Blas F. Ople Policy Center Recognizes the Power of Technology and Collaboration in Fighting Human Trafficking
Manila, Philippines — The Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute Inc., together with Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, International Justice Mission Philippines, and World Vision organized the 2025 Non-Government Organization (NGO) Summit held on September 16, 2025 at the Manila Prince Hotel, Manila.
With the theme “Securing the Future: A Non-Government Organization Summit on Combating IT-Facilitated Trafficking in Persons,” the event gathered partners from government, NGOs, and the private sector to tackle the alarming rise of technology-driven human trafficking, including Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and cyber-enabled recruitment scams.
Representing the Ople Center, President Estelle Ople Osorio delivered a compelling message on how the same digital tools used by traffickers can be harnessed to protect and empower vulnerable communities.
“It takes technology to beat technology,” Osorio emphasized. “Traffickers are always ahead because of their creativity and use of digital tools. To outsmart them, we must be just as innovative and work together across sectors.”
She also called for the integration of anti-trafficking awareness in educational programs and in the orientation of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families, noting that many OSAEC victims are children of OFWs left in the care of others.
The Ople Center reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the government’s anti-trafficking initiatives through advocacy, capacity-building, and reintegration support for survivors and overseas workers. As a long-time partner of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), the Center continues to bridge community efforts with national policies toward safe, fair, and ethical migration.
The summit also featured insights from DOJ Assistant Secretary Michelle Ann Lapuz, DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, IJM Philippines, and PLDT-SMART, all emphasizing the importance of collective action, technological innovation, and survivor-centered approaches.
In closing, participants signed a symbolic commitment wall, pledging to strengthen partnerships and protect every Filipino from all forms of exploitation.
The Blas F. Ople Policy Center stands united with its partners in ensuring that no child, woman, or worker becomes a victim of human trafficking and that together, we continue to build a future grounded in dignity, safety, and hope.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WORLD VISION
Building Safer Communities: Ople Center and AWO International Southeast Asia Continue BARMM Gabay Sessions
Cotabato City — The Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute Inc., in partnership with AWO International Southeast Asia, continued its advocacy for safe and ethical migration through a community session on the BARMM Gabay Program held last September 24, 2025, at the Barangay Hall of MB Bagua, Cotabato City.
Barangay officials, purok leaders, Bangsamoro Empowered Survivors Overseas Association-BESOA leaders, and residents actively participated in discussions on safe migration, ethical recruitment, and reintegration support for returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and vulnerable families. The open forum provided space for participants to share their experiences and express their commitment to helping spread vital information across their puroks and communities.
This activity forms part of a continuing series of barangay-level sessions supported by AWO International to expand the reach of the BARMM Gabay booklet a community guide designed to strengthen household awareness, protection, and empowerment within the Bangsamoro region.