DSWD to parents of young ‘Yolanda’ survivors: Don’t entrust children to strangers

DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman with children. File photo courtesy of DSWD on Facebook.

MANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reiterated on Friday its reminder to parents of children in typhoon “Yolanda”-affected areas not to entrust their children to strangers and even to distant relatives.

According to DSWD Secretary Corazon J. Soliman, they are pursuing their advocacy campaign to ensure that the children survivors will not fall prey to the hands of human traffickers who want to take advantage of the vulnerability of the disaster victims.

“We keep on informing them (the parents) to get familiar with the elements of trafficking so that they can spot or identify them while we also encourage them to report to appropriate authorities,” Secretary Soliman said.

She also encouraged concerned citizens who may notice the existence of possible human traffickers in their areas to report to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) to ensure the protection of women and children-survivors who are in temporary shelter facilities.

She said that so far, three children have been rescued in Samar and Leyte from the perpetrators of human trafficking. She added that the suspects are now facing criminal charges.