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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHLLIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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Introduced by Senators Antonio “Sonny” F. TriUanes IV, Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero 
and Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada 
Explanatory Note 
The tasks of creating a comprehensive program to prevent and suppress trafficking in persons, 
coordinating its implementation by various government agencies and of monitoring and overseeing 
the strict implementation of Republic Act No. 9208 otherwise known as the Anti-Trafficking in 
Persons Act of 2003, has been placed by the law on the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking or 
IACAT’. 
However, instead of providing direct funding for the IACAT, the law merely created a trust fund into 
which all fines as well as proceeds and properties forfeited under RA No. 9208 are supposed to be 
accumulated to be used exclusively for programs that will prevent acts of trafficking and protect, 
rehabilitate, reintegrate trafficked persons into the mainstream of society2, and directed all 
participating agencies to include any project they may have under the law in their department’s 
annual budget for inclusion in the annual General Appropriations Act3. 
Considering the growing number of trafficking cases and the number of victims who need the 
support and assistance of the IACAT, this mode of funding is hardly sufficient to meet the 
challenges of the times. Moreover, funds from fines and forfeitures imposed by RA No. 9208 are 
slow in coming and no significant increase in the rate of the accumulation of said fund is expected in 
the near future. 
Hence, there is an imperative necessity to provide additional and substantial funding for the IACAT 
if we are to expect it to do its job. Moreover, there is an imperative necessity of creating a 
permanent secretariat not only to manage the activities of the IACAT but also to provide for the 
continuity of plans and programs and to ensue that institutional memory is retained in the fight 
against human trafficking. 
Section 21 (a) to (p), RANo. 9208 
* Section 15, RANo. 9208 
Section 28, RANo. 9208 
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It is time to ‘but our money where our mouth IS”, so to speak. While the Government has 
been singing praises to our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as our “Bagong Bayani” or 
our modern day heroes, it has not sufficiently funded the inter-agency council tasked with the 
duty and function of preventing and protecting them from the menace of human trafficking. 
This Bill aims not only to create a permanent secretariat for the IACAT but also to provide 
additional substantial funding intended to support the IACAT and to shore-up its capacities 
and capabilities in order to be able to meet the growing challenges of the times, especially in 
the light of the ongoing global financial crisis. 
The immediate passage of this Bill is earnestly enjoined 
A ~ T O ~ I O  
“SONNY” F. TRILLANES IV 
FRANCIS JOSEPH “CHIZ” G. ESCUDERO 
ERCITO ESTRADA 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S. NO. 
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Introduced by Senators Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV, Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero 
and Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada 
AN ACT 
AGAINST TRAFFICKING (IACAT) WHICH WAS UNDER SECTION 20 OF REPUBLIC 
OF 2003” AS WELL AS PROVIDING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE IACAT 
AND FOR OTHER RELATED PURPOSES. 
CREATING A PERMANENT SECRETARIAT FOR THE INTER-AGENCY COUNCIL 
ACT NO. 9208, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS ACT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Creation of a Permanent Secretariat for the UCAT. - A permanent 
2 Secretariat for the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) created under Section 20 of 
3 Republic Act No. 9802 otherwise known as the “Anii-Tiwficking in Persons Act of 2003 ” is hereby 
4 created, which Secretariat shall be attached to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for purpose of 
5 program coordination. The said Secretariat shall be headed by an Executive Director and shall have 
6 such number of officers and employees as support staff, who shall perform such duties and functions 
7 and shall have such compensation, emoluments and benefits as may be determined by the IACAT. 
8 The Executive Director and support staff shall be appointed by the President upon the 
9 recommendation of the IACAT. The annual budget for the personnel and operations of the 
10 Secretariat shall be submitted as part of the budget for the DOJ for funding annually under the 
11 general appropriations act. 
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1 
SEC. 2. Additional funding for the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking 
2 created under RA No. 9208. - 
The amount of one hundred million pesos (PHP 
3 100,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to form part of the Trust Fund of the IACAT under 
4 Section 15 of Republic Act No, 9208. The Secretary of Budget and Management is hereby 
5 directed to ensure the availability of the said amount to the !ACAT in a timely manner. 
6 
7 
SEC. 3. Purpose ofthe Fund. - The Fund shall be administered and managed by the 
8 IACAT and shall be used exclusively for the implementation of plans and programs that will 
9 prevent acts of trafficking and protect, rehabilitate, reintegrate trafficked persons into the 
10 mainstream of society and shall include, but shall not limited to, those enumerated in Section 
11 15 of RA No. 9203, as well as to supplement the programs of the appropriate government 
12 agencies in delivering the mandatory services and other services to trafficked persons as 
13 provided in Sections 23 and 24 of RA No. 9208. 
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15 
SEC. 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision, part or portion of this Act shall be 
16 held invalid, the remaining provisions, parts or portions of the Act not otherwise affected 
17 thereby shall remain valid and effective. 
18 
19 
SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive issuances, orders and rules and 
20 regulations contrary to or inconsistent with this Act, or any part thereof, are hereby repealed, 
21 amended and/or modified accordingly. 
22 
23 
24 Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
SEC. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect upon its publication in the UfJicial 
Approved, 
2