This research investigates child trafficking prevention and risk management in Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX), Philippines, focusing on four research questions. Firstly, it explores the factors contributing to child trafficking in the region. Secondly, it examines the existing preventive measures and their effectiveness. Thirdly, it assesses the challenges faced in managing child trafficking risks. Lastly, it identifies potential strategies to enhance prevention and risk management efforts. Based on the analysis, one prominent Public Administration theory, the New Public Management (NPM) theory, is integrated to provide insights into the findings. The NPM theory emphasizes performance-based management, decentralization, and accountability, which can be instrumental in combating child trafficking. The research findings reveal that socio-economic factors, lack of awareness, and weak law enforcement contribute to the prevalence of child trafficking in Zamboanga Peninsula. While preventive measures such as awareness campaigns and community-based initiatives are in place, their effectiveness is hindered by limited resources and coordination challenges. Moreover, the study identifies inadequate interagency collaboration, insufficient data collection, and limited access to education and social services as key challenges in managing child trafficking risks. To enhance prevention and risk management, the research recommends strengthening interagency cooperation, allocating adequate resources, improving data collection and analysis, and ensuring comprehensive support services for at-risk children.