Seven Filipino workers who were victims of human trafficking have safely returned to the Philippines, becoming the first batch of repatriated human trafficking victims for 2026, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
The group arrived in the early hours of January 4, 2026, aboard a Philippine Airlines flight at NAIA Terminal 1 in Pasay City. An inter-agency team composed of the DMW–NAIA, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Bureau of Immigration, Manila International Airport Authority–Airport Police Division, and the NAIA Task Force Against Trafficking assisted the returnees upon arrival and ensured the smooth processing of their entry.
OWWA arranged temporary accommodation and transportation to help the workers return to their respective provinces. Prior to their departure from Cambodia, DMW Assistant Secretary Venecio Legazpi personally assisted the victims at Phnom Penh International Airport. The repatriation effort was carried out in coordination with the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh and the Migrant Workers Office in Singapore.
The DMW said the seven returnees will undergo legal assistance, psychosocial intervention, and reintegration programs to help them recover and rebuild their lives after the ordeal.
