CEBU CITY — The local branch of international human rights organization, International Justice Mission (IJM) lamented Tuesday the continuing problem of human trafficking in the Philippines, including Cebu, despite the country’s fading out from the international sex tourism radar.

“Cebu is known and recognized as the hub and center of growth and development in the region,” said IJM-Cebu Director, Andrey Sawchenko. “However, the downside picture of this reality is the hidden problem of human trafficking.”

Addressing newsmen at the 888 News Forum at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel yesterday, Sawchenko said, “The emerging trend is more and more women and children being dragged in this unscrupulous trade backed by profiteers in commercial sex trade.”

But, contended Dr. Robert Lim Joseph, President of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAS) who spoke in the same Forum, the Philippines has already blipped out of the sex tourism radar, having long been virtually abandoned as a destination for such activity by foreigners.

Joseph said prostitution is not organized in the country, not like overseas where “prostitution is already tolerated in other Asian countries and so foreigners prefer to visit those countries for sex. But that doesn’t mean that we can stop prostitution here in our country. It’s still rampant. It’s everywhere.”

He also said that some Filipino women go to other countries to work as prostitutes because of the leniency of the respective governments “and then these commercial sex workers go back to our country as heroes.”

The IJM-Cebu Director said cases of human trafficking in the country continues to increase as opportunists continue to lay down their traps and victimize women and children who are particularly vulnerable because of the current financial crisis.

In the global scene, the IJM is a human rights organization that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery and oppression. It is comprised of a multinational team of law enforcement professionals and a highly qualified legal staff conducting criminal investigations and collecting evidence to rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice.