A
fire in Manila claimed the lives of eight Filipino women working in an
electronics warehouse in suburban Pasay City, revealing an instance of internal
trafficking in the Philippines. Arson investigators said that several of the
workers were able to escape but eight had died because the only door that could
be used as a safe exit was padlocked by the owner of the apparent “sweatshop.”
The chair of the village reported that “Survivors said that they were not
allowed to venture outside the factory and that they were always locked in
their rooms. They were only allowed days off from work three times a year.”
According to humantrafficking.org, trafficking of Filipinos within the
Philippines remains a significant problem. They are trafficked from rural areas
to urban centers like Manila, Cebu, and other cities.
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