The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs has hailed its ranking in a recent United States Trafficking in Persons report, expressing pride in its Tier 1 ranking – meaning a country “fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking”.
A DFA spokesperson noted that the country “reaffirms its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and its relentless and comprehensive efforts to prevent trafficking in persons, protect victims and prosecute the perpetrators of this heinous crime”.
The ranking comes despite recent reports of alleged trafficking cases which have prompted ongoing calls for the closure of all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
The issue was most recently highlighted after a raid on a Clark POGO operator, finding some 1,000 alleged victims, and prompting the closure of the venue, cancellation of the POGO license of the relevant company, and shuttering of the entire Sun Valley complex.
The nation’s gaming regulator, PAGCOR, has pledged every effort to crack down on any form of exploitation or human trafficking activity, vowing to only ensure licensed and law-abiding companies could operate within the nation.
Even so, calls for a total closure of POGOs continue.
