TO COMBAT human trafficking, the Lapu-Lapu City Government has established help desks at Angasil Port in Barangay Mactan and Sta. Rosa Port in Olango Island, which are major access points to the city’s tourism areas.
Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” King-Chan said the initiative is part of the City’s broader plan to protect residents, especially women and children, from abuse, crime and human rights violations.
Councilor Annabeth Cuizon confirmed in an interview with SunStar that the stations were installed as part of the City’s observance of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30.
She explained that the measure aims to prevent human trafficking by providing assistance and easy access to authorities for those in need. “Help desks are established in main entry points such as ports and airports. It is important for these to be established in port areas and airports to deter the act against trafficking,” said Cuizon.
Monitoring efforts
Lapu-Lapu City Police Office spokesman Lt. Col. Christian Torres, in a separate interview, said the authorities’ primary role is to monitor potential trafficking indicators. This includes cases involving foreign nationals accompanied by individuals who appear to be minors.
While monitoring applies to everyone, Torres noted that police have observed instances of foreign nationals accompanied by girls believed to be minors, particularly in Olango Island and other areas within Lapu-Lapu City’s tourism belt.
According to data from the Women and Children Protection Desk, no human trafficking cases have been recorded in the city since 2024. However, incidents of domestic violence remain a concern.
From January to July 2025, a total of 12 domestic violence cases have been reported across stations, comprising nine cases of physical abuse and three involving psychological abuse.
In comparison, 22 domestic violence cases were recorded in 2024. Of these, 12 involved physical abuse, six were psychological, one was economic in nature and three were classified as other related offenses. / DPC