DOLE issues manual vs trafficking in persons, illegal recruitment

Government efforts to fight trafficking in persons and illegal recruitment received another boost after the Department of Labor and Employment issued a manual of procedures in dealing with such cases. DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz issued Department Circular No. 02, The Manual of Procedures in Handling Complaints on Trafficking in Persons, Illegal Recruitment and Child Labor. “The DOLE strongly advocates safeguarding human dignity, especially of women and children and the issuance of Department Circular No. 02 is just one of the steps we are taking to uphold it,” Baldoz said. She said the manual will be a standard operating procedure to be used by the DOLE Regional/Field Offices in its implementation of the Labor Code, including:

The manual aims to achieve an organized management of cases on trafficking in persons, illegal recruitment and child labor. It will also be a guide in organizing coordinated efforts among concerned agencies, including the identification and prosecution of the perpetrators. The manual, signed last May 7, contains step-by-step procedures on handling complaints or cases by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) or DOLE Regional or Field Offices. Also, it provide guidelines to field implementers of proper steps in the following stages: The manual also directs the focal person to establish a record-keeping system for complaints and information filed and docketed, as well as flowchart and illustration of the procedures for easy understanding. “The manual contains legal measures to assist and enable the prosecution of the offenders, as well as to afford victims protection, rehabilitation and reintegration into the society. It contains guidelines in addressing complaints, reports, or information on illegal recruitment, trafficking in persons and child labor,” Baldoz said. She said the formulation and development of the manual is one of the anti-child labor programs and strategies outlined in the Labor and Employment Plan (LEP) 2011-2016. Other strategies in the LEP 2011-2016 involve: “The DOLE will always endeavor to protect our workers and jobseekers against discrimination, exploitation, and violence. The battle rages on and it is our duty to win,” Baldoz said. — LBG, GMA News