MCA-P and VF sign agreement to combat Trafficking in Persons

By CATHERINE T. BALDELOBAR, Samar News.com
February 2, 2012

TACLOBAN CITY  –  A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) was signed and launched on January 31, 2012 at Leyte Park Hotel, Tacloban City.

The MOA is between the Millennium Challenge Account - Philippines (MCA-P) and Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc. (VF). Ma. Victoria E. Añonuevo, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MCA-P and Ma Cecilia Flores-Oebanda, President of VF were the representatives of each parties.

Añonuevo averred that the rationale of the MOA is the answer to government’s call to fight human trafficking per Republic Act No. 9208, known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003. The commitment of the MCA-P to this partnership is to ensure that no officer, employee, contractor, or worker will be involved in or tolerate human trafficking in and around MCA-P project sites of the Samar Road Project.

Meanwhile, Flores-Oebanda emphasized that this partnership will have a lasting impact not only on the communities covered by MCA-P Samar Road Project but also will serves as a model for private sector innovation in the fight against human trafficking.

Under the agreement, the VF will facilitate learning, information-sharing and skills among MCA-P staff and stakeholders; educate and ensure commitment of bidders, suppliers, contractors, sub-contractors, and consultants in the prevention of Trafficking in Person’s (TIP) cases in all MCA-P project; and help bring about reforms in programs and services to prevent TIP.

Among the initial plan of the group is the conduct of joint planning, training of local stakeholders in Eastern Samar and Samar and mobilize communities, one way or the other, with the campaign against TIP.