Tapayan, who has worked with CLB for over eleven (11) years, was involved in fourteen (14) rescue operations. Quinamaque, who has assisted child survivors during rescue and postrescue activities for eight years now, has handled at least thirty-three (33) girls and ten (10) boys during the course of her work with CLB. B. Situation Based on the Results of the FGD with Respondents 1. Root causes of trafficking Poverty, search for better opportunities, lack of parental attention, peer influence, ignorance over the crime of trafficking, and the vulnerability of survivors, especially minors on the account of their age, were the primary reasons they saw that caused them to become survivors of trafficking. “Tungod sa pagka inosente, walay kaalam kung naabuso ba. Kulang sa ka-alam, tungod kay pobre (Because of my innocence, I did not know I was abused. I also lacked knowledge because I am poor),” one of the Cebu respondents expressed. “Children are involved in trafficking cases because they need money for food. Their parents are also irresponsible. Some children become involved in trafficking because of peer pressureto be able to buy expensive things,” Tapayan adds. A male respondent in Cebu, however, believes that any person can be a victim of trafficking regardless of personal status, particularly sex. For one, two of the respondents in Cebu are biologically male. “Wala koy mahuna-hunaan nga rason. Para nako bisag unsa imong sitwasyon ug status, dato o pobre, babay, laki o bayot, bata o tiguwang, pwede gihapon ka mahimong biktima, (I cannot think of any reason. For me, regardless of your situation and status, rich or poor, male, female, or gay, child or adult, you may become a victim,” the male respondent explained. Quinamaque also observed that cases of male victims have increased and hinted at the underreporting of their cases. “Culture is also a factor because males are least likely to share their dilemma and they feel that reporting the incident will make them look weak,” she explains. CLB staffers also share the observation that Cebu stays as a transit point in trafficking people due to the existence of numerous ports and the fact that tourism is one of the main industries of the island. According to Tapayan, the islands of Bantayan and Camotes, as well as the Municipality of Oslob, among other local government units that relies heavily on tourism, may be considered as trafficking hotspots. Their distance from the island’s capital, Cebu City, makes it difficult to continuously monitor the said areas. Although no reports have surfaced on suspected trafficking cases in ports in Visayas, there are recorded incidents in other parts of the country including the interception by the Bureau 45