As delivered 29th out of 165 countries for its efforts against human trafficking in the 2016 Global Slavery Index. It is also worth mentioning that in the ASEAN Region, the Philippines acted as the lead shepherd country in the Trafficking in Persons. The ASEAN Ministers signed the ASEAN Convention on Trafficking in Persons (ACTIP), Especially Women and Children and the ASEAN Plan of Action (APA) Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children during the 20th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia in November 2015, reaffirming its commitment to a stronger and more effective regional and international cooperation against Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and for a more effective protection of and assistance to victims. The Philippines has repealed the provision in the Revised Penal Code that penalizes pre-mature marriage - a widow who marries within 301 days from the death of her husband or before giving birth if she was pregnant at the time of his death, or whose marriage has been annulled or dissolved if she marries before giving birth or before the expiration of 301 days after separation. We also anticipate the enactment of the following: o First, anti-mail order spouse law which will provide stiffer penalties against unlawful practices, business, and schemes matching and offering Filipinos to foreign nationals for purposes of marriage or common law partnership. Page 8 of 16

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