More than 200 Filipinos who were recruited to work in scam farm operations in Myanmar have sought assistance from the Philippine government for repatriation, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sunday.
As of October 24, the DFA reported that the Philippine Embassy in Myanmar has received 222 active requests for help from Filipinos stranded in scam hub areas. Of these, 66 individuals have crossed into Thailand, while nine others have reached Yangon and are now under embassy custody.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and other relevant agencies, remains committed to the safe repatriation of affected Filipinos through established government-to-government channels,” the DFA said in a statement.
The department added that Philippine diplomats are coordinating with Myanmar and Thai authorities to expedite deportation procedures and assist in the rescue of Filipinos still trapped in scam compounds.
The embassy is also closely monitoring developments in Myawaddy, a major hub of illicit online scam operations, following a series of police crackdowns conducted by Myanmar authorities on October 20.
Over the past three years, traffickers have lured Filipinos and other foreign nationals into forced labor in cyber scam operations across Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. Victims are often deceived by fake job offers and later sold to criminal syndicates, according to the United Nations, which has described the situation as a “humanitarian and human rights crisis.”
The DFA reminded Filipinos to secure proper documentation and employment approval through the DMW before accepting overseas job offers.
