 11 and 12.
"Our law now punishes the recruiter, the owner of the Casa, where children will be brought and 'yung gumagamit ng services ng mga bata either for labor or sexual purposes. "Right now we are going around the country, together with the four pillars of justice, to explain these rules to the courts and the local government units (LGUs)," Soliman said.
Soliman admitted that child trafficking still exists in tourist areas and highly urbanized areas.
"It is not only Mindanao where cases of child trafficking has increased.
It is all in the areas na may maraming mahihirap. The usual come-on naman kasi is may scholarship na ibibigay and the parents are not even too concerned to find out kung niloloko lang ba sila," Soliman said.
In this regard, Soliman said DSWD regional offices are closely coordinating with the LGUs.
"Sila (the LGUs) naman kasi talaga ang frontliners nito. We are also intensifying the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children program para within the barangay level ay ma-monitor na kung may mga illegal activities like child trafficking," Soliman said.
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