03/06/2026
๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ-๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ณ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), in partnership with the ASEANโAustralia Counter Trafficking (ASEAN-ACT) program, continues to strengthen government efforts against trafficking in persons facilitated by corruption.
On 14 May 2026, IACAT convened the 3rd Anti-Corruption Guidelines Small Group Workshop, bringing together key oversight and accountability institutions, including the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Philippine Civil Service Commission (CSC), Office of the Presidentโ Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs (OP-ODESLA), Office of the Ombudsman Philippines, and the Sandiganbayan, alongside law enforcement agencies, namely the Bureau of Immigration,(BI), National Bureau of Investigation โ International Airport Investigation Division (NBI-IAID), Philippine Coast Guard(PCG), and PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group(PNP-ACG).
Building on the outcomes of previous consultations, participants reviewed and refined the proposed Terms of Reference (TOR) for Anti-Corruption Focal Persons, a key initiative aimed at institutionalizing a coordinated inter-agency mechanism for monitoring, reporting, and addressing the complicity of public officials and employees in trafficking in persons cases.
Participants also mapped existing administrative accountability mechanisms, including agency-specific jurisdictions, complaint procedures, and disciplinary processes, to better understand the available avenues for addressing complaints against public officials and employees implicated in trafficking in persons cases.
The discussions underscored the importance of a whole-of-government approach in strengthening safeguards against corruption and official complicity in trafficking in persons. The active participation of oversight and accountability institutions reinforced the government commitment to strengthening integrity mechanisms and ensuring that public officials who facilitate or enable trafficking are held accountable under the law.