A group of thirty Filipino victims of illegal recruitment and human trafficking in Myanmar safely returned to the Philippines on 25 March 2025.
Their repatriation was made possible through the joint efforts of the Philippine Embassy, Office of the Police Attaché, and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Bangkok.
The victims arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City aboard Philippine Airlines Flight PR 0733.
Upon their return, they were provided with a range of services, including psychosocial support, financial aid, and legal assistance.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the NAIA Task Force Against Trafficking (NAIA-TFAT) coordinated the response to the trafficking victims.
Each victim was given Php 50,000 in financial assistance through the DMW’s Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na Nangangailangan (AKSYON) Fund, in addition to Php 10,000 from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
“Along with financial support, one of the most important aspects is the legal assistance that we will provide to these victims,” said DMW Undersecretary Olalia, who, alongside DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega, welcomed the repatriates.
All victims will be referred to DMW’s reintegration programs, including upskilling training offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), to help them rebuild their lives.
The DMW is also preparing to assist an additional 176 Filipino victims, who are expected to arrive on a chartered flight on Wednesday morning, 26 March 2025.
Olalia expressed appreciation for the DFA’s rescue operations and ongoing investigation into the trafficking syndicates behind these online scam hubs, with support from the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), DOJ, and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The victims were recruited via WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram to work as customer sales representatives in Myanmar, only to be exploited as online scammers.
The DMW strongly advises OFWs and job seekers to be cautious of fraudulent job offers on social media, particularly scams involving cryptocurrency and romance frauds known as “pig-butchering scams.”
