DOT starts fight vs exploitation of women, children by tourists

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo, Business Mirror, Aug 16, 2019

Representatives of government agencies and nongovernment organizations pledged their commitment to ensure a tourism industry that protects children and women from sexual exploitation and trafficking. Tourism Secretary Bernadette T. Romulo Puyat (seventh from left) led the signing of the covenant. Other signatories were: Dolores SD Alforte (ECPAT Philippines Inc.), Renay Farrell (Friends International), Jose Clemente III (Tourism Congress of the Philippines), PBGen. William S. Macavinta (PNP), Mary Mitzi Cajayon-Uy (CWC), Roosque Calacat (DILG), George Ortha II (DOJ), Janet Ramos (CFO) and Cecille Gutierrez (PCW).

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) on Tuesday moved to combat sex trafficking of minors and the exploitation of women by tourists.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette T. Romulo Puyat told the BusinessMirror her agency will “remove the accreditation of tourism establishments found violating Philippine laws on women and children.”

“Their business permits will also be revoked,” Romulo Puyat added.

She said complaints received by the DOT about such establishments will undergo due diligence and investigation.

According to Philippine National Police (PNP) data cited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, about 182 cases of child prostitution and 41 cases of child pornography were reported to government in 2018. In the first half of the year, there were 29 cases of child prostitution and 13 cases of child pornography recorded.

The DOT, together with various government agencies signed a covenant pledging their commitment in ensuring a tourism industry that will keep children and women safe. Those who signed the covenant included Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) President Jose Clemente III, End Child Prostitution Executive Director Dolores Alforte and Cecille Gutierrez of the Philippine Commission on Women.

This developed as the DOT presented the Tourism Integrates, Support and Minds Women’s Respect and Child Safety, or “TourISM WoRCS,” Program. “TourISM WoRCS” is a series of trainings and seminars that promote sustainable tourism practices, which will be mounted to ensure that the rights of children and women are protected. It will also facilitate the establishment of “child safe and women in tourism” focal persons in every regional office.

“We will train frontliners against sexual exploitation of women and children in all regional offices through ‘TouISM WoRCS.’ For all the hotels, we will include the training as part of their accreditation,” Romulo Puyat said. “Frontliners like receptionists should be able to determine if there are suspicious activities involving women and children.”

She added the training is ongoing in some DOT regional offices.

Asked how massive the problem of sexploitation of women and minors, the tourism chief said: “only in certain places and not as rampant.”

“But, of course, this does not mean we won’t address it,” Romulo Puyat said. “We will move ahead to address the problem.”

She emphasized that for suspicious activities in this area, the hotline to call is 1343. Tour guides are also being warned against encouraging the sexploitation of minors and women.

For his part, TCP’s Clemente vowed support for the DOT program, adding to further enforce the laws protecting women and children from exploitation.

“We can make an inventory of hotels that have policies against child prostitution and promote those properties,” he explained. “For example, we can be more vigilant when we feel there is something fishy when a guest brings in someone who looks like a minor.”

Originally the Child Wise Tourism Program in 2006—the advocacy that evolved into the Child Safe Tourism (CST) program in 2014—TourISM WoRCS is the comprehensive version incorporating gender and development concerns and interventions.

The program will also pave the way for the creation of an inter-agency working group for “Child Safe Tourism Philippines” and provide “Child Safe” information to travelers in the country.

The DOT, in partnership with the Friends International, a nongovernment organization focusing on children and the youth across the globe, earlier released the “7 Travellers Tips.” These tips include reminders on what to do if a sex worker appears underage or if one sees an adult propositioning a child. The tips also inform travelers to report to the authorities if he or she witnesses child labor in their travels in the Philippines.

Travelers and the general public are encouraged to report if a child is in danger to authorities.

Romulo Puyat sternly warned violators of rights of children and women: “We certainly do not need tourists in the Philippines who would prey on the young and women.”

“I look forward to the day when we would not have to report about children or women who suffer at the hands of sex predators, a time when child-sex tourism and women trafficking will just be painful lessons in history. That would come,” she said. “But today, we have a battle to win, and win we will.”