On a regional scale, records of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Central Visayas (DSWD-7) that the number of Violence against Women (VAW) cases, including human trafficking cases, dropped by 42 percent in 2020. Recording only 124 cases in the same year, the regional office attribute the decrease to the difficulty in facilitating referrals and reaching out to victims due to localized lockdowns as part of the community quarantine amid the Covid-19 pandemic.21 Another indication of the identified concern of underreporting of trafficking incidents is the reports received by the law enforcement agencies. In an official report by the Philippine National Police Central Visayas (PRO 7), there are only nine cases of recorded cases of violations of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act in 2020. Cebu and Lapu-Lapu city police offices had recorded the most number of cases, with three reported cases in each city police office within the same period.22 In a 2013 localized research23 focused on Cebu City’s anti-trafficking efforts, it found that efforts for combating human trafficking in Cebu City remain inadequate and lacked have full coordination among different stakeholders. It is however noteworthy that at the time of the research, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) is in its formative stage. In the same research, the researchers further recommended strong coordination between government agency implementers and stakeholders. Additional recommendations in the antitrafficking efforts in Cebu City include the following: conduct of seminars on human trafficking; close coordination with different civic society groups; strict monitoring and surveillance of activities within beer houses and various establishments; prosecution and dismissal of military and government personnel who may be proven to be involved as “facilitators” of human trafficking activities; conduct of rescue operations; inclusion of psychological services, skills training, medical assistance, and possible employment or livelihood assistance in programs for the rehabilitation of victims. In Eastern Visayas, DSWD Regional Director Restituto Macuto has earlier expressed alarm over human trafficking cases in their region. Their office recorded 131 human trafficking cases from the year 2015 to the third week of July 2018.24 Recent statistical data also portrays the state of child labor in Central Visayas. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region VII has profiled 12,275 child laborers as of 21Aguilar, Jyle Rachelle. (2021). Covid-19 affects government response to VAW cases. SunStar. Available at: https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1888209/Cebu/Local-News/Covid-19-affects-governmentresponse-to-violence-against-women-cases 22 Reported trafficking cases in 2020 were presented during the Central Visayas Regional Council for the Welfare of Children (RCWC) meeting last June 2021 23 Ferdinand T. Abocejo and Fernando K. Gubalane. Implementation of the Anti-Human Trafficking Law in Cebu City, Philippines. International Forum Vol. 16, No. 1 April 2013 pp. 36-48 24 Meniano, Sarwell (2018). Eastern Visayas human trafficking cases alarm DSWD. Philippine News Agency. Available at: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1042623 42