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04/02/2008
Trafficking of Filipinas in Singapore at all-time high
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The Nation
Singapore - Human trafficking of Filipinas in Singapore has increased alarmingly to an all-time high to 212 cases in 2007, an annual report from the Philippine Embassy in Singapore said on Monday.
The report, submitted to Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G Romulo, cited a 70 per cent surge in cases from 125 in 2006.
Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen Fule-Anoto noted there were 59 recorded cases in 2005.
Last year's figure "is only a small fraction of all the Filipino human trafficking victims in Singapore," the report said. "Most of those who fled to the embassy for help said that many others were unable or too afraid to escape from the pubs/bars where they were being exploited."
Among the reasons for the rise in human trafficking cases in the city-state are the advent of budget airlines which have lowered the cost of travel, "making it easier, and cheaper, for traffickers to bring people to other countries."
It cited a network of illegal recruiters and possibly syndicates operating across borders, "who manage to persuade their recruits through various modes of deception and intimidation."
The existence of a large number of bars and pubs in Singapore's red light districts that fuel the demand for women from the Philippines was also mentioned.
Poverty and unemployment in the Philippines, and the promise of lucrative jobs "add to the thrill over overseas employment in Singapore," the report said.
Based on the testimonies of victims, the embassy reported that human traffickers systematically use a tried and tested method in luring and exploiting their victims.
"Illegal recruits promise young women non-existent jobs as waitresses or guest relations officers in restaurants and hotels," the report said.
The victims are each charged up to 1,000 Singapore dollars (709 US dollars) as a recruitment fee, given round-trip tickets with the return ticket sometimes fake, a fake invitation letter and "show money" for Philippine immigration officials who scrutinize their financial capacity as tourists, it noted.
The victims "are told that there are legitimate jobs waiting for them ... but they end up working in bars, earning a pittance.
"It is only upon reaching Singapore that they are told by their handlers that they owe another 1,000 Singapore dollars (709 US dollars to 4,000 Singapore dollars (2,836 US dollars), which they must repay through sexual services to customers or commissions from alcoholic drinks ordered by their clients," the report said.
The report called for better coordination and greater political will to clamp down on human traffickers by both the source and destination country.//dpa
16:40 Posted by soci | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Human Trafficking, Slavery, Singapore