THE DEPARTMENT of Migrant Workers (DMW) said it has repatriated 800 Filipinos who were recruited into illegal scam hubs across Southeast Asian countries, as it seeks to strengthen measures against illegal recruitment.
In a statement, the agency said that the repatriated Filipinos were rescued from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, while more than 200 are still waiting to return home.
“Rest assured we’re cooperating with the authorities so they can return home as soon as possible,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said late Monday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier reported that about 222 other overseas Filipino workers have applied for repatriation.
Mr. Cacdac said that the DMW is seeking to intensify its operations against illegal recruitment by syndicates in Myanmar, Cambodia, and other countries in Southeast Asia, targeting job-seeking Filipinos.
The DMW has arrested 20 individuals linked to illegal recruitments and the trafficking of Filipinos to foreign scam hubs, where they are forced to engage in exploitative and illegal labor.
Among those arrested were four recruiters in Rizal, Palawan, and a Taiwanese national who was apprehended at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
“There were some who pretended to be repatriates, but in reality, they were the recruiters themselves,” Mr. Cacdac said following joint operations with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, Philippine National Police, and National Bureau of Investigation.
He added that some recruiters have been luring Filipinos to work in visa-free ASEAN countries like Thailand and Malaysia without legal documents.
“Visa-free is only for tourists, it doesn’t mean they can work there,” he said.
He added that the government has also been strengthening operations against human trafficking by improving international relations.
“We are not on the side of irregular labor mobility. We stand for safe, ethical, and transparent recruitment,” Mr. Cacdac said.
He added that the DMW has been continuing to coordinate with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Philippine embassies in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand in implementing the operations. — Adrian H. Halili