The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) convened the members of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) on Tuesday (August 15) to intensify the reach-out operations under the DSWD’S Oplan Pag-Abot especially during the upcoming holiday season.
In an inter-agency meeting presided over by Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the DSWD chief asked for the full support of the council to strengthen the reach-out operations, especially among the indigenous peoples (IPs) roaming the streets during “ber months.”
Secretary Gatchalian pointed out that these IPs in street situation could be possible victims of human trafficking.
“In two weeks time, start na ng ber months and you know what happens during ber months. They [indigenous peoples] also come to Metro Manila. Our brothers and sisters from the indigenous communities come to Manila because we believe on data from our consultation the other day na may mga masasamang loob that is trafficking them to Metro Manila in a syndicated team effort,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
“Itong eksenang ito, sana ay hindi na mangyari. Kaya this early pa lang, we are planning in advance,” the DSWD chief emphasized.
(I hope that this scene never happens again. So this early, we are planning in advance.)
Secretary Gatchalian also presented the features of the Oplan Pag-Abot which include a rights-based approach, ensuring that the reach-out procedure continues to adhere to human rights protocols.
As part of the project’s protocols, social workers administer the biometrics registration of the reached-out families and issue them identification cards.
“The Department decided to come up with its own reach out program na engaging social workers to work with the local government units. Kami na yung nagre-reach out. NIlalagay namin sila sa facilities namin and then we bring them home to their respective home provinces with the needed economic support,” Secretary Gatchalian explained.
(We are the ones reaching out. We put them in our facilities and then we bring them home to their respective home province with the needed economic support.)
The DSWD chief said: “Apart from that, whenever we get an individual in street situations, bina-biometrics namin sya and we give them their own IDs.”
(Apart from that, whenever we get an individual in street situations, we get their biometrics and we give them their own IDs.)
The DSWD started the full implementation of the Oplan Pag-Abot in Metro Manila last July.
The project aims to reduce the risks and vulnerabilities of children, individuals, and families in street situations through reach-out operations and the provision of various interventions.
