30 Filipino Human Trafficking Victims Repatriated from Myanmar

Thirty Filipino victims of illegal recruitment and human trafficking in Myanmar have been safely repatriated through the efforts of the Philippine government. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is now providing them with necessary assistance and support.

Through the joint efforts of the Philippine Embassy, the Office of the Police Attaché, and the Migrant Workers Office in Bangkok, the victims arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City on March 25, 2025, aboard Philippine Airlines Flight PR 0733.

The victims were recruited through WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram with false job offers as customer service representatives in Myanmar but were later forced to work as online scammers. The DMW strongly urges OFWs and job seekers to remain cautious of fraudulent job offers, particularly cryptocurrency and romance scams, known as “pig-butchering scams.”

Upon arrival, they received immediate aid, including psychosocial services, financial support, and legal assistance from a whole-of-government team composed of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), DMW, Bureau of Immigration (BI), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the NAIA Task Force Against Trafficking (NAIA-TFAT).

Each repatriated victim was given ₱50,000 in financial assistance from the DMW’s AKSYON Fund and ₱10,000 from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

“Aside from financial assistance, and isa pa sa pinakamahalaga ay ang legal assistance na ibibigay natin sa kanila,” said DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia, who, along with DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega, welcomed the repatriates. The victims will also be referred to DMW reintegration programs and upskilling training through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to help them rebuild their lives.

The DMW is preparing to assist an additional 176 Filipino trafficking victims expected to arrive on a chartered flight on March 26, 2025. 

7Olalia expressed gratitude to the DFA for its rescue operations and ongoing efforts to investigate the syndicates behind these human trafficking networks. The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), DOJ, and Philippine National Police (PNP) continue to support these investigations.

The public is advised to verify job offers and recruitment agencies through the DMW website (https://dmw.gov.ph) and report illegal recruitment activities via the DMW Migrant Workers Protection Bureau hotline at +63 2 8721-0619.