“Child trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and minors are the basest and most severe form of abuses that occur frequently in the impoverished regions of the country,” declared Sr. Rosanne Mallillin, spc, NASSA Executive Secretary.

In a statistics released by the Asia ACTs Against Child Trafficking, Philippines and the rest of the Southeast Asian countries already account for an overwhelming trafficking statistics of 4 million - majority of whom comprise the women and children sector.

This figure, according to Sr. Mallillin, “should be a strong enough signal to move all sectors in the country to help abate the distressing incidence of child trafficking”.

NASSA is fortifying its Pan Asia Program against child trafficking. “Having a transnational linkage with established institution is definitely an incentive,” adds Sr. Mallillin.

“NASSA is deeply committed to combating child trafficking and to protecting its victims. As such, international partnership allows member-organizations wider latitude in terms of tracing the whereabouts of victims, uncovering the route of trafficking, and apprehending the criminals. NASSA has direct contact with Asian-wide Caritas organizations, including Asia-ACTs – one of the leading agencies advocating against child trafficking.”

NASSA intensified its Child Trafficking Program last March 2006, which focuses on community mobilization for effective and efficient delivery of basic social services, along with the provisions on healthcare, education, and other development programs.

The program strategy, in turn, addresses concerns such as lack of basic education due to poverty and exposure to violence and unsafe environment brought about by development aggression, militarization, and high urban poor population.

NASSA, together with Diocesan Social Action Centers (DSACs) around the Philippines , is celebrating the “Day Against Child Trafficking” on December 12 through the simultaneous activities conducted in 37 arch/dioceses.

The identified programs include awareness building through symposia on child trafficking, reproduction and distribution of anti-trafficking posters and materials to community members, art contests, photo exhibit, and film showing that discuss the destructive consequences of child trafficking.

Sine 1999, NASSA's Children and Women program has already supported 54 DSACs in providing their basic service delivery particularly in health and education. Representing the Catholic Church in the Interfaith Network for Children, NASSA also sits as an organizing committee member to the First National Faith Bishops Consultation and Dialogue on Children last October 2005, and as a major member of the Asia Partnership on Human Development's Pan Asia Program on Child Trafficking.

Being the social arm of the CBCP, NASSA has likewise recently issued a statement on organ trafficking, titled, “Organs for Sale : The lucrative and illegal trade of body parts is grossly exploitative of the poor.