MANILA – The Association of Recruitment Agencies in the Philippines is leading a campaign to fight human trafficking and has circulated a manifesto supporting global crusade to end slavery.
Raisonel Datu Magangcong, president of the Association of Recruitment Agencies in the Philippines-OFW Foundation, is leading the campaign and has urged all members to also support the Papal visit in the country.
Magangcong has started a signature campaign among recruitment agencies in support of the historical visit of Pope Francis from January 15 to 19 in Manila and Tacloban City, and in Palo town in Leyte province where he will say mass.
The Pope is also expected to mingle with typhoon survivors.
Magangcong said they will also appeal the intercession of the Pope in addressing the sad plight of jailed overseas Filipino workers, especially those in death rows, in the Middle East.
In supporting the global campaign against human trafficking and modern-day slavery, Magangcong signed the “Declaration with the Global Freedom Network: United to end slavery.”
The campaign is “committed to the dignity and freedom that is the birthright of all humankind.”
The Catholic, Anglican, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, and Orthodox leaders signed the Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders Against Modern Slavery at the Vatican on World Day for the Abolition of Slavery.
The manifesto that Magangcong signed reads: “I will do all within my power to end slavery within my lifetime. Each human being is a free person, whether girl, boy, woman or man and is destined to exist in equality and dignity, free forever.”
“Collectively we have the opportunity, awareness, wisdom, innovation and technology to achieve this human and moral imperative. We can be the generation that ends slavery.”
World religious leaders have also issued a joint declaration against modern slavery and it reads: “We are gathered here today for a historic initiative to inspire spiritual and practical action by all global faiths and people of good will everywhere to eradicate modern slavery across the world by 2020 and for all time.”
“In the eyes of God, each human being is a free person, whether girl, boy, woman or man, and is destined to exist for the good of all in equality and fraternity. Modern slavery, in terms of human trafficking, forced labour and prostitution, organ trafficking, and any relationship that fails to respect the fundamental conviction that all people are equal and have the same freedom and dignity, is a crime against humanity.”
“We pledge ourselves here today to do all in our power, within our faith communities and beyond, to work together for the freedom of all those who are enslaved and trafficked so that their future may be restored. Today we have the opportunity, awareness, wisdom, innovation and technology to achieve this human and moral imperative.”
And among those who signed the joint declaration were Pope Francis, Her Holiness Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma), Venerable Bhikkhuni Thich Nu Chan Khong (representing Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh), The Most Ven. Datuk K Sri Dhammaratana, Chief High Priest of Malaysia; Rabbi Dr. Abraham Skorka, Rabbi Dr. David Rosen, Dr. Abbas Abdalla Abbas Soliman, Undersecretary of State of Al Azhar Alsharif (representing Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar).
And Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi, Sheikh Naziyah Razzaq Jaafar, Special advisor of Grand Ayatollah (representing Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Basheer Hussain al Najafi); Sheikh Omar Abboud, Most Reverend and Right Honorable Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury; and His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France (representing His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew). (Mindanao Examiner)
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