MANILA — The Philippines and Cambodia conducted a high-level dialogue in a bid to share best practices against emerging forms of human trafficking.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said this was in response to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen regional cooperation to protect victims of human trafficking, fight suspects and heighten the country’s borders.

“Bilang tugon sa direktiba ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. na mas paigtingin ang regional cooperation para protektahan ang mga biktima ng human trafficking, labanan ang mga sindikato at siguraduhin ang seguridad sa ating mga border, nagkaroon ng high-level dialogue ang Pilipinas at Cambodia,” Castro said in a press briefing Friday, May 16.

The high-level talks was conducted between the country’s Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and the Department of Justice and the Cambodian National Committee for Counter Trafficking, Regional Dialogue and Knowledge Exchange, according to Castro.

“Target ng dalawang bansa na palakasin ‘no, target ng dalawang bansa na palakasin ang ating ugnayan sa pagbabahagi ng mga best practices at pagtugon sa mga bagong anyo ng trafficking gaya ng forced labor sa mga scam hubs”, she added.