The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) Chaired by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and co-chaired by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with representatives of the International Justice Mission – Manila and delegates from the Kingdom of Netherlands, held a groundbreaking ceremony on February 11, 2014, to start the construction of the center for human trafficking survivors in Mandaluyong City.
As stated in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman and DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima on April 2013, the DOJ will provide budget for the construction, operations and maintenance cost of the center, while the DSWD will provide the lot and manage its operations.
Meanwhile, the government of the Kingdom of Netherlands has contributed One Million pesos (P1,000,000.00) for the equipment and furniture of the center.
The processing center shall provide the following to the trafficked persons: (1) temporary housing and food facilities; (2) psychological support and counseling; (3) 24-hour call center for crisis calls and technology-based counseling and referral system; (4) coordination with local law enforcement entity; and (5) coordination with the Department of Justice, among others.
Photo shows (from left) DSWD-NCR OIC-ARD Jacel Paguio, DSWD Protective Services Bureau Director Margarita Sampang and delegates from the Kingdom of Netherlands: Mr. Warner ten Kate the National Public Prosecutor for Human Trafficking and People Smuggling; Mr. Michiel Zwinkels, the Senior Public Prosecutor on Child Pornography and Child Tourism; Mr. Henny Janssen the Attaché Royal Marechaussee of Immigration and Police Affairs for Malaysia and Philippines; Mr. Peter Reijnders , Police Commissioner and National Program Manager in Combating Child Pornography and Child Sex Tourism; DOJ City State Counsel Ricardo Paras; Ms. Corinne Dettmeijer-Vermeulen, National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Violence Against Children; and Mr. Herman Bolhaar – the Chairman of the Task Force on Human Trafficking and Chairman of Board of Procurators-General.