Bus firm signs MOA for free fare to trafficked victims

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Strengthening the Enabling Environment to Improve Response to TIP and TIP Related Cases (STEER) Project

Bus firm signs MOA for free fare to trafficked victims

Jun 11, 2008 at 08:00 AM

from PIA Press Release

Bacolod City (11 June) -- Vallacar Transit Inc. recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with an Anti Trafficking In Person (ATIP) crusading NGO, Philippine Solidarity Office (PSO), that would, among others, give free bus fares to returning trafficking victims.

ATIP National Project Coordinator Anna Lee Foz of the United States Department of State Solidarity Center said the MOA contains provisions allowing returning trafficking victim and his or her accompanying family members to have a free bus fare.

The company will also show ATIP films on its buses and its employees will be trained by the NGO to identify traffickers.

The Philippine Solidarity Center implements the "Strengthening the Enabling Environment to Improve Response to Trafficking In Person (TIP) and Related Cases" (STEER) in the country. The PSO-STEER, NACUSIP and its allied organizations will provide technical support to the bus company.

The MOA was signed by Lawyer Rolando Villaflores -Vallacar Transit Vice President for Administration, Hernane Braza of the Philippine Agricultural Commercial and Industrial Workers' Union (PACIWU-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines), Ronald Esponilla –president of the PACIWU-TUCP Vallacar Transit Inc. Chapter, and Anna Lee Fos of the Solidarity Center.

Witnessing the MOA signing are Jun de la Cruz of the PACIWU and Agnes Cabigun of the DOLE-Sattellite Negros Occ. Provincial Office.

"It took us a year to have this agreement signed, but oh! It most certainly was worth the wait. We are grateful on behalf of trafficked persons who have been waiting and wailing to be transported back to their families free of charge," Fos told PIA.

"We are even more excited to see transport workers in action preventing trafficking onboard buses and in terminals," she added.

A similar MOA was also signed last May 2008 with the South Eastern Bus Operators, a Visayas-Mindanao based bus organization where trafficked victims enjoy similar privileges.

Fos gave a stern warning to traffickers, leaning on its new allies enlisted in fighting TIP.

"We say this to traffickers, illegal recruiters and transporters: If you think you can just get away with trafficking people, well, you better be ready coz transport workers are watching, very closely!"

(PIA-LOL)

Last Updated ( Jun 23, 2008 at 08:42 PM )