Teenagers from Calbayog City, Samar, dance at the opening ceremony for a new anti-trafficking program that is being launched by International Justice Mission with funding from the U.S. State Department.
CALBAYOG CITY–On Thursday, May 21, International Justice Mission (IJM) launched a critical new program to combat child sex trafficking in Western Samar, joined by U.S. Embassy staff, GMA-7 personality Love Añover, key partners from the local government units including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), along with international organizations including UNICEF and Plan International, and many local NGOs.
In January 2009, a special anti-trafficking office was established in Samar by IJM, an international human rights group with a long and impressive track record of successful victim rescue and perpetrator prosecution in Manila and Cebu.
Samar struggles from a serious trafficking crisis: From 2002 to 2009, 913 trafficking victims served by the DSWD, PNP and local NGOs were from Samar. With eight years of experience combating trafficking in the Philippines, it became clear to IJM that a Samar Satellite Office would be a crucial addition to its presence in the Philippines, enabling IJM staff to partner with local authorities and communities in Samar to cripple existing trafficking routes. Continue Reading
Sorry I wasn’t able to post this sooner. Shelley at the Visayan Forum sent this press release earlier on the 
