NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
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)
)
SENATE
S.B. No. 2471
v 
of i ill' 4' ■ ! I
23 NOV-6 P6:27
RtCEr.\;D B'
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING PROTECTIONS AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS, 
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9208, AS AMENDED BY 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10364, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO INSTITUTE POLICIES TO 
ELIMINATE TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND/OR 
CHILDREN, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR ITS VIOLATIONS AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES"
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Republic Act No. 10364 or the Expanded Anti Trafficking in Persons Act was 
enacted into law only 2022. Despite its fairly recent passage, rapid and alarming 
developments in trafficking in persons demand immediate updates to the Philippines' 
anti trafficking law.
This bill seeks to introduce the following important reforms:
Firstly, it expands the definition of human trafficking to include the act of forcing 
the commission of iiiegai or frauduient activities. This captures the phenomenon of 
"scam hubs" - large compounds that operate technology-facilitated fraudulent 
activities using human trafficking victims from developing countries -- and the specific 
challenge of identifying TIP victims, recognizing their victimization and need for 
redress, and distinguishing them from scammers/ fraud operators.
Secondly, it imposes a penalty on the specific act of allowing the use of one's 
license, permit or franchise for the commission of TIP activities, a modus that surfaced 
during the senate investigations on the scam hubs where it became apparent that 
these illegal operations were taking advantage of the regulatory cover provided by 
licensed and registered online gambling facilities
Secondly, it introduces the crime of "human smuggling", which is the consensual 
facilitation of the entry or continued presence of a person without lawful status or 
documentation in a country where he or she is not a citizen or a resident. Human 
smuggling networks are usually large, cross-border criminal syndicates offering, for


large amounts of money, dangerous and illegal exit and entry routes to individuals 
who do not have the options to migrate iegaiiy.
Finaliy, the biil introduces the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) model which 
provides for a formai, comprehensive, integrated and multidisciplinary response to the 
investigation and disposition of cases invoiving chiid trafficking, with a view to reducing 
the number of times children are questioned and examined in courts or through iegal 
processes, and coordinating therapeutic interventions and services for child victims.
The immediate passage of this biil is respectfuiiy sought.
RISA HONTIVEROS ^


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S.B. No. ^471
23 NOV-6 P6:27
received BV:
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING PROTECTIONS AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS, 
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9208, AS AMENDED BY 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10364, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO INSTITUTE POLICIES TO 
ELIMINATE TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND/OR 
CHILDREN, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR ITS VIOLATIONS AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Phiiippines in 
Congress assembied:
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Section 1. Short tide. This Act shail be known as the "Expanded Anti-Trafficking
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Act of 2023.
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Sec. 2. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 9208 as amended, is hereby further
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amended to read as follows:
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"SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
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XXX
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(I) FORCED COMMISSION OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES - FORCING OR
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COMPELLING ANY PERSON TO COMMIT ILLEGAL OR FRAUDULENT
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ACTIVITIES FOR ECONOMIC OR MATERIAL GAIN. THROUGH. AMONG
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OTHERS. RESTRICTING PHYSICAL MOVEMENT. WITHHOLDING OF
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PASSPORTS. PHYSICAL 
OR ECONOMIC PUNISHMENT. OR
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ANALOGOUS ACTS;
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Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9208 as amended, is hereby further amended to
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read as follows:


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"SEC. 4. Acts of Trafficking in Persons. - It shall be unlawful for any person, 
natural or juridical, to commit by means of a threat, or use of force, or other 
forms of coercion, or through abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or 
of position, or through taking advantage of the vulnerability of the person, or 
by giving or receiving of payment or benefit to obtain the consent of a person 
having control over another person, WHETHER THROUGH ONLINE OR 
OFFLINE MODES OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH, anv of the following 
acts:
(a) To recruit, obtain, hire, provide, offer, transport, transfer, maintain, harbor, 
or receive a person by any means, including those done under the pretext 
of domestic or overseas employment or training or apprenticeship, for the 
purpose of prostitution, pornography, sexual abuse or exploitation, 
production, creation or distribution of CSAEM or CSAM, forced labor, slavery, 
involuntary servitude, er debt bondage, OR FORCED COMMISSION OF 
ILLEGAL OR FRAUDULENT ACTIVITIES;
Sec. 3. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"SECTION 5. Acts that Promote Trafficking in Persons. - The following acts 
which promote or facilitate trafficking in persons shall be unlawful:
XXX
(A) 
To knowingly lease or sublease, use or allow to be used any house, 
building or establishment; or any vehicles or carriers by land, sea and 
air; and any of their online or digital platforms and applications,_for the 
purpose of promoting trafficking in persons; PROVIDED. THAT IF THE 
VEHICLE IS OPERATING BY WAY OF A FRANCHISE. THE
FRANCHISE SHALL BE CANCELLED;
(B) 
(B) TO ALLOW THE USE OF THEIR LEGALLY-OBTAINED 
REGULATORY LICENSE. PERMIT. OR FRANCHISE FOR THE
COMMISSION OF ACTS OF TRAFFICKING; PROVIDED THAT.
WHEN THE LICENSE OR PERMIT HOLDER IS A JURIDICAL
PERSON. THE PENALTY SHALL BE IMPOSED UPON THE OWNER.


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PRESIDENT. PARTNER. MANAGER OR ANY RESPONSIBLE
OFFICER. OR ANY TWO (D OR MORE OF THEM;
XXX
Sec. 4. A new Section shall be introduced as follows:
"SEC. X. HUMAN SMUGGLING. THE CRIME OF HUMAN SMUGGLING IS
COMMITTED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING ACTS:
(a) 
SECURING OR AIDING THE ENTRY OF A PERSON INTO A
COUNTRY OF WHICH HE/SHE IS NOT A CITIZEN OR
PERMANENT RESIDENT. OR WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE
VISAS OR LEGAL DOCUMENTS. FOR FINANCIAL OR OTHER
MATERIAL BENEFIT:
(b) 
FACILITATING. BY ANY UNLAWFUL MEANS. THE CONTINUED
PRESENCE OF A SMUGGLED PERSON IN A RECEIVING
COUNTRY IN ORDER TO OBTAIN FINANCIAL OR OTHER
MATERIAL BENEFIT. INCLUDING HARBORING A SMUGGLED
PERSON. PROVIDING SPURIOUS DOCUMENTS. OR
ARRANGING THEIR DOMESTIC TRANSPORT OR ANY MEANS TO
PREVENT SCRUTINY. DETECTION OR DEPORTATION:
VIOLATIONS UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME
PENALTIES AS SECTION 5 OF THIS ACT. PROVIDED. THAT WHEN IT
IS PROVEN THAT THE PERSONfS^ SMUGGLED INTO THE PHILIPPINES
DID NOT CONSENT TO THE ENTRY. OR SUFFERED PHYSICAL ABUSE
OR INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT EVEN IF HE OR SHE
CONSENTED. THE ACT SHALL BE CONSIDERED TRAFFICKING IN
PERSONS AND SHALL BE PENALIZED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THIS ACT.
CRIMINAL LIABILITY SHALL NOT BE EXTINGUISHED BY ANY FUTURE
OFFICIAL ACTION WHICH MAY BE TAKEN WITH RESPECT TO THE
SMUGGLED PERSON AND OR THEIR LEGAL STATUS; PROVIDED THAT.
WHEN THE SMUGGLED PERSON IS LATER DETERMINED TO BE A


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REFUGEE AND/OR HAS BEEN GRANTED ASYLUM BY THE RECEIVING
GOVERNMENT DUE TO CONFLICT. GENERALIZED VIOLENCE OR A
WELL-FOUNDED FEAR OF PERSECUTION IN THE COUNTRY OF
ORIGIN. THIS FACT MAY BE INTRODUCED AS A DEFENSE BY THE
ACCUSED.
Sec. 5. A new section shall be introduced as follows:
"SEC. X. IN ADDITION TO THEIR OBLIGATIONS UNDER SECTION 16
OF THIS ACT. LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AT THE PROVINCIAL AND
CITY LEVEL SHALL. THROUGH THEIR LOCAL SOCIAL WELFARE
DEVELOPMENT OFFICES. ESTABLISH CHILD ADVOCACY CENTERS
fCACs^ TO PROVIDE A FORMAL. COMPREHENSIVE. INTEGRATED AND
MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE TO THE INVESTIGATION AND
DISPOSITION OF CASES INVOLVING CHILD TRAFFICKING. WITH A
VIEW TO REDUCING THE NUMBER OF TIMES CHILDREN ARE
QUESTIONED AND EXAMINED IN COURTS OR THROUGH LEGAL
PROCESSES. AND COORDINATING THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS
AND SERVICES FOR CHILD VICTIMS.
THE CAC SHALL PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING. AT MINIMUM:
A. A MULTI DISCIPLINARY TEAM TO PROVIDE A PORTFOLIO
OF SERVICES TO CHILD VICTIMS. INCLUDING LEGAL CASE
SUPPORT. MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHO-SOCIAL
SUPPORT. PROTECTION AND CUSTODY WHERE RELEVANT:
B. A VICTIM ADVOCATE THAT WILL SERVE AS THE PRIMARY
CONTACT AND LIAISON BETWEEN THE CHILD-VICTIM AND
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND
THE COURTS:
C. FORENSIC INTERVIEWS IN A CHILD-CENTERED. TRAUMA-
INFORMED SETTING WITH THE CHILD AND NON­
OFFENDING FAMILY MEMBERS.


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WHEN THE OFFENSE INVOLVES ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE AND
EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN fOSAECV OR THE PRODUCTION AND
DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION
MATERIALS fCSAEM^. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CACs SHALL BE
IN COORDINATION WITH THE NATIONAL COORDINATING CENTER
AGAINST OSAEC rNCC-OSAECV
THE CACs SHALL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO ALL INDIVIDUALS WHO
WERE MINORS AT THE TIME OF COMMISSION OF THE CRIME
AGAINST THEM. INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE AGED OUT. IN
ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING LAWS AND SUPREME COURT
CIRCULARS.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CACs MAY BE FUNDED THROUGH
GRANTS AND DONATIONS FROM FOREIGN AND LOCAL SOURCES.
AND MAY ALSO BE SOURCED FROM THE GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT
fGAD^ BUDGET IF THE CHILD VICTIM IS A GIRL.
Sec. 6. Section 24 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as 
follows:
"Section 24. Other Services for Trafficked Persons. -
(a) Legal Assistance. - Trafficked persons FILIPINOS OVERSEAS shall 
be considered under the category "Overseas Filipino in Distress" and 
may avail of the legal assistance created by Republic Act No. 8042, 
subject to the guidelines as provided by law.
(b) Overseas Filipino Resource Centers. - The services available to 
overseas Filipinos as provided for by Republic Act No. 8042 shall also be 
extended to trafficked persons regardless of their immigration status in 
the host country.
(c) The Country Team Approach. - The country team approach under 
Executive Order No. 74 of 1993, shall be the operational scheme under 
which Philippine embassies abroad shall provide protection to trafficked


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persons insofar as the promotion of their welfare, dignity and
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fundamental rights are concerned.
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fP^ FOR TRAFFICKED FOREIGNERS IN THE PHILIPPINES. THE
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DSWD SHALL PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES IN
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ACCORDANCE WITH PHILIPPINE OBLIGATIONS UNDER
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INTERNATIONAL LAW. SUCH AS THE ASEAN CONVENTION
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AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS fACTIPl. WHERE AN
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INTERPRETER IS NECESSARY. INTERPRETATION SERVICES
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SHALL BE PROVIDED BY THE DSWD. IN COORDINATION WITH
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THE EMBASSIES OF THE TIP VICTIM-SURVIVOR.
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XXX
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Sec. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication
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in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,