Dingdong Dantes is new champion against human trafficking

Dingdong Dantes

The government campaign against human trafficking has a new champion.

Popular movie actor Dingdong Dantes will soon be appearing in advertisements promoting the Aquino administration’s program against human smuggling, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Wednesday.

“We have chosen a new champion to promote awareness on human trafficking among the youth in Dingdong Dantes,” De Lima told reporters.

She said the MTV music channel is also supporting the campaign by holding the MTV Exit (End Exploitation and Trafficking) concert on October 29.

De Lima said MTV will also release a 30-minute video documentary on the evils of human trafficking, to be shown during the concert.

Utilizing media

A private company has proposed to set up TV screens in various strategic areas like airports, bus terminals and offices to help the government spread information about human smuggling, De Lima said.

“This will be done through a memorandum of agreement at no cost to the government,” she said.

Meanwhile, De Lima confirmed that US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. paid her a visit last Tuesday, a month after the diplomat was criticized for his claim that two out of five male foreigners visit the Philippines for commercial sex.

‘Douse the heat’

She said she had invited Thomas to see her “to douse the heat which was generated by the unfortunate statement of his.”

She said the US envoy was briefed on the latest developments and plans of the  Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (Iacat).

During their meeting, she said the Thomas stressed the US commitment to support Iacat’s initiatives.

After being denounced by several lawmakers, Thomas issued an apology for his statement, admitting that he could not back it up with official statistics.

De Lima had described Thomas’ claims about the alleged sex tourism in the Philippines as “certainly offensive and demeaning.”