BUTUAN CITY- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga through the Protective Services Unit (PSU) together with the members of Regional Inter-agency Council Against Trafficking-Violence Against Women and their Children (RIACAT-VAWC) led the celebration of the World Day Against Trafficking on July 28, 2017 at Robinson’s Place, here.
Activities such as logo making contest and dance drama competition for high school students which focused on the theme, “Ituloy ang Laban Kontra Human Trafficking”, were conducted during the celebration.
In her welcome message, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Regional Director Renell D. Martinez expressed her gratitude to all RIACAT-VAWC members, students, teachers, and other partner-stakeholders who joined the activity.
On the other hand, Keynote Speaker PC/S Rolando B. Felix, Regional Director of PNP highlighted the importance of strengthening efforts in combating the modern-day slavery which commonly victimizes the vulnerable sector.
“This is the time for a massive information campaign to the public. We must strengthen our efforts in combating trafficking in persons and bring hope to those who suffered injustice,’’ said Felix.
For the dance drama competition, Libertad National High School won first prize and received the amount of Php8,000 with a trophy, while Butuan City School of Arts and Trades (BCSAT) and Saint Michael College of Caraga got the 2nd and 3rdplace respectively. Other schools who participated the said competition are Agay National High School, Nasipit National Vocational School, Magallanes National High School, Philippine Electronics and Communication Institute of Technology (PECIT), Banza National High School, and Agusan National High School.
For the logo making contest, Mr. Joseph Ian B. Onyot from CSWD of Bayugan City was declared the grand winner and received Php5,000 worth of cash prize and a trophy. Other contestants include representatives from PNP, DepEd-AdN, DOJ, TESDA, DOH, DTI, PIA, DILG, and SPO-AdN.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted in 2010 the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons urging governments worldwide to take coordinated and consistent measures to defeat this scourge and later in 2013, adopted resolution A/RES/68/192 and designated July 30 as the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons declaring the day necessary to “raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights”.
As chairperson of the RIACAT-VAWC, the DSWD in collaboration with other member agencies continue to conduct various advocacy activities to end human trafficking.###(ABEGAIL R. ALVAREZ/Social Marketing Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga)
