Thirty-five overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Cambodia safely returned to the Philippines on New Year’s Eve as part of the government’s continuing efforts to assist victims of human trafficking, illegal recruitment, and scam hub operations.
In a statement, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said 34 of the repatriated OFWs were victims of human trafficking, while one was sent home after completing a prison sentence related to a money laundering case.
The OFWs arrived in three batches at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Wednesday, December 31, after departing from Phnom Penh via transit and direct flights.
“Their safe repatriation was achieved through the coordinated efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh and the Migrant Workers Offices in Singapore and Thailand,” the DMW said.
The first two batches, each composed of eight trafficking victims, arrived via AirAsia flights from Kuala Lumpur. The third batch, consisting of 18 trafficking victims and the OFW released from prison, arrived on a Philippine Airlines direct flight from Phnom Penh.
Prior to their return, the OFWs received financial and welfare assistance in Phnom Penh, facilitated by DMW Assistant Secretary Venecio Legaspi and officials of the Philippine Embassy.
Upon arrival in Manila, they were welcomed by DMW Assistant Secretary Maria Regina Angela Galias, in coordination with the AKSYON Unit, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the NAIA Task Force Against Trafficking.
The DMW renewed its call for Filipinos to remain vigilant against fraudulent job offers, particularly those circulating on social media, and urged jobseekers to verify overseas employment opportunities with the agency to ensure they are legitimate and properly registered.
