VZCZCXRO7821
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #0403/01 0450822
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 140822Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9759
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANILA 000403 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G/TIP, EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP, INL/AAE, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC ELAB KCRM PHUM PREL SMIG RP
SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES: FY 2008 ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS PROPOSALS 
 
REF: 07 STATE 161287 (FY 2008 G/TIP Grant Solicitation) 
 
¶1. In response to the solicitation for anti-trafficking in persons 
project proposals from the Department's Office to Monitor and Combat 
Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP) (reftel), Embassy Manila received 18 
proposals from both government agencies and non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) for consideration for funding in FY 2008.  Our 
Mission's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Working Group carefully 
reviewed all 18 proposals and recommends the following five projects 
to G/TIP, in priority order. 
 
¶2. Per reftel guidance, Embassy will e-mail the complete proposals 
for the five projects to G/TIP. Political Officer Barry Fullerton is 
the Embassy point-of-contact for TIP issues.  He can be reached at 
63-2-301-2000, extension 2350, or via e-mail at 
FullertonTB@state.gov. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Project 1: International Labour Organization 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶A. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: International Labour Organization (ILO) 
 
¶B. REQUESTED FUNDING: $412,759 
 
¶C. PROJECT TITLE: Improving National Responses against Trafficking 
in Persons for Forced Labour and Labour Exploitation 
 
¶D. DURATION: 24 months 
 
¶E. PROJECT ABSTRACT: The ILO's global report of 2007 concludes that 
the increasing trend of trafficking in persons for forced labor 
stands out as the most urgent problem of the 21st Century in 
relation to ILO Convention No. 29.  While the Philippines has a 
comprehensive anti-trafficking law, reports indicate little 
information and few formal complaints of trafficking for forced 
labor.  The proposed project will contribute to the effective 
implementation of the Philippine anti-trafficking law through 
research and operational activities that tackle forced labor, and 
how its forms are linked to broader patterns of trafficking.  The 
project will organize a series of roundtable discussions and 
dialogues to develop policy guidelines and administrative 
regulations strengthening responses against trafficking for forced 
labor.  In addition, ILO will develop evidence-based strategies and 
training modules to improve investigation and prosecution of 
trafficking cases, and the capacity of key agencies enhanced to 
respond to trafficking for forced labor.  The project will raise 
public awareness on trafficking for forced labor through print and 
broadcast information materials. 
 
------------------------------ 
Project 2: The Asia Foundation 
------------------------------ 
 
¶A. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: The Asia Foundation 
 
¶B. REQUESTED FUNDING: $275,026 
 
¶C. PROJECT TITLE: Increasing Prosecution of Trafficking in 
Persons-Related Corruption in the Philippines 
 
¶D. DURATION: 24 months 
 
¶E. PROJECT ABSTRACT: The proposed project aims to increase 
prosecution of TIP-related corruption in the Philippines by 
strengthening the capacity of the lead agency in the fight against 
graft and corruption, and by encouraging local communities to take 
action against TIP-related corruption through a community-based 
reporting mechanism. The Asia Foundation will provide technical 
assistance to the Office of the Ombudsman to develop a comprehensive 
manual in investigating and prosecuting TIP-related corruption 
cases, and training Ombudsman investigators, prosecutors, law 
enforcers, and other stakeholders. At the same time, the Foundation 
will work with civil society groups and the Office of the Ombudsman 
to develop a community-based feedback mechanism for reporting 
TIP-related corruption, and conduct a mass media campaign to 
advocate for the use of this mechanism at the local level. The civil 
society engagement in combating human trafficking and corruption, 
together with greater capacity on the part of the Office of the 
Ombudsman to bring corrupt officials involved in human trafficking 
to justice will lead to increased TIP-related corruption cases 
prosecuted in the Sandiganbayan (anti-corruption court) and other 
criminal courts. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Project 3: U.S. Department of Justice 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶A. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of 
Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training 
(DOJ/OPDAT) 
 
MANILA 00000403  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶B. REQUESTED FUNDING: $500,000 
 
¶C. PROJECT TITLE: Strengthening the Philippines' Capacity to 
Prosecute and Adjudicate Trafficking in Persons Crimes 
 
¶D. DURATION: 3 years 
 
¶E. PROJECT ABSTRACT: Despite having strong Anti-TIP legislation and 
a commitment by the Philippines Department of Justice (PDOJ) to 
prosecute TIP cases, the Government of the Republic of the 
Philippines' (GRP) track record of successful prosecutions remains 
weak.  The GRP efforts to prosecute TIP cases are hampered by 
slowness of the courts, resource constraints within law enforcement 
agencies, and corruption.  The proposed project aims to expand and 
strengthen the capacity of the GRP to prosecute and convict persons 
engaged in human trafficking by improving the capacity of 
prosecutors to effectively develop, handle, and justly resolve such 
cases.  OPDAT proposes using an Intermittent Legal Advisor (ILA) to 
initiate program implementation, and a team of DOJ prosecutors with 
trafficking expertise that would provide follow-on training and 
mentoring.  The project will design specific activities to train 
prosecutors and judges, and to strengthen the effectiveness of the 
existing PDOJ anti-trafficking task force, through case mentoring 
and training. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Project 4: Share A Child Movement 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶A. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: Share A Child Movement 
 
¶B. REQUESTED FUNDING: Federal share, $108,723; Non-federal share, 
$35,100 
 
¶C. PROJECT TITLE: Project CASTE: Community Action to Stop 
Trafficking in Persons through Education 
 
¶D. DURATION: 3 years 
 
¶E. PROJECT ABSTRACT: The proposed project will focus on empowering 
communities, where traffickers recruit girls and women, to be able 
to combat trafficking in these areas.  Share a Child Movement 
intends to work with community watch groups in six villages in Cebu 
City, in the Visayas, a major source, destination and transit point 
of trafficked women and children. The proposed activities include: 
(a) training advocates in the community and in schools within the 
community to conduct intensive information campaigns with families 
and with young people; (b) formulating community plan of action on 
anti-trafficking and advocating for the passage of local ordinance 
that would address trafficking; (c) working with the village 
officials and residents to provide direct services for victims and 
people at risk for trafficking in terms of education, livelihood and 
employment. 
 
---------------------------- 
Project 5: St. Maria Goretti 
---------------------------- 
 
¶A. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: St. Maria Goretti Development Education 
Foundation, Inc. 
 
¶B. REQUESTED FUNDING: Federal share, $137,037; Non-federal share 
$22,965 
 
¶C. PROJECT TITLE: Inter-Provincial Local Government and 
Multi-Sectoral Partnership Against Trafficking in Persons (Negros 
Oriental, Negros Occidental, and Zamboanga del Norte) 
 
¶D. DURATION: 24 months 
 
¶E. PROJECT ABSTRACT: The province of Negros Oriental in the Visayas 
was considered one of the top four origins of child labor.  Many 
children from this area become victims of trafficking, sent to work 
in exploitative conditions in urban cities.  Studies showed that the 
lack of knowledge of families and communities on the plight of the 
trafficked children, the lack of cooperation among local government, 
civil society and communities to address the problem, and the poor 
law enforcement contribute to the increasing problem of trafficking. 
This project addresses the problem of trafficking, especially of 
children and women, in Negros Oriental and those coming from the 
neighboring provinces of Negros Occidental and Zamboanga del Norte. 
The project proposes to conduct the following activities: (a) an 
inter-local government/non-government organization/church and 
community cooperation consultation workshops and meetings; (b) 
capacity building for prosecutors and other stakeholders; (c) 
enhancing values on social responsibility; and (d) establishment of 
a halfway house for rescued victims.  It is expected that a 
partnership cooperation addressing the problem of trafficking shall 
be established in the three provinces through a Memorandum of 
Agreement. 
 
MANILA 00000403  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
 
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm 
 
You can also access this site through the State Department's 
Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/ 
 
KENNEY