Hi all! This might be of interest to you. Soon after we published our series of special reports on organ trafficking, we received this email from the office of DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral informing us of progress in the approval of the IRR implementing the provision on organ trafficking in the anti-human trafficking law.
Here’s the full text of the email:
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Dear Ms. Vitug:
This refers to the article entitled “Organ trade continues despite ban on transplantation to foreigners,” written by Ms. Gemma Bagayaua and published in Newsbreak on 6 March 2009 where it was mentioned that “to date, the implementation of the new policy remains pending as the Health Department continues to dialogue with stakeholders on the implementing guidelines.”
Please be informed that upon orders of President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo who herself has expressed concern over this problem affecting mostly our poor countrymen, the undersigned, together with DOH Secretary Francisco Duque and DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzalez, after careful review, have approved the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) implementing Section 4 (g) of Republic Act No. 9208 or Anti-Human Trafficking Law.
The IRR which was developed by various stakeholders from the concerned private sector, medical groups, and government agencies, is now in the process of ratification by the Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking (IACAT) for subsequent implementation. The IRR provides for the total ban on organ “donations” to foreigners. The revised IRR supports the provisions of Republic Act 9208.
We believe that we need strict enforcement of the law and with the revised policy we are hopeful that illegal peddling of human organs will be minimized.
We thank you and Ms. Bagayaua for your interest in the organ trafficking issue. We appreciate your help in bringing important matters such as this to the attention of the public and in promoting equity and fairness.
Very truly yours,
original signed
DR. ESPERANZA I. CABRAL
Secretary
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Upon receiving this email, I immediately called up the office of Sec. Cabral to get a copy of the IRR but I was told by her staff, Donna del Barrio, that they cannot release this yet as it still has to be ratified by other IACAT members. I was told that ratification should take no more than a month. So let’s watch out for it. :=))
