The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) warmly accepted the offer of support by the Kingdom of Netherlands, a member of the European Union bloc (EU), for the construction of shelter homes for human trafficking victims and the improvement of IACAT's database.
Justice Undersecretary Jose Vicente B. Salazar said that the agreement between IACAT and the Netherlands is "one more major step in our efforts to close ranks and tap the power of partnerships."
IACAT representatives and envoys from the Kingdom of Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) which sought to strengthen the bond between the two countries and broaden its defense against modern-day slavery.
The MOA signing was attended by Ambassador Robert G. Brinks and Deputy Head of Mission Ruth Emmerick of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The MOA highlights the intention of the parties to construct a Victim Processing Center (VPC) within the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the enhancement of IACAT's database system, with Netherlands providing more than P1.8 million.
The VPC initiative shall serve as a pilot project of IACAT and the Dutch Embassy with respect to victim rehabilitation. "This is to support the provision of secure and private facilities for trafficked women and children rescued by IACAT and its member agencies in ports of entry and other areas associated with sexual and labor exploitation," Brinks said in his speech.
Salazar who supervises the day-to-day operations of IACAT added that "Filipino people are optimistic this kind gesture that the Kingdom of Netherlands have extended shall be the first among many, and that it would inspire the rest of the world to come, pitch in, and help victims of human trafficking in this part of the globe to get back on their feet."
He said this is merely among the first wave of programs that it seeks to undertake in cooperation with the international community. The IACAT have constantly engaged with foreign embassies and their respective envoys in an effort to extend the scope of its operations.
Ambassador Brinks said the signing of the two contracts is just another demonstration and testimony of the cooperation between the Embassy and IACAT. "The Government of the Netherlands and the Embassy in particular, is joining the Philippines in fighting human trafficking. There is no opt-out. We all share in the responsibility to stop traffickers. For that, cooperation, also on the international level, is more than necessary," Brinks concluded.
Source: http://www.iacat.net/index.php/65-iacat-and-dutch-embassy-signs-agreement-to-build-shelters-for-trafficking-victims
