The Issue
The island of Mindanao has become one of the trafficking hotspots because of armed conflict. Children are trafficked to major cities and neighbouring countries, particularly Malaysia. Trafficking victims are promised jobs such as domestic helpers or entertainers. Unaware of the dangers ahead, children often have their own aspirations of wanting to see the big cities, helping their siblings and family, acquiring material gains, going to Japan as “entertainers”, and improving their physical appearance. Children are commonly trafficked for exploitation in the sex trade - an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 children in the Philippines are involved in prostitution rings. There is a high incidence of child prostitution in tourist areas. An undetermined number of children are forced into exploitative labor operations.
