US, PH conduct high-level dialogue to curb child trafficking

The Philippines and United States (US) conducted a high-level dialogue to evaluate steps in the four-year US-Philippines Child Protection Compact (CPC) partnership aimed at combatting child trafficking.

The dialogue on November 6 assessed the progress of the CPC partnership to improve government investigation and prosecution of cases such as online sexual exploitation of children and child labor trafficking.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra highlighted the need for a joint effort to protect children.

“We are committed to this shared objective to ensure these forms of trafficking are minimized, if not altogether eliminated in the Philippines,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Kari Johnstone, principal deputy director of US Department Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office), said they will continue the effort with the Philippines to address child trafficking.

“We are pleased to continue working cooperatively with the government of the Philippines to improve efforts to address child trafficking,” Johnstone said.

The CPC Partnership was signed on April 11, 2017, which boosted the response on child trafficking.

The US TIP Office donated P175 million while the Philippine Department of Justice Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking in Persons committed P40 million to the partnership. /ee