CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) lauded anew the administration of Governor Lilia Pineda on its effort in combating illegal recruiters and human traffickers yesterday.
As part of the 442nd Aldo Ning Kapampangan, POEA Deputy Administrator Jesus Gabriel Domingo, Director Jocelyn Sanchez and Teresa Delos Santos surprised the governor as they awarded her a plaque of appreciation.
It can be reminisced that the provincial government tapped some 20,000 barangay workers, including the 500 barangay PESO coordinators, to help the province and Philippine National Police (PNP) in the fight against illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
This came as the Capitol intensified its information dissemination campaign, especially in far-flung areas and coastal villages, the usual target of illegal recruiters and traffickers.
The Capitol has created the Provincial Action Center for OFW Concerns (PACOC)—local government tools and arm in its fight against the exploitation of children and women in the province.
“Since the creation of PACOC in October 2010 to look after the welfare of OFWs and their families based in Pampanga, we have assisted some 3,000 OFWs,” Ma. Eliza Munoz, PACOC chief.
It was learned that the province is one of the top suppliers of overseas Filipino workers among the some 80 provinces of the country.
PACOC disclosed that there are at least 115,000 OFWs “based on official record.”
She said Pampanga has an existing protocol on children’s protection which is a big step in averting human trafficking.
She added that there is an active coordination among the provincial government, POEA and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to prevent illegal recruitment activities and bring the illegal recruiters in jail.
The PACOC official said, the province has intensified these programs through awareness and information drive down to grassroots level specifically in the far-flung areas where the majority of the victims come from.
By: Bea Jeannel A. Delos Reyes
