MANILA, July 16, 2013— A Catholic bishop has placed blame on poverty and unemployment for the rise of human trafficking cases in Eastern Samar. 
Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez said trafficking is a many sided problem but people, especially the poor, are easily swayed to promises of benefits that can never be realized in their province.
Worse, he said, is that the most of the victims are “deceived” by their recruiters on the real nature of the activity they will engage in.
“It is because the poor and the jobless are more prone to abuse,” Varquez said.
He said that the diocese has joined awareness raising initiatives in the province to fight human trafficking.
“Our social action center has a campaign to disseminate information to at least warn our people against human trafficking,” Varquez added.
Last March, the US government allocated P3.8 million to Manila-based Philippines Against Child Trafficking (Pact) to curb child trafficking in at least 13 towns of Eastern Samar. (CBCPNews)
