Phl retains Tier 1 anti-trafficking status for 10th year

For the 10th consecutive year, the Philippines has secured its Tier 1 status in the United States Department of State’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, solidifying its reputation as a global leader in the fight against human trafficking.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) announced the achievement on Tuesday. The Tier 1 ranking signifies that the Philippine government "fully meets the minimum standards" for eliminating human trafficking as set by the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.

Out of 188 governments assessed, only 33 countries achieved the top-tier ranking this year — a milestone the Philippines has now sustained for an entire decade.

The 2025 report commended the Philippines for its "whole-of-nation" and victim-centered approach. It highlighted major improvements in prosecution and law enforcement, leading to intensified rescue operations, investigations, and convictions. The report specifically noted the courts' use of plea bargaining in Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) cases, which helps expedite justice and reduce trauma for child witnesses.

Prevention efforts were also praised, including heightened awareness campaigns, capacity building at the community level, and strengthened preventive mechanisms at ports and migration corridors.

The government’s provision of comprehensive services and assistance to Filipino victims, particularly migrant workers, was recognized as a strong demonstration of its commitment to protecting the vulnerable.

Justice Secretary and IACAT Chair Jesus Crispin Remulla credited President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive "to end human trafficking, ban POGOs that exploit individuals for forced scamming... and intensify efforts to put an end to the abhorrent crime of OSAEC."

Remulla added that the Tier 1 ranking serves as "a beacon of light, an impetus for our sustained efforts," stressing that the fight is "for all of humanity."

IACAT Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty emphasized the importance of international collaboration, noting that the national campaign – "Isang Nasyon, Isang Aksyon, Tapusin ang Human Trafficking at OSAEC Ngayon" (One Nation, One Action, End Human Trafficking and OSAEC Now) – depends on collective action, particularly from destination countries for trafficking.

Despite a decade of top-tier recognition, the Philippines reaffirmed that combating human trafficking remains not just a legal mandate but a "shared moral obligation."