The Philippines is a source country and, a destination and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor the U.S. State Department in its latest Trafficking in Persons Report.

An estimated 10 million Filipinos reside or work abroad and the government processes approximately 2.3 million new or renewed contracts for Filipinos to work overseas each year.

A significant number of these migrant workers are subjected to sex and labor trafficking—predominantly via debt bondage—in the fishing, shipping, construction, education, home health care, and agricultural industries, as well as in domestic work, janitorial service, and other hospitality-related jobs, the Trafficking in Persons Report stated.

“Women and children from indigenous communities and remote areas of the Philippines are the most vulnerable to sex trafficking, and some are vulnerable to domestic servitude and other forms of forced labor.”

In addition to the surfer’s paradise of Surigao del Norte, the report said sex and human trafficking also occurs in tourist destinations, such as Boracay, Angeles City, Olongapo and Puerto Galera.

To help combat this scourge in the Philippines, Canada has announced it will fund 9 projects for women and girls in the Philippines, as it sets gender equality and empowerment among its priorities in the Southeast Asian country.

“This year’s CFLI focus is on increasing the participation of women and girls in governance and promoting gender equality,” Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines John Holmes said.

“When women and girls are empowered to reach their full potential, this directly benefits their families, their communities and their country. That is why our choices this year emphasize gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, which are strategic priorities for Canada in the Philippines.” Ambassador Holmes added.

The following projects will receive support from the Embassy of Canada’s Canada Fund for Local Initiatives this year:

Coalition against Trafficking in Women – Asia-Pacific builds on our partnership to strengthen the implementation of existing anti-trafficking laws by training local government officials in tourist areas prone to incidents of trafficking, such as Siargao in Surigao del Norte. The project will also develop a national strategy for the coordination of local governments in better implementing the anti-trafficking law.

Foundation for the Advancement of Clinical Epidemiology will develop an application on Facebook Messenger that provides practical information about sexual and reproductive health services and practices to Filipino youth. The project’s goals are to reduce incidents of early and unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

Bahay Tuluyan Foundation will train law enforcement officers, social workers, civil society representatives, and barangay officials in the City of Manila on children’s rights and rights-based approaches to protecting marginalized children in the city. The project will also train marginalized youth on their rights so that they can avoid abuse and exploitation.

University of the Philippines Center for Women’s Studies Foundation, Inc will advance feminist leadership in local government by establishing a network of aspiring women political leaders and empowering them through a mentoring program and by training rights-based and gender-responsive approaches to democratic governance.

Pambansang Kongreso ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan Inc will improve security and resilience in disasters and conflict situations across the Philippines by giving voice to women in the community and advocating gender-sensitive preparedness and response mechanisms.

Simbahan Lingkod ng Bayan will promote inclusive and participatory governance in the 2019 elections through a nationwide campaign to increase active political engagement. The project will organize candidates’ forums leading up to the elections and develop community leaders to conduct political and civic education at the grassroots.

Institute of Politics and Governance will promote safe public spaces in Antipolo City by advocating for a culture that rejects sexual harassment in public areas. Through a public awareness campaign and through training, local government officials and community-based organizations will work together to prevent harassment and improve safety, particularly for women and girls.

National Union of People’s Lawyers will enhance the capabilities of lawyers, law students and human rights defenders to respond to human rights violations by highlighting existing legal mechanisms and providing a forum for practitioners to share best practices.

G-Watch will work to enhance the Sangguniang Kabataan (local youth councils) as an accountability mechanism by monitoring local anti-poverty programs in selected barangays in three cities across the Philippines to ensure that programs are responsive to the needs of the community and free from corruption.

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives is a competitive grants program run by the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines, which provides direct financial support to local organizations for projects that promote inclusive governance, such as by empowering women and girls, strengthening democracy, advancing human rights and promoting the rule of law.

By the numbers

600,000

Reports based on Philippines’ social welfare department say that there are at least 60,000 to 600,000 Filipino street children who are prostituted annually. According to UNICEF, the Philippines rank as the fourth nation with the most number of prostituted children.

1 every 62 minutes

According to a study by the Philippines Center for Women Resources (CWR), one child or woman is raped every 62 minutes. The group also found out that 70 percent of the victims are children, with women from the lowest economic group more prone to violence, including rape.

1 out of 5

Another study by UNICEF claims that one out of five Filipino children suffer from sexual violence at home, in school or in the community. This is alarming, as a study from the Department of Health found that most recorded victims of sexual abuse are between 13 and 15 years old. Furthermore, although a 12-year-old can legally give consent to sex, they are prohibited to access the safeguards to protect them from teenage pregnancy and/or STDs.

8 out 10

According to UNICEF, Children are at risk of online sexual abuse and bullying. In the Philippines, it is estimated that thousands of children are exploited for sexual purposes online and offline. According to a study by Plan International, Internet accessibility, cheaper technological gadgets, and lack of parental supervision coupled with lack of education and negative peer influences make children vulnerable to online harassment.

750,000

USA’s Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that there are 750,000 child predators online at any given time, with several reported cases of cybersex crime coming from our country. CSEC or commercial sexual exploitation of children which includes prostitution, pornography, and trafficking of children, has become an epidemic in the country. Plan International reports that cybersex dens have been operating in almost all parts of the Philippines since 2012. Even more alarming, family-run cybersex operations where parents of the child or entire communities are involved has become pervasive in the country.