11 October 2004 - Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo, together with US Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone, will lead in the launching tomorrow afternoon of three projects on Anti-Trafficking in Persons that will be funded by the US Government through grants by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Joining the Secretary and the Ambassador during the ceremonies are USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios and Robert Wuertz, Chief of the Office of Economic Development and Governance of USAID Philippines.

"Trafficking in persons is among the top issues in our region today, making this endeavor most timely," Secretary Romulo said. "It also represents the goodwill of the US government in providing assistance to the efforts of governments and NGOs in addressing this issue. Through our combined and sustained efforts, we hope to one day put an end to human trafficking once and for all."

The three projects will focus on the trafficking of women and children, prostitution and pornography. The projects will be headed and implemented by three NGO grantees, namely, the National Office of Mass Media (NOMM), Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific (CATW-AP), and End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT-PHILIPPINES).

Father James Reuter, Executive Director of NOMM, will represent the grantees during the ceremonies to be held at the Bulwagang Blas F. Ople, 14th floor, DFA.   The launching ceremony is open to the media for coverage. END