206 Filipinos return home from Myanmar scam hubs
Metro Manila, Philippines - A total of 206 Filipinos have returned to the country after being rescued from forcibly working in scam centers in Myanmar.
One hundred seventy six Filipinos who were allegedly victims of human trafficking arrived in the country on early Wednesday morning, March 26.
The batch followed 30 Filipinos who arrived on Tuesday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said they crossed from Myawaddy, Myanmar to Mae Sot in Thailand. Then they boarded a special flight from Bangkok, Thailand.
According to the DMW, the victims were recruited through messaging apps WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram as “customer sales representatives” in Myanmar but they were exploited and forced to work as online scammers.
The DFA assured it will continue to assist Filipinos who fall victim to human trafficking activities.
“The Philippine government is unwavering in its commitment to protecting Filipinos abroad,” the agency said.
When the first batch arrived, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the victims will be given psychosocial services, financial aid, and legal aid from various government agencies.
The DMW said each victim will also receive financial assistance of P50,000 from its AKSYON Fund and P10,000 from OWWA.
The Filipinos will be referred to reintegration programs and upskilling training.
It said the rescue of the Filipinos “reaffirms the country as the gold standard in migration protection mechanisms, ensuring that overseas Filipinos—particularly those identified as alleged victims of human trafficking—receive the prompt support and assistance needed.”
The government reminded Filipinos to pass through proper deployment procedures of the DMW and other concerned agencies before leaving the country for overseas work.
