2. Home / Center for Girls, a child-caring facility for the protection, care, treatment
and rehabilitation services to abused and exploited girls below 18 years old;
3. Marillac Hills (National Training School for Girls), a child-caring facility for care
and rehabilitation of female children in conflict with the law, and abused and exploited
girls below 18 years old;
4. Reception and Study Center for Children, a child-caring facility extending
psychosocial services to children 0-6 years old, with emphasis on child survival,
development and protection;
5. Jose Fabella Center – A centre specially established and made operational in 2014
to provide services to male trafficking victims.
101. The State party established an Operations Center (OpCen) as a central coordinating
centre for walk-in complainants and rescued victims of trafficking. The OpCen facilitates
affidavit-taking, assists in locating witnesses, and accompanies victim-witnesses during
investigations and trials. It also refers victims for appropriate psycho-social interventions
and reintegration assistance79.
102. The State party’s national police organization has assisted and referred 1,122 victims
of TIP to the social work department and the Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc. (VFFI) for
debriefing and temporary shelter prior to sending them back to their respective hometowns.
(f) Continue training of prosecutors to make them fully aware of the nuances of antitrafficking law. Similarly, continue partnerships to increase technical capacity building
and training of law enforcers, prosecutors and service providers
(g) Continue partnership with national and international relevant partners, including
NGOs to provide services to victims
103. The State party has been implementing a continuing training programme for
prosecutors and law enforcement agencies. In between May to November 2013, six trainings
were conducted for various audiences on the investigation and prosecution of TIP between
May and November 2013. The participants comprised of 50 prosecutors, 88 police
investigators and intelligence officers, 14 judges, two social workers and one lawyer from
the Office of the Solicitor General.
104. Capacity-building trainings were also conducted for service providers, including
members of the anti-trafficking task force. Law enforcement officers have been trained to
enhance their capability in conducting surveillance, rescuing trafficking victims, and
collecting and monitoring data on TIP cases. Trainings on the expanded anti-trafficking law
were also conducted for Foreign Service Officers and Labour officials assigned in countries
with significant number of trafficking incidents.
105. The State party strongly supports regional and international cooperation on combating
TIP, especially women and children. In particular, the Philippines is advocating for the
conclusion of an ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons. It is actively engaged
in the Bali Process on TIP and Human Smuggling. In the United Nations, the Philippines
sponsors periodic resolutions in the General Assembly and in the Human Rights Council
on combating TIP and ensuring protection of the human rights of victims. The Philippines
is also a member of the Group of Friends Against Trafficking and actively promotes the
wider ratification of the United Nations Palermo Protocol, the United Nations Convention
on the Rights of Migrant Workers and Their Families and ILO Convention No. 189.
79
For the year 2012, it received a total of five hundred thirty seven (537) complaints consisting of one thousand
three hundred sixty two (1,362) actual numbers of complainants/victims, of which 799 are women and 563 are
men.
100