The United States Department of State has earmarked $294,350 to help fund the production of anti-human trafficking infomercials in the Philippines, the US Embassy in Manila has reported.

The US Department of State gave the grant to The Asia Foundation, which produced the infomercials together with the Visayan Forum Foundation and the Foundation for Communication Initiatives (FOCI).

“Our partnership, cooperation, and teamwork have never been more essential,” said Deputy Chief of Mission Leslie Bassett in her remarks at the launching of the radio and TV “infomercials” against human trafficking on Thursday.

The infomercials will be seen and heard at transportation hubs and other locations that trafficking victims are likely to transit, including ports and bus terminals.

Bassett also expressed condolences to the anti-human trafficking activist community over the tragic murder last month of Finardo Cabilao, the Philippine Social Welfare Attaché based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“The US government will continue to support Philippine initiatives to prevent human trafficking, protect its victims, and prosecute the traffickers,” she said.

The 2009 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report for the Philippines shows Manila on Tier 2 Watch List, which means that while the government is making significant efforts to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, it has failed to show progress in convicting trafficking offenders, particularly those responsible for labor trafficking.

The report described the country as a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor.

Llanesca T. Panti