UN agency backs DSWD response to human trafficking in Bicol

By Ernie Delgado

LEGAZPI CITY --- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to conduct the December 2–4 Counter-Trafficking in Emergencies training in Legazpi City.

The training enhanced the operational skills of law enforcement officers and DSWD personnel in the Bicol region to address and prevent the increase in human trafficking in the aftermath of natural disasters.

The IOM, a United Nations agency, gave a detailed overview of human trafficking in the country, with a special focus on Bicol. The region is known for frequent disasters and is considered a trafficking hot spot.

The report highlighted the increasing risks and vulnerabilities that emerge in the years following a series of disasters.

Various accounts indicate that disasters, such as typhoons, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis, create chaos, making individuals more susceptible to exploitation.

Participants noted that traffickers often take advantage of this turmoil to prey on those in distress.

Several attendees shared their insights on how post-disaster trafficking occurs in Bicol, and they discussed how government agencies are effectively working to prevent exploitation.

Marygizelle Mesa, chief of staff for DSWD Regional Director Norman Laurio, stressed the necessity of ongoing education and specialized training for frontline workers to combat human trafficking.

She also highlighted the value of their partnership with the IOM.

“May the knowledge we gain and the partnerships we foster bring us closer to our shared mission to protect, serve, and uplift those in need,” said Mesa, who spoke on behalf of her regional director.

DSWD information officer Ken Oliver Balde was among the participants who felt that the training had equipped them with essential knowledge and tools to fight human trafficking.

“Now more than ever, I am empowered to combat the exploitation of disaster victims,” he said. (PIA Bicol)