MANILA, Philippines – Matinding nagbabala si Senador Loren Legarda sa mas lumalawak na human trafficking sa bansa na nagsasamantala sa kababaihan at kabataan sa paggamit ng mas mabilis na pamamaraan kaysa sa ating institusiyon tulad ng digital platforms,deepfake technology, at cross-border networks upang palawakin ang operasyon.
Sa pahayag, binanggit ito ni Legarda sa kabila ng dekadang batas at isang Tier 1 international ranking trafficking ng kababaihan at kabataan na nananatiling pinakamahinang sektor.
Naalala ni Legarda ang ilang taon nito bilang mamamahayag na komokober sa exploitation kaya nagsimula ang kanyang adbokasiya nang malantad sa kalakalan ng kababaihan at kabataan.
“Before traffickers hid behind usernames, encrypted chats, and closed groups, I saw exploitation in its rawest form. As a young journalist, I documented how women and children were traded through illegal recruiters and organized syndicates. When I entered the Senate, one of the first measures I pursued was an anti-trafficking in persons law,” ani Legarda.
Aniya, may ilang legislative arsenal ang bansa laban sa trafficking tulad ng Republic Act No. 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003), which created the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), Republic Act No. 10364 (Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012), Republic Act No. 11862 (Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022), at Republic Act No. 11930 (Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act).
Ayon kay Legarda, nagsisilbi ang naturang batas bilang pambansang pangangalaga at pangako sa pandaigdigang responsibilidad, pero nagpapatuloy pa rin ang trafficking kaya nanawagan ng mas mahigpit na reporma upang matiyak na ligtas ang ating kababaihan at kabataan.
Base sa IACAT data, ayon kay Legarda, 445 biktima ang natulungan noong nakaraang taon – karamihan kababaihan at kabataan. Sa kabuuan, 183 ang dumanas na sex trafficking, 161 kababaihan at 2 kalalakihan habang 104 naman ang biktima ng labor trafficking, 58 kababaihan at 46 kalalakihan.
“It shows that the risk environment continues to place women and girls in positions of higher vulnerability,” paliwanag ni Legarda.
Binanggit din ni Legarda ang 2025 U.S. Trafficking in Persons Report, na nagsasabing noong 2024 natulungan ng Pilipinas ang 1,377 victims ng exploitation—kabilang ang illegal recruitment at illegal adoption—831 female at 546 male.
Binanggit pa ng senador na lumalawak ngayon ang operasyon ng traffickers sa pamamagitan ng digital platforms, deepfake technology, at cross-border payment systems.
“Recruitment now happens online. Social media platforms are used to lure victims through fraudulent job offers, false identities, and emotional manipulation. Deepfake technology now complicates evidence and distorts accountability,” ani Legarda.
Inihalimbawa ng mambabatas ang 2025 Reuters investigation na nagsasabing pumayag ang internal chatbot ng Meta ’s ang mga “romantic or sensual” conversations sa kabataan kabilang ang salita na nakatuoon sa walong taong gulang.
“It is a stark reminder that when profit overshadows responsibility, children, especially girls, bear the consequences,” ani Legarda.
“This Women’s Month, let us move beyond declarations and commit to measurable outcomes stronger identification systems, tighter digital enforcement, sustained prosecution, and reintegration services that allow survivors to rebuild with security and dignity,” giit ni Legarda. Ernie Reyes
