Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Monday issued a manual of procedures that would serve as standard operating procedure in dealing with complaints against trafficking in persons, illegal recruitment and child labor.

Baldoz said the manual is part of the government’s effort to curb illegal and predatory activities that take advantage of job seekers and to strengthen its mechanism against such menace.

“The (Department of Labor and Employment) strongly advocates safeguarding human dignity, especially of women and children and the issuance of the manual under Department Circular 2 is just one of the steps we are taking to uphold it,” the labor chief said.

Baldoz said the manual aims to achieve an organized and effective management of cases in trafficking in persons, illegal recruitment and child labor.

“It shall also function as a guide in organizing coordinated efforts among concerned agencies, which is expected to lead to the effective identification and prosecution of the perpetrators,” she added.

The manual “will provide guidelines to field implementers of proper and correct steps to be taken during receipt of case and its preliminary evaluation; inspection, surveillance, entrapment and arrest; case conference and rescue operation in case a child/children are victims; reintegration and after care of victims; docketing; legal assistance and counseling toward the filing of the case; and in the existence of probable cause for the filing of criminal and administrative case on illegal recruitment, trafficking in persons, and child labor.”

Baldoz explained that the “manual contains legal measures to assist and enable the prosecution of the offenders, as well as to afford victims protection, rehabilitation and reintegration into the society. It contains guidelines in addressing complaints, reports or information on illegal recruitment, trafficking in persons and child labor.”

Source: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120522nat1.html