Senior White House official to visit Philippines

MANILA - The special assistant of United States President Barack Obama will arrive in Manila on Tuesday to tackle human trafficking issues and seek joint cooperation with faith-based organizations in the Philippines.

The US Embassy in Manila said Monday that Joshua DuBois, executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, will stay in the Philippines until Sept 6.

"DuBois's visit, which is being coordinated through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will focus on efforts to combat human trafficking and foster greater collaboration with faith-based organizations and leaders in the Philippines," the embassy said in a statement.

DuBois will be accompanied by USAID Director for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, J. Mark Brinkmoeller, and USAID Human Trafficking and Gender Advisor, Veronica Zeitlin.

The White House official will address an interfaith forum hosted by Ateneo de Zamboanga University in southern Philippines and meet with students to discuss Obama's Interfaith Campus Challenge.

He will also participate in a roundtable discussion on the role of religious groups in peace and development in Mindanao organized by the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy.

From Zamboanga, DuBois will travel to Cebu City in central Philippines to discuss anti-human trafficking initiatives with members of an inter-faith organization, International Justice Mission, local government officials, members of the business community and civil society organizations.

In its 2012 Trafficking in Persons Report, the US State Department said the Philippines still "does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking," but "is making significant efforts to do so."