No unaccredited employment agency will be allowed to operate in Quezon City .
Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista has directed public employment services office (PESO) head Carlo Magno Abella to immediately implement the accreditation of all employment agencies in the city to combat the fastest growing trade of illegal recruitment or human trafficking.
Bautista, who joined leaders from all seventeen local government units in the National Capital Region (NCR) in the fight against the so called modern-day slavery or human trafficking during a summit dubbed as “Breaking Free: End Modern-Day Slavery” at Tent Enderun, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, has vowed to lessen if not totally end the horrendous crime.
The QC mayor said that the city will strengthen the role of the barangays in recruitment of work force by introducing skills development program for every individual. Through this manner, an employment agency which is looking for skilled workers would only request PESO to furnish them the list of those individuals from the city’s 142 barangays who possess the needed skill in the job opening, whether local or abroad.
At the same time, the QC mayor has challenge human trafficking advocates to consider ASEAN integration by 2016 as threat to millions of Filipinos that might fall victim of human trafficking. The free flow of trade and services brought by ASEAN integration, he warned, will greatly affect all forms of slavery, it might worsen the problem particularly in terms of number, if we are caught unprepared.
Around 21 million people around the world fall victim to human trafficking. In the Philippines alone, based on 2012 Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) report, there were 1,376 human trafficking victims. This figure does not include those in many unreported cases.
Trafficking nowadays is considered next to drug dealing since it is growing faster generating an estimated profit of $32 billion.
“QC will try our best to face the challenges of ASEAN integration particularly fight against human trafficking by 2016. We are making a stand to protect Filipinos of all ages against human trafficking,” the mayor said.
He said that even in schools preparations are underway by integrating and developing skills of senior high school students to help them in their careers and the challenges in the future.
Posted By: Edrillan Pasion
