World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

CBCP, in partnership with ARISE Foundation

The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is observed annually on July 30 to raise awareness about human trafficking and to promote and protect the rights of trafficking victims. This year, UN declared “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind” as WDATIP theme.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines aims to bring the campaign against human trafficking in person to more than 80 million Catholics in 3393 parishes to reach every victim of trafficking, leaving no one behind.

CCAHT (CBCP Cluster Against Human Trafficking) has started, with the support of Arise Foundation, a nation-wide consultation on human trafficking to capacitate dioceses in organize apostolate against Human Trafficking to their respective parishes.  Different initiatives were taken like Parish Community Campaigns Against Human Trafficking and DCAHT Formation (here in Luzon alone, five dioceses have fully functioning DCAHT). The Diocese of Novaliches started a program against human trafficking called “MATA” (MAmamayan laban sa pangangalakal ng TAo) that will be cascaded to other dioceses here in Luzon Region.

With this event on July 30, 2023, the goal is not just to celebrate WDATIP but also to forge a stronger collaboration between CCAHT and the Government Agencies directly working on trafficking in person. SASP Wendell P. Bendoval, OIC Executive Director of  Inter-Agency Council Against Human Trafficking (IACAT) of the  Department of Justice,  Manila will talk  about the kinds of trafficking and modern forms of slavery here in the Philippines and Dir. Dennis Villaseñor, MNSA, CESO IV – Director of  National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) DILG  will discuss about the IACAT activities in the barangay level all over the Philippines.

The Keynote Speech will be delivered by SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS. Sen. Hontiveros is one of the top government officials who is directly involved with the human trafficking  victims inside and outside of the country, working for the eradication of trafficking in persons in the country through writing and passing laws in the senate and doing different advocacies against human trafficking.

ECMI-CBCP staff will share about the initiatives being carried out in different dioceses in the region and how CBCP envisions to realize this year’s theme “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind” in partnership with different GOs and NGOs. CBCP hope to have a Memorandum of Understanding with IACAT and DILG in the implementation of programs and capacitating the leaders in the grassroots.

It will be participated by 200 people coming from NGOs, GOs, LGUs, different church groups and different diocesan ministries

The event will start with the celebration of the Holy Mass at Antipolo Cathedral to be presided by Most Reverend Ruperto Santos DD,  Bishop of Antipolo, to pray for the victims of human trafficking in persons and the conversion of the traffickers and other people involve in this crime.

Programme

8:00-9:00 am – Holy Eucharistic Celebration to be presided by Most Reverend Ruperto Santos, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo. To be concelebrated by other priests.

Venue: International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage – Antipolo Cathedral. P. Oliveros Street, Antipolo City 1870 Rizal.

9:30 am-12:00 nn – Forum

Venue: Our Lady of Peace School Conference Hall. Corner San Jose St, Antipolo, 1870 Rizal

9:30 -9:32 am – Welcome and acknowledgement of the participants (2 minutes)

9:33-9:35 am – Rationale of the event and introduction of the first 2 speakers (2 minutes)

9:36- 9:56 am – Trafficking and modern forms of Slavery – SASP Wendell P. Bendoval, OIC Executive Director of Inter-Agency Council Against Human Trafficking (IACAT),  Department of Justice,  Manila (20 minutes)

9:57-10:17 am – IACAT in Barangay -– Dir. Dennis Villaseñor, MNSA, CESO IV – Director of National Barangay Operations   Office (NBOO) DILG (20 minutes)

10:18-10:20 am – Introduction of the Keynote Speaker (2 minutes)

10:21 – 11:06 am -KEYNOTE SPEAKER – Honorable Senator Risa HONTIVEROS (45 Minutes)

11:07-11: 17 am – CBCP’s initiative Against Human Trafficking in Luzon Region – Edmund Ruga – Luzon Coordinator (10 minutes)

11:18 – 11:33 am – Q and A (15 minutes)

11:34-11:37 am – Solidarity Message from ARISE Foundation (3 minutes)

11: 38-11:11:45 am – Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (7 minutes)

11:46 am- 12:00 nn  – Launching of DCAHT Antipolo by Most Reverend Ruperto Santos, DD – Bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo.

12:00 nn – Lunch