The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Saturday that the Philippines has maintained its Tier 1 standard in the fight against human trafficking for the past ten years, as the agency continues to confront the growing challenge of online crimes—particularly the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida made the statement in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on July 11, as part of the DZRH SONA 2026 Series, noting that the advance of technology has also changed the nature of crime.
“Actually, ‘yang online, paglatag ng teknolohiya, ‘di ba, advancing technology. Unfortunately, pag-advance ng science and technology, hindi lang ‘yung benepisyo ang nakikita, pati ‘yung krimen nagbabago. At diyan ngayon ang malaking challenge sa atin, ‘yang online crimes. At ang malaki diyan is ‘yung ating online sex abuse and exploitation of children, ‘yung materials na nagiging available. ‘Yan ‘yung mga patuloy nating ano, at sa patuloy na paghanap ng DOJ, bilang una ‘yung sa ating IACAT, ‘yung Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking. Sa nakalipas na sampung taon, nakamit natin ‘yung Tier 1 level ng standard,” Secretary Vida said.
According to the 2025 US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report, the Philippines is one of only 33 countries out of 188 assessed worldwide to have achieved the Tier 1 ranking, the highest possible rating given to governments that fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking.
Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said the IACAT, chaired by the DOJ and co-chaired by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), coordinates the anti-trafficking work of practically the entire government.
“DOJ ang chair niyan, co-chair nito DSWD. At napakadaming ibang agencies na kasama natin diyan. Kasama natin diyan ang DFA, DILG, kapulisan, ang Anti-Money Laundering Council. Kasi nga ang polisiya natin sa mga ganitong klaseng krimen, ganitong klaseng problema, kailangan hindi lang whole-of-government, whole-of-nation approach. Practically the entire government is there,” Undersecretary Ty said.
He also cited the POGO ban by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a landmark move in the anti-trafficking fight, saying the hubs had become breeding grounds for serious crimes.
“Kasi ‘di na natin matanggihan nung panahon na ‘yun na naging pugad na ng sari-saring kriminal ang mga POGO: human trafficking, cybercrime, torture, kidnapping. At dahil dun, malaking bawas sa crime na nagaganap dito,” Undersecretary Ty said.
