Revised travel requirements for outbound travelers suspended by DOJ, IACAT
Filipino travelers would not have to provide a stack of documents when flying out of the country in the meantime, as the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) have deferred the implementation of their stricter travel guidelines for outbound travelers.
The move comes after the Senate on Aug. 30 approved a resolution suspending the implementation of IACAT's revised travel rules that drew backlash from legislators and common citizens alike.
DOJ and IACAT announced the “temporary suspension of the implementation of the recently revised guidelines on departure formalities" in a press release on Aug. 31.
The statement reads, “[I]n light of recent concerns raised by our esteemed senators and to address the importance of transparency and public consultation, the Secretary of Justice, Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla, has deemed it necessary to thoroughly clarify the issues surrounding the revised guidelines to both the senators and the public."
“The Department of Justice acknowledges the vital role of our esteemed senators as representatives of the people, entrusted with safeguarding the rights and welfare of our citizens," it added. "It is our duty to address their concerns and provide them with the necessary information and clarifications."
It reiterated that the revised guideline's primary objective is "not to burden the general public" but to "streamline the departure procedure, ensuring a more efficient and secure process for all individuals traveling abroad."
The statement noted that the revised guideline's suspension will not affect all existing travel rules and guidelines.
IACAT's revised travel protocols
IACAT passed the stricter guidelines on Aug. 18 and announced it four days later, with the aim of addressing the "emergent trends" and the "grave menace" of human trafficking.
Under the revised protocols, all Filipino travelers flying internationally from local airports would have to undergo inspection from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and will be asked to present basic travel documents, particularly a valid passport, boarding pass, appropriate visa whenever required, and confirmed return or roundtrip tickets.
Additional requirements must also be provided by certain travelers, including birth certificates for minors, proof of financial capacity for self-employed travelers, and a notarized proof of support for those with sponsored travel.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Ty clarified that these documents "go hand-in-hand with observations by the immigration officer[s] of the demeanor of the passenger, the answer of the passenger."
He also noted that proof of financial capacity was included in the new guidelines as most human trafficking victims would disguise themselves as leisure travelers to visa-free countries like Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
Birth certificates are meanwhile asked from the companions of traveling minors as proof that the adult traveling with them are, indeed, their parents.
Senate defers implementation of IACAT's guidelines
Although the revised guidelines were approved by IACAT to address human trafficking among Filipinos, the Senate, on the other hand, argued that it must not intervene with the public's right to travel.
This was one of the points raised by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri during the Senate's plenary session on the suspension of IACAT's revised guidelines on Wednesday.
He explained, “We are one with IACAT, of course, in finding ways to protect our people from being exploited, and finding themselves abroad with no proper employment, and no means of coming back home."
“And we know that the point of departure is a crucial stage where we can act on this, and prevent our people from leaving our care and becoming victims of trafficking," he added. "But there has to be a way to protect our people without also hampering their right to travel."
Zubiri's sentiments were echoed by Senator Imee Marcos, with a highlight on the IACAT's "cumbersome" financial capacity requirement.
"As the Constitution does not impose a financial capacity requirement for one to exercise the right to travel, neither should IACAT," Marcos said.
"Instead of making travel more cumbersome to the ordinary Filipinos, IACAT and the concerned government agencies should focus on actually apprehending the human traffickers."
Further proving that tightening up the travel requirements may not be an efficient solution to human trafficking, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva cited data collected by the immigration bureau pertaining to human trafficking.
BI's report stated there were 32,404 Filipino travelers whose departures were deferred in 2022. However, only 472, or a mere 1.46 percent, were tagged as human trafficking victims.
“We understand that the IACAT’s intent in the issuance of the Guidelines is to mitigate trafficking. But imagine the possibility of offloading 98.54 percent of Filipinos? Hindi po ito ‘margin of error,'" Villanueva said.
IACAT's revised travel guidelines were initially set for implementation on Sept. 3. The council has yet to announce further approaches to its suspension.