In an effort to strengthen the campaign against human trafficking, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will launch the “Iligtas Mo Ako” cinema plug starting April 26, 2013 during a block-off screening of the Iron Man movie.

The “Iligtas Mo Ako” cinema plug features two modes of trafficking, namely: sexual and labor trafficking.  It aims to visually present to the moviegoers the direful and traumatic effects of human trafficking.  The cinema plug, which will run for six months, also strongly appeals to the audience to help stop human trafficking.

The DSWD partners with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) in the campaign against human trafficking.  Led by the Department of Justice (DOJ), around 200 IACAT members from the national government agencies, non-government organizations, media partners, and civil society will watch the maiden airing of the cinema plug.  Anti-Human Trafficking advocates from the Local Government Units in Metro Manila will also witness the special airing of the plug.

The DSWD said that the public should understand that trafficking is a nationwide threat and that Filipinos must act and report any information on human trafficking through the DSWD hotline number (02) 9319141 or the IACAT Action Line 1343.

Based on the DSWD 2012 data, there were 1,376 individual-victims of various kinds of trafficking nationwide. The victims were provided with adequate recovery and reintegration services under the DSWD’s Recovery and Reintegration Programs for Trafficked persons.

Similarly, in a report by IACAT, there were 1,519 human trafficking cases filed in  2011 and 100 convictions were rendered in 2012.  The latest major conviction was handed down this March by Judge Roberto P. Quiroz of Manila Regional Trial Court, sentencing Sonny Francisco to life imprisonment for qualified trafficking.

Last year, Republic Act 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act was enacted for a stronger anti-human trafficking measure, amending Republic Act 9208 or the “Anti-Human Trafficking in Persons Act.”  One of the new provisions under RA 10364 is the disclosure of the identities and circumstances of human trafficking offenders, previously provided with confidentiality protection to human traffickers under RA 9208. ###