Pinoys in Hong Kong advised of anti-trafficking text hotline

Filipinos in Hong Kong were advised this week of the Philippine government's new text-based hotline that they can use to report cases of human trafficking.

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) said the text hotline, powered by Globe and Touch Mobile, may be accessed at 1343.

"The text-based 1343 Action Line is aimed at responding to requests for assistance, inquiries and referrals involving suspected human trafficking activities. It is also deemed to fast-track the referral and follow-up of cases, efficiently direct immediate assistance to human trafficking victims and disseminate information on human trafficking through text messages," it said in a news release posted February 13 on the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong website.

Subscribers can sent messages to the hotline and will be charged P1 per 160 characters.

CFO said it hopes to use the 1343 Action Line available through texts so that more cases of human trafficking will be reported and resolved.

The text-based feature is relatively new to the hotline which started as a call-based action line as early as March 2011.

In 2012, the action line received 7,762 calls involving 198 actual cases with 130 victims, 19 of which were minors.

The CFO, as chair of the Advocacy and Communications Committee of the Inter-Agency Council Against Human Trafficking (IACAT), established the 24/7 SMS-based Action Line along with the previously initiated call-based 1343 Action Line and the campaign website www.1343actionline.ph. - VVP, GMA News

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