of Immigration (BI) of three women suspected to victims of human trafficking bound for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga. 30 Tapayan added he had learned reports of suspected trafficking incidents in the provinces of Bohol and Leyte and Dumaguete City in the recent years. Such claim is corroborated by the fact that Bohol and Leyte are identified as hotspots for online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) by the International Justice Mission (IJM). 31 A 2020 report show that operatives arrested a foreign national and his live-in partner for trafficking and rescued four women in Dumaguete City. 32 2. Assistance and protection for trafficked survivors Most of the respondent survivors were able to avail of government assistance and services with the facilitation of the NGOs. CLB, for its part, would report suspected cases to their partners in the community concerned before making an investigation plan. One of the current efforts of CLB to obtain reports of suspected cases is the Children’s Legal Assistance Form made available to the public through Google Forms.33 Coordination efforts with the police would usually follow, including the possibility of rescuing trafficked survivors. CLB also follow the protocols for case management of child victims of abuse, neglect and exploitation issued by the Department of Justice Committee for the Special Protection of Children. “During the rescue, firearms (of policemen) are not allowed. The safety of the children is the priority. No media is allowed to protect the privacy of children and to gather evidence properly. Media is allowed only after rescue. Hard drives are then taken into custody for forensic examination,” Tapayan says. Quinamaque explains her role during the rescue as a social worker: “During the rescue, the social worker should be present to secure the children. The children should also be transported in a separate car. Children are then sent to DSWD to assess which shelters are appropriate for them. It is also explained to them why they were rescued.” Among the identified government offices and programs which have helped trafficked survivors after being rescued and during the pendency of their cases in court or the prosecutorial service are the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), particularly through its Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP) and Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU), the Witness Protection Program of the Department of 30 Sarao, Zacarian (2021). BI intercepts suspected human trafficking victims in Clark, Pampanga. Inquirer.Net. Accessible at: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1487889/bi-intercepts-suspected-humantrafficking-victims-in-clark-pampanga#ixzz7Bo1q67Wq 31 Barcelon, Paolo (2021). Reports on alleged online sexual exploitation of children up three-fold in 2020 – anti-trafficking council. CNN Philippines. Accessible https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/1/20/children-online-sexual-exploitation-2020.html at: 32 Gallarde, Juancho (2020). Foreigner nabbed, human trafficking 'victims' rescued in NegOr. Philippine News Agency. Accessible at: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1101421 33 To access, click the link: tinyurl.com/clbcrimeform 46