MANILA, Philippines -- The US State Department has acknowledged the overall progress being made by the Philippines in curbing human trafficking, the Philippine embassy in Singapore said on Wednesday.

Philippine Ambassador Belen Fule-Anota said that Ambassador Steven E. Steiner of the US Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons made this statement when he met with officials of the Philippine Presidential Task Force on Human Trafficking who came to investigate the alarming increase in the trafficking of Filipinos in the city-state.

In that meeting, Anota proposed to improve inter-agency cooperation, particularly in the areas of rehabilitation, re-integration and witness protection for the victims, and the prosecution of traffickers.

Steiner, who visited the embassy on the sidelines of a meeting in Singapore, took note of the ongoing bilateral cooperation between the Philippines and the US. Embassy officials exchanged notes with him and discussed possible areas for strengthening bilateral cooperation.

In a report submitted to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) early this year, the embassy cited an alarming increase in human trafficking cases from 125 in 2006 to 212 in 2007, a surge of 70 percent. There were only 59 recorded cases in 2005.

Of the 212 human trafficking victims in 2007, 57 or 27 percent admitted to either having engaged in prostitution or were coerced by their Filipino and Singaporean handlers to prostitute themselves. Of the 57 victims, 39 were pub workers, 15 worked in the escort service, while three were pick-up girls.

Anota said the data were culled from individual interviews and recorded statements and affidavits of all the victims who reported to the embassy in 2007.

She said victims would be considered as trafficked if they were deceived, coerced or subjected to conditions of exploitation as defined by Republic Act 9208, otherwise known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

The Philippine definition of trafficking in persons is consistent with the definition in the United Nations Convention Against Organized Transnational Crime and its two protocols, all of which were signed and ratified by the Philippines.

The Philippines considers trafficking in persons a serious transnational crime and human security issue requiring close international cooperation, particularly between the source and destination country.

Anota reiterated her warning to Filipino women about the dangers of human trafficking in Singapore, which has been continuing.

She said that Filipinas who wanted to work overseas must scrutinize their recruiters in the Philippines and ensure that they had valid contracts before leaving the country.

They should verify the validity of their contracts with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration before packing their bags for Singapore, said Anota.

"They should not allow themselves to be deceived by the sweet tongue and false promises made by sex and labor traffickers because once they reach Singapore, they become more vulnerable to intimidation, deception, and exploitation," said the lady ambassador who has served in the city-state for four years.

• Manila police chief bats mandatory CCTVs for businesses
• Operators of Quezon City male prostitution den nabbed
• Illegal drugs eyed in slay of Globe security guard

• 18 fishers rescued off Zambales
• Somali pirates free 3 Filipino seafarers
• ‘Recruiter sexually abused Filipina workers’