LAWMAKER CALLS FOR ENHANCED PROTECTION OF WOMEN AMID ONLINE TRAFFICKING THREATS

Sen. Loren Legarda warned that human trafficking in the Philippines continues to target women and girls, with traffickers increasingly exploiting digital platforms, deepfake technology, and cross-border networks.

She noted that despite decades of anti-trafficking laws and a Tier 1 international ranking, the threat persists, citing 445 victims assisted last year, most of them female.

Legarda highlighted how online recruitment uses fraudulent job offers and emotional manipulation, while new technologies complicate accountability and evidence gathering.

She also pointed to a sharp rise in Filipino victims repatriated from countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, showing the growing scale of transnational digital exploitation.

Legarda called for reforms linking trafficking protection to women’s empowerment, urging stronger identification systems, digital enforcement, prosecution, and survivor reintegration programs.

Source: PhilNews24 | March 21, 2026