An interfaith network against human trafficking vowed Thursday to keep an eye on the Philippine government’s ban on Chinese-run offshore gaming operations.
The Philippine Interfaith Movement Against Human Trafficking (PIMAHT) emphasized the urgent need to address the links between the so-called Philippine offshore gaming operators, or POGO, and human trafficking.
About 100 representatives from churches, government agencies, faith-based organizations and advocates from Southeast Asia gathered in Manila for the first “Freedom Forum Asia”, in partnership with Walk Free Global Freedom Network.
The meeting was organized by PIMAHT, which includes representatives from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), and the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC).
Fr. Bryand Restituto, CBCP assistant secretary general, said the group is critically aware of the current human trafficking trends, which are closely tied to the unlawful operations of POGOs.
“The PIMAHT upholds the decision of the Philippine government to the banning of all the POGO’s come end of the year, and as a network, it will become a watchdog to the progress of these directives,” Restituto said.
He also warned that more than just shutting down the illicit businesses, there is a growing concern over children left behind by POGO workers who have fled or been deported from the country.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Nov. 8 formally ordered the ban on POGOs, three months after announcing the directive during his State of the Nation Address in July.
The government said it will shut down all POGOs by the end of 2024, citing their ties to online scams, money laundering, human trafficking, prostitution, and other crimes.
PIMAHT, founded 11 years ago, is expanding its efforts in response to new challenges and evolving criminal operations.
“As human trafficking and criminal organizations evolve in their operations, we also evolve and strengthen our resolve in this fight and in this movement,” Bishop Noel Pantoja, PCEC national director, said.
Pantoja turned over the PIMAHT chairmanship to CBCP partners in February. The group has also been working closely with the International Justice Mission (IJM) Philippines and Talitha Kum Philippines (TKP).
NCCP General Secretary Minnie Anne Mata-Calub said that the forum, which ends Friday, is more than a platform for dialogue.
“It is a call to action,” she said. “Let us remember that every effort we make today is a step toward a future where no one is bought or sold, where freedom is not a privilege but a birthright, and where dignity is upheld for all,” she said.