Press Release No. 046-03
7 February 2003
PHILIPPINES ACCEPTS INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SECOND BALI
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON PEOPLE SMUGGLING, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND OTHER
RELATED TRANSNATIONAL CRIME

Reiterating the Philippine commitment to addressing the issue of transnational crime, particularly people smuggling and human
trafficking, Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople today accepted the invitation of the organizers of the Second Bali Ministerial Conference On People Smuggling, Human Trafficking And Other Related Transnational Crime to be held in Bali, Indonesia on 29-30 April 2003.

Australian Ambassador Ruth Pearce and Indonesian Charge d’Affaires Alexander Laturiuw, representing the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Indonesia, who will co-chair the ministerial conference, called on Secretary Ople today to personally convey the joint invitation of their foreign ministers.

“I gladly accepted their kind invitation,” Secretary Ople said after his meeting.  We are committed to eliminating the scourge of people smuggling and human trafficking.  It is a global problem and our people have not been spared.  We must do everything to fight this and we must do this in cooperation with other countries,’ Secretary Ople added. The Philippines actively participated in the First Bali  Conference which was held on 26-28 February 2002 and in the subsequent meetings of the two Working Groups that were created by the First Bali Conference.

“Because of this Bali Process, there is a clearer idea within our region on the substance and extent of the problem.  The working groups established by the first conference have proceeded with their tasks with determination and have identified clear and concrete areas for cooperation and have drawn up plans of action,” Secretary Ople said.  “I look forward to the second Bali conference with the full expectation that we will arrive at further arrangements that will signal the end for those who exploit and victimize our people, and for us, the majority of the victims are women and children,” Secretary Ople added.

In the Philippines, Secretary Ople hopes to formulate and adopt a national strategy on this problem, through broad consultations and in cooperation with other agencies.  “It is time to bring the full force of the government to bear on this problem.  It has many facets and although individual agencies, from law enforcement to line offices to local governments continue to address this issue on their own, and are doing a good job of it, we need to improve our current levels of cooperation,” Secretary Ople said.  “We also need to work with Congress on this and I have met many members of Congress who have pledged their support for our work,” Secretary Ople added. END.