Thursday, January 24, 2013

Reporting human trafficking activities in your area is now just a text away: ABS-CBNnews



MANILA, Philippines - Reporting human trafficking activities is your area is now just a text away.

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) and Globe/Touch Mobile recently launched the short message service or SMS-based Action Line 1343 Against Human Trafficking.

The new service will respond to requests for assistance, inquiries and referrals involving suspected human trafficking activities.

The CFO said that the text-based 1343 Action Line is also deemed to fast-track the referral and follow-up of cases, efficiently direct immediate assistance to human trafficking victims and disseminate information on human trafficking through text messages.

Globe and Touch Mobile subscribers who want to know how to access the service can text  <1343(space)HELP> or <help(space)1343> then send to 1343 free of charge.
"It is hoped that by making 1343 Action Line available through texts, more cases of human trafficking will be reported and resolved," the CFO said.
Meanwhile, the 1343 call-based Actionline against Human Trafficking began operations in March 2011.

For 2012, a total of 7,762 calls were received from the Action Line involving 198 actual cases with 130 victims, 19 of which were minors.