US & International
New Zealand
United KingdomThe Philippines is a tourist paradise, offering beaches, rich cuisines and colorful festivals across its 7000 islands.
Human trafficking is prevalent in the island nation, a crisis fuelled largely by poverty and a booming tourism industry.
Population: 115M
Language: Filipino
TIP: Tier 1
Destiny Rescue is actively fighting child sex trafficking in the Philippines. Working in partnership with law enforcement, our agents find victims of child sex trafficking and coordinate sting operations to rescue children and bring perpetrators to justice.
Destiny Rescue Philippines is an augmented assistance program that provides resources and logistics to partnered law enforcement agencies and national government agencies for the purpose of rescuing children from sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Agencies include multiple divisions of the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Sex trafficking
and exploitation
Philippines
Young girls, often from marginalised communities, can end up trapped in the sex industry while seeking employment. Lured in with the offer of waitressing at a bar, girls serve drinks and sit with male customers who touch them inappropriately and solicit them for sex.
While the girls may be experiencing hell on earth, they can be too afraid to return home or disclose their actual situation, fearing they will cast shame on their family or community for being a “former prostitute.”
The Philippines also currently ranks number one in the world in online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that OSEC cases in the country rose by 280% in 2022.
In 2024, Destiny Rescue’s work in the Philippines accomplished:
84
CHILDREN RESCUED
0-46
AGE RANGE OF SURVIVORS
55
ARRESTS
Latest rescues in the country
“I’m here for you. You just don’t know it yet.”
Burn Rescue Agent, Philippines
Our work in the Philippines
Raids
Our rescue agents collaborate with law-enforcement teams to identify child sex trafficking victims and gather the evidence needed to build a legal case against their traffickers. We collaborate with multiple government agencies to coordinate a sting operation and free victims, arrest offenders and shut down establishments.
Post-Rescue
After a raid, our social workers work alongside government social workers to ensure that the survivors’ immediate needs are met including temporary housing, care and essential items.
Anti-trafficking Expertise
We have helped rescue children, and even adults, from various types of trafficking in the country such as labor and cybersex trafficking. Our team’s expertise is recognised, used, and valued by law enforcement.
Learn More
We operate rescue and reintegration programs in multiple countries across the world. Learn more about our mission to help end child sexual exploitation and trafficking in our lifetime.
Learn MoreStories from the Philippines
United States FBI Recruits Destiny Rescue to Target Notorious Trafficker after Arrest of Former US Mayor
The FBI discovered a monstrous trafficker who’d spent decades hurting kids.
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How Traffickers Imprison Victims in Their Own Minds
Traffickers rarely physically restrain their victims; mental prisons are more effective.
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Conversing with a Child Abuser: Shrewd Agent Rescues Three Boys
“That’s the happiest I’ve been seeing someone handcuffed.”
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TRUSTED: Why working with authorities matters in human trafficking cases
We’ve adapted, changing our model to become better rescuers. The result has literally changed the criminal landscape in some areas.
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How Social Media Drives Sex Trafficking
By gradually changing a child’s perception of the world, social media enables human trafficking.
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Destiny Rescue Takes on OSAEC in the Philippines
“One mistake can cost the life and freedom of the child.”
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What is Grooming? 3 Ways Traffickers Ensnare Children
What begins as a seemingly innocent friendship often ends in tragedy.
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6 Quotes from Human Trafficking Survivors That Left a Mark on Agents
Agents reflect on some of the most impactful words spoken by children we’ve rescued.
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Top 4 Most Unforgettable Raids
Rescue work leaves a mark on agents—and there are some rescue operations they’ll never be able to forget.
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What happens after rescue?
A successful rescue doesn’t end when a child is removed from exploitation. That event is only the first step in a process that will help…
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Five-year-old girl rescued from online sexual abuse after arrest of Australian man
In cases of Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC), our operations may span the globe.
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New Collaboration in the Philippines Aims to Rescue More Children
A new partnership gives victimised children in the Philippines a voice.
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An Agent Reflects on Rescuing a Toddler
An agent lures a perpetrator out of the shadows of the internet to rescue a child.
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Flawless Raid Takes Unexpected Twist
After a particularly efficient investigation, new intel came from an unexpected source: the pimp.
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Post-Rescue Realities
Rescue requires more than being removed from an exploitative situation. To truly stay free, survivors must be equipped and empowered to…
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What is OSEC?
Kids are being exploited online at an alarming rate. Learn more about this complex problem and how we can address it.
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“She Didn’t Want to be There”: The Girl in Gold
The story of a daring raid through the eyes of a Rescue Agent
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Philippine Government Declares War on OSEC
The Filipino government has taken a strong stance against the online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC).
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Life as a rescue agent: realities, risks, rewards
A day in the life of ordinary men dedicated to fighting child trafficking
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What makes a rescue agent in the Philippines?
Hear from seasoned rescue agent and Philippines country manager, Bruce, as he shares the most important qualities needed in a rescue agent.
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The evolution of human trafficking in the Philippines
It’s becoming a “darker trade,” a rescue agent says.
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Group of boys rescued from dangerous pimps
The rescue was one of three raid missions executed at the same time.
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The power of social media: why some girls enter the sex industry to buy coffee and clothes
Online pictures of snacks and models are typically harmless, but they can have a harmful, peculiar effect on kids in developing countries.…
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The second story window
Five teens quietly gathered while their seven friends slept in bunk beds around them. It was around 1 am and the girls, aged between 14…
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Philippines raid followup: survivors finding justice
In the Philippines, Destiny Rescue not only frees girls from sex trafficking but also helps them find justice. Check back in on a case from…
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Rescue surge: 33 people rescued across four countries in four days
Amidst the difficulties of this year, Destiny Rescue was able to rescue 33 people across four countries in four days. This latest surge of…
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Operation Corso
“I think this is a set up” was the last text message the Destiny Rescue operative received from the pimp they had been tracking down…
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Rescuing in the Time of COVID-19
With much of the world coming to a halt from the abrupt effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, safe distancing is now the new normal—affecting…
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Toddler Rescued – Our First Cyber Case
In February, our teams, in coordination with multiple law-enforcement agencies, executed an operation that rescued a 2-and-a-half-year-old…
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Operation Domino
It took extensive planning and skilled teamwork. On an unassuming February night, our teams and law enforcement executed four raids in…
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159 Women Rescued in Operation Trabaho
It took 36 hours of hectic planning and strategic logistics for Destiny Rescue Philippines and its partner government agency, the National…
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Sordid Shadows: How to Catch a Pimp
SBS Dateline recently joined Destiny Rescue’s Founder and President Tony Kirwan, along with our International Rescue Director, rescue…
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