For the ninth consecutive year, the Philippines secured a Tier 1 ranking in the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, the highest recognition for countries meeting minimum standards to eliminate human trafficking.

Yet behind this milestone lies a grim reality: children and vulnerable adults continue to be exploited in homes, online, and across borders. Traffickers adapt with technology, prey on the unsuspecting, and thrive in the quiet corners of society.

Tier 1 recognition affirms that the country is fighting actively human trafficking, but it is not a finish line.

THE CRIME, AND CHILDREN, THAT NEVER SLEEPS

Human trafficking has been described as “modern-day slavery,” and in the Philippines it is driven by technology increasingly.

Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) now includes self-generated content, AI deepfakes, and adults posing as children.

“What we are protecting here is the image of a child, regardless if it’s an actual child involved, a depiction, or an AI-generated system,” Atty. Hannah Lizette Manilili, executive director of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), said during the 17th Media Seminar of the United States Embassy to the Philippines.

Syndicates also coerce victims into online scam hubs, crimes that blur the line between offender and exploited.

“Previously, traditional victims would be the most vulnerable ones. But this form of trafficking targets even professionals,” Manilili added.

In September 2025, five women in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi were lured by promises of high-paying jobs and free travel. They were left stranded at an airport, abandoned by their recruiter. Authorities rescued them before they could be smuggled across borders.

In August 2025, nearly 160 children were rescued from an orphanage in Mexico, Pampanga. The children were allegedly chained, beaten, locked in bathrooms, and deprived of food.

From organ trafficking and surrogacy to exploitation at sea, the forms of slavery keep shifting into the shadows.

THE DEMAND THAT FEEDS THE DARK

The International Justice Mission (IJM) points to demand as the lifeblood of these crimes.

“This is a global crime fueled by demand coming from other countries. Sex offenders pay our local traffickers to watch and direct child abuse as it is being live streamed,” Rebelander Basilan of IJM said.

Both IACAT and IJM recognize that traffickers regenerate like a hydra, cut one recruiter and another takes its place. But by striking at demand, deterrence becomes possible.

“When criminals fear being caught, many choose to stop,” Basilan said.

In 2011, a massive raid at a bar Cebu rescued more than 100 victims of sexual exploitation in a single night. The operation, supported by IJM and local authorities, made front-page news and sent a strong message to traffickers: they could no longer operate with impunity.

Basilan said independent evaluations showed later a 70 percent drop in the availability of minors for commercial sexual exploitation in Cebu. The project was then replicated in other cities, including Manila and Pampanga, resulting in significant reductions of cases in those areas, as well.

SCARS AND SHORTCOMINGS

Human trafficking leaves deep, lasting scars. Survivors often struggle with trauma, from their sense of safety to their ability to trust.

Basilan said, many perpetrators were once victims themselves, caught in a cycle of abuse that can repeat across generations. Timely rescue and trauma-informed care are critical to breaking this chain.

Yet, the system still falters. The 2025 TIP Report flagged weaknesses, such as:

• Authorities identifying fewer survivors than before and overlooked foreign nationals exploited in online scam centers, even as thousands were deported.
• Many survivors risk being penalized for crimes committed while trafficked due to weak screening.
• Corruption and complicity remain concerns, with some cases stalled or unresolved.
• Trauma-informed practices are limited, as some officials are not trained to handle survivors appropriately.
• Shelter and reintegration services remain inadequate, particularly for adults and foreign victims.

PAPER VICTORIES

Despite these challenges, the Philippines has gained credibility as a leader in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

For nine years it has kept its Tier 1 status, while also serving as lead shepherd in the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime. This position allows the country to shape regional responses.

In the past year, the government prosecuted 446 alleged traffickers and convicted 143, almost double from previous years. High-profile cases included charges against complicit officials, such as a former mayor linked to online scam operations.

“It’s important that we are filing charges against complicit officials facilitating trafficking in persons because that is where we cut the network and the power,” Manalili said.

New laws now regulate fishing recruitment agencies to safeguard fishers, while crackdowns targeted industrial-scale online scam hubs. Even the licensing of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) previously used as cover for trafficking has been curtailed.

THE DAY YET TO BREAK

According to the TIP Report, the U.S. Embassy recommends to prosecute complicit officials more aggressively, improve victim identification, ensure survivors are not penalized, and expand reintegration and trauma-informed services.

IJM adds that communities must break their silence, families must report abuse, and global partners must help reduce demand.

“Over 1,600 children have been safeguarded, more than 400 perpetrators arrested, and nearly 300 offenders convicted... when communities, government, and global partners work together, we can protect children,” Basilan said.

Nine years of Tier 1 proves the Philippines can lead. Until the cycle is broken and the silence lifted, Tier 1 is only a promise, not yet the dawn.