Visayan Forum
Encyclopedia
VISAYAN FORUM FOUNDATION, INC is a non-profit, non-stock and tax-exempt non-government organization in the Philippines
established in 1991. VF works for the welfare of marginalized migrants, especially those working in the invisible and informal sectors. It works in issues of domestic work, child labor
and human trafficking
especially of women and children.
It is most known for its pioneering and documented work on domestic worker
s in the Philippines, especially in pushing for the Domestic Workers Bill or the Batas Kasambahay. It is also in the forefront of providing services to trafficking victims by managing Halfway Houses constructed by the Philippine Ports Authority
and the Manila International Airport Authority in major Philippine ports.
VF’s work for child domestic workers has been cited by ILO-IPEC and the United Nations
Girls Education Initiative (UNGEI) as one of the international best practices. Its anti-trafficking partnership with the Philippine government and private shipping companies was also hailed as one of the international best practices by the U.S. State Department in its 2005 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. The Anti-Slavery International, the world’s oldest human rights organization, also conferred the 2005 Anti-Slavery award on VF’s President.
Based in Quezon City, the Visayan Forum Foundation has rescued and helped more than 32,000 victims and potential victims of trafficking.
These days the Visayan Forum now has its own national office in Manila — plus a network of over 70 staff workers, six regional offices, and seven project areas.
are free and empowered
1. Mobilizing local, national and international efforts that promote safe migration and work for the development of marginalized migrants, especially the invisible domestic workers and trafficked women and children.
2. Providing integrative services and interventions
3. Campaigning, capacity-building and organizing advocates and volunteers as agents of change towards policies and programs that sustain long-term development involving women and children, communities, and other social partners.
4. Leading and sustaining preventive and proactive community-based programs
Sustained networks, partners, support or survivor groups and other stakeholders to provide protection, justice and developmental opportunities for long-term implementation of programs and services to victims of trafficking, abusive domestic work, as well as other vulnerable groups.
Interventions for victims of trafficking and abusive domestic work are set up and strengthened in strategic areas, ports and hotspots.
Communities are economically viable and secured.
The center, jointly established by the Visayan Forum Foundation (VF) and the PPA, also provides victims of child trafficking a temporary shelter, referrals in pursuing legal actions against their recruiters and telephone hotline counseling. VF-Mindanao regional coordinator, Luzviminda Panes, said the center also provides mechanisms to protect children who travel alone or are stranded at the seaport.
Visayan Forum Foundation has established that most of the children and young women trafficked to Manila from rural areas in search of work are assured jobs as domestic workers, but in a significant number of cases end up in the sex trade. Based on the statistics provided by the Visayan Forum Foundation, most victims are between 12 to 22 years old.
The Visayan Forum work with the Philippine coast guard, the government's Port Authority, and shipping company, Aboitez, to keep monitor arriving boats in the main ports, looking for possible traffickers traveling with groups of children.
The organization has operations in four main ports serving Manila, and says it rescues between 20 and 60 children a week.
,
Batangas
,
Bacolod
,
Davao
Sorsogon
.
Maria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda was presented with the award by Kristie Kenny, the U.S. ambassador to the Philippines
In 2005, Maria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda of the Visayan Forum Foundation received the Anti-Slavery Award from Anti-Slavery International, the world’s oldest human rights organization.
In 2009, the Visayan Forum Foundation was awarded the Eduardo Aboitiz Award for Outstanding Institution.
"Sometimes they send their lawyers here and also they say, 'I am the relative of senator so-and-so and I am the friend of the station commander or the port police,' something like that, so we are being harassed".
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
established in 1991. VF works for the welfare of marginalized migrants, especially those working in the invisible and informal sectors. It works in issues of domestic work, child labor
Child labor
Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
and human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
especially of women and children.
About Visayan Forum
It is licensed and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide "residential care and community-based programs and services for women and children in especially difficult circumstances."It is most known for its pioneering and documented work on domestic worker
Domestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
s in the Philippines, especially in pushing for the Domestic Workers Bill or the Batas Kasambahay. It is also in the forefront of providing services to trafficking victims by managing Halfway Houses constructed by the Philippine Ports Authority
Philippine Ports Authority
The Philippine Ports Authority is a government-owned corporation under the Department of Transportation and Communications as an attached agency...
and the Manila International Airport Authority in major Philippine ports.
VF’s work for child domestic workers has been cited by ILO-IPEC and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Girls Education Initiative (UNGEI) as one of the international best practices. Its anti-trafficking partnership with the Philippine government and private shipping companies was also hailed as one of the international best practices by the U.S. State Department in its 2005 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. The Anti-Slavery International, the world’s oldest human rights organization, also conferred the 2005 Anti-Slavery award on VF’s President.
History
The Visayan Forum Foundation Inc. (VFF), a nonprofit organization was founded in 1991.Based in Quezon City, the Visayan Forum Foundation has rescued and helped more than 32,000 victims and potential victims of trafficking.
These days the Visayan Forum now has its own national office in Manila — plus a network of over 70 staff workers, six regional offices, and seven project areas.
National and International Efforts in Mobilizing Social Partners
- Philippine and Southeast Asian Secretariat, Global March against Child Labor
- Convenor, Task Force on Child Domestic Workers in Asia
- Convenor, Multi-Sectoral Network against Trafficking in Persons (MSNAT)
- Convenor, Anti-Trafficking Task Forces at the Ports
- Vice-Chair, Philippine NGO Coalition on the UNCRC
- Member, ILO Convention 182 National Monitoring Team
- Member, National Steering Committee of UNICEF’s Sixth Country Program for Children
Vision
A society where marginalized migrants, especially Filipino women and children,are free and empowered
Mission
To contribute to the protection, freedom and empowerment of marginalized migrants, especially Filipino women and children, by:1. Mobilizing local, national and international efforts that promote safe migration and work for the development of marginalized migrants, especially the invisible domestic workers and trafficked women and children.
2. Providing integrative services and interventions
3. Campaigning, capacity-building and organizing advocates and volunteers as agents of change towards policies and programs that sustain long-term development involving women and children, communities, and other social partners.
4. Leading and sustaining preventive and proactive community-based programs
Goals
Institutionalized local, national and international policies that shall protect and provide programs and services for women and children especially the mainstreaming of domestic workers and trafficked persons.Sustained networks, partners, support or survivor groups and other stakeholders to provide protection, justice and developmental opportunities for long-term implementation of programs and services to victims of trafficking, abusive domestic work, as well as other vulnerable groups.
Interventions for victims of trafficking and abusive domestic work are set up and strengthened in strategic areas, ports and hotspots.
Communities are economically viable and secured.
Projects
- A halfway house, dubbed "Balay Silungan sa Daungan" (Home Shelter at the Port) provides 24-hour "safety and catchment" services for victims of trafficking intercepted by child rights advocates and government personnel.
The center, jointly established by the Visayan Forum Foundation (VF) and the PPA, also provides victims of child trafficking a temporary shelter, referrals in pursuing legal actions against their recruiters and telephone hotline counseling. VF-Mindanao regional coordinator, Luzviminda Panes, said the center also provides mechanisms to protect children who travel alone or are stranded at the seaport.
Human Trafficking
Visayan Forum Foundation has been actively involved in helping women and children trafficked into prostitution by providing support, education, housing, and legal advice.Visayan Forum Foundation has established that most of the children and young women trafficked to Manila from rural areas in search of work are assured jobs as domestic workers, but in a significant number of cases end up in the sex trade. Based on the statistics provided by the Visayan Forum Foundation, most victims are between 12 to 22 years old.
The Visayan Forum work with the Philippine coast guard, the government's Port Authority, and shipping company, Aboitez, to keep monitor arriving boats in the main ports, looking for possible traffickers traveling with groups of children.
The organization has operations in four main ports serving Manila, and says it rescues between 20 and 60 children a week.
Regional Centers
Metro ManilaMetro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
,
Batangas
Batangas
Batangas is a first class province of the Philippines located on the southwestern part of Luzon in the CALABARZON region. Its capital is Batangas City and it is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Laguna to the north and Quezon to the east. Across the Verde Island Passages to the south is the...
,
Bacolod
Bacolod City
The City of Bacolod , is a highly urbanized midsize Philippine city. It is the capital of the Negros Occidental province. Having a total of 499,497 inhabitants as of August 1, 2007, it is the most populous city in the Western Visayas Region. It is currently ranked as the 17th most populous city in...
,
Davao
Davao
Davao refers to several closely related places in Mindanao in the Philippines. The term is used most often to refer to the city.*Davao Region, an administrative region*Davao del Norte province*Davao del Sur province*Davao Oriental province...
Sorsogon
Sorsogon
Sorsogon is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region; it is the southernmost province in Luzon and is subdivided into fourteen municipalities and one city. Its capital is Sorsogon City and borders the province of Albay to the north...
.
Other Project Areas
NCR, Batangas, Sorsogon, Cebu, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Davao, Southern Leyte, Samar, Surigao and ZamboangaAwards
Maria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda of the Visayan Forum Foundation is the first person to win the Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor, a new honor bestowed by the U.S. Department of Labor.Maria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda was presented with the award by Kristie Kenny, the U.S. ambassador to the Philippines
In 2005, Maria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda of the Visayan Forum Foundation received the Anti-Slavery Award from Anti-Slavery International, the world’s oldest human rights organization.
In 2009, the Visayan Forum Foundation was awarded the Eduardo Aboitiz Award for Outstanding Institution.
Harassment
Ms. Ulleque says those arrested for trafficking children will sometimes threaten workers from her organization."Sometimes they send their lawyers here and also they say, 'I am the relative of senator so-and-so and I am the friend of the station commander or the port police,' something like that, so we are being harassed".